Oh! Darrrling...

Red carpets rolled out in front of you, black satin dresses, caviar and champagne floating around

Oh! Darrrling...

Red carpets rolled out in front of you, black satin dresses, caviar and champagne floating around. No, it's not a scene from a Hollywood movie. As much as you might not believe it, it happens right here, in our very own Bengaluru.

The bold and the beautiful or the rich and the famous in this town are out under the twilight almost every single night, ever since we've called ourselves a city. They might not equal their counterparts in New York or even, say Mumbai, but for this city's standards, they do just fine!

Starry eyes, anyone? A few years back, I definitely was. When I saw the high-heeled socialites blow kisses in the air, I found it extremely adorable. They would call out to me, endearingly, 'darling,' with such candied tones that it was hard to ignore them. But, everyone seemed to be a 'darling,' even the hairy male bartenders. I must however agree that all the attention was nice.

I sometimes wondered if 'darling' was the easiest endearment to utter. I mean, who would care to remember anyone's name in particular among all those people, especially when everyone's usually in that sanguine mood after a couple of drinks.

I sometimes wonder if it was genuine affection for me, but I highly doubt the possibility if that. Maybe, it was one of those words that end up as high-society jargon. Whatever it was, I was soon a 'darling' spouting socialite and began darling-ing everyone around me.

It was accepted at home, my husband and children loved the new word, but my colleagues at work weren't all that pleased. The glares I received got uglier and then I tried very conscientiously to avoid the usage, but it just slipped out, far too often, with that characteristic swaggered accent that I had now perfected.

Come to think of it, it is an acquired art. The page 3 lot who say it so often that it seems as harmless as the now impotent 'dear,' quite deserve an appreciation or two. Always ready for a wingding, hats off to the entire active forty-something-circuit, who still go to any extent to be present at the next social do. They hop from one gig to another with such practiced ease, that such talent requires special mention.

How they do that, however, shall be my discourse for another day. Till then, 'darlings,' I'd love to spot you spout out that much-loved endearment the next time I bump into you at a party.