It was a hot, humid night.
The railway platform was crowded-people talking, yelling, eating, laughing, crying.
The man walked briskly...clearly in a hurry. He was tall and sturdily built. Wearing a pair of faded dark blue jeans and large brown boots, he looked tough. A thick steel chain hung between his belt and the left pocket of his jeans. It clanged against the metal belt buckle with every step. He walked erect...the black denim jacket augmenting his broad shoulders. At about 6'4", he stood taller than almost everyone on the platform.
Stopping briefly after a few steps, he would check the small digital boards overhead which showed the position of the bogeys of the train arriving next. Finding the one he wanted, he stopped and put down his luggage-a small heavy red duffel bag. Just then there was an announcement-the train would arrive in ten minutes.
He looked around-the platform was crowded as expected. All the walking had him perspiring, but even now wasn't calm. He had a mission to complete now.
He checked the watch. A few more minutes and the train would be here. He started fidgeting...pacing around. Every few minutes he took a few steps toward the platform exit, but changed his mind and came back. He looked at the people around him...they didn't seem to pay any attention. He looked at the bag and pushed it slowly near the luggage of a family standing close by.
Looking at his watch again, he thought "Nobody would notice if I leave the bag here and get out".
He took a few steps towards the exit, but stopped again. He was in a conflict. "Let the train arrive, then do it" said one voice...."Do it now!" said the other.
He couldn't make up his mind. He would pace around, stop, look at the bag thinking something and start pacing again. He just couldn't stand still.
From a little distance away, a policeman watched intently. He had been watching the man since he had walked in on the platform with the bag. From the way the man carried the bag, it was clear to the policeman it was heavy. He was a new officer, but his eyes were trained to pick out suspicious behaviour. Looking at the man and the way he handled the bag, the policeman immediately suspected the worst-a bomb. Although he had read that terrorists were as calm an composed as they can be before an attack, he did not want to take any chances. He could tell one thing-the man was trying to leave the bag and go-and that was enough.
The loudspeaker came to life again-five minutes to arrival.
The policeman quickly got into action. The railway police alerted the station master. The train was wired to stop where it was. A bomb disposal squad was called for, and a cache of police officers was readied to nail the suspect.
The officers spread themselves in the crowd. Taking care not to let the suspect know what was going on, the officers asked the people to get away from the platform. Slowly, the officers closed in on him, mingling with the departing crowds. The stationmaster made an announcement regarding the delay in the arrival time. He was expressly told not to mention the man or the bag.
The man, on hearing the announcement, made up his mind. Taking a deep breath, he lunged toward the exit. The officers were ready. Swiftly, two policemen burst out of the crowd and tackled him to the ground. The man was dumbstruck, but he had no time to think. "Noo!" he yelled and tore away from the officers."Stop or I'll shoot!" shouted a policeman...but the man was already near the exit. Out of nowhere, three policemen appeared between the man and the exit door. They pushed him to the ground and handcuffed him.
"No...please...God...no...its too late...its too late..." The man had turned pale.
The officer holding him by the waist suddenly cringed and let him go.
A dark wet patch was spreading around the crotch of the man.
"I was just going for a leak!" the man broke down.
The bomb squad had meanwhile got to work on the bag and had quickly discovered two steel containers full of laddoos...
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Time And Again...
Hey ppl....so sorry havent been able to update lately. Am caught up with exams...The dratted thing has been going on for the last 2 weeks and gonna go on till 7th of Dec. Will c u all of u then. Take care! :-)
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Glitter
The large diamond on her ring sparkled subtly in the waning light. Its numerous faces looked sinful...distant lights sparkling on its sharp edges.
Andrea looked at it and felt a tingle of excitement shoot through her body. She shivered in the thin nightgown. She had put it on today only for him. People on the way had given her strange looks. She had ignored them...anything for Julian, she thought.
She was going to be with him again.
The wind was playing mischief at that late hour-as gentle as a stream one moment, as wild as a gale the next. The gown flapped against her legs noisily. From a distance, her silhouette looked like a perfectly sculpted female form.
She grew impatient with each passing minute.The week had seemed to her like an eternity. But now she couldn't wait. She wanted to feel his arms wrapped around her. The smell of his cologne was still etched in her mind...a scent that roused her even now.
She started to pace around to calm her anxiety and anticipation. They would always meet at the place she was at now. The old, twisted tree, whom they both lovingly called 'grandpa', stood like an unshakeable pillar. The sight reassured her. She lighted a cigarette, but immediately stubbed it out. He had always disliked the bitter taste burnt tobacco left behind on her lips. "Not today sweetheart".
She looked up at the stars and the moonlit sky. It was a beautiful night. The crescent of the moon was mesmerizing. In a surge of excitement, she slid the gown off her.
Closing her eyes, she imagined him coming up and lifting her in a warm embrace. "Be patient" she told herself and looked at the ring. Staring at the diamond, her lips unconsciously curled into a smile. She vividly remebered the day he had proposed to her. After the initial euphoric shock, she had squealed with joy looking at the beautiful diamond he had slid onto her finger.
"I cant wait any longer" she said to herself.
With one swift move, she bit the ring and swallowed the stone.
Her limp body collapsed, her head leaning against a headstone. The inscription on it read:
"Julian Wurz"
Andrea looked at it and felt a tingle of excitement shoot through her body. She shivered in the thin nightgown. She had put it on today only for him. People on the way had given her strange looks. She had ignored them...anything for Julian, she thought.
She was going to be with him again.
The wind was playing mischief at that late hour-as gentle as a stream one moment, as wild as a gale the next. The gown flapped against her legs noisily. From a distance, her silhouette looked like a perfectly sculpted female form.
She grew impatient with each passing minute.The week had seemed to her like an eternity. But now she couldn't wait. She wanted to feel his arms wrapped around her. The smell of his cologne was still etched in her mind...a scent that roused her even now.
She started to pace around to calm her anxiety and anticipation. They would always meet at the place she was at now. The old, twisted tree, whom they both lovingly called 'grandpa', stood like an unshakeable pillar. The sight reassured her. She lighted a cigarette, but immediately stubbed it out. He had always disliked the bitter taste burnt tobacco left behind on her lips. "Not today sweetheart".
She looked up at the stars and the moonlit sky. It was a beautiful night. The crescent of the moon was mesmerizing. In a surge of excitement, she slid the gown off her.
Closing her eyes, she imagined him coming up and lifting her in a warm embrace. "Be patient" she told herself and looked at the ring. Staring at the diamond, her lips unconsciously curled into a smile. She vividly remebered the day he had proposed to her. After the initial euphoric shock, she had squealed with joy looking at the beautiful diamond he had slid onto her finger.
"I cant wait any longer" she said to herself.
With one swift move, she bit the ring and swallowed the stone.
Her limp body collapsed, her head leaning against a headstone. The inscription on it read:
"Julian Wurz"
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Game Theory
"I think I love you"
The words appeared on Anirban's screen. As soon as the words registered to his conscience, Anirban's vision blurred. A wave of memories rushed up on him. He found himself struggling against a maelstrom of suppressed emotions. He shut his eyes tight, fighting back against it.
His mind took him back two years, when he had typed out these exact same words on his keyboard.
He had met Antara on one of the numerous community websites he was a member of...he didn't remember which. It did not matter. Within two days of "meeting" each other online, they had exchanged their private messenger IDs. He would spend long, sleepless and cozy nights chatting with her, and yet it never would seem enough. He remembered how happy he was then. Talking to Antara was like talking to a person he wished to be. He knew he was in love.
Within a few weeks, they had moved on to the phone.
Hearing her voice for the first time had sent a tingle of excitement through him. From that day on he had had a deep longing to see her...to be with her. Her voice was magical, angelic to him-straight out of a fairy tale. He would find comfort in the gentle and caressing words...it was like a sanctum.
He would spend his days day dreaming...dreaming about him and Antara living together, talking, holding hands, just being close. He would imagine himself sprawled on the floor, his head on her lap, her fingers gently ruffling his hair. He would imagine holding her hand and walking along a tree-lined road, silently, feeling the gentle breeze...watching the wind blow a few strands of hair across her face...life would be beautiful with Antara, he would think.
Days had turned to months, and yet things weren't moving on. Anirban knew he would have to do something. He would call her, but never had he been able to brave his insecurities and tell her about his feelings. He would grow desperate by each passing day. Then, on one evening, he had made up his mind to tell her online. He had signed into his chat program half an hour before the time they met. He vividly remembered those 3o mins he had waited for her...the anxiety, "what if she doesnt take it well"...numerous possibilities...what she might say, would she say yes or would she laugh it off...he was in utter turmoil. So much so that when she had turned up at the usual hour, he had lost his nerve. After a few lines of small talk, he had failed to hold it back, and in swift keystrokes, afraid of his mind faltering again, had typed it out:
"I think I love you."
A few moments had passed, and then his world was heaven..
"I think I love you too."
It had been that easy. That simple.
The two years that followed had been the best of his life. Until one fine day it all ended. They had decided to meet at one of her friend's place in her town. They had been meeting regularly now, though living in different cities.
That day Anirban had decided to surprise her by going straight to her place. In high spirits and dying to see her, he had hurried up to her door and entered with a an air of having a right. And in the living room itself he saw her.
Dressed in the same black corset he had asked her to wear, she looked lovely. Her hair had been made up just the way he liked them. She was kissing a man he had never seen before, his hands all over her. The shock had destroyed him, and all he had done wass yell "FUCK YOU" and got out of there. Once outside, he had vomitted in disgust. He never saw her again. And he could never love anyone again.
Suddenly, a loud buzz went off from the speakers. Anirban was jolted back to the present, and he stared at his computer screen.
"I think I love you"
He liked Shubhra.
They had been in school together for an year, way back in Standard V. It was a long time back, but he remembered her as a timid, sweet girl. All these days they had been talking, he could easily connect her words with the cute little face he remembered from school.
His mind faltered. He did not want her to go through a heart break. He wondered what he would tell her, why was he doing this. He wondered if she would beleive him if he told her he just had lost the desire to love. There was a buzz again.Anirban made up his mind. What had to be done, had to be done.
"I think I love you too."
That easy.
That simple.
Its my turn to play games now.
He was happy she couldn't see the sadistic smirk on his face.
The words appeared on Anirban's screen. As soon as the words registered to his conscience, Anirban's vision blurred. A wave of memories rushed up on him. He found himself struggling against a maelstrom of suppressed emotions. He shut his eyes tight, fighting back against it.
His mind took him back two years, when he had typed out these exact same words on his keyboard.
He had met Antara on one of the numerous community websites he was a member of...he didn't remember which. It did not matter. Within two days of "meeting" each other online, they had exchanged their private messenger IDs. He would spend long, sleepless and cozy nights chatting with her, and yet it never would seem enough. He remembered how happy he was then. Talking to Antara was like talking to a person he wished to be. He knew he was in love.
Within a few weeks, they had moved on to the phone.
Hearing her voice for the first time had sent a tingle of excitement through him. From that day on he had had a deep longing to see her...to be with her. Her voice was magical, angelic to him-straight out of a fairy tale. He would find comfort in the gentle and caressing words...it was like a sanctum.
He would spend his days day dreaming...dreaming about him and Antara living together, talking, holding hands, just being close. He would imagine himself sprawled on the floor, his head on her lap, her fingers gently ruffling his hair. He would imagine holding her hand and walking along a tree-lined road, silently, feeling the gentle breeze...watching the wind blow a few strands of hair across her face...life would be beautiful with Antara, he would think.
Days had turned to months, and yet things weren't moving on. Anirban knew he would have to do something. He would call her, but never had he been able to brave his insecurities and tell her about his feelings. He would grow desperate by each passing day. Then, on one evening, he had made up his mind to tell her online. He had signed into his chat program half an hour before the time they met. He vividly remembered those 3o mins he had waited for her...the anxiety, "what if she doesnt take it well"...numerous possibilities...what she might say, would she say yes or would she laugh it off...he was in utter turmoil. So much so that when she had turned up at the usual hour, he had lost his nerve. After a few lines of small talk, he had failed to hold it back, and in swift keystrokes, afraid of his mind faltering again, had typed it out:
"I think I love you."
A few moments had passed, and then his world was heaven..
"I think I love you too."
It had been that easy. That simple.
The two years that followed had been the best of his life. Until one fine day it all ended. They had decided to meet at one of her friend's place in her town. They had been meeting regularly now, though living in different cities.
That day Anirban had decided to surprise her by going straight to her place. In high spirits and dying to see her, he had hurried up to her door and entered with a an air of having a right. And in the living room itself he saw her.
Dressed in the same black corset he had asked her to wear, she looked lovely. Her hair had been made up just the way he liked them. She was kissing a man he had never seen before, his hands all over her. The shock had destroyed him, and all he had done wass yell "FUCK YOU" and got out of there. Once outside, he had vomitted in disgust. He never saw her again. And he could never love anyone again.
Suddenly, a loud buzz went off from the speakers. Anirban was jolted back to the present, and he stared at his computer screen.
"I think I love you"
He liked Shubhra.
They had been in school together for an year, way back in Standard V. It was a long time back, but he remembered her as a timid, sweet girl. All these days they had been talking, he could easily connect her words with the cute little face he remembered from school.
His mind faltered. He did not want her to go through a heart break. He wondered what he would tell her, why was he doing this. He wondered if she would beleive him if he told her he just had lost the desire to love. There was a buzz again.Anirban made up his mind. What had to be done, had to be done.
"I think I love you too."
That easy.
That simple.
Its my turn to play games now.
He was happy she couldn't see the sadistic smirk on his face.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
déjà vu
Well...another try. .I think there's too much happening in the story. Am trying to learn to make them short and sharp. Have a long way to go....
------------------
------------------
Nakul was struggling. Gasping for air. His head felt heavier than a boulder and his lower jaw was twitching frantically, involuntarily...teeth rubbing against each other. Much as he tried, he couldn't stop it. Through half closed eyes, he could see the light fixture on his bedroom wall. It was a diffused image, with just about enough detail registering to him. But the image was strange...it was superimposed with a series of images he couldn't connect together. He could distinctly hear Tool's Lost Keys playing on his system. Everything seemed bleak...and he wanted to shut it off. He wanted to wake up, get out of the state. But an invisible force seemed to push him down, pinning him to his bed.
He held his jaw, gritted his teeth and took a breath. Concentrating on waking up, he pushed against the force. His head throbbed violently, vision blurred...and he started suffocating. His breath was cut short, and he went down again. Exhausted from the mental effort, he lost control, and the jaw started twitching violently again. Breathing in spasms, the strange images came back...he saw a tall wall, white tiled, with two posters-one with the GE logo and the other with a coffee mug. Nothing made sense. He labored against the force again, with some vigor, but was pushed down. Again images formed before his eyes-a room, bathed in yellow light, with high glass windows draped with thick brown curtains. A snake clung to the curtain from the outside. Reeling in confusion, his mind knew he was in trouble. If he didn't wake up soon, he would die. Mustering up some air, he pushed again. The force was overwhelming. His breath started to betray almost immediately. The weight felt massive. He continued to push against it, jaws twitching, choking, gasping...and finally broke out of it. He sat up immediately, afraid to sleep again. The pillow was wet with sweat. Gulping in fresh air, he tried to steady himself and his mind. There was a slight throb in his temples, he tried to shake it off.
Out of the trance now, his thoughts cleared. The music system was silent. He hated to have his noon nap ruined. Although he had been having this 'dream' as long as he could remember, it was never so frequent. This was the second time in the last three days he had been through this. Wondering why he always saw the image of the room with glass windows, he walked to the refrigerator. He took a draught from a Pepsi PET bottle filled with water..It tasted bad-there was a layer of cig residue on his tongue.
Back in his room, he checked the cell...there were 3 missed calls and a message from one of his friends-Vishal. Nakul had slept for 3 hours...and he was supposed to be at Vishal's place two hours back, with two more of his friends.
Splashing cool water on his face, he hurried out. It was sultry hot outside, and the traffic didn't make it any better. Riding along at a leisurely speed, he got to Vishal's in 10 minutes. The three guys were sprawled on the floor, smoking and watching LOTR on DVD. As Nakul entered, "Aahh!" was all Vishal said. The other two were too lazy to acknowledge his entry. Wincing at the smoke, Nakul made a place for himself between the wall and a couple of empty packets of Lays.
Besides Vishal, there were Muddy and Mandar, who called himself ManD, in the room. Nakul could see that Vishal and Muddy were really watching the movie, but ManD seemed lost, almost on the verge of weeping. Nakul knew too well what this meant. When ManD was down, he would generally keep to himself. But when he was down AND with friends, it meant he wanted everyone to know he was down, and go down with him. Looking at him now, Nakul understood that nobody had bothered to ask him what was wrong. "Whats wrong with your face"?, he had to ask. He was expecting ManD's reply to be something like "Aw nothin" or something of that sort. But he had really lost his patience waiting for the the other two to ask him, and so he literally exploded. "I ain't goin to live in this new flat man!". Being patient for so long, alongwith whatever was troubling him, had taken its toll...he sounded like an old crow with a throat infection..
Mandar had just decided to move out of his hostel room to a rented flat. Everyone had liked the place. It was in a very old building. A bit rundown yet cozy.He had been living there for almost a week now. Everything seemed fine.
But what he had heard from the neighbors was a bit disturbing. During the few days just after moving in, he could not understand why they gave him strange looks, or why everyone would stop in the middle of their conversation if he happened to pass by. The women and kids of the society looked at him and whispered. The men gave him a look which much to his annoyance seemed like pity. All this made him feel like a sick man in a hospice, who could drop dead any second. Having had enough of it, he had asked them what was going on. All they told him was that the flat had been unoccupied for 25 years. At first they did not tell why, but on persisting had said that the place was haunted.
Listening to Mandar narrate this, all four of them had burst into laughter, and soon forgotten bout it.
But today, it did not take Nakul long to make the connection. "You know that stuff is shit" he said, an unbelieving look on his face. Muddy and Vishal stared, the corners of their lips twitching, ready to guffaw any instant.
Mandar was shaking his head vigorously. "No, no! Its not shit man!"
Nakul looked at him intently. Mandar was a prankster, but surely not a good actor. He couldn't possibly be faking the look on his face. He was in agony.
"Um..so you tellin us that you saw a ghost in your room at night?" Muddy asked. Vishal chuckled and turned red.
Mandar's face was sagging. "No. I saw it in the noon."
This was too much for Vishal, and he spiralled into a frenzy of laughter. Muddy too joined in.
"I ain't kiddin guys! I swear!" It was more of a plea. And it silenced everyone.
"Are you sure Old Monk wasn't involved?" Vishal asked, stifling another chuckle.
Mandar answered with a sigh and a shake of the head.
"Well, if you are not faking this, there's only one thing we should do. All of us will go to the flat tomorrow and check it out." There was a note of seriousness in Nakul's voice. They agreed.
The next day, after college, all four of them headed for the flat. On reaching it, Mandar handed over the key to Vishal and slipped behind him. Vishal opened the door slowly. Mandar was cowering, half expecting a severed head to jump at them through the door. The old door creaked and protested at the hinges. The room was dark. It took time for Vishal's eyes to adjust to the low brightness. He stared inside, blinked and stiffened. His eyes widened. Before anyone could know what he saw, Vishal started shaking violently and gasping. Then he began to moan. Scared like a baby, Mandar ran down the stairs, two at a time. On reaching the ground floor, he frantically gestured at the watchman, when he heard loud laughter from upstairs...
The flat was dusty and unkempt. Books, CDs, empty Milds packets, matchsticks, clothes, magazines, shoes covered the floor. The wall directly opposite them had a huge poster with a Ferrari F40. Another poster was hanging on three corners, the cello tape hadn't held on the fourth. A few other posters lay rolled up in a corner. Vishal peeked inside the rolls, whistled on finding the one, and unrolled it. It was a wide poster, with Bipasha in a bikini slinked on a bed, her dark skin glistening. Mandar was looking nervously at the inner room. Following his gaze, Nakul went in.
"Is this the place where you were enlightened, dude?"
Mandar nodded. The others went in, pushing him ahead of them.
It was a fairly large room. There were large windows on two walls, with a bed against one of them. The windows and a door leading to balcony were covered with blue curtains. A length of pipe dangled down from above a cupboard. The room was bathed in bright sunlight. It seemed pleasant and sunny.
"Hm. It is highly unlikely a spirit would like being here. That too during the day!". Nakul said.
"Maybe the ghost was a she and couldn't resist checkin ManD out!" Vishal observed.
"Yeah...musbe really disappointed to see him bolt like a bat outa hell!" Muddy couldn't help choking on his words with a laugh.
"Fuck off man! I told ya I ain't kiddin! There was a th..thing here and he was sitting on the bed!" Mandar was fuming.
"Heh! So you're wrong Muddy...the ghost was a He, although I wouldn't be surprised if He was mistaken and checked ManD out anyway!" Vishal was in hysterics now.
"And he was sittin ready in the bed too!" Muddy clutched his sides.
Nakul rolled his eyes. "You guys have a sucky sense of humour...".
The whole day passed without any sights or sounds. Mandar was not keen to stay in the flat for the night, so they all left. Then on they went to the flat everyday after college, staying till nightfall.. But there were no ghosts, no spirits, no nothing.
A week went by without event. On a Sunday, they were at the flat early..The college was off for a week for the annual youth fest. Even Mandar had almost got over whatever he had seen, dismissing it as a trick of light. Carrying vodka and cigs in their bags, they were looking forward to a day of boozing. Then there was the party at night in the college auditorium. Nakul was expecting to see her and...confess
In the flat, the back room had been converted into a hangout. Muddy had rigged a computer to a 6.1 set, a speaker in every corner and two at the ends. Kid Rock's American Badass was on. The room was already filled with smoke and the blabber of a lightweight Mandar.
Muddy and Vishal had brought along a CD and were ogling over Lindsay Lohan. The day was warm, the sky cloudless. Muddy had kept the windows open to let the smoke out. A few hours passed.
Having had enough of the cigs, Nakul reached for a vodka. He couldn't get her out of his head. Thoughts of her lingered in his head like a fog. He poured half of a 180ml bottle in a glass, then topped it off with Sprite. He tried to think how would he break it to her, but the music was too loud. By now the sun was overhead and the room was too bright for comfort. Placing his glass on the bedrest, Nakul closed both the windows and pulled over the curtains. The room was pleasantly dark now. He went over to the computer and turned off the music. Getting his glass again, he settled on the bed, enjoying the peace. Then Mandar turned on the night lamp.
The vision hit him like a truck. His eyes widened with horror. His face blanched. The glass dropped from his hand and he buckled. He gazed at it, but couldn't believe his eyes. The night lamp had bathed the room in yellow light. Under the light, the blue curtains appeared dark brown. Strangely, a serpent seemed to have appeared on the curtains. It was the shadow of the pipe on the cupboard, cast by the lamp. The resemblance to a snake was uncanny.Nakul started to shiver and collapsed on the floor. His jaw was twitching and his breath was in spasms. Vishal ran up to him and yelled. "Whats up buddy? Whats wrong?" Nakul was running out of breath. Fear choked him. He barely managed a whisper "...spirit...me...?".
"What?"
"the spirit..."
"But we don't see anything man!" Mandar was sick with dread.
"Not before I sleep...not before I sleep..." he said...and then it was over.
The post-mortem listed severe trauma as the cause of death.
He held his jaw, gritted his teeth and took a breath. Concentrating on waking up, he pushed against the force. His head throbbed violently, vision blurred...and he started suffocating. His breath was cut short, and he went down again. Exhausted from the mental effort, he lost control, and the jaw started twitching violently again. Breathing in spasms, the strange images came back...he saw a tall wall, white tiled, with two posters-one with the GE logo and the other with a coffee mug. Nothing made sense. He labored against the force again, with some vigor, but was pushed down. Again images formed before his eyes-a room, bathed in yellow light, with high glass windows draped with thick brown curtains. A snake clung to the curtain from the outside. Reeling in confusion, his mind knew he was in trouble. If he didn't wake up soon, he would die. Mustering up some air, he pushed again. The force was overwhelming. His breath started to betray almost immediately. The weight felt massive. He continued to push against it, jaws twitching, choking, gasping...and finally broke out of it. He sat up immediately, afraid to sleep again. The pillow was wet with sweat. Gulping in fresh air, he tried to steady himself and his mind. There was a slight throb in his temples, he tried to shake it off.
Out of the trance now, his thoughts cleared. The music system was silent. He hated to have his noon nap ruined. Although he had been having this 'dream' as long as he could remember, it was never so frequent. This was the second time in the last three days he had been through this. Wondering why he always saw the image of the room with glass windows, he walked to the refrigerator. He took a draught from a Pepsi PET bottle filled with water..It tasted bad-there was a layer of cig residue on his tongue.
Back in his room, he checked the cell...there were 3 missed calls and a message from one of his friends-Vishal. Nakul had slept for 3 hours...and he was supposed to be at Vishal's place two hours back, with two more of his friends.
Splashing cool water on his face, he hurried out. It was sultry hot outside, and the traffic didn't make it any better. Riding along at a leisurely speed, he got to Vishal's in 10 minutes. The three guys were sprawled on the floor, smoking and watching LOTR on DVD. As Nakul entered, "Aahh!" was all Vishal said. The other two were too lazy to acknowledge his entry. Wincing at the smoke, Nakul made a place for himself between the wall and a couple of empty packets of Lays.
Besides Vishal, there were Muddy and Mandar, who called himself ManD, in the room. Nakul could see that Vishal and Muddy were really watching the movie, but ManD seemed lost, almost on the verge of weeping. Nakul knew too well what this meant. When ManD was down, he would generally keep to himself. But when he was down AND with friends, it meant he wanted everyone to know he was down, and go down with him. Looking at him now, Nakul understood that nobody had bothered to ask him what was wrong. "Whats wrong with your face"?, he had to ask. He was expecting ManD's reply to be something like "Aw nothin" or something of that sort. But he had really lost his patience waiting for the the other two to ask him, and so he literally exploded. "I ain't goin to live in this new flat man!". Being patient for so long, alongwith whatever was troubling him, had taken its toll...he sounded like an old crow with a throat infection..
Mandar had just decided to move out of his hostel room to a rented flat. Everyone had liked the place. It was in a very old building. A bit rundown yet cozy.He had been living there for almost a week now. Everything seemed fine.
But what he had heard from the neighbors was a bit disturbing. During the few days just after moving in, he could not understand why they gave him strange looks, or why everyone would stop in the middle of their conversation if he happened to pass by. The women and kids of the society looked at him and whispered. The men gave him a look which much to his annoyance seemed like pity. All this made him feel like a sick man in a hospice, who could drop dead any second. Having had enough of it, he had asked them what was going on. All they told him was that the flat had been unoccupied for 25 years. At first they did not tell why, but on persisting had said that the place was haunted.
Listening to Mandar narrate this, all four of them had burst into laughter, and soon forgotten bout it.
But today, it did not take Nakul long to make the connection. "You know that stuff is shit" he said, an unbelieving look on his face. Muddy and Vishal stared, the corners of their lips twitching, ready to guffaw any instant.
Mandar was shaking his head vigorously. "No, no! Its not shit man!"
Nakul looked at him intently. Mandar was a prankster, but surely not a good actor. He couldn't possibly be faking the look on his face. He was in agony.
"Um..so you tellin us that you saw a ghost in your room at night?" Muddy asked. Vishal chuckled and turned red.
Mandar's face was sagging. "No. I saw it in the noon."
This was too much for Vishal, and he spiralled into a frenzy of laughter. Muddy too joined in.
"I ain't kiddin guys! I swear!" It was more of a plea. And it silenced everyone.
"Are you sure Old Monk wasn't involved?" Vishal asked, stifling another chuckle.
Mandar answered with a sigh and a shake of the head.
"Well, if you are not faking this, there's only one thing we should do. All of us will go to the flat tomorrow and check it out." There was a note of seriousness in Nakul's voice. They agreed.
The next day, after college, all four of them headed for the flat. On reaching it, Mandar handed over the key to Vishal and slipped behind him. Vishal opened the door slowly. Mandar was cowering, half expecting a severed head to jump at them through the door. The old door creaked and protested at the hinges. The room was dark. It took time for Vishal's eyes to adjust to the low brightness. He stared inside, blinked and stiffened. His eyes widened. Before anyone could know what he saw, Vishal started shaking violently and gasping. Then he began to moan. Scared like a baby, Mandar ran down the stairs, two at a time. On reaching the ground floor, he frantically gestured at the watchman, when he heard loud laughter from upstairs...
The flat was dusty and unkempt. Books, CDs, empty Milds packets, matchsticks, clothes, magazines, shoes covered the floor. The wall directly opposite them had a huge poster with a Ferrari F40. Another poster was hanging on three corners, the cello tape hadn't held on the fourth. A few other posters lay rolled up in a corner. Vishal peeked inside the rolls, whistled on finding the one, and unrolled it. It was a wide poster, with Bipasha in a bikini slinked on a bed, her dark skin glistening. Mandar was looking nervously at the inner room. Following his gaze, Nakul went in.
"Is this the place where you were enlightened, dude?"
Mandar nodded. The others went in, pushing him ahead of them.
It was a fairly large room. There were large windows on two walls, with a bed against one of them. The windows and a door leading to balcony were covered with blue curtains. A length of pipe dangled down from above a cupboard. The room was bathed in bright sunlight. It seemed pleasant and sunny.
"Hm. It is highly unlikely a spirit would like being here. That too during the day!". Nakul said.
"Maybe the ghost was a she and couldn't resist checkin ManD out!" Vishal observed.
"Yeah...musbe really disappointed to see him bolt like a bat outa hell!" Muddy couldn't help choking on his words with a laugh.
"Fuck off man! I told ya I ain't kiddin! There was a th..thing here and he was sitting on the bed!" Mandar was fuming.
"Heh! So you're wrong Muddy...the ghost was a He, although I wouldn't be surprised if He was mistaken and checked ManD out anyway!" Vishal was in hysterics now.
"And he was sittin ready in the bed too!" Muddy clutched his sides.
Nakul rolled his eyes. "You guys have a sucky sense of humour...".
The whole day passed without any sights or sounds. Mandar was not keen to stay in the flat for the night, so they all left. Then on they went to the flat everyday after college, staying till nightfall.. But there were no ghosts, no spirits, no nothing.
A week went by without event. On a Sunday, they were at the flat early..The college was off for a week for the annual youth fest. Even Mandar had almost got over whatever he had seen, dismissing it as a trick of light. Carrying vodka and cigs in their bags, they were looking forward to a day of boozing. Then there was the party at night in the college auditorium. Nakul was expecting to see her and...confess
In the flat, the back room had been converted into a hangout. Muddy had rigged a computer to a 6.1 set, a speaker in every corner and two at the ends. Kid Rock's American Badass was on. The room was already filled with smoke and the blabber of a lightweight Mandar.
Muddy and Vishal had brought along a CD and were ogling over Lindsay Lohan. The day was warm, the sky cloudless. Muddy had kept the windows open to let the smoke out. A few hours passed.
Having had enough of the cigs, Nakul reached for a vodka. He couldn't get her out of his head. Thoughts of her lingered in his head like a fog. He poured half of a 180ml bottle in a glass, then topped it off with Sprite. He tried to think how would he break it to her, but the music was too loud. By now the sun was overhead and the room was too bright for comfort. Placing his glass on the bedrest, Nakul closed both the windows and pulled over the curtains. The room was pleasantly dark now. He went over to the computer and turned off the music. Getting his glass again, he settled on the bed, enjoying the peace. Then Mandar turned on the night lamp.
The vision hit him like a truck. His eyes widened with horror. His face blanched. The glass dropped from his hand and he buckled. He gazed at it, but couldn't believe his eyes. The night lamp had bathed the room in yellow light. Under the light, the blue curtains appeared dark brown. Strangely, a serpent seemed to have appeared on the curtains. It was the shadow of the pipe on the cupboard, cast by the lamp. The resemblance to a snake was uncanny.Nakul started to shiver and collapsed on the floor. His jaw was twitching and his breath was in spasms. Vishal ran up to him and yelled. "Whats up buddy? Whats wrong?" Nakul was running out of breath. Fear choked him. He barely managed a whisper "...spirit...me...?".
"What?"
"the spirit..."
"But we don't see anything man!" Mandar was sick with dread.
"Not before I sleep...not before I sleep..." he said...and then it was over.
The post-mortem listed severe trauma as the cause of death.
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Nevermind?
It is 2 AM. A cool, damp breeze blows in through the window. The moonless sky casts a never ending shadow over the world, hiding everything--but leaving a lot of room for imagination.
It is pitch dark outside, with just tiny dots of night lamps and streetlights scattered around in perfect randomness. The sky above is a blank, black expanse, with a sprinkling of wispy orangish-grey clouds. The clouds and stars together could easily remind a child of cotton candy...tiny sugar crystals peeking out of sparkling wisps.
Everything could appeal to the spirit...enchant the senses-the quiet, playful shadows...the wind moving through the leaves...the clouds moving silently through the sky...the sound of a tiny droplet dropping in a puddle...
Uhh...so?
Normally, I would have feasted on such an ambience.. But don't understand what has changed within me...I just dont find it romantic anymore. What once could have been a night to revel in, is now just a night with moderate cloud cover and a wind flow created due to difference in pressures...damn!What is this? I dont remember ever being like this. Its a shame really.
I very well remember the times when such a night would hurl me into a vortex of nostalgia, of pure excitement. A time when I would be thankful for life, filled with love for every simple thing that my eye would fall on. But now its just a void. I feel empty!
One part of me says that its good, you are back on earth, and accepting reality. A reality where there is no place for emotion, excitement or simple, childish enjoyment of the world around me. But there is another voice...telling me not to go the way the world is taking me, not to surrender myself to a mechanical existence.
Just thinking of all the crap I have filled my life with, I feel sick.
Like the engineering stuff. The lectures. Exams every month. Taking classes to get used to group discussions. To face interviews. Practicing public speaking. Forcing myself to talk absolutely any crap to a stranger in any waiting room--when I have been an introvert by choice. All this in an effort to be ready for? A good career. What the f***? What if I dont want to be a part of this rat race? I laugh at myself then...face reality mister-there's no way out!
I am in no way ignorant about carving out a good career. I am past that immaturity. But this is not the way I wish to go about it. If all the things I have to do to get a good job are making me dissatisfied with my life even now, what good is going to come to me later?
Whatever it is, I hope I normalize soon. I dont want a life where all I have left is design considerations, heat transfer equations and laws telling me in arcane words that a ball wont move unless I kick it...
It is pitch dark outside, with just tiny dots of night lamps and streetlights scattered around in perfect randomness. The sky above is a blank, black expanse, with a sprinkling of wispy orangish-grey clouds. The clouds and stars together could easily remind a child of cotton candy...tiny sugar crystals peeking out of sparkling wisps.
Everything could appeal to the spirit...enchant the senses-the quiet, playful shadows...the wind moving through the leaves...the clouds moving silently through the sky...the sound of a tiny droplet dropping in a puddle...
Uhh...so?
Normally, I would have feasted on such an ambience.. But don't understand what has changed within me...I just dont find it romantic anymore. What once could have been a night to revel in, is now just a night with moderate cloud cover and a wind flow created due to difference in pressures...damn!What is this? I dont remember ever being like this. Its a shame really.
I very well remember the times when such a night would hurl me into a vortex of nostalgia, of pure excitement. A time when I would be thankful for life, filled with love for every simple thing that my eye would fall on. But now its just a void. I feel empty!
One part of me says that its good, you are back on earth, and accepting reality. A reality where there is no place for emotion, excitement or simple, childish enjoyment of the world around me. But there is another voice...telling me not to go the way the world is taking me, not to surrender myself to a mechanical existence.
Just thinking of all the crap I have filled my life with, I feel sick.
Like the engineering stuff. The lectures. Exams every month. Taking classes to get used to group discussions. To face interviews. Practicing public speaking. Forcing myself to talk absolutely any crap to a stranger in any waiting room--when I have been an introvert by choice. All this in an effort to be ready for? A good career. What the f***? What if I dont want to be a part of this rat race? I laugh at myself then...face reality mister-there's no way out!
I am in no way ignorant about carving out a good career. I am past that immaturity. But this is not the way I wish to go about it. If all the things I have to do to get a good job are making me dissatisfied with my life even now, what good is going to come to me later?
Whatever it is, I hope I normalize soon. I dont want a life where all I have left is design considerations, heat transfer equations and laws telling me in arcane words that a ball wont move unless I kick it...
Friday, May 11, 2007
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Can you tell me?
Waking up each morning
to the warmth of the sun
My heart sinks with the thought
The thought that you're gone
Why cant I move on?
I think of you
Think of your sweet smile
the curve of your lips
the lips that must've kissed him last night
Its over, why dont I understand?
Trudging through the day
under a grey-black sky
I see you in his arms
as my hours drag by...
Why am I such a loser?
Alone in the twilight
I soak my world in smoke
I see you dancing in his arms
All I can do is break down
Who are the tears for?
I hide in the shadows
And embrace the night
I wish my world would drown
And I wont wake up to another nightmare...
---------
to the warmth of the sun
My heart sinks with the thought
The thought that you're gone
Why cant I move on?
I think of you
Think of your sweet smile
the curve of your lips
the lips that must've kissed him last night
Its over, why dont I understand?
Trudging through the day
under a grey-black sky
I see you in his arms
as my hours drag by...
Why am I such a loser?
Alone in the twilight
I soak my world in smoke
I see you dancing in his arms
All I can do is break down
Who are the tears for?
I hide in the shadows
And embrace the night
I wish my world would drown
And I wont wake up to another nightmare...
---------
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
I, Psycho
The hour is dark
The world dreams
I end my nightmare
Live in a new fantasy!
The happy hour has just begun
The loneliness hallucinates
Dont need no drugs
Isolation is my meth
Want this meth all day!
My mind is numb
just the flood of nostalgia
Lovin the feeling
Wanna live this moment forever!
Want this meth forever!
No f***ers to bother me
no questions to answer
Just me and myself
Wanna be quarantined forever!
Need this meth forever!
Forever...
Saturday, March 24, 2007
The Royal Sc***
The results out...flunkd in two subs. Can anythn be worse?
...so anyway, "Everything happens for the best" they say...have to find out what good comes out of this.
...so anyway, "Everything happens for the best" they say...have to find out what good comes out of this.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Result Blues!
its that time again...the results are just around the corner.
they'll be out anyday now. i duno why, but the 'approaching' results always knock the air out of me.
the wait is dreadful...wake up one fine morning with the result staring in my face in the newspaper. if my number is listed, am clear...if not...well, then begins the long tense ride to the univ and see which subs do i have to appear again for...gawd..
they'll be out anyday now. i duno why, but the 'approaching' results always knock the air out of me.
the wait is dreadful...wake up one fine morning with the result staring in my face in the newspaper. if my number is listed, am clear...if not...well, then begins the long tense ride to the univ and see which subs do i have to appear again for...gawd..
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Smoke in a tin box
Sitting in the 'cabin' behind Ramu's canteen at night...I was enjoying a silent fag. There was a kerosene lamp on the table before me, a crude lamp made up in a bottle of Derby Special whisky. The flame was trembling...twitching...moving...as if dancing to the tunes of some unheard music...lost in its own world. The shadows it cast moved with it...desperately trying to join in?
Walked back home in the silent breeze and turned on the music. I loved the feeling...the music sometimes pulls me right into it...and I love getting lost in the scapes of Sting's Fields of Gold or Leppard's Two Steps Behind. The melancholy is addictive...and nostalgia grips me. Strangely, I enjoy the sadness of remembering times gone by, knowing they wont ever come back again.I love this time of the night...when I can cut myself off from the world and just be my own company.
All I could think of was the last three days, when I met up with old friends after a long time. Had a great time-the bus ride to the "town of the wedding", a whole day together, the trip back...the booze party at night.
I wonder what it is...just a 3 hour bus ride with friends can be amazing.
The wedding was good too. This was the first time I had been to a wedding in a 'taluka' i.e. a really small town, and I had no idea how things were gonna be. The lunch was really an experience. I was expecting atleast a simple buffet kind of a setting, but what I actually did was...well I'll try to describe it as well as I can.
There's a traditional way of 'lunching' called pangat where people sit in lines on the floor, cross legged. The food is served in dishes made of leaves of the palash tree. Now this was ok, I am used to it, as this is what we do on any occasion at my grans' place. But here...lunch was like musical chairs.
People were eating, and me and my friends were standing a bit away. I was just looking around, patiently waiting for the whole pangat to finish. Just then, a friend of mine (kaka, we call him) saw four people get up, finishing their lunch. He asked us to hurry and take their place. I protested, saying that the plates were still lying there. He asked me to shut up and sit, if I wanted to have any lunch. I did, and avoided looking at the used plate lying before me. I asked kaka if they would think that we had finsihed our lunch already. Dont worry, he said.
In a few mins, everyone around us finsihed their lunch, and people quickly claimed their spots on the floor. Then, out of nowhere, marched in an army of maids armed with short brooms. Walking between the lines, they knocked down the glasses of water lying there from the earlier pangat. One maid picked up the plates and stacked them in a big tub. Another group of maids then sweeped the rubbish right away from us...all this while I was sitting and staring...feeling like a bust in the middle of a busy city square. I had half a mind to get up and run.
Then a guy came and put before us a new lot of leaf-plates. A kid followed and mocked me, asking me to keep my plate straight. Turns out I just had to flip it, though to me both sides looked the same...
Finished the lunch, which was quite good (loved the jalebis), and got out. Thinking about it today, I know I had had a great time. Sitting and lunching with friends in a weird way was nice.
The bus trip back to Washim was great too...four of us, sitting at the back of the bus...talking crap...darkness outside...easy fun. Then the booze party from midnight to about 2...each of us downing atleast 2 bottles of beer...the tamasha that followed...smoking on the bikes...hoodwinking an odd police jeep...
I felt totally free...nothing to worry about...no bothers...like theres nothing wrong with the world!
But, as always, it ends. Everyone returns to their pseudo-life...college...chores...responsibilities.
Anyway, living a dull life ultimately makes me enjoy times like these even more.
Atlast got a glimpse of my escape.
PS: Reading this post again today morning, I cant help notice how much mush Iv put in there...
Walked back home in the silent breeze and turned on the music. I loved the feeling...the music sometimes pulls me right into it...and I love getting lost in the scapes of Sting's Fields of Gold or Leppard's Two Steps Behind. The melancholy is addictive...and nostalgia grips me. Strangely, I enjoy the sadness of remembering times gone by, knowing they wont ever come back again.I love this time of the night...when I can cut myself off from the world and just be my own company.
All I could think of was the last three days, when I met up with old friends after a long time. Had a great time-the bus ride to the "town of the wedding", a whole day together, the trip back...the booze party at night.
I wonder what it is...just a 3 hour bus ride with friends can be amazing.
The wedding was good too. This was the first time I had been to a wedding in a 'taluka' i.e. a really small town, and I had no idea how things were gonna be. The lunch was really an experience. I was expecting atleast a simple buffet kind of a setting, but what I actually did was...well I'll try to describe it as well as I can.
There's a traditional way of 'lunching' called pangat where people sit in lines on the floor, cross legged. The food is served in dishes made of leaves of the palash tree. Now this was ok, I am used to it, as this is what we do on any occasion at my grans' place. But here...lunch was like musical chairs.
People were eating, and me and my friends were standing a bit away. I was just looking around, patiently waiting for the whole pangat to finish. Just then, a friend of mine (kaka, we call him) saw four people get up, finishing their lunch. He asked us to hurry and take their place. I protested, saying that the plates were still lying there. He asked me to shut up and sit, if I wanted to have any lunch. I did, and avoided looking at the used plate lying before me. I asked kaka if they would think that we had finsihed our lunch already. Dont worry, he said.
In a few mins, everyone around us finsihed their lunch, and people quickly claimed their spots on the floor. Then, out of nowhere, marched in an army of maids armed with short brooms. Walking between the lines, they knocked down the glasses of water lying there from the earlier pangat. One maid picked up the plates and stacked them in a big tub. Another group of maids then sweeped the rubbish right away from us...all this while I was sitting and staring...feeling like a bust in the middle of a busy city square. I had half a mind to get up and run.
Then a guy came and put before us a new lot of leaf-plates. A kid followed and mocked me, asking me to keep my plate straight. Turns out I just had to flip it, though to me both sides looked the same...
Finished the lunch, which was quite good (loved the jalebis), and got out. Thinking about it today, I know I had had a great time. Sitting and lunching with friends in a weird way was nice.
The bus trip back to Washim was great too...four of us, sitting at the back of the bus...talking crap...darkness outside...easy fun. Then the booze party from midnight to about 2...each of us downing atleast 2 bottles of beer...the tamasha that followed...smoking on the bikes...hoodwinking an odd police jeep...
I felt totally free...nothing to worry about...no bothers...like theres nothing wrong with the world!
But, as always, it ends. Everyone returns to their pseudo-life...college...chores...responsibilities.
Anyway, living a dull life ultimately makes me enjoy times like these even more.
Atlast got a glimpse of my escape.
PS: Reading this post again today morning, I cant help notice how much mush Iv put in there...
Monday, March 5, 2007
NUMB
Nothin much goin on. Leaving for a place called Washim tomo...middle of nowhere. Hope to have fun there...kinda like it there....dont have to worry about anythin in tht place. Smoke, booz and people-less wilderness around you as far as the eye can see....bliss!
Am lookin forward to the journey actually...have to attend a wedding...which interests me the least. The journey is gonna be good...6 hours in the incredible contraptions called ST buses....ahh...
Am lookin forward to the journey actually...have to attend a wedding...which interests me the least. The journey is gonna be good...6 hours in the incredible contraptions called ST buses....ahh...
Friday, February 23, 2007
Escape!
I keep on thinking to myself...what is it that you do and love doing it? Which part of your life do you love? Why have you become such a whiner? Why are you frustrated even now that you are out of the dump?
I have a dream though...a dream I love...where I just leave everything behind and walk away to someplace unknown. I have it all planned out, sort of.Wake up one fine morning. Go to the railway station, take the first train I see (even the general bogey would do!) and go away! I wont know where it will take me, but thats the best thing about it. Get off at someplace, wander about, and, if I like the place, take up some job that can atleast take care of my basic expenses. Then live it up for a few days, and go away again to the next random town.
Will I like that life? I think I will.
But there's a constant nagging voice at the back of my head...telling me to stop being immature, be responsible, grow up! You are going to be an engineer, it says. People expect responsible behaviour from you. Society expects you to act 'normal'.
Why? Why should I tie my life down...why should I follow the rat race? Why should I follow my mind...when I know my heart is always going to be sad if I do so? Why should I kill the thrill and adventure of my life and be bonded to one plcae-one job-one society-one kind of life? Why cant I explore the world?And then the thoughts of going away come back again. The longing to be free...the freedom to live life...the freedom to expect nothing and anything. The freedom to get surprised every step of the way. The freedom to romance every drop of rain...every light breeze...every shooting star...every bit of the endless moonlit sky. All this without the thought of people laughing in my face-people calling me mad, unrealistic and stupid. I know I will love that life.
Will you?
Friday, February 9, 2007
Solid wall of nothing-a day in the life of a pigeon-an experiment
I opened my eyes to a beautiful morning today.
We-misses and me-had moved to this neighborhood just last evening. The temporary shelter we had taken up atop a tinbox had turned into a nightmare. The rats and smoke-blowing humans had almost succeeded in forcing misses to have second thoughts about moving here. The latter especially-she thought the humans were evil. I, being a bit more travelled than her, explained that it was OK, the humans were not demons. I told her the humans do that to help them poop.At night, I found a peculiar projection for both of us to perch on, and made up my mind to find a permanent place the next morning. Misses was going to lay soon.
So, today morning, both of us left to look for a good place to build a home on. I had explained what to look for-a place which looked like it wasnt occupied by anyone for long. We started in different directions, to speed up the process.
Some time later, we met at a place we had decided upon earlier. Although I had had no luck, misses looked to be in high spirits. She said she had found a great spot, and took me to it. It was one of those places where many humans live above each other's houses. We got in through a window-and I was immediately dissapointed. There were human things lying all over the place-clothes, books and some assorted things too, though I dont know what they were called. It was lying wherever possible-a big mess really. I tried to tell misses that this place was occupied, but she refused to believe it. "No human can live in a place like this", she said. I decided against arguing-doing so might have led to an unwanted scenario, considering the physical and mental condition misses was in at that juncture.
We looked around, and found a spot to build on. We got to it immediately, starting off by gathering the material. Thankfully, we found some of it lying around there itself. We spent quite a long time gathering everything up. By now, I too had started to think that this place was unoccupied-there hadnt been any sort of indication of occupancy for a long time. Misses had gone out for one last trip, and I was starting to put everything together, when the worst happened.
The human came in.
I was scared like hell, and flew towards a window to get out. What happened next will surely be a popular story amongst my friends now, and later, among my grandchildren.
As I flew towards the window, for a moment I saw myself-I cannot explain how-I just saw myself in the air through which I was going to pass-like I see myself in a pool of water while going over it. Then I hit something hard. I could not understand what was happening. It was like I had flown into a solid wall of nothing! I tried again, but the same thing happened. All this time, the human was standing in the door and staring at me stupidly. I prayed that he would leave me alone. But then he snapped out of it, and got two huge sticks. I thought I was done for, and tried to go through the window again, flapping frantically. Doing so might blow away the solid wall of nothing, I thought. But luck was against me.The human came closer then, and tried to lift me between the two sticks. I am sure he would have put me in a fire and made a meal out of me if he had succeeded. But I am smart too, and I started walking along the window, back and forth, away from the sticks.The human lost it I think, because he yelled "Stupid bird" at me and went way, closing the door behind him. I thanked God, and tried to get out again. No success.
I wondered what was wrong. This had never happend to me before. I was too tired to try again, so I just looked out through the solid wall of nothing. I saw misses go by, and signalled at her to stay away.
I had stood there for a long time, thinking about my next move, when the human came in again. This time, his hair was wet. he had been in water. He scowled at me, apparently not happy to see me still there. I wished I could share with him what the amazing solid wall of nothing was doing to me. He again picked up the sticks, and stuck a piece of cardboard on each one. He tried to pick me up again, but I outsmarted him this time aswell. It was easy-I just resorted to the wing-flapping-to-and-fro-walk along the window. He lost it again, called me a "pea brain" and went away. I was again left to myself. I started looking through the solid wall of nothing.
Was thinking what to do, when the bugger came in again. This time he really came close, and started throwing clothes over me. I wanted to tell him I wasnt cold. But apparently he understood anyway, because he took them away himself. After this, he stood looking at me for a long time, occasionally hitting around me with the stick. I made sure that my body language wasnt showing any fear.
The human then put on a plastic bag over his hand, and came really close. And then he tried to pick me up! As soon as he did that, I flapped, and he jerked away violently. He stepped back, and shuddered from head to toe. I realized then and there that he was scared out of his wits too.
After another long staring-at-me session, he came back and picked me up. He was holding me firmly this time, so I couldnt flap. I just had to resign to fate. He carried me to another window, and let me go. I couldnt believe it! I was not his meal!
I met misses oustide, and we unanimously decided against moving here. Our old neighborhood was good for us.
Sitting on the familiar branch now, I realize that I learnt a lot from the encounter with the human. But the solid wall of nothing still mystifies me. Misses says that it could be have been a hallucination, a mirage. She had learnt this from one of her friends who goes to a mass feast at the fountain in the city, every Sunday. She had overheard the two human hosts of the feast saying to each other-"If some one wants something badly enough, he could have visons of it everywhere he sees. Hallucinations. This happens mostly in times of extreme mental distress-like when someone is extremely thirsty, hungry or even frightened"
I dismissed this theory. I did not want misses to believe that I was in "extreme mental distress", lest she think me a coward. But, inwardly...
We-misses and me-had moved to this neighborhood just last evening. The temporary shelter we had taken up atop a tinbox had turned into a nightmare. The rats and smoke-blowing humans had almost succeeded in forcing misses to have second thoughts about moving here. The latter especially-she thought the humans were evil. I, being a bit more travelled than her, explained that it was OK, the humans were not demons. I told her the humans do that to help them poop.At night, I found a peculiar projection for both of us to perch on, and made up my mind to find a permanent place the next morning. Misses was going to lay soon.
So, today morning, both of us left to look for a good place to build a home on. I had explained what to look for-a place which looked like it wasnt occupied by anyone for long. We started in different directions, to speed up the process.
Some time later, we met at a place we had decided upon earlier. Although I had had no luck, misses looked to be in high spirits. She said she had found a great spot, and took me to it. It was one of those places where many humans live above each other's houses. We got in through a window-and I was immediately dissapointed. There were human things lying all over the place-clothes, books and some assorted things too, though I dont know what they were called. It was lying wherever possible-a big mess really. I tried to tell misses that this place was occupied, but she refused to believe it. "No human can live in a place like this", she said. I decided against arguing-doing so might have led to an unwanted scenario, considering the physical and mental condition misses was in at that juncture.
We looked around, and found a spot to build on. We got to it immediately, starting off by gathering the material. Thankfully, we found some of it lying around there itself. We spent quite a long time gathering everything up. By now, I too had started to think that this place was unoccupied-there hadnt been any sort of indication of occupancy for a long time. Misses had gone out for one last trip, and I was starting to put everything together, when the worst happened.
The human came in.
I was scared like hell, and flew towards a window to get out. What happened next will surely be a popular story amongst my friends now, and later, among my grandchildren.
As I flew towards the window, for a moment I saw myself-I cannot explain how-I just saw myself in the air through which I was going to pass-like I see myself in a pool of water while going over it. Then I hit something hard. I could not understand what was happening. It was like I had flown into a solid wall of nothing! I tried again, but the same thing happened. All this time, the human was standing in the door and staring at me stupidly. I prayed that he would leave me alone. But then he snapped out of it, and got two huge sticks. I thought I was done for, and tried to go through the window again, flapping frantically. Doing so might blow away the solid wall of nothing, I thought. But luck was against me.The human came closer then, and tried to lift me between the two sticks. I am sure he would have put me in a fire and made a meal out of me if he had succeeded. But I am smart too, and I started walking along the window, back and forth, away from the sticks.The human lost it I think, because he yelled "Stupid bird" at me and went way, closing the door behind him. I thanked God, and tried to get out again. No success.
I wondered what was wrong. This had never happend to me before. I was too tired to try again, so I just looked out through the solid wall of nothing. I saw misses go by, and signalled at her to stay away.
I had stood there for a long time, thinking about my next move, when the human came in again. This time, his hair was wet. he had been in water. He scowled at me, apparently not happy to see me still there. I wished I could share with him what the amazing solid wall of nothing was doing to me. He again picked up the sticks, and stuck a piece of cardboard on each one. He tried to pick me up again, but I outsmarted him this time aswell. It was easy-I just resorted to the wing-flapping-to-and-fro-walk along the window. He lost it again, called me a "pea brain" and went away. I was again left to myself. I started looking through the solid wall of nothing.
Was thinking what to do, when the bugger came in again. This time he really came close, and started throwing clothes over me. I wanted to tell him I wasnt cold. But apparently he understood anyway, because he took them away himself. After this, he stood looking at me for a long time, occasionally hitting around me with the stick. I made sure that my body language wasnt showing any fear.
The human then put on a plastic bag over his hand, and came really close. And then he tried to pick me up! As soon as he did that, I flapped, and he jerked away violently. He stepped back, and shuddered from head to toe. I realized then and there that he was scared out of his wits too.
After another long staring-at-me session, he came back and picked me up. He was holding me firmly this time, so I couldnt flap. I just had to resign to fate. He carried me to another window, and let me go. I couldnt believe it! I was not his meal!
I met misses oustide, and we unanimously decided against moving here. Our old neighborhood was good for us.
Sitting on the familiar branch now, I realize that I learnt a lot from the encounter with the human. But the solid wall of nothing still mystifies me. Misses says that it could be have been a hallucination, a mirage. She had learnt this from one of her friends who goes to a mass feast at the fountain in the city, every Sunday. She had overheard the two human hosts of the feast saying to each other-"If some one wants something badly enough, he could have visons of it everywhere he sees. Hallucinations. This happens mostly in times of extreme mental distress-like when someone is extremely thirsty, hungry or even frightened"
I dismissed this theory. I did not want misses to believe that I was in "extreme mental distress", lest she think me a coward. But, inwardly...
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
the season
To word it sweetly-the season of the union of the souls is in full bloom. This time of the year, poeple seem to be in a rush to get married.
There is a 'marriage hall' next to the building I live in. Everyday I get out for college, I have to come face-to-face with pretty ladies dressed in sarees and gems. Some of the girls are dressed in saress too. I wonder what they are thinking, standing on the road like that-every passerby is looking at them. The least the organisers should do is put up a "WARNING: ACCIDENT PRONE AREA" board. People could die, no? It is another thing that looking at these pretty ladies makes me feel really shabby in my white shirt-navy blue trousers college uniform...
The evenings are the best times though. The baraats chugging along the road are a real treat. Riding along to get a fag, I come across a traffic hold-up. Moving on, and I hear the sound of the drums and horns from up ahead, rising above the assorted'n'loud road noises. It sounds pumping! I worm my way ahead through the crawling traffic. The people in the cars spare no words to let their feelings be known, abusing profusely in the general direction of the baraat. Gradually I am close enough to see the band, playing the latest bolly tune, and a small crowd dancing it up in a mad frenzy. The loud drumming sends an electric pulse through me, and I wish I can get down and get lost in the throbbing mob of revellers. Then I see a guy bend down and light a sutli bomb. My pulse is already racing, and the sight of the lighted fuse shoots it up to astronomical levels. I start praying silently, hoping that the bomb does not explode while Im passing by. I cannot stop, theres a line of cursing vehicles behind me. I move on and approach the bomb, and suddenly the fuse starts burning with a greater speed. I twist the acclerator, praying, watching, perspiring, a Don tune in the BG, the bomb wanting to go off and a steady honking of vehicles pushing me on. The crowd starts yelling, louder and louder, waiting for their yelling to end into a loud boom, as the light appoaches the green horror. I look at it, I find myself right next to it...wrong place-wrong time and--FISSssssssss...the bomb pees off. A fuska baar, damp squib. The crowd laughs, I thank my stars-and get away. Puffing at a nearby paan-wala, I catch a glimpse of the groom, resplendent in his rich wedding do. You're comfortable, I want to say to him, you're a safe distance away from the bomb. Let me see how you do when I light one before your gentle steed. The thought and the vision that follows it is amusing enough...
The marriage bug hasnt spared anyone. I go to see my aunty, and see another crease below her eyes. I can tell from the look of her face that theres a new wedding invitation lying in the vicinity. Every invitation to her brings alongwith it a reminder that her daughter, my cousin, is in that age-range too. The fact that cuz is away on a job and not interested yet readily adds another two lines to aunty's countenance.
Later in the night, sitting in the balcony, I see the silent, distant starbursts of red n blue in the sky. 'Another lucky one', I think. 'Ek aur halaal ho gaya'.
There is a 'marriage hall' next to the building I live in. Everyday I get out for college, I have to come face-to-face with pretty ladies dressed in sarees and gems. Some of the girls are dressed in saress too. I wonder what they are thinking, standing on the road like that-every passerby is looking at them. The least the organisers should do is put up a "WARNING: ACCIDENT PRONE AREA" board. People could die, no? It is another thing that looking at these pretty ladies makes me feel really shabby in my white shirt-navy blue trousers college uniform...
The evenings are the best times though. The baraats chugging along the road are a real treat. Riding along to get a fag, I come across a traffic hold-up. Moving on, and I hear the sound of the drums and horns from up ahead, rising above the assorted'n'loud road noises. It sounds pumping! I worm my way ahead through the crawling traffic. The people in the cars spare no words to let their feelings be known, abusing profusely in the general direction of the baraat. Gradually I am close enough to see the band, playing the latest bolly tune, and a small crowd dancing it up in a mad frenzy. The loud drumming sends an electric pulse through me, and I wish I can get down and get lost in the throbbing mob of revellers. Then I see a guy bend down and light a sutli bomb. My pulse is already racing, and the sight of the lighted fuse shoots it up to astronomical levels. I start praying silently, hoping that the bomb does not explode while Im passing by. I cannot stop, theres a line of cursing vehicles behind me. I move on and approach the bomb, and suddenly the fuse starts burning with a greater speed. I twist the acclerator, praying, watching, perspiring, a Don tune in the BG, the bomb wanting to go off and a steady honking of vehicles pushing me on. The crowd starts yelling, louder and louder, waiting for their yelling to end into a loud boom, as the light appoaches the green horror. I look at it, I find myself right next to it...wrong place-wrong time and--FISSssssssss...the bomb pees off. A fuska baar, damp squib. The crowd laughs, I thank my stars-and get away. Puffing at a nearby paan-wala, I catch a glimpse of the groom, resplendent in his rich wedding do. You're comfortable, I want to say to him, you're a safe distance away from the bomb. Let me see how you do when I light one before your gentle steed. The thought and the vision that follows it is amusing enough...
The marriage bug hasnt spared anyone. I go to see my aunty, and see another crease below her eyes. I can tell from the look of her face that theres a new wedding invitation lying in the vicinity. Every invitation to her brings alongwith it a reminder that her daughter, my cousin, is in that age-range too. The fact that cuz is away on a job and not interested yet readily adds another two lines to aunty's countenance.
Later in the night, sitting in the balcony, I see the silent, distant starbursts of red n blue in the sky. 'Another lucky one', I think. 'Ek aur halaal ho gaya'.
Monday, February 5, 2007
on the chopping board
Hey.
Welcome to the veg kolhapuri.
For those of you wondering what 'kolhapuri' means, well its just a real hot comestible. Im a tru-blu maharshtrian, and this one of my fav veggies. For the recipe, go here: Recipe
Theres also a legend of sorts behind the word 'kolhapuri'...the kolhapuri chappal precisely, made famous by Amitabh Bacchan in the movie Suhaag..Wanna know more? Check out the chappal bachchan's holding: The Chappal
Interpret the name of the blog in either context u wish. :)
Why the did I choose it for the name of a blog? Dont really have a good reason. Just like the sound of it.
So, anyway, neither the eatable veg kolhpauri nor BigB's sandal has anything to do with this blog.
At this time, even I cannot tell you how am I going to proceed with the posts here. Its just a personal blog, but I will be focusing on the weird ideas and thoughts that hit me sometimes, out of the blue. As anyone of you who has had a similar experience would agree, these thoughts n ideas can be amusing to amazingly shocking. Some of them are perverse, while some just naive. I know I had a few which were so perverse that they cant be put up (yet :P)...and so the veg in the name in comes in.
I hope you enjoy yourselves on the mess I am going to spill out :-)
Welcome to the veg kolhapuri.
For those of you wondering what 'kolhapuri' means, well its just a real hot comestible. Im a tru-blu maharshtrian, and this one of my fav veggies. For the recipe, go here: Recipe
Theres also a legend of sorts behind the word 'kolhapuri'...the kolhapuri chappal precisely, made famous by Amitabh Bacchan in the movie Suhaag..Wanna know more? Check out the chappal bachchan's holding: The Chappal
Interpret the name of the blog in either context u wish. :)
Why the did I choose it for the name of a blog? Dont really have a good reason. Just like the sound of it.
So, anyway, neither the eatable veg kolhpauri nor BigB's sandal has anything to do with this blog.
At this time, even I cannot tell you how am I going to proceed with the posts here. Its just a personal blog, but I will be focusing on the weird ideas and thoughts that hit me sometimes, out of the blue. As anyone of you who has had a similar experience would agree, these thoughts n ideas can be amusing to amazingly shocking. Some of them are perverse, while some just naive. I know I had a few which were so perverse that they cant be put up (yet :P)...and so the veg in the name in comes in.
I hope you enjoy yourselves on the mess I am going to spill out :-)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
