Chaotic Colours and my Choices.

It is that dreaded moment of choice, when you can feel the prick of stares slaying your back and the hair on your neck rise. Well, that is pretty much what happened to me when I was ganged up by the two toughest people to convince in my family, my very own grandmother and her very own sister. Assuming my summer trip to my home town to be fun filled and jolly, I was in for a shock.  What exactly does one do when you are shoved bundles of coloured cards into your face and are asked to choose one best colour to paint the exterior of your house? And what do you do when they subtly try to scare you by hinting tiny facts like, “I am not going to paint it again for 15yrs, choose carefully”, “Choose nice colours I won’t spare you if it’s odd”, “Make sure your mom and uncle would like it too, the last time I chose, they didn't".

 At that point it struck me, I was given the responsibility that once my mom took up, and another time my uncle. Now it was my turn and I had to do what I dread the most. CHOOSE (which I absolutely suck at.)  Facts show that a normal human being finds it awfully difficult to choose amongst the things he likes, be it clothes, materials, food etc. And to prove this point wrong I have tried to choose food from the menu card every time I have been to a restaurant, but In vain. I end up ordering just the same food I order each time.

But May 3^rd, 2016 was different. I was choosing exterior wall colours for our house. No guys, I am not being silly neither did I freak out for no reason, I am trying to tell you that there are chances it can feature on the list of what one finds tough. Why don’t you give it a try? Of course none of us want to recall the nursery lessons on colours and their shades, but however, at one point of time most of us have to, and it is certainly that point when you hold the shade card of Berger/Asian/ or any other paints in your hand. Never in life, have I imagined that the existence of multiple colours can frustrate me. Yes, colours add joy to life, but the existence of their multiple shades, according to me, was only an artist’s confusion when he had to bring to life his work of art, until three days ago. I repeat until three days ago. This time I decided to do it, I decided to choose and make it happen.

Let me tell you, three days after that day,I am still trivially mocked at by a few, a victim of not so very cold stares from a few others and a receiver of mild appreciation from a few kind souls. Inducing an element of flashback here, let me take you back to the events that occurred after I was shoved the colour cards.

The moment my eyes witnessed about ’50 shades of colours’ I kept my cool, and chose the three best ones, and without a second thought brought samples of each of those. Ignoring every ounce of criticism that came my way, the buying, the testing, and the confirming happened in a day.  Yes, you guessed right, I had people telling me that it didn't look good, and that bad just begins to describe it. But this time, I choose otherwise, my choice is the choice. With the responsibility streak I was having, I bought 20 litres of paint and asked the painters to begin work. I should have noticed the perplexed look on their face, but I didn't. I should have paid heed to what my elders said, Nah, I didn't. I should have spent more time on choosing carefully, neither did I do that.

Work began. Colour looked awful. Phone blew up. 

The simplest description of my situation in the last three days.

Well, to every curious reader, I am not revealing the colour I chose, I wonder what was running on my mind when I decided to finalize it. For the next years it’s clearly going to be the brightest coloured house in the neighbourhood and for eternity and for generations to come this is going to remain. Somehow it makes me proud, but also a little guilty for having chosen the worst colour.

Choosing between a group of things has never been my thing. I can’t choose between important things such as best friends, vital things as food and trivial things as colours.  Who imagined exterior wall painting can turn to be my headache?

Well, for now it is done. This might be the most petty thing I might ever write down, but to everybody who is reading this; it ate up my mind for a good three days.

Meghana. Lanka