The last time I fell ill, my doctor gave me some pills. And when I took them, I found that I had contracted the Viagra effect. I mentioned that to the Doc in passing – and the Doc barely lifted his eyebrow.

Then I realized that it must be a very common phenomenon. A medicine for fever may cause itching. And when you treat the itch, a pimple may pop up. When you fix the pimple, inflammation may occur. And when you take a medicine for inflammation, you get fever!

So I guess, that’s what they really mean by the treatment cycle. What goes around come back, kind of theory!

My Doctor friend told me that even Viagra was discovered by accident. The mad scientists who goof off into forests when they are supposed to be working, ok- let me not deviate – (I am just pissed of with one scientist who goofs off for days into the jungles leaving his laptop behind, hence the de-tour) ok- they were figuring out the connection between the heart and you know what. There is a connection and once the world found out, every single male was after it. So today, the medicine that was meant to cure angina does cure heartaches after all.

Anyway, all is well. The Doctors and happy and the pharmaceutical companies are happier. And the general male population is in a state of bliss. Nirvana.

Let me get back to the subject. I decided to henceforth take no medicine with side-effects.

My Doctor pal told me that it’s possible to live a healthy life. He suggested that I take off to the Himalayas and live among the sanyasis. Pure, unpolluted air, a blissful state of mind and simple vegetarian food, untouched by pesticides and chemicals would do wonders for my well-being. He told me that I wouldn’t need to see him on a professional basis. His advice made sense.

But then you just can’t take me out of the city. I have come here in search of a better life, right? I do have my car that I adore, my house, my job…I couldn’t possible leave it all. No way.

I wanted a healthy life. Right here. And now.

Now that put the Doc in a fix. Now here was an obese, lazy chap, whose idea of exercise is walking 10 feet into the place where he occasionally finds “inspiration”. All he does is sit in front of his computer all day. While munching on burgers and drinking cola. Yes, popcorn and chips too.

Getting him to do his exercise is tough, given his penchant for an extra hour or two of good sleep early in the morning. “It’s either – get up and walk, eat veggies and drink lots of water or…”. He didn’t complete his threat but I guessed what he must have been thinking.

Somewhere Kamalji had written about the health benefits of walking and it sounded very good to me. So I decided to put on my after shave, running shoes and walk. He was right. Walking is good.

But while I walked, I got a pain my neck. (I’d been following too much of my blogger friend’s advice). Then I had to go back to my Doctor. This time he doled out seven multi-coloured pills.

One for the pain,

One for the bones

And one for the little girl

Who’s the cause

One for the fever

Caused by the medicine

And one for the joint

One for immunity

And one vitamin

And the last, just for fun.