Lucky Charms

Hi,all.Tell me,did you believe in lucky charms in your childhood?Do you believe in them now? I don't mean charm bracelets et al.I'm referring to items of daily use,which somehow refuse to leave us(Or,vice versa),and hence they continue to be a part of our life for ages.
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I was reminded of this because of a simple happening. My simple Casio watch conked off,alongwith the simpler Skagen one.(I love simple things,as I said earlier-the more show-offy,the less I like it).Both had been affected by moisture seeping in,in the last few months,when I insisted on taking my health walks for an hour,inspite of humid weather. So, I dug deep into the stuff I'd brought here six years back,and found it- my Citizen watch.And,voila-in 15 minutes of me putting it on,it was running..the next day,it was running ahead of time.

Let me go back in time-this watch was given to me nearly twenty four years ago,by one of my Mamas(Mom's brother).At that time,any 'imported' item in India was a novelty,and I'd happily shown off the watch to my friends, the next day.And,worn it right through,for the next decade.Rather,till I came here,and,it once stopped working.(Out here,getting a watch repaired,is more expensive than buying a new one-so,I'd kept it 'pending'for repairs in India,till my June visit).

So,anyway- I recall that I never used to be without this watch for any of the important 'events'-be it college exams,or,going to see the results,or,going for an interview,et al. Somehow,it became a lucky charm,and,things always worked out,when I was wearing it.As they're doing,even now.At present,there's another lucky charm,which I'm refusing to give up-my wallet.Been using it since I came here,again a gift-a Guy Laroche Paris one-the place where it folds,has changed colour,the cardholder plastic has gone partly,I have another 2-3 wallets waiting to be used,but,I can't give up this one.Until it 'wills itself away',so to speak,by becoming totally unusable.Let's see.
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Other lucky charms from the past.
The oldest one I can think of is this toy-I used to call it Pestonji.It was a plumb,bespactacled guy(Or,was it a bear?) with one of those 'pipudis'(As they're called in Gujju-you know,those small rubber whistles,inserted into a hole in the toys,and they go 'poonp poonp'when you press their tummy,etc),which also,would fall out and be found again.This one,I had from when I was around four,and,it refused to get lost till I crossed teenage.Didn't use to play with it,after five,but,still,it was just one toy which was always around.We'd throw it on top of a cupboard(Which was a sort of attic),and,someone searching for something would find it again.
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Another lucky charm,during school days was a 'Wing Sung-made in China'pen(One of the few Chinese things which were really effective and popular then). Owning one,was a prestige thing in those days.Of course,the fact that it was a fountain pen,and,I had to carry around an ink bottle with me at all times,even during exams,didn't really matter.(Couldn't afford two-three such pens like that,in those days)
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Besides this,other lucky things have been a white shirt with blue stripes(Prior to coming here),the collar of which wore off,finally),a pic of the Shivji statue in Sursagar lake in the center of Baroda,a particular spectacles which I didn't give up until the frame lost all it's colour,a Laughing Buddha image which I brought over from Baroda,etc..will think of more and then let you know!There's no harm in believing good things,right?That's my logic for lucky charms,even when I feel that luck would always be the same with or without them!But,why take chances?:)
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Speaking of lucky charms,two days back while I was taking my evening walk, there was this black cat,which scampered across my path.(Yes,cats are one the few rare pets we see a lot in Dubai).It made me wonder-do cats run across when they see us,because they believe that if humans cross their path then,they(cats)will have bad luck?
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I selected these two interesting books,when I went to Jashanmal book store,to collect my prize yesterday.They're titled' Shoot the puppy',and,the other'The meaning of Tingo'.More on both of them in the next post.Till then,cheerio.
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Joke for today:
Two Italians, Luigi and Antonio, met on the street.
"Hey, Antonio," said Luigi, "where-a you-a been for-a da past-a two weeks? No-a one-a seen-a you around."
"Don'na talka to me, Luigi," replied Antonio. "I been-a inna da jail."
"Jail!" exclaimed Luigi. "What for you been-a in jail?"
"Wella, Luigi," Antonio said, "I was lying onna da beach, anna da cops come, arresta me and atrow me inna jail!"
"But dey donna trow you in jail-a just for lying onna da beach!" Luigi countered.
"Yeah, but dissa beach was a screamin' and a kickin' and a yellin'."
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And,yes,in the meantime,you tell me-what/who/which are your lucky charms?