The Blue Shirt Of A Lucky Teen - Ashwin Pillai, TAPMI

It was a weird day at college. My first crush, the quintessential model of perfection in my mind, had just begun talking to me, the awkward guy of the class. It confused me, or rather it bothered me. Little did I know it was the beginning of a very sweet and budding relationship. I often wondered what had made her call me out that day, and I still remember the first ever compliment she had passed. She had liked my shirt, ‘the’ blue shirt. That moment on, the kid in me somehow associated my luck with that shirt. So much so that I never did anything important not wearing it! All major dates with her, all committee interviews and even exams! There was a time when I had consecutive exams throughout the week, and I still didn’t give up on my belief! It had set a routine for myself; wearing the blue shirt and listening to Roobaroo from Rang de Basanti before going for the exams. I’ve still not figured if it was the power of the shirt or just my luck but I breezed through the exams like a charm. Over the years this exact kiddish beliefs had got me the strength to get through thick n thin. But alas, ‘the favourite shirt’ as it used to be called by my friends, had grown smaller for me over the years. It still seemed to be in its pink, but still had to be donated. It must have found another teen somewhere, somehow who needs its magic. Over the year when I owned it, I never knew what the name behind the collar meant, and to be honest I still don’t! But one thing I know is that “Pantaloons” was ‘the blue shirt of a lucky teen’ and always will be.