VPDMNS

I used to type (lol, write) stories from a very young age. Storytelling had been my habit since childhood and most of the times my sister used to be my only audience. She has a taste for really good stories and she seriously improved my stories. I took typewriting classes at a very early age (I was the youngest in the class and my next senior was at least 7 years older than me) and my father bought me a typewriter to practice at home. That was a time when computers were a luxury.

I didn’t know what to do with the typewriter. I mean, I knew I’ve to type with it but I didn’t want to do the same “asdf ;lkj” practice at home. So I just used to type anything that came to my mind. They were mostly adventure stories involving super heroes (aka the heroes of masala films). I would then have that one type written manuscript of the story with my colour pencil drawn cover circulated among my cousins and friends in turns. Although everyone seemed to enjoy them, I now know that they were all outright cheesy stuffs (no modesty intended).

If you were wondering what the hell was that title? VPDMNS. This was about a decade back. When my name was Vignesh Priyadharshan. If you couldn’t spot the difference, just take a look at the url how priyadarshan is spelt without that extra ‘h’. No numerology stuffs. I just didn’t like that extra ‘h’. Oh! How did I miss this? I was not just Vignesh Priyadharshan but Vignesh Priya Dharshan (Mind the extra spaces). So VPD in the title is me.

M for Mathan, ( mathan murugan @ facebook) yeah the same Mathan from the counting cars game, N for Nishanth (Nishanth Ramaswamy @ facebook) and S for Subramoniyan (Subramoniyan Gokul @ facebook). So we 4 were a gang of guys who used to discuss weird stuffs in class. We named our team – VPDMNS. Yeah I know it sounds really odd. Any way for those of struggling to pronounce it – its “we-pad-em-en-yes”. (Ah! Writing empowers me to hide my embarrassment in stating the fact that I belonged to some weird classroom gang but sorry Mathan, Nishanth and Subramoniyan for embarrassing you all – I needed some credibility, guys)

What’s this gang all about and why does my typewriter figure in this story?

We talked stuffs like UFO, aliens, Bermuda triangle and most importantly and very frequently ghosts and ghost stories. We would never reach any conclusion and that was the best part because we used to take turns in arguing our stand with other friends. Pretty weird way of spending the school days, right?

I then used to type down my ideas regarding them with my typewriter. So my typewriter was also part of the team technically. I still remember typing ghost stories in my typewriter with so much fear. I would always sit with my back on a wall so that there was no possibility of any ghost standing behind me peeking in to what was being typed. Sometimes I would go to an extent of placing a mirror in front of me so that I can always make sure that there was no ghosts behind me. (Seriously even now when I am alone I feel like some one’s watching me from behind)

(More on ghosts tomorrow)

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