Need of a tiger in my life

There, it happened again! While I was sneaking (it was already close to noon) into my office yesterday, I bumped into a colleague of mine in the elevator, who casually chucked a "What's up, Deepak?", to my horror. Not that he meant to horrify me or anything. As a matter of fact, I know that he is quite a nice guy and all and probably popped the question as a nice, friendly gesture. But, as usual, I was clueless as to what to answer and did what I normally do - gave him my small-but-warm grin and kept quiet till his floor arrived. Well, have to admit that my blank face certainly saves the day for me in such tight spots, but, to be honest with you, I have been finding it increasingly troublesome, for a long time now, to deal with such seemingly innocuous questions from people. How are you, what's happening, how's life and et al. Do not remember when I last replied enthusiastically with a fantastic or lovely or something like that.

Anyway, it made me sad and boomeranged, to me, the same haunting question. Why do I have this feeling of ennui towards life? Wish I knew any swell this time around. I couldn't seem to recollect anything, in past five-six years, that might have imparted me a real sense of excitement in life. The more I think about it, I realize that left to myself it may get worse.

Sometimes, I feel my problem is I don't have a problem in life. How? Few years back I read "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel. It is a story of a kid and how he manages to survive twenty-something days in the Atlantic when his ship gets wrecked and all. All because of a tiger who gets onboard with him on his lifeboat. Fending off the tiger and saving himself, he is oblivious of other perils of his situation and survives. I think, a tiger might help me too.

Ah, but what can be that tiger for me? I don't know. A friend suggested marriage. Well, tiger I may certainly get but, survive I may not!