The Few Good Men *'few ' cause tis predominantly an all-woman org.

These guys are one of the reasons why work's a great place to be in. Apart from the fact that they are integral to several activities, they are also indispensable because of their spirit and the mirth they spread.

'tesh is the handsome, reliable admin person with a leaning towards art direction, willing to give design input on everything from brochures to hoardings at any odd hour. Despite the fact that I'm from an advertising background, I haven't got the hang of measurements entirely. But there's always 'tesh to double-check with. A natural calligrapher, he does the daily notice boards and any written appeal giving it a touch of class. He's also one of the few fittest people here. He used to play district level football. And thanks to where he hails from, a lil village off Arakonam, the lake there turned him out to be an expert fisherman of fresh water catch and a good swimmer. The one grouch I have with him is that like most South Indians, he's obsessed with fair skin! T and I have spent several hours on the beauty of dark complexions. All in vain. The only thing that will see him excusing himself of great conversation and food is a deadline and talk of his girl friend back in his ooru.

S'ed's day involves evicting people from their comps as he gets virus scans going. This bespectacled and at first impression a reserved "boy", is a Tamizh Pullavar, and one of the most interesting conversationalists ever! Never fails to have us clutching our tummy with his one liners and sudden comic bursts in sutha Tamizh. A big contributor to my Tamizh music collection, he always stops by my cabin to say a hello or have tea while swapping songs over the ph.

M'ty is the forever accommodating 'print-out' person. Everything from banners, to vinyls will be dumped on him with not too much time to spare. He does not go uncomplaining into the night armed with a cd and curved files. Yet, it's there in the morning. Many trips to Kovalam have been made with melancholic songs from Azhagi which he's addicted to and croons in a sombre voice while I fret that it doesn't go with my joy on having the sea parallel to me. When I can't take the gray mood effused into the ota Indica anymore, my nagging gets him to yield to cheerful Illayaraja hits that play themselves while we reminiscence over the plot.

S'an is one of the youngest folks here. Nakkal raja is who he is. Perpetually trips on everybody. What sets him apart is his jaunty step and driving skills. He minces time as he floors it on Chennai roads. Calls everyone akka except for T and was throughly broken hearted when she left.

V'an is the philosophic one who carts a lot of us on trips to Kovalam and back everyday. He inspires respect with his no-nonsense approach to a lot of things. For instance, why no radio when you're doing such a long stretch? He says, "contemplate, plan your day, read a book. Why listen to all the cackling on stations. Isn't it distracting?" I don't quite agree cause if one's doing that distance alone, silence is not a very good thing to have around. One's got to have at least music for company. Anyway, getting back to V'an he's got an indomitable spirit. He had the entire Koyambedu Market covered on a fundraising initiative for the Mumbai Marathon. He went to various sections with such unflagging enthusiasm where as I as a coordinator of it all was exhausted by the fag end.

C'nan & Kovalam M'ty are few of the people I would like to call friends from here and two of the best human beings I've met. Inseparable, these two personify 'fun'. They are both incredibly talented community workers aiding the cause through awareness and initiating partnership. Their street theater performances are crowd-magnets in surrounding villages. M is the actor and C a thoroughly brilliant musician. C's 'Thappu' will make anyone who claims to have two left-feet dance like never before. The music he belts out is infectious. And he's got the most mesemerising voice to go with it. His talent as a musician hasn't gone unnoticed. He might be making music for a Tamizh movie soon!

These two guys are a riot! C has an MA in Tamizh Literature and never fails to trip on my kind of Tamizh. M just finds me amusing. And so, I've been subject to several prank calls that has left me feeling both silly and cackling away to glory. One sunday evening, kuku, R, 'idy and I took off to Kovalam to meet these two. A boat ride to where the Dargha's dome bobbed as a distant speck, a rope to prevent us fom bobbing off. 'idy and I jumped into the pretty placid blue in a flash and floated on our backs as purple hints crept across the sky.

Hungry after much time off shore, we were mighty thrilled when a woman from the community stepped out to share her dinner with us. Twas delicious prawn curry. While licking our fingers clean, we got her side of the story on the Buckingham Canal pollution that's been leaving fishermen with no catch. R carried a good story on it. And we both received a compliment from M that I will cherish forever - "neenga rendu perum Outreach program la semmaya fit aavenga"

We went to another part of the beach to chomp into awesome fish fry. M let us on to a secret - the boneless fish we were having wasn't Vanjaram but something akin, called the Parala. That explains why, though it was immensely tasty, it didn't have the juiciness of a Vanjaram. It was a cheap imitation but nevertheless loverly. On our way back C lulled us into a highly gratified smug state of having had a great evening at sea and on shore, with his sonorous folksy voice emoting Shivaji goldies.

And so, these guys make everyday at work an event.