Unison...

She, dressed in happiness:
Waits for the day.
The day, they unite.


PS : Dedicating to my two sisters getting married in September & October...

Oh! How Are You Dear...(Fake Grin)!!

Getting bored is not some problem he is facing now. Off late he is not comfortable with this bane of his. After working with machines and laptops the whole day, after being among a group of only technical-stuff-talking old men in his company, he always felt he required a freaking out with his friends. Or maybe a nice outing with his family, lengthy talks on phone with his distant relatives can do to keep his boredom at bay.


But he was missing something. In this unknown city, he felt he had isolated from many. His friends are settled in various other cities, busy with their own daily chores.


He took the laptop from his office bag. While opening and switching on the laptop a stream of thoughts flitted through this mind. If this laptop was not there, if the music system he had installed in his apartment was not there, how would have been his life like? I am indebted to the technology invasion, he thought.


First thing he does after opening is to get connected to the internet world. He opened his mail. The networking site is kind of addiction to him. To know what his friends were up to, to get the latest reviews regarding the movies, to discuss all those political issues, to gather all business information’s and to be a part of small gossiping and backbiting. The inbox was flooded with mails. Most of them were official mails, a few from his yahoo groups. Before opening a mail from his friend he noticed a name.
Priya Joseph. A surprise smile flowered his face.


He couldn’t wait to open the mail. Priya, his cousin, settled in a town far away from his place, had mailed. He was happy to see her name. With a little apprehension, thinking how come she mailed all in a sudden, he opened the mail.


‘Danz,
Sorry for not responding to your repeated Gtalk buzz’.
He recalled how many times he had pinged her from his messenger. After her delivery, she was busy. Her daughter is a sweet little angel. Her brother had forwarded the photos, and once or twice she had passed pleasantries back through the chat box. He was very eager to talk to her to share his happiness for her.


‘Life is so busy with my little one and time flies away. Anyways, I am enjoying every moment of it’.
That is bound to happen, he thought. After waiting for five long years, prayers to make a deal with Gods and long procedures of medication finally she too was blessed with one. One small angel, to make the whole family brightened with joy. He couldn’t wait much to read the mail. His eyes dived into the pool of words in the mail.


‘Dad wanted a favour from you. Can you send downloaded songs of ‘Deshadanam’ movie? Let me know if u can. How is life there? How is your work going on? How is everyone else? Convey my regards to everyone. Rest in next. Take care...’
He felt dejected. Wild thoughts crossed his mind. She didn’t mention much about her newbie. He didn’t get the feel of love in her questions. So emotionless they were. It’s for the first time she had mailed him after the delivery. Before that also, she was out of reach. He had many a times consoled himself convincing that she will be busy with her first and longing pregnancy. But now, she could have shared much more. ‘I am expecting too much’, he thought. Everyone got their own business to mind. They are comfortable with their own spheres. But what he hates is this artificial love. He was doubtful why she had mailed all in a sudden. Though happy seeing her name in his inbox, down under his mind he doubted its purpose. At least the previous experiences are what made him think like that. And here, now today it turned out to be true. Why the hell people are so mean? Is it that we remember others when we want something? Why to fake all I-care-you-how-are-you attitudes?


He logged out from his mail. Not feeling to have dinner, he started some music on his laptop. But he couldn’t enjoy its melody. He was disturbed, it was better if she had not mailed him. At least he would have made up his mind that she was somehow busy with her kid.


It’s better to catch some sleep. He kept the laptop aside, hibernated. Danny slipped into the blanket. The only sound that was hearing was of the fan roaring aloud and the tic-tac of his alarm.

Vulture Stares...

Why the hell on earth they are staring at my sister, he thought.

It was her summer vacation. It’s after two years that she had come to her hometown. She was pretty much excited. The calm city was very beautiful than her current city, where all kind of pollution drains you out. Here the number of vehicles will be the same, but still, there is no hurry-burry on roads. She wanted to roam around. She wanted to enjoy the breeze of her city, enjoy the hustle-bustle of the city crowd, wanted to go to the local bakery and have pastries, enjoy the innocence of the people out there. And all these reasons were enough for him to take her out for a ride.

Parking the bike they decided to stroll through the pathways of the city. She was very happy to be back and it showed in her glowing eyes. The city seemed to be different. All in a sudden, he felt strange. He could sense more eyes prying on them. He started wondering. He felt the atmosphere fill with some particular kind of suffocating air. He looked around.

He saw many eyes following them. From those who were standing at the bus-stop they passed by, the shop keeper along the road side, the middle aged guy standing near a magazine shop, the group of youngsters gathered around the corner; everyone seemed to watch only them, but only them.

A flash! Suddenly he realised the reason for the extra attention. He saw it in the eyes of the shop keeper; he saw it in the eyes of the bespectacled uncle-type person standing with a cigarette, he saw it in the eyes of the rag picker; he saw it in the eyes of the bald headed ‘gentle man’ standing with his wife and he saw it in the college going students. He could sense the fetish air surrounding them.

He realised his little sister is a grown up woman. She is very attractive, enough to get everyone’s attention. But, she was well covered. She hasn’t left any chance for the voyeur to set his eyes upon. That was a quality she had imbibed from childhood. She takes care not to give any provocative steps while she is out. But still, he was disturbed; the stares of those strangers were unavoidable. Those stares of hunger were aiming at her. He felt like screaming, “What the bloody fcuk do you guys want? Don’t you have any such specimen at your home?"

He wanted to speed away from there. But the vultures were all around. Damn this world! Life is not all about woman and their flesh. Enjoy the beauty in a descent way. Everyone enjoys getting that attention. But, definitely not such a vulgar way is expected. And this was the first time he was ashamed to be called a 'Man'

You Have Got A Message !!

“You have got a message”




He jumped from his couch to check the mobile that was kept for charging. On the screen there was a new message awaiting symbol blinking at him, as if, someone was winking his eyes in a naughty manner. Passing on a smile he quickly opened his inbox.


‘Music on demand: 10000 songs, non-stop music! Dial………..’


It didn’t take him much time to throw that message in his trash box, and within a fraction of second his face turned into a shrivelled flower. He checked his inbox once again. His fingers immediately ran into the ‘sent’ folder and he checked all the messages he had sent to her. He verified the recipient number too and assured himself that he had not messed up with the right number.


She might be in roaming area and her ‘about-to-finish’ balance in her pre-paid account will be the reason for the delayed replies, he tried to make up his mind. More over she will be busy with her daily chores and office, he affirmed himself. But still deep inside somewhere he was missing her presence. He was missing her love. He was missing the long talks they used to have earlier. He missed the divinity of the sister-brother relationship they used to nurture.


*********************************************************************************


“She took a new connection few days ago”, his brother said on phone. Rest of the words bounced over his head. He muttered something in a jiffy and hung up the phone. He didn’t want to buy that statement. He felt dizzy. Why should he? Consoled him self. Even if she has got a new number she might have been too busy to message him and inform. She is new in the town and very to new to her phase of job-life. She might have missed to inform. That don’t mean she won’t be missing him. That don’t mean she might not be remembering him.


He smiled to himself. At times he over reacts. What if even she hasn’t messaged him? The relationship that had once developed is definitely going to die. The distance is hardly going to create a gap. He smiled to himself. He laughed at himself for his wild thoughts. It’s not all about messages and mails. Life is like that. You are too busy engaged in your own chores and life, hardly sparing you times to blink your mind for others. But that doesn’t mean we don’t love each other. Expressing the love or not showing it doesn’t mean an absence of it. It’s only that it doesn’t show off much.
He took a deep breath. He felt happy for convincing himself.


***********************************************************************************


“You have got a message”


His face bloomed. In a flurry he took the car to the side track: Switched on the parking light. Took the mobile from his pocket and dived into the inbox. “ Your approximate unbilled usage as on 12-01-2008 is Rs.1451.75 INR(Excluding monthly roaming charges and discounts) The last day for bill payment is 18-01-2008 – Airtel”. He didn’t feel like deleting the message. He had lots of them by now. Closing his mobile he let the parking light off and put the first gear.


“She might be busy”, he thought.

Rakhi...Gift....

He was speeding on his bike. It was heavy traffic in the roads. That’s when he loves to speed. He get a kind of ecstasy while overtaking a speeding car through his left side and cut another vehicle from the right giving a hiccup to the driver coming from the opposite side. It was around six when he left to meet a friend.

He was enjoying his ride and watching all the girls out there in the streets. I wondered as if what happened today, streets are filled with voluptuous females. Glanced to the crowded shops where whole gamut of females of all age was there. He wondered whether it’s ‘Upto-50%-Discount-Sale’ going on all shops. Suddenly he saw, in between all the females, whole range of ‘Rakhi’ dangling in front of the shops. He suddenly applied brakes and the vehicle came to a halt. Oh! It’s tomorrow. ‘Raksha bandhan.’ Didn’t get any gifts for sisters, he thought.

Checked his wallet. Found only two Gandhi papers written hundred on them. Without a second thought he raced to the nearby ATM, hoping to withdraw few more. Before he reached he could see a long queue coming out from the ATM building. Without a hiatus he joined the line. Everyone will be a brother of someone who forgot to get the gift; he tried to convince himself. By the time he entered the ATM it was seven. Poor soul of ATM. It might have been a worn out day for him. Got the cash and without a bye he hurried to ‘Archies.’

Cards, Oh no! It sucks. From ages when there were wishes they had these cards. My sisters will read it and poor card with all its golden, sentimental wordings; will find some place near the dustbin a week after. He went on searching for something else. Perfumes. No, already they got many of them. Soft toys. Uh! They are not kiddies to play with them. Nay! Not anything of that sort. Kept searching. Pens, show pieces, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings, nose rings, watches; Gosh I am fed up, he thought. Came out from there. Explored ‘Hallmark’ shop and many others. Got more and more bemused.

Went to the sweet shop. It was well lit. Very crowded. Each and everyone busy buying something for their brother or sister. Some buying chocolates in bunch and some buying laddu’s. Some buying Barfi’s and yet some others buying dry fruits. Everyone busy selecting the best and packing it with blazing covers; He still stood standstill not knowing what to buy. They eat sweets everyday. What the hell exciting in it, he thought. Being not able to makeup a decision came back home. Kept on cogitating the whole night about the gift and slipped off into sleep.


Done with his daily chores he got ready to way to office. Suddenly he saw his sisters ready with their rakhi’s. Smiling at him, they came to him. He looked at them. Water drops were falling from their hair tips. They are well dressed and hold a plate on their palms. They were ready to do the rituals. His heart pounded like a horse being left for race. They tied their rakhi’s on his right hand. Everyone was looking them. The holy ritual of bonding themselves to each other. Brother assuring a life long protection of his sisters. But he was thinking something else. Gift! What will I give them? They didn’t ask anything. But still. He went and picked up his wallet. I will give them cash. Let them have anything they want. No, that’s escapism. Closed the wallet.

After some pleasantries and laughter he left for his office. The whole route he felt sad for not finding an appropriate gift for them. The whole hours in office he kept on thinking what to get for them. While he was doing work, when he was having his lunch, when he was talking to his colleagues, when his boss was ordering him, when he was having his tea break; he kept on thinking what to give?

He wanted to give them something, something that no other brother can give. He wanted to make them feel they are very wanted for him. He wanted to make them realize how much he cared about his sisters; he wanted to make them feel proud to get such a brother. For that all these, materialistic gifts are not proper. They can’t render the emotion he hold for them. Confused and more confused he went to some shop. After some time spending over there he left the shop with a huge cover in his hand. His face was not elated. This is not the gift he really wanted to gift them. This doesn’t depict the real love for them.

Oh good gracious! LOVE and CARE is very hard to convince.