Life is but a dream!

“Go ahead, open it!”

“What?”

“Aren’t you going to sleep, baby?”

“Just this last paragraph and I’m done. But what did you say right now?”

“Like, when are you going to sleep?”

“No. Before that? What did you say?”

“What did I say? Did I say anything?”

“Goodness me! You don’t remember what you said seconds ago?” She cachinnated.

“Don’t ridicule me. I’m half asleep! I haven’t even opened my eyes.”

“I know. But never seen anyone blabber in their sleep!”

“Maybe I’m not blabbering. Wait! Did I say something like: ‘open it’?”

“You said, ‘Go ahead, open it.’”

“That explains it!”

“Here, look at me dear.”

“No, I don’t wanna open my eyes yet. You know, uh, I can… I can see this image in front of me: We’re at some fair; you, me and Adira. It’s some kind of a fair. We’re playing Bingo and Adi’s won something and I’m telling her to see what she’s won. So the words ‘Go ahead, open it’!”

“It seems you’re equally excited as Adi about the carnival visit tomorrow! Perhaps that’s why you’re thinking about it.”

“Well, that’s okay! I have had dreams earlier. It’s just that I usually don’t remember dreams! It’s like… I know it’s a dream. I know I’m describing it to you! I know you’re here, and you’re here for real! But I’m still in the dream!”

An awkward silence followed.

“You there?”, he inquired.

“Yes. Yes, I’m right here. Just don’t know what to say. Well, nothing’s wrong with you for sure. I’d say you better have a good sleep, ‘cause we’re going to have a tough time running after Adi at the carnival tomorrow.”

He felt a hand stroke his forehead, running through his hair. It felt good. He could sleep now.

“Daddy, wake up! It’s Saturday, you promised us. We’re going to the carnival today! Yuppieeeee!!!”
Nothing can be compared to the bliss of being woken up by your daughter jumping on your bed. He laughed as he remembered his friend's words, 'Any fool can be a father, but it takes a real man to be a Daddy!'

The day passed with more of such cheers from Adi.

The excitement had reached the pinnacle by the evening. And the drive to the carnival was chaotic as expected.

"Daddy, I want to go to the Ferris wheel!

Papa, I so want a Candy floss.

Can I play the Water gun game?"

The joy on her face was transcendent. Balloon shoot, Whac-a-mole, SkeeBall, all accrued smiles, on both her face and his.

“Papa, I want to play Bingo!”, came Adira with an electrifying smile on her face.

“Ok Adi, let’s play.” Yes it was a déjà vu!

The game went on. Caller called, “Four, Eight. Forty-eight.”

“Daddy, I got the top line across!”, jumped Adira.

The Caller summoned her and said, “We’ve got a winner for straight line across!”

Adi came down beaming with a red box in her hand.

“Go ahead, open it!”

Neha stared at him with a smile.

But all he could think of was Dan Wilcox' words:

I don’t care how poor a man is; if he has family, he’s rich.

It was a weird pun in saying that he was living in a dream!

Freedom to be!

“What took you so long?", he asked. "I've been expecting your call for half hour now. You know how impatient I become when I don’t hear your voice at 8 every night!”

“I was out with my college friends so couldn't call then. I just reached home and the first thing I did, even before changing is I called you. And you still would say that I won’t give you enough time.”, she replied.

“Who were you with?”

“You know, just the regular group! Chirag, Danny, Amu, Adira and all.”

“Oh so you forgot to call your boyfriend because you were too busy with that Danny! If it is him with whom you feel comfortable and cozy, why don’t you say that to me? Why hide it?”

“I think you are taking this way too far! How many times have I told you that it is not the way you think? He’s just a good friend that’s it! Don’t attach any other tag to it.”

“OK you must not be having anything in your mind but I just know that it’s not the same from his side.”

“Please don’t say such stuff. And anyways it’s got to be equally reciprocated from my side. And I can promise you that it is not the case. What should I do to assure you of that?”

“Don’t talk to him henceforth. That is what would make me believe you!”

She was no more in a state to negotiate. She had no strength to argue on the same topic which was the reason of the rift since the last happy days she remembered. She couldn’t recollect for how long this had been going on. It felt like all the happiness of the day has sublimated without leaving any trace. She was tired; of ‘untagging’ herself off friends’ pics, of getting her ‘status updates’ censored.

She hung up the phone and switched it off.

She pondered over the situation for she didn't know how long. She’d read these words and they kept reverberating in her mind:

One doesn’t place any restrictions on other to protect or to help someone.  If we act that way, we are perceiving the other as a simple object, and we are seeing ourselves as wise and generous persons. This has nothing to do with love.
Also one doesn't love in order to do what is good or to help or to protect someone. Same situation again.

She couldn’t find reason why she held on to it. She remembered the days when they co-existed happily. The day when she expected the reply- ‘The Magic Moment’- that instant when a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ can change one’s life forever. She now felt that her life had changed indeed.

She wanted to be free again, be out of the bounds, have the freedom to be!
But something held her, she knew not what!

Survival of the Resilient

I looked out of the window to see the torrential downpour still there. I decided to keep my bags there, so I got out of the office with just an umbrella. Just seconds had passed since I’d stepped out and I was wet through! Looking beyond the road, I saw the waves hitting the path to the island durgah and as usual, the sea tempted me. Wet anyways, I shut my umbrella and started walking towards it. Kids and oldies all alike, men n women from all faiths thronged here. They were showered with smiles!!!

I observed multifarious people but still remember a family; a couple in their mid 30s perhaps, and a kid of around 10.

“Kitta pani honeka nai? Baba! Tum to poora bhiga honeka.Aur bhi badhta kya pani?”

“Aur nahi to kya? Wo Salim bolneka ye rasta bhi poora pani ke neechu jaata hai!”...

I later met them at the bus stop. I waited for the bus because I knew the trains would never run on time in such rains. The guy came up to me and asked, “Miyaan, Dadar station se Kurla janeku train milenga na?”

I replied with a nod. A bit of chat and I learned that they hailed from Hyderabad and were here at his brother’s place. And he learnt that I too was supposed to go via Dadar. Few more minutes flew by. But no sight of the bus. And now his kid had started to shiver in the cool breeze of the evening blowing over the sea. He called for a taxi, offered me a lift, but I convince him how I won’t get a place to sit in the bus if not for that stop! A shake of the hand and they left with smiles on their faces!!!

I looked at my watch. 6:52 pm. I was going to be late. Wife would be crazy again! I made a mental note to buy her favourite mogre ka gajra on my way home!

Just the the silver lining appears on the horizon- Bus # 385!!!

Slow moving traffic, wet clothes, shut windows! But nothing can prevent me from a good dose of music!

It was some time later that my cell phone rang which got me out of my trance. It was her.

“Haan dear bolo! Aaj bus se aa rahaa hoon.”

A concerned sound of hers asked me if all was right! I confirmed my well being and it was then that I came to know that a serial blasts have rocked the city again just about 10 minutes back. Three places, one of them near Dadar station. My mind started racing, taking me to a different world! The very fact that I could have been there, and how I had escaped it by a whisker. Then the thoughts of the Hyderabadi family. It was too much of pain to imagine the smiling family to be amidst that debris. I could never find out what happened to them...

I logged on to FB for updates. It was being flooded with angered comments.

Taking a deep breath, I plunged into thoughts. The aeni mentis.

Tomorrow I’ll read of the blasts as a thing of the past. Yet another black Wednesday, just like the other black Tuesdays or Fridays.

Then I’ll see the resilient Mumbaikars getting back on track and hear of their heroics and bravery. And the famous Mumbai-spirit!

And the third day, it’ll be back to the scams! Nothing would change. Not till the next attacks. But that too would be just a couple of days. Nothing will change even then.

I had just survived a bomb blast! It could very much have been the last ride of my life had I taken it!

Survival! Strange word. Even animals survive. I’m no animal, I’m a human! I want to live!

So do the many around me. I don’t want to be tagged as resilient or brave; I need to be away from this. Just because I deserve to live! A peaceful night’s sleep is all I want, without having to fear whether I’ll survive the next day.

The secret behind the spirit of Mumbai is not its brave citizens. It is the hunger which craves and forces them to work. If they don’t bounce back, they’ll not survive. They’ve turned to animals who walk blindly. And that is why they survive.

I want to live.

Note: It’s time to take off the mask of tolerance. We are a peace loving nation, a responsible one, which has not started a war on any foreign country in the living history of over 1000 years. Agreed! But how long can we boast of that? We’ll have to survive to do that...

A must read article:

http://www.firstpost.com/politics/dear-pm-i-can-no-longer-be-resilient-and-strong-41195.html#disqus_thread

PART and parcel!!!

“I can’t take it anymore. I can’t let him go.”, she thought.

Never had there been a day that they didn’t meet, since the day he first held her hand. To be away from him for 6 months was a Herculean task. No! For her it was not just 6 months. It was 180 days, 4320 hours, 259200 minutes, 15552000 seconds and still many more countless, priceless moments.

She recalled their last meet. It was just yesterday that he sat with her on the same stairs where the shared the moments which would make the days to come bearable.

He tried to console her, “It’s just a few days dear! And anyways, Bangalore isn’t that far too!”

She just wore the sullen face.

“It’s not that I’ll be going away forever! I’ll try to be placed here again after the training! Then won’t you be the happiest person? Huh?”

She just nodded.

He saw tears forming in her eyes. Wiping them even before they rolled out, he said, “How many times have I told you that they’re precious? Even more than mermaid tears!”

It worked. She chuckled between the sobs. Now she looked into his eyes and said, “And you’ll be calling everyday! So I’ll just miss your physical presence! For your voice , I’ll have and I’ll have you around me all the time!”

“Exactly!”

They both had a hearty laugh over the clichéd lines!

His train was set to leave. She wiped off her tears and her lips now sported the beautiful smile. She wanted him to capture a smiling face of hers as he left. He didn’t say a word, he couldn’t! With a firm grip over her hands, he looked into her eyes. Those were the eyes! With a kiss on her forehead, he took a last dip in those intoxicating eyes. Smiled!

She relived that touch of his lips! The care she saw in his eyes and then the smile on his lips. She knew it was not easy, but it was just a matter of time. A ring on her cell phone brought her back to the present. With a vision blurred by tears, she read, ‘Meera calling’. She answered it.

A crying Meera responded, “How are you coping with the feeling? You know Raj is leaving on Monday! I don’t know when I’ll meet him next. LA is not even in the same time zone that we can talk regularly! I think of it all the time, but I don’t dare talk to him about it and upset him......”

She could barely control the laugh. Paolo once again was right, as he says in ‘By the river Piedra...’-

All love stories are the same!!!

Love is a Monsoon!!!

Love is in the  air  rains!!!

The flooding skies had forced him to wait under the broken shed. He held his helmet as he checked the status of his wet clothes. He loved the world around him. Kids had returned from schools and were now jumping in puddles; a couple standing under one umbrella, sharing a bhutta. Such bliss! Unmatched!

Now the rains had diminished to a drizzle. He wanted to keep savouring the eternal bliss, but he had just 5 minutes left. So he rode the remainder of his journey.

As expected, he reached on time. But more unexpected outcomes were coming his way. First: He heard the words: “Yes sir, we have a table free. No waiting list!” He actually took out his cell phone to check: Sunday, June 12, 19:03. Just then another shocker arrives. His phone rang- it was her!

“Where are you dear? I’ve reached the security check!”

“Ok. I’m getting a table for us.”

“Ok sweetheart, I’ll be there in a jiffy! Mwah!!!”

Again he checked his phone. Just 5 minutes past scheduled time? Not quite a normal her!

A snap of fingers in front of his eyes got him out of his dumb daze.

”Hello! What are you thinking about?”

Without much thought he said,” Your cherubic beauty is augmented each time I see you!”

“Oh, you are such a practised liar!”

And she walked to the table. As they sat, he felt the urge to ask her if everything was good because the punctual her was something really new for him. But before his thoughts could turn into actions, she started:

“You know what? I’d been to Marine Lines with some friends. The place was full of couples, but even among them was a stand-out one! They were like, old, but mind stuffed with youth. They were like, standing on the pavement, and facing the splurging waves. I couldn’t resist the temptation so I joined them & later, so did my friends.”

“Excuse me sir! Would you like to place some order?”

He cursed the attendant, but said, “A frappe for me and...” He motioned at her.

She asked, “Anything special for the rains?”

The attendant replied, “Yes ma’am, we’ve got a range of hot chocolates especially for the monsoon lovers!”

“Fine, get me any one from them, the best you think.”

He interrupted, “Make it two, and cut the frappe out”

She continued as the attendant left, “So where was I? Ha. Later when we sat and chatted, they told us how they’d first met and how the first few meets were just a coy smile and how shy both of them were to initiate the talks. Finally it was her who asked him out for a walk on the Marine Lines, in the rains, and it was the 50^th anniversary of that walk! Would you believe that? 50 years!!!”

(A waiter set the chocolate on the table and left.)

She continued, “And they were just 15 and 17 then! I couldn’t help but ask them the secret to it. And the grandpa says, ’just have something to love in your life and you’ll have a great reason to live for!’ I felt so jealous I tell you! But I’m happy with you because I know that I can make it through with you alone.”

She raised a toast (chocolate mug actually) and said, “With you, my Buzz Lightyear, TO INFINITY AND BEYOND!!!” He followed suit.

All he did all the time was smile. He remembered the days when they were ‘just friends’ and how they talked on matters ranging from politics and sports to mythology and philosophy. He had his own eisegesis and exegesis which he could talk about for long hours. But ever since he discovered his feelings for her, he couldn’t speak word when she spoke. For he never felt like, for all he wanted was to keep looking at her. And even now, he was staring at her smile.

Some more time and she got up with her bag and said,”I’ll make it real fast now!”

He posted a big smile as she left, and sipped in from his mug. He smelled it as he did it.

Life-time is a full year! With three seasons, it has its variety. Love is your chocolate. With life starting with monsoon rains, get your chocolate heated up to enjoy life. Make sure you have the right mug. It doesn’t need to be the best looking one, a cracked one too can keep it warm. It just has to be yours. Blow it a bit as you drink. Don’t gulp it. Sip by sip. Savour the sweet smell. When it gets cold, don’t worry! Just warm it with your hands. Yes, the winter will come, but the frost will go away.

And when the summer of your life sets in, you can still enjoy your chocolate, now cold, for it has still not lost its sweetness. Love will not be any less sweet. You’ll love life!!!

Don't let the monsoon go away dry. It's the monsoon that makes the chocolate worthy!!!

He saw her coming back and called for the check. She came and sat to finish her chocolate. He paid and they prepared to leave. But as she got up, he held her hand. “Don’t ever leave!”

Teasing him, the movie buff in her said, “Saiyaan, Baiyaan chhod na!!!”

He didn’t care! All he could do is smile!!!

P.S.: Title to the post is borrowed from a poem. Please listen to it too.

Love is a monsoon!!!

Love is a Monsoon (on Youtube)

Diem Perdidi???

Lying down on the ground, back wet with dew,
Staring at the full moon, its aura so blue.

Things of yesterday, I don't think of you!
And of tomorrow, I have no déjà vu.

Mind is so clear, nothing occupies it;
Like a supersonic craft, but no one flies it.

Potentials it has, to soar like a lark,
Burn like a forest-fire, with the slightest of spark!

So much to threaten it, so much to dare,
So much to ignite it, so much to flare!

I am not a swindler, not an absconder.
I am young and have no fear!

I demand a mutiny, against the shut mouth.
Shut mouths that chant peace when there's nothing to recite about!

Let's do away with the candles, light up the torch,
And together, towards a new day, let us all march.

Everyday I get up, I want a new day; rising to sing a lore,
And at the end of it, say: Diem Perdidi*? No more. No more.....


*Diem Perdidi: (Latin) day lost.

How good is yours?

Some farmers were spending a cold winter night around a fire in a hut.
They soon became involved in a heated discussion on the merits of their respective religions.
The eldest of the farmers sat quietly, just listening.
The other farmers turned to him and demanded, "Who's right, old man? Which of our religions is the right one? Which shows the path to salvation?"

"Well," said the old man thoughfully, "you know there are three ways to get from the fields over here to the mill.
You can go right over the big hill. That's shortest but it's a steep hill to climb.
You can go around the east side of the hill. That's not too far, but the road is rough.
Or you can circumvent the hill from the west side. That is the longest way, but the easiest!"

"But you know," he said, looking straight at all the faces, "When you get there, the man in charge doesn't ask how you came. He just asks, 'Man, how good is your cotton???'"

RADAR!!!

It's called RADAR!!!
Inbuilt in every guy!
It's not that we make any conscious efforts to turn our heads. Nor is it when we'd stare somewhere specifically. :P
We stare b'coz we care!!!

I'd like to share some real life incidents with you to make my point clear!

1) Me and Durga sitting in front of the stationery shop at LP. A girl comes up from behind us and moves ahead with her back at us all the time.
Durga comments something about her hair.
I say, "Even her face is sweet. She's cute!"
Durga was bemused as in how the hell did I manage to see her face?
I explained that actually, this girl had passed from that place some time ago. Durga and I were busy talking, but me being a guy, could MULTI-TASK and check her out as I chatted with Durga.
Durga: Kandy, kaisa faltu hai re tu!!!
Men will be men!!!

2) Me, Jathan and Dhanashree in Airoli Bus Depot waiting for their respective buses. Dhanashree is a bit pissed off and expressing her anger to some extent.
I interrupt and say: I hope Thane bus comes late.
Confused, they asked me why.
I said, "That cute girl in green is going to board a Thane bus."
After some time, she did embark a bus bound for Thane.
Dhanashree gave me a this-deserves-a-... look and asked me how I'd known that.
I replied, "Forget that. The girl in blue would enter any bus for Mulund!!!"
Again this was what happened!!!

3)Many from the LOSS group waiting in the auditorium for Sarvesh's speech as the Sports Sec at FE orientation.
Rameez: Damn these prof's speeches are too dull. Let's check out some girls.
I agree.
Rameez: I'll check the one's behind and you check the one's in the front.
Now the problem with my section was that I could not look at the faces from the current vantage point.
But after scanning and rescanning, Rameez shakes his head with a negative.
Obviously, with the dim lights, it was difficult to judge which girls looked good.
I replied:1 row before ours. To the extreme right corner seats. just behind that bald man. The one in Purple!!!
I tell you, we must've been at least 50 seats away.
I wont boast of all this coz this is not any quality, its just the RADAR system. Good reception that's it!!!
Now when the orientation is over, we are standing outside. RADAR senses a familiar reception. I turn my head around and see the girl in purple.

Then there are times when the RADAR has false alarms*. Some girl would be very good as you look at her from the rear. Anticipation builds up. You wait for her to turn around just to look at her face. 90% of the times, disappointment is what you get!!! You curse yourself and say it would've been better if you'd not have seen the face. Coz human mind can imagine great things!!!

It is very natural. It happens with every guy. I just hope that I have put forth the exact kind of description. I know guys would relate to some similar incidents in their lives. All I'd say is, feel free to share them here. Shed your inhibitions. Leave comments. Girls would curse you a bit but let them understand what it is exactly to be a guy. And how embarrassing it can be to be caught doing so even when it is something you don't do on purpose. Let them know why their BFs or husbands behave in such a cheap (?) manner when they see a hot girl!!!

I spoke for all you guys. Now please don't leave me alone. Let them know that I'm not alone!!!



* False alarm: A technical term in RADAR engineering. It's a case when desired object in not tracked. Instead, some object appearing as desired target is tracked when the reflection off its surface exceeds the threshold level. This is a disturbance and must be avoided for better working of the RADAR.

(Special thanks to Ninad for the idea. Refer: http://corrompu.blogspot.com/2011/03/leer.html
Jathan and Harshad, for the discussion we had the other day.
All the guys for sharing the good times.
And all the beautiful girls for the good times. :P)

Conspiracy!!!

Humpty Dumpty!

Did he fall, or was he pushed, or was it that he jumped?

Or was it, in fact, none of the above?

There has always been controversy surrounding Humpty Dumpty's famous plunge from the wall. Historical details are sketchy at best. Eyewitness accounts conflict. And even the exact location of the original wall remains uncertain.

In a famous lawsuit, two rival farmers, each claiming that the original wall stood upon their property, and each receiving a hearty annual turnover from tourists who paid to view it, sued each other. Humpty refused to substantiate either claim and the case was thrown out of court.

Conspiracy theories abound. One hinges on the matter of Humpty's real identity. According to some, he was a failed Bindass TV Reality show star called King Horseman (all these find a mention in the rhyme) who reinvented himself by taking on the exotic, foreign-sounding name of Humpty Dumpty and performing a real-life stunt, without the aid of a crash mat.

This theory was dubbed the 'Did He Fall (on purpose) Theory'.

It does not however, stand up to close scrutiny, as extensive searches through the Bindass TV archives have failed to turn up a single piece of footage, from any TV show, that involved a heavy plump stunt man.

The 'Was He Pushed? Theory' stands upon even shakier ground. It encorporated a number of co-related sub-theories, listed below:

• Sub-theory 1: He was pushed by: (a) a jealous lover; (b) a miffed business associate; (c) a rival, in love or in business; or (d) an assassin hires by any of the above. But he survived the fall.
• Sub-theory 2: He did not survive the fall. In this theory, he actually died and was replaced by a lookalike.
• Sub-theory 3: He did survive the fall, but was replaced by a lookalike anyway and went into seclusion somewhere. He was anyway earning a lot from the royalty he received since the rhyme was created.

The 'Did He Jump? Theory' puts forward the failed suicide hypothesis. It hints at depression brought on by Humpty's obvious eating disorder and draws support from the interview he once gave on 'The Oprah Winfrey Show' on which Humpty spoke at length about his weight problem.

Critics of this particular theory state that Humpty's appearance on the show was nothing more than a cynical marketing exercise to promote his latest book, The H Plan Diet.


Yet another theory has it that there was more than one Humpty Dumpty, but no wall involved: one Humpty fell from the side of a grassy knoll and other from the window of a godown.
This is known as 'The Particularly Stupid Theory' sometimes referred to as the 'Bullshit' theory.
Here endeth the theories.

Now it is your decision My Lord that we all await.




(Imspired from an idea presented in a book named "The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse" by Robert Rankin)

Strawberries with cream!!!

It had been a very tiring day for him. He felt sleepy but he had to go.
He wasn't exactly into Hindustani music but he loved her, and she was to perform tonight.

The show ended with the Bhairavi and curtains fell with the applause. He got up and marched backstage. He found her getting redressed in the green room. He went behind her, held her in his embrace. She turned around after looking at him in the mirror. He kissed her on the forehead.

She asked him, "How was it? Which part did you like the most?"
He couldn't answer at once, but before he could, she caught him.
"You dozed off. Right? I knew that it was a waste of effort to call you for the show. You'll never understand the talent I've got. Perhaps you should have seen the faces of the mesmerised audience. But how would you see? You were busy dreaming!"
He interrupted her, "Why don't we go to some restaurant and talk? You must be hungry."
But she had not finished yet. "So now the sleep has made you hungry! And why do you want to take the argument before the public, at some restaurant?"
"I am not arguing, dear." He said quietly.
He was trapped again. "Yeah. I am the one who is! What d'you think? You think it's you who's keeping our marriage intact and I am responsible for it's sourness?"
"I didn't say anything even closer to that."
"You know what your problem is? You wont say a thing! You wont help, wont appreciate, wont even make an effort to do so!"
He remained silent. Okay, he might've dozed off, but she should've realized that he was deprieved of proper rest. The music moreover proved to soothen his mind. He now reiterated his "less" interest in classical music.
She seemed to have anticipated this reason. "Great! So that explains it all! You aren't fond of it, you wont appreciate it."
He felt the need to interrupt. "If I'd lied and said that I enjoyed it, you'd have been more angry and I know that you'd have guessed that I lied. God, I really don't understand women!"
"Women?" She snapped at him. "Which all women do you fail to understand? And what d'you think, I like to watch your dumb polo games? I dont find them exciting too. More than the game, what women wear seems to be a topic of greater interest there. But have I ever complained? I never failed to praise your game. So what if I don't like the game, I love you and I want you to be happy! But men will remain to be men!!!"

She walked off.
By the time he was jolted to reality, she'd left the room. He ran out on the road. He saw her board a cab and it drove off. He realized how biased the world was! A beautiful, young woman could get a cab without and efforts even at 11 in the night.

He walked towards the parking. Sat in the car for a second before putting in the keys. He took the car to the nearest fresh mart, went in and came out with fresh strawberries and fresh whipped cream. He had a mild smile on his lips.

Life was "Strawberries with cream". Strawberries could be sour and tangy, but the creamy moments made it worth living!!!

* * *Keep Shining * * *

He looked into his watch. 19:21.
Venus shone in the west.
He stared at the planet. With the moon in the foreground, the view was picturesque. He wanted to savour the sight before he went to sleep. He was glad that he was fond of gazing at the sky.
He didn't feel lonely anymore.
No, the stars were no company. It was her presence that killed the loneliness.
She watched his silhouette against the blue tinge of the moon. She climbed the stairs of the terrace to reach his ground. She could see him look into the sky. Gazing at something far away...
He turned around and was gladdened by the sight - she looked even more beautiful in the moon light.

"Hi!" she greeted him rather awkwardly.
He could not even mouth any words. He barely managed to sport a smile.
She found the silence disturbing. She broke it again.
"Do you like stars?"
It was a dumb question, but it served its purpose well - to break the ice.
He replied, "Hmmm. I do like to gaze at stars. quite an avid follower of amateur astronomy you can say."
"Oh that's so cool. So would you like to share some knowledge?"
"Sure. Well, to start with, that thing you see, is called the Moon."
She had a dull frown on her face, but the night hid it well.
He continued,
"And that star besides it is no star, it's Venus. Brightest planet. And that one, Sirius, is the brightest star.
Frankly speaking, its not the sky as we see it. This view is something from the history."
Bemused by his words, she felt the urge to ask to adumbrate. But she had to gulp down her words, for now he could not stop.
"You'd ask which history am I talking about? The history of stars! As these stars are far away, we can just see how they were some years back!
Now let's explain further. That star over there, is Alpha Centauri. It is the nearest from earth. And still it is 4 light years away. So 'if' it suddenly disappears at this very moment, we will not be able to observe it till 4 years from now! Isn't that interesting?"
Just like human life, she thought, something you do now, would show its effects only after some years. But she did not interrupt him.
His words were remotely romantic, but she liked it when he spoke.
He went further with his 'knowlege'. She tried to listen to it intently.

He showed her the Ursa major, the Pole star, the Orion, Canis major, Draco, Gemini, Taurus, Leo...
She finally interrupted him. "Don't you think you are missing something?"
He plunged himself into a serious thinking. Which celestial body did he miss?
She helped him find his answer.
She pecked him on his cheek.
The touch of her lips made him realise which heavenly being he had overlooked.
He could feel the blood gushing to his cheek. They were pink. He thanked God that it was night. He didn't want her to see him feel shy. It was the first time!
She dared to hold his hand and let the silence unfold the magic.

Again she broke it.
"Did you see that? It was a shooting star!!! You wished something? It comes true!"
He said, "That isn't a star! It's a meteorite entering the Earth's atmosphere. The friction with the air particles heats it's surface and that is the reason it glows. It is a very natural phenomenon. I've seen meteor showers. By your logic, I could've had hundreds of wishes fulfilled by now!!!"

Perhaps he needed to be made aware of her presence once again. The grip on his hand tightened...

What am I to you???

The train started. Her long journey was going to be a test. A test for her patience and the destination would expect an answer. Yes or No.

She wanted to ponder over it, but procrastinated.

Took out her music player.

Plug. Shuffle playlist. Play.

She heard the first notes and knew it was a wrong decision. Her heart did not wish for this song to be played, but did not have the strength to change it. Perhaps this was a sign. How else was it possible that out of over 400 songs, this was being played?

The words echoed. And the wheel rotated. With the train, her mind started running.

If there is something that can travel faster than light, it is the mind. Thoughts...

"Why am I still here? What is it that keeps me tethered?

It was all the while that I knew. He always told me, "I consider you to be that someone who I want to be around me forever!"

Was it my misinterpretation?

But why am I thinking so much? I have decided that it is over. Okay it might be that I have tried to be adamant on this decision more than once, but this time I know its over and out! It'll now be Best Friends Forever. Hopefully.

Hope is all I have and have always had..."

A fellow passenger looked at her staring at him. He tried to look elsewhere but couldn't avoid looking at her. Not just because she was beautiful. Perhaps her dilemma was reflected on her face. But he'd have admitted that there could not be a girl as good as she was, even with the blank face, he could peep in her eyes which lead to an abyss. The reason of the worried face lied in there, at the bottom, but the depth was unfathomable. He couldn't let his gaze shift.

As Paulo Coelho says, 'Waiting is painful. Forgetting is painful. But not knowing which to do is the worse kind of suffering.'

She'd waited. Now she wanted to forget. But she always found her in the third case- dilemma.

Hardly any other thing can bring up both extremes at the same time like love. It could be the source of immense pleasure or acute pain. Reciprocation makes lover the luckiest man in the world while non-reciprocated love could be source of all miseries.

Despite all this, defining love could be a challenging task. It is not necessary that the love to be real has to be reciprocated. It is mostly one way traffic. True lover excels in giving not taking. True love does not ask for returns. Or at least this is what she'd heard.

"But it was me who always held on. To cite his words: 'Don't take our friendship to the next level. All it'd do is complicate the situation. And that is something which I don’t want to happen. From my experience, I tell you, that the relation we share now is not going to be the same once it reaches the next level.'

"Perhaps he was right all the time. I was so blind that I was deaf. Yes it has always been me who took it the wrong way."

The song was dying with the coda.

Replay: Norah Jones- What am I to you....

What am I to you?
Tell me darlin' true.
To me you are the sea,
Vast as you can be
And deep the shade of blue!!!

When you're feeling low,
To whom else do you go?
See I cry if you hurt,
I'd give you my last shirt
Because I love you so!!!

If my sky should fall,
Would you even call?
Opened up my heart,
I never want to part.
I'm giving you the ball...

I will you love when you're blue.
Tell me darlin' true,
What am I to you?
What am I to you?
What am I to you?

I asked Him!!!

I asked Him,

What should I do?

So that,

I'm remembered; the ages through

He said,

Using skill of your hand,

Build castles out of sand.

All so beautiful, and so real,

The onlookers' heart, it will appeal.

So I carved and shaped the monument with heart.

Struck with awe,

they praised, said I was from a world apart.

But the tides came high

washed away my sand castle dry.

I asked Him,

What should I do?

So that,

I'm remembered; the ages through

He said,

Graffiti on the wall,

Amongst people you'd stand tall.

All so beautiful, and so real,

The onlookers' heart, it will appeal.

So I drew and painted the work with heart.

Struck with awe,

they praised, said I was from a world apart.

But, next day, another painter arrived,

And my art was left, of all the glory deprived.

I asked Him,

What should I do?

So that,

I'm remembered; the ages through

He said,

You see, things on Earth are all shortlived, except one.

To be known through the age, in the long run,

Love your fraternity,

And it'll remember you till eternity.

So I loved and cared for all the needy with heart

Struck with awe,

they praised, said I was from a world apart.

And I'll live forever in your heart.

I just intend to put smiles across faces that I meet...

Give them moments to love life...

Hope I'll be able to keep doing that successfully in days to come...

A Perfect Simile!!!

She was speaking as I listened intently:

"So basically it all boils down to the point, whether I should go ahead with it or wait for some more time? Because every time I think of neglecting it, the repercussions just pop up before my eyes like a jack-in-the-box.........."

Yes I was listening to what she was saying. Listening till the point my eyes fell on her lips.

Her lips were moving. She was perhaps saying something, but I could not hear it. If was able to hear it, the words left no impression on the walls of my mind.

All that was embossed was the lips.

My mind started racing.

Not in the future, no. Nor in the past.

I started cogitating to find the perfect simile for those pair.

I finally found it... Pomegranate!!!

Yes!!! Pomegranate grains they were indeed.

Bright red.

Shiny.

Watery.

Delicate... So delicate that the slightest of pressure would ooze out the nectar in it.

I had no intention of being sinned by hurting the celestial creation.

I looked at them in awe, forgetting the mundane binds.

Before I was brought down from my "animo alta" by her touch.

This one was remotely delicate. It was a push from the zenith to drop me to the nadir of reality, into present.

The lips were still moving.

I could hear the words again:

"So what do you think I should do? I hope you were listening to what I said!!!"

All I could say is, "Go ahead with it!!!"

For I knew, whatever the consequences, I was there to support her....



*animo alta: high spirit.