I wish Goafest2022, the flagship Industry celebration of advertising excellence and networking all the best. Goafest has given birth to many stories and Goafest2022 is going to be not much different. Reunion of friends, an arrogant walk-by competition, too many drinks and loosening of the tongue, awards appreciated and criticised or a simple meeting of eyes and a friendship of decades. Expectations, experience and imaginations play havoc with the sense of direction at Goafest. Everyone wants closure to their story, even if Netflix insists on a script with a sequel possibility. So, here is one.
It is an old story being retold with fresh development. It all started in Goafest 2016 and remained unfished till 2021. Chances are it can find a formal closure in Goafest2022. It’s a long story but maybe worth a read. Even if I say so.
EPISODE 1. THE BEGINNING. GOAFEST 2016.
It is 2 A.M., late last night at Goafest 2016. The after-hours party was in full swing at Grand Hyatt, Goa. I was having meaningless conversations with friends in the reception area, where delegates register and security check, right next to the after-party arena. And I was tipsy.
I can’t dance to save my life, so I was outside the after-party arena, thinking about what I was doing? And then something magical happened.
A young lady approached me and politely asked- if I had cigarettes to spare.
I am young at heart and a loner among friends. I gave her the pack of Marlboro Advance.
Even if it was the last one, I would have still given it to her. Rarely did a young girl approach me for a smoke! And there is an unwritten rule that smokers do not refuse to share- even if that’s the last stick.
She seemed to be alone; maybe her friends were inside. She stayed back and smoked expertly. We start an aimless conversation that meanders across topics I have no memory of. The after-hours Vodka confused the beer foundation laid through the day.
We were together for some 2 hours. I never asked her for her name, and I don’t remember if she told me.
I am sure she does not remember me. She just borrowed and smoked 3-4 cigarettes with me, and that is no reason to remember a young-at-heart guy like me.
All THAT I REMEMBER.
I remember she was working in digital space and planning to pursue an MBA from one of the IIMs. Like every IIM Alumni, I had let her know of my being IIMA Alumni.
I have a confusing faint memory of her as a slightly tipsy lady in her mid-20s. She was wearing a light pastel dress. She had a dimple on her left cheek; maybe it was the right cheek. She wore a lone silver ring with Neelam on it. I did tell her that her sun sign could not be Taurus because she was wearing Neelam. And Taurus, Neelam and Silver don’t go together.
She told me something about her sting being worse than her bite. And that makes her scorpion. But that realisation happened too late. My earlier experience with ladies with the sun sign Scorpio had never been good.
A few of my friends told me later that they had left us alone, and it seemed we were on a different trip. I sat there low on the ground, looking up at her. She stood stylishly, playing and ruffling my hair from time to time. I playfully held on to her hand, and we enjoyed our smoke. That’s all I remember.
EPISODE 2. UNFINISHED STORY. Woh Nahi Aai
For one year, her memory troubled me. I tried many ways to search for her but failed. My tipsy friends could not add any more clues to help me.
So, nearer to Goafest 2017, I tweeted in desperation, overestimating the power of Twitter. ‘Dear young lady, do connect if you are attending the Goafest. And yes, you can find me around 1230, you know where’.
I did not ask my limited friends on Twitter to RT for reach. However, few well-wishers re-tweeted, including Pratap Bose. I had declared my intent on my blog and the weekly column on mxmindia.com. I was clearly hoping for a miracle to happen, my message to reach her, fully aware it was ‘Mission Impossible’.
TRAPPED.
My situation was complex. I was trapped, my identity was out there in the open. My tweets, as well as the article, carried my mugshot. On the other side, I had no way to tag her. I had a faint memory of an overtly tipsy lady smoking with me, having a purposeless conversation and a whiff of a subtle perfume.
NO SHOW.
At Goafest 2017, night -1, I left the awards function early, took a luxurious bath and made my way to the bait area. I waited for three beers and four cigarettes, and nothing happened. I dragged myself back to the room, questioning my expectations. Before going to sleep, I tweeted an update ‘Woh Nahi Aayi’.
MESSAGES KEEP MY HOPES ALIVE.
Goafest 2017, Day 2, I was surprised to find two e-mails hitting my inbox late afternoon. Both suggested a meeting and were full of cryptic clues. The e-mails landed within 2 hours of each other from two different IDs. The writing style indicated they came from two different people.
Men will be men. I happily accepted the challenging invite and started looking forward to the night.
I had no option but to wait. Late at night, I lazily smoked and slowly sipped on my Kingfisher at the reception area, waiting for the e-mail senders. My eyes scanned the site, and there was nothing to interest me. So, after a long sluggish wait, I gave up. Dejected, I once again dragged myself to the room.
As I was swiping my room key, my phone beeped with an SMS notification. The SMS read, ‘Sorry could not meet. There were friends I could not shake’. Another follow-up message instructed me to meet the next night at the same place. It also cautioned me not to call her or reply to the message. She had left the venue.
I checked the number on True Caller, and it showed the caller’s name as Priyanka*. I was strongly tempted to send a funny reply, but I stopped myself. She made it very clear that I was not supposed to send her a message, and I had no urge to spoil my chances!
In the inbox, there was an e-mail. It was a similar message but was signed with a different name. It confused me, but I decided to play along.
Now, all I could do was wait, and tomorrow was my last chance to meet them.
EPISODE 3. PLANS ALMOST DERAILED.
My friend from Engineering, Shailendra Singh, posted with the Indian Navy at Goa, came to meet me with his lovely wife. It worried me that he may ask me out for dinner, and I would have no way to duck. Fortunately, they had another function to attend, and they left by 6 P.M.
My batchmate Satinder Pal Singh from IIM Ahmedabad, working with Nestle in Goa, came to meet me. I met him in the room and, without any delay, opened the beer. Sometime later, he suggested going out for dinner. He had driven some 20 KM, and we were meeting after ages. There was no way I could refuse. But, I insisted that I must be back by 1130 p.m; because at 1230 A.M., I had some important thing to do. I knew nothing would happen before midnight. However, I could not take a chance.
We went to ‘Junction’ at the Mall in Dona Paula for dinner. I kept track of time with my heart and mind at Goafest. The beer and food took their time between two old friends. Satinder finally dropped me at the hotel a few minutes past midnight. I was short on time for my possible appointment.
Time was of the essence for me. I hurriedly changed, shaved at midnight, splashing my favourite old Spice aftershave for that extra effect. Combed and re-tied my ponytail, checked my stock of cigarettes, and hurriedly made my way to the reception area.
EPISODE 4. PARTIAL CLOSURE. KOI TOH AAYA.
Night 2 of Goafest 2017. I reached the reception area well at around 1230 A.M. There was a PYT sitting in one corner. As soon as I cupped my hands to light my first cigarette, she walked up to me. She asked me if I had a stick to share, and for me, it was the code. I smiled, and she smiled back. Instinctively, I knew Meeta* was not my MissGoafest2016. But, with nothing much to do, we started talking. All the time, my eyes scanned the area for the one with a dimple.
As Meeta and I talked, I saw another girl at the security gate scanning the reception area. Our eyes meet for a second, and she confidently walks up to me. She spoke confidently. ‘Finally, you have a smoke to spare’. I smiled and offered her the pack. I had enough to spare that night.
Priyanka and Meeta were bored at the after-party, and they had been with their colleagues for the last two days.
They agreed that their e-mail and SMS started as a joke. However, they observed me last night and were touched by my harmless dedication. They decided to play along and meet in person. They had seen me waiting, smoking and drinking at the registration area.
‘Aapki Talash Ke Fan Ho Gaye’, Priyanka joked.
‘They don’t make a man like you anymore’. Meeta joined in.
Surprisingly, I believed them. I smile. There was nothing much to do.
We finally end up in my room, and there is enough stock of cigarettes and beer. We finally call it a night at 3:30 A.M. as they have an early flight to Mumbai, and I am scheduled to take one in the afternoon.
No promises are exchanged to remain in touch. And none is needed or expected.
I believe Miss2016, did not attend Goafest 2017.
EPISODE 5 THE UNFINISHED STORY. GOAFEST 2018- 2019.
Hope is a silly thing, and the gap between expectation and experience is the reason for all problems. Once again, in 2018, I shared my story and expectation to meet MissGoafest2016. But neither MissGoafest2016 nor Priyanka or Meeta showed up.
I gave up the hunt. There is a limit to a guy being optimistic. However, I still wanted to meet my MissGoafest2016, just to know if her dimple was on the left or the right cheek. There was no Goafest in 2020 and 2021. Now the opportunity strikes in Goafest2022 for a formal closure but then something more happened in between.
EPISODE 6. LIFE IS FULL OF SURPRISES.
In 2021, I was looking for a Brand Manager for one of my consulting clients. One of the resumes impressed me, and a zoom call was scheduled. I noticed that the lady candidate had a dimple on her left cheek.
She was a young MBA with two years of experience. I found her very articulate and confident. And when she smiled- well she smiled unhindered. She maha impressed me, and I started thinking of making her an offer.
Midway through the call, she randomly said, ‘So, do you have a cigarette to spare’.
It took me a moment to realise she was my Miss Goafest2016.
The interview immediately derailed. The discussion veered to my chase and how she had been enjoying it from the sidelines. She knew I had been looking for her all this time, but she could not tell anyone. She was not in for the job but wanted to end my agony and let me put a face and name to MissGoafest2016.
EPISODE 7. GOAFEST2022 AND MY DECISION.
Recently Shalini* called me again in March. She was bubbly and confident like ever and told me that she had registered for Goafest2022. There was a tingle in her voice, and she flirtingly suggested sharing more than a cigarette and the opportunities that may be there at Goafest2022.
I was all smiles for a moment, and then I told her NO, maybe this year I will give Goafest a pass. My answer irritated her. She wanted to know the reason for my decision, and I could not tell her the truth.
Then I heard her mumble, ‘Coward’.
MY DILEMMA WITH GOAFEST2022.
Till sometime back I was looking forward to Goafest2022. Now, I am not sure if I should attend Goafest2022. Or should I break my record of attending every edition of Goafest?
What would you do? Tell me should I attend Goafest2022?
The question is, What if she is telling the truth? And what if she is lying? What are the possibilities at Goafest2022 for the story to find a formal closure? Or the story will see a sequel?
Is Netflix Interested?
DISCLAIMER: *The names have been changed to disguise the identity. This is a true story. Ture what you read is not necessarily the complete truth. My desire to meet her has been sincere and innocent, and I know to differentiate between fantasy and realistic fantasy.
BLOG/020/2022. To connect send an email or connect on Twitter S_kotnala and subscribe to the weekly update click here.
