My Cold Closing - Concluding Episode

Everything went well. Yes it did, indeed, as my company finally offered me a transfer. I felt I have learnt many things.

As cold as I can make this story ends here. Yes! The life after this is still uncertain. I do not know what will happen in the future.

Maybe I will come up with another series in the future

Adi

My First Patient - Episode 12

"You, why are you doing this to me?"

She asked me this question every day. After she was advised bed rest by the doctor, due to the heavy blood loss, I was always with her, nursing her. But she used to feel more and more guilty day by day. I had regarded her awful action as a fit of anger, and I thought this only shows how much she loved me.

The pretty girl who has shot my girlfriend, got nothing out of saving my life. We had hardly known each other for a day, and I explained her my situation, of course after thanking her a million times. So all was well from my side, I had no anger whatsoever.

Lying on the bed, she didn't speak much, just used to ask me if I had seriously forgiven her.

"There is nothing to forgive you for, I know what you did was bad, but it was out of love and anger. I guess I can just take out all your anger and then everything will be back to normal. You are not a criminal for god's sakes!"

We had dissolved the whole issue as we knew a doctor personally, who took control of the entire situation and no crime was reported. This kept her on bed rest at her roomate's place though, and not at the hospital. And I took the responsibility of visiting her as often as I could.

But slowly as she became healthier, she had become more and more quiet. And realizing that the experience was traumatic for her too, I decided to do something which would make her tickle. I wanted some force to just bring back joy to her life. I couldn't see her like this.

"Hey, there's a bad news sweety"

"Oh, don't tell me, I am as it is very miserable."

"I have to tell you. I have been transferred to the UK office."

"Oh, damn, wasn't it enough that I was shot already and now..... Er, what? How the hell is that a bad news." And she burst into a small laughter. I guess she laughed after a week now.

Oh how well I had cured my first patient. I felt elated. But then I realised what I had to do to make her happy. I had to resign from where I was working, as they weren't prepared to transfer me. Therefore, I had applied to all the firms I could think of in the UK. Hopefully, I will get a job there before it is time for us to leave....

My Mauser - Episode 11

"Come on in." I said as seriously as I could. My strategy was to never let her take control of the conversation.

She followed me inside, where breakfast was already laid.

"Let's talk over breakfast then. Before you say anything, I want to talk about a very serious matter."

Suddenly, I was taken aback when she pulled out a revolver from one of the pockets of the jacket and pointed right at me. As always, my strategies always failed. It seemed that I would no longer be in control of the conversation.

"Don't say a word, just nod," she barked.

I nodded my head and said, "Have you lost your mind?"

She pulled the trigger at the same moment and the bullet missed my temple only by inches I suppose. I knew she was serious.

"Not a word!" was her accompanying statement with the gunshot.

Now I was worried. She had really lost her mind this time, I thought.

"So you want to break-up with me?" I nodded displaying a yes.

"And you know my commitment has never been less for you."

While I started to nod again for yes, she said, "If your answer is yes for this question then you are dead!"

And not realising that truth could be so fatal, I did say yes.

BANG!

Yes a gunshot was heard after I had nodded for a yes. It would have been heard by the neighbours atleast. But, what had to be done was done. I guess it was no one's mistake.

She cried in pain as the bullet had struck her leg. This had saved me from being shot by one of her bullets. I immediately called the police as well as the ambulance. I knew what I had to say to the police as soon as I saw her face in pain. She kept crying in pain. I couldn't see the scene. No more.

It was my Mauser which had saved me today, which was lynig in my drawing room drawer. Yesterday only I had told the girl with whom I had dinner at my appartment that the Mauser existed. And she had saved me in time. Or was it just a great coincidence that I happened to tell her about the gun in time. All's well that ends well I suppose.

My my my - Episode 10

Voice messages always spelled trouble, that is what she always thought. The first time she listened to a voice message, she got the news of her pet dying, she was in college back then and it is rumoured that she had thrown her cellphone in the river. For the things which she couldn't foresee and manipulate, she often used to act aggresively. The question was, had she foreseen that I would dump her some day? I was wondering where her cellphone would be. But I didn't know that she had not listened to her voice messages.

She said, "Mom I am getting late," when her mother was driving her to the airport.
"Don't be so restless, we still have time!"

She was restless to meet me. After she had gone and checked-in at the airport she saw she had time to kill. In fact an hour before the flight departs. Soon she remembered a task which she hadn't done and that would kill some time. In her mind, she thought she would listen to my voice messages and then call me up. We could talk for hours, and I can surely keep her company for an hour. But she realised that it wouldn't happen, when she finally heard the messages.

"Listen dear, we have to break....."

The next moment the phone was still safe, surprisingly. But I guess the rage took to her mind, instead of it being vented out on the phone. After she had listened to my messages, she sat still. And there was not even an iota of reaction apparent on her face. Had she taken it well?

Maybe, but I guess she was implementing a plan of sorts. She continued to take the flight. And when she reached here, she shocked me.

"Hi honey, I have reached. Why didn't you come to pick me up?"

"Uh-er, did you get my voice messages?"

"What voice messages, I guess my phone is acting up lately. Listen dear, am coming to your place, I hope you've taken an off today. And yes make some breakfast for me."

"Hey listen, but, ok come down!"

Now how would I tell her I want to break - up! I guess it was important for us to meet to explain why I was doing so. So I went ahead preparing a nice breakfast, probably the last meal we would have together.

Maybe I was going to be right about the last meal part, in one way or another. She went from the airport to her old roomate's house instead.

"Rini, you have arranged the gun for me?"

"Yes, I hope you know what you're doing!"

"I do, dear, don't you worry..."

I put the pasta for boiling while she put the bullets in the revolver, I sauteed the vegetables while she wore the gloves and took a taxi to my house.

Ding - dong.

My my my how am I going to tell her that I want to break-up! I was having these thoughts as I went to open the door, while she was thinking:

"My my my, I hope my aim is right...."

My Missed Calls - Episode 9

She was a control freak. She always liked to think a couple of steps ahead before making any important decision. Never was she surprised by any event. Like the time when she was eight, she was wise enough to know that parents do say no to their children. At that time she requested for an impossible thing, knowing it would be turned down. But then came up with a lesser version, which she really wanted, and she did get it. Manipulation formed the part of her habit. And at the time she had laid eyes on me, she knew I wouldn't look elsewhere for a long time.

She had gone shopping to buy dresses for her forthcoming week with her boyfriend, when the phone rang. As she always said that she never had enough pockets to carry a mobile phone, she often left it at home. So she did this time, thus the person calling had to be satisfied by just leaving a message on the answering machine. When she returned, she enthusiastically started showing her mother her pretty dresses. While they were at the discussion that which colour suited her best, her eyes ran towards the cell phone lieing on the table. And she realised as soon as she saw the missed call, that who had given it.

"Mother, its always when I forget my cell at home, that my friends call up! It's like these gizmos are not made for me!"

After she had forgotten the missed call in the humour, she went inside to take a nice warm bath. And so it happened that I called back to check at the same time if she had gotten my previous message, only to find her answering machine again. I thought she was deliberately not taking my calls at the moment, she needed time to get over this, moreovoer I didn't worry much as I knew she would handle it very maturely. She was always the mature one.

Seeing the second missed call on her cellphone, she thought how much I was missing her. Not realising what was said on the voice messages, she retired early to her bedroom, to take a nice long sleep so that she could catch an early flight to meet her beloved.

It was only a matter of time that she would hear those voice messages, but the point is will she be prepared for this event to occur in her life - the guy who would never have to look away dump her?

My Comfortably Numb Moment - Episode 8

She made plans to visit me the next week, after which she would leave India. All the times I had with her came back to me, especially the time before she finally went away. Those were the days when I had not known what being in a relationship meant. Those memories were both lively and refreshing and borught an instant smile to my face whenever they came across. For the rest of the week we hardly talked as she became busy in her cousin's wedding ceremony. I, on the other hand, was back to doing my work normally, nor too much and nor less than expected. My friends told me that I should be happy, considering she is alive and life is back to normal. On top of it I was going to have a fantastic week ahead.

I felt I was seeing everything optimistically. Therefore it came to my mind that that maybe this is because I was happy. Work was going at the optimal pace and everything was so smooth. It was a quiet boat ride on a dead river it seemed. It took me a long time to realise it that, I was very artificially happy and was actually comfortably numb.

There were other changes in me, which I found very suprising. For example, I was asked by a girl whom I met at a party the other day if I was single. And I said yes, and I didn't realised what I had said until she called. I picked up the cellphone and said, "Yes dear, will come to pick you up at the airport." Later the girl asked me if it was my sister on the phone and again absent-mindedly I said, "No it was my girlfriend." Surely I ahd to excuse myself and leave the party early. I came home and listened to Pink Floyd for over six hours until I fell asleep.

I wondered what was happening to me, had I become devoid of emotions? Did life suck me off my moods? Or was it just that I was having a long-distance relationship with my sweetheart-cum-girlfriend, who had played a practical joke on me recently and we were having a very formal relationship for many weeks now.

Life is unfair, is what people say. It is sometimes. But one has to understand that a person is either sad because one cannot achieve the happiness or is happy because sadness evades us. At other times when you are not given any reason to be sad, and the reason for you to become happy has altered, no longer giving the same gladness as you desire, you are numb. In my case, I was comfortably numb.

I know what I had to do as soon as I realised it. I called up the last dialled number on my list.
"Listen dear, we have to break-up, I don't think I can continue in this relationship anymore, I know it is really disgracing that I have to do this over the phone, but I had no option. And it is also demeaning that I am doing it over the answering machine, because I want you to get this message as soon as possible so that you could cancel your ticket on time. Take care. Luv...

My Nonplussed Expression - Episode 7

"Don't tell me! You got to be kidding me!", I said.

"I know it was a bad joke. But she had to do this to make sure," another familiar voice from behind.

Without saying a word, I started off and waived my hand to call a Rickshaw-wallah.

"To the airport"

"Hmm, so dear you are going in the rickshaw. I know you were giving me a mental farewell by doing so." she chuckled.

I turned back and said, "you know me..." It was the first time I saw her after a long time. It made me emotionally charged.

"Anyways, I am happy that you are alive, I forgive you despite your pathetic joke, and I don't know where I was going wrong, but it was difficult for me to maintain this long-distance relationship. I get disturbed sometimes, but if you testing me if I loved you still, here you got your answer. And now, am going back to where I was, I guess you will stay here for a month for your holdiays. Don't call me before a week, I will take time to digest this. Then I will make it upto you. Adios."

I had been strong back there. I knew it. And I started off without listening to her. I felt inside me that I had become mature. The thought process had become above thos petty little issues. I planned to start our relationship from a fresh page, now that we had been tested.

The next week I worked more than I was supposed to. My boss definitely enjoyed it.

"Buddy, I thought we'd get this the next week, but you are my man," announced my boss, "and, I have recommended you for a bonus."

That paid off I guess, in one way or another. Exactly on the seventh day, the Sunday, she called. My cellphone was ringing and I was wondering whether to pick it up or not. But I'd move along and had developed that sense to forget the joke.

I picked up the cell and greeted her with a very cold hello.

"Sorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrie" is what I heard from the other side. "You can't be mad at me for more than that dear."

Her sorry was sort of funny and it did bring a smile to my face after a long time.

"Nothing's gonna change my love for you, you.." played in the background.

My Farewell to my Beloved - Episode 6

I was taken to the hosptial where my wounds were dressed. When I came out of my unconsciousness, I could see Rohit:

"Buddy, tell me one thing are you still in the state of that stupid denial of yours?"

I took time to understand what he was saying and what really had happened.

"Man, can you make arrangements for me, so that I can go to Delhi for the funeral?"

I was kept in the hospital for the weekend, although no major injury was there. It was just Rohit wanting me to stay in bed under supervision. I really slept a lot, maintained my composure, and thought what I was going to say to her parents. They really didn't know how close we were. They probably knew me as a very good friend of hers. Anyways, I wanted to see her once. I had become very mature I thought.

My flight was for Sunday morning, and Rohit had brought my suitcase at the hospital, and I was set to go. I obviously didn't desire anything to eat during the flight and took a taci to her home as soon as I arrived at the airport.

I saw an autorickshaw go by. I remembered the time when we had first went out for a movie. I had taken the same route by an autorickshaw. I had gone to her house and picked her up. While we were in the rickshaw going to the movies, she said,

"There is this guy who proposed to me!"

I rolled my eyes, as if I was not disturbed by that line.

"He wants to go around with me. Its Mahesh, you'd seen him at my birthday party. How do you like him?"

"I don't know, I guess he is ok."

Perhaps she had expected me to become jealous. By that time we were not together, we were on a friendly date. We never talked about this event later. This came out of a corner of my memory, hidden somewhere.

Its like I was rewinding and I guess wanted to end the relationship as I had started it. I was giving her a farewell in my memory. I suddenly told the taxi fellow to stop. I took an autorickshaw instead. Yes, I thought this will be the best way to part from my beloved. I even decided that I will take the autorickshaw back to the airport.

I reached her house and paid off the auto-driver. I stood outside for a moment, staring at the iron gate. Everything looked so silent there. Yes, it was very silent. I wondered if the funeral was supposed to be today or what.

I rang the bell! Goodness gracious, for whole five minutes I stood there and no one answered it. I somehow started to become restless and rang the bell four or five times more. Maybe they had gone to some other relatives house for the ceremony. I knew whom to call - Rohit.

While I was at it, I heard a familiar voice from back.

"Are you looking for someone mister?"

My Denial - Episode 5

So there I was in a complete state of guilt. Somehow I blamed myself for all this. In the last few weeks we had grown so distant, and here she was missing, maybe dead, I would never be able to tell her how much I cared for her. Perhaps she knew it, but it hardly gave me any satisfaction until and unless I saw her and could be sorry for all the things I had done.

Suddenly, all times when I had wronged in the course of our relationship started coming back to me. This made me more and more restless and incapacitated to make all this right.

While I was at it, my dear friend Rohit called me, who by the way always does at these moments,

"Hey man, you sound like crap! Man don't tell me you blaming yourself for all this, you people were busy in your lives, doesn't make you the terrorist who bombed her building! Man I was telling you, be more mature, its how tough long-distance relationships are."

I hadn't heard a word after he had said crap. I really was feeling that low! When he had finished lecturing me I replied,
"Listen carefully, I'm going to UK tomorrow on whichever flight has a seat for me. You just do me one favour, take care of things at home. You know what I mean, don't you?"

Yes I could trust Rohit, I didn't wait for him to say yes! My next call was to my travel agent who confirmed my UK booking for about half as much as I had earned till now. What the hell, it was worth it.

I called up her university to check on the status.
"I am sorry sir. We found her body, she's been added to the dead persons' list now. We're using our chartered flight to send her body to her family members. Sir.. are you with me sir? Sir you got to be strong sir, don't tell me you fainted again!"

Next morning I called my travel agent to cancel my travel plans and then called up Rohit,

"What?" squealed Rohit.

"Yes man, she's playing a game with me, now she's not dead. Its just a small prank of hers. She wants to test me."

"Get a grip man, you have lost it. Listen, don't go to the office, stay at home I will come as soon as possible!"

"Yeah yeah buddy you are in it too? In her small little prank. Well its been too much now!"

I laughed at their joke. And thought that I would get angry for playing such a bad joke. Anyways I picked up my car keys and off I started out to the office.

So there I was in a complete state of denial now.

Suddenly...

BUMP! I don't' remember if it was a truck or a bus, but it was a heavy vehicle which hit my car!
This time I had no choice but to become unconscious....

My Dream, a bad One - Episode 4

I lay awake in my bed one Sunday afternoon. I kept on having recurring thoughts of her. I guess I was missing her very badly. But was I acting to immaturely always wanting to talk with her? Always wanting her! I know I cannot meet her for a year now, I even don't know if I will be with her forever, but the attachment with her has become so strong that I it hurts now.

While I was at this thought, instances from my past came alive. I remembered the time I first fell in love. Yes that was the time when I first lost my love. And therefore I guess I become restless in relationships.

While I was at it, someone called me up....

I didn't know but had I slept off? What happened? I wasn't sure what happened after the call was coming. I went to have some cold water and returned to check my cellphone. I found there was a call for me from London. Had she called? Then why did I faint?

My friend Rohit called me up then,

"Hey dude, there was a bomb explosion at Oxford University, did you find out if she was allright?"

And then it came to me, the call was from her guide,

"I am sorry to inform you that there was an explosion in the appartments where she was staying, she is missing, you were written as the emergency contact..."

I fainted again!

My Bad after a few Days - Episode 3

"Hello"

"What, it seemed you'd forgotten me!"

"Relax... How can I? My dear I had to do lots of things to settle down, and moreover it takes 2 days to get the cellphone."

"Anyways you hang up the phone, we can vocie chat on net! Save you a lot of cash no?"

"Ok will do so, but not now after an hour."

Hmmm, so she has called. Why the hell was I thinking that she wouldn't. Anyways as I had a deadline to meet, I got engrossed in my work.

It was only two hours back that I had given my long distance girlfriend time for voice chat, and I had missed it by an hour. Oh man! I tried to log in and found her offline messages that she waited and she waited and then she lost her patience. Oops! My bad!

The next week was busier for me than before. And whenever I had the free time I only called her up, but she never picked up my calls. I was getting restless regarding work as well as her. I could lose my job but not her. One day I suddenly realised that I literally am staying at my office, sleeping, drinking and sometimes even bathing here!

That is the time I realised whenever I had made calls, it was late night for her. But, she could leave messages, she could have called back. But no she didn't. After a week had passed I decided to call her university and could connect to her guide.

"O She's caught the flu I guess, hasn't reported since a week. Her Indian friend is taking care surely.."

"If tomorrow never comes...." shouted Ronan Keating as I had kept down the phone.

That was the day I really cried after many years. I felt what she might have felt the day she was leaving and had cried! I never knew why a person cries, but today it has come to me only to make me realise it seems...

My Night after The Proposal - Episode 2

"Sorry. I am not prepared for marriage yet! And I guess I should leave now, I have a flight to catch!"

Right. So first when I wasn't ready for it, I proposed, and then I got turned down. And I don't know what kind of relationship I will have with her.

"Aisa to kam hi hota hai woh bhi ho tanhaiiii bhi!"

Yes the song playing in the background did represent my situation right now!

9986195834.....


"Hello, see don't ask again, I will go and finish my studies, will talk on phone and all, and next year we decide!"

"Are you breaking up with me?"

"You stupid. You don't know anything, this is not a breakup. Chal bye for now, take care"

"Do do shaqalein dikhti hai, is behke se aaaine mein, Mere saath chala aaaya hai aapka ek saudaai bhi"

Right now I don't what the song means. Now I really wanted her to say yes for the proposal and then tell her that I am not prepared for it yet. Why didn't it happen like that? And why do I want such a thing. Maybe, it will make me care free that yeah she wont go anywhere leaving me!

But, why do I want to be? Do I not trust her anyways? I do, but you never know what happens. My trust has been broken a number of times now.

And I don't know why I think I should press my blue shirt. Can wear it to work again. It still looks good. Says who that it is dirty!

I don't know when, but I had slept off and woke up due to a call early morning.

"Hi, dear, just wanted to say will miss you!"

Hmmm, gave me a sense of relief.

I was feeling good that atleast she thinks about me... Suddenly another phonecall came....

Her roomate had called up :
"Stupid, did you stop her, told her not to go?"

"No, why would I say that"

"Arrreeee. She cried all night, she said if you once tell her not to go then she will not!"

Uh, clearly I don't understand girls it seems.

My Date with the girl going Far Away - Episode 1

"Kyu aajkal neend kam khwaaba zyada hai...."

"Why did you pick up the phone so late?"

"Oh my new ringtone is so sexy - you've heard the latest song from Woh Lamhe, that one!"

"You idiot, for that song you will put me on hold!!!"

"Dearie, don't get angry.. let's meet at the Barton Center."

The blue shirt with those self-design checks looks so great. I guess I should wear this one. Ah my new Nokia 3250's voice quality is awesome when I am playing my favoutite songs on it. It is really a great Nokia model, ideal for "Muzik" lovers. Umm which song should I put, let us see..

"Oh its Carnival..."

Umm have listened to this one umpteen times, let's try the woh lamhe one:

"Kal ka fakeer aaj Dil shehzaad hai...."

Great, this will surely refresh me. So where was I, the problem which I am facing right now is that the girl with whom I have been so close for a long long time is now going away. Right she won't be there from tomorrow. Means she will be on the phone, on SMS, on internet and whatever new technologies come up in this world. But not in her physcial presence. Right that is not a big problem right now, as I don't know what I will fill when she is not here. The problem is what and how am I going to say this to her.

One never realises what one might feel later and how to express it. Anyways I will have to iron that pretty shirt before I take off.

Right, now everything is in order! My bike is getting too old now, I guess I should move on to owning a car. But this traffic, god I can't wait so long, should reach before she reaches.

There I see the pretty little coffee shop and thankfully I can't see her. And why is that? I am clearly late by 5 minutes. Right my girlfriend is a time-freak! So where is she today. Of course, she's taking coffee and I just hope she's having cold coffee, it won't hurt me so much! Oh no, it is hot. Run!

"Hey pretty lady, you know a hot coffee when thrown on someone might lead to permanent burn marks!"

"Shut up, I am not angry, let it be, it only shows how much you will miss me when I am gone"

Aaaargh, I cannot express my feelings. What should I tell her now?

"Miss you baby? Why will I do so, you stay in my heart"

Wink wink. Yippie, this dialogue was useful, good I see some romantic movies sometimes!

"Dont try to mollify me with those stupid dialogues of yours. And when will you learn to iron the shirt of yours. And dear you are wearing this shirt for the tenth time I guess! You don't know how to date a girl!"

"Yes I guess I don't because I don't need a girlfriend, I need a wife, will you marry me?"

Whistle whistle, clap clap!

NOOOOOOOOOOOO. What did I just say? Am I allright?

About Me

A race towards my life to start. A race towards the life to end. I compete in this regatta as a lone boat, you can join the race or forever bury your face!

Do have a dekko:
http://adiregatta.blogspot.com/


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My Genre - Human
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"Humans are earthbound by nature not by the law of gravity."

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My Religion - A Clandestine Divinity
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"In the moist air of July, under the Rainbow cladded sun,
A bohemian soul is dry, abiding no Religion,
The divinity begins to cry, sopping his cremains,
His own creation gone dry, is dampening by ablutions."

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My Profession - Life Lensman
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Connoisseur of lifestyles....
Social Engineer....
Manager of thoughts....

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Just when I thought I knew all of Life's answers.........They changed all the questions.
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* SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT *

I would like to thank those of you who have helped me reach the mark of 10,000 scraps. (likes - Sat2o5o, Messi, Crespo, Anu, Aru, Passi, Silpi, Ankur and many others )

Now I guess it is time to relax, take a little break from scrapping....


Reflecting on the time when scraps would pour in -- today I have just reached 10.5k from 10k in a long time -- kaha gaye wo velle din!

Nostalgia

Bangalore holds for me very refreshing memories of my life. A few months back when I was here, I'd not known that I will be come back and stay here for a longer period. The fact that for a very few days I was here, I'd seen the whole of Bangalore, makes me lazy to go out anywhere these days. Plus, the nostalgia which sets in and reminds me of the person I miss!

The smell of a lovely coffee at Cafe Coffe Day, the late nights at Barista@Barton Center, the fresh sense of youth at the Brigade Road, the shelter from the rain at the Forum Mall and the cool breeze every evening are just some of the things which make me realise that there is something missing in my life.

It had to be, I knew that I had to be far away, but it really hurts when someone's gone and you are left alone at the same place. The things one enjoys here are the things that saddens me sometimes, for all those moments I had enjoyed!

Vitamin "I" - Part Two - Vitamin Deficiency

"Shekar.... Shekar, can you hear me Shekar..."

"Oh Rajeev, why are you lying down on the bed? What happened to you?"

"Huh! You fool, you are the one lying on the bed, I'm standing! You'd fainted, you know that?"

Shekar fell back to sleep and it was only the next morning he woke up. And Rajeev told him George does make up such stories.

"And what if it was true, what if he was the reason that we were losing so many deals, what if.."

"Shekar, stop blaming others, accept your own responsibilites! Its the company which is responsible, not any tea-wallah George!"

Shekar understood what was said, and after this he really did work hard. Hiss boss never ever complained to him that he wasn't working efficiently or wasn't meeting deadlines! Shekar started to enjoy working here now and surprisingly, the company was back on track, not that Shekar alone was responsible for it, but it made him more confident.

After a few days Rajeev noticed that Shekar had become a workaholic and was becoming very overconfident. Rajeev thought for a few days and he knew what had to be done. He straight away went to George's and he was back in a flash.

A few days later Rajeev and Shekar came down to George's for a smoke!

"Shekar babu, I hope you didn't faint the other day when I'd told you that tale. Don't listen to me so seriously."

"By the way George, who taugh you such good English?"

"Oh, Rajeev sir did! You know it is too tough to teach someone like me English."

"Ah come on, I can teach someone like you in a month! Uh, lets say, I'll teach your brother!"

"That sounds good, I will send him to you house tomorrow then!"

Shekar took it as a challenge and rigrously started teaching George's brother, Albert, spoken English. The last day he asked Albert, "So you can confidently speak in English now no?"

"Yes sir, thanks for what you have done, you are like Rajeev babu, now can also talk like my brother!"

"Ok so tomorrow we'll show your brother how welll you can speak."

The next day Rajeev and Shekar arrived at George's.
"Albert, tell your brother how well you can speak in English."

"Sir, I speak English bestly! See bhaiya, English good mine!"

Shekar again fainted!

end of part two

You are here, so is Loneliness

Sleep, is such a naughty pet of mine that it plays hide-and-seek all the time. Sleep is ironically a very active puppy.

Anyways forget about him, he is just a dog in this man's world.

The problem right now is that I have to catch a flight tomorrow early morning. And I am scared of Flights. Althouh I feed Flights everyday, he falls under the nasty category, he comes and scratches me! Am really scared of him, I feed him from a distance nowadays!

So what I was saying is that I have to wake up early in the morning and as I can't get to sleep, because I can't get to Sleep, I will either miss my flight or get some sleep only in the flight. Ah did I tell you Sleep and Flights are good friends, the rarest of ther dog-cat friendly combination! So my problem will be when I will be away and there will noone to feed Sleep and Flights.

That is why I have kept a girl. She is responsible for keeping my pets with her for the weekend. But I haven't given her the house keys! She wont be able to feed my pets and sadly I wont pay her for this and she will surely cry in front of me!

Ahhh, dont cry girls please! They always do. Anyways the girl problem is sorted out, I will pay her instead. But what will happen to my pets - ah let me se, right, I will overfeed them, how does that look.

So all the problems are sorted out and am still roaming around like there are still things to do and two hours only for me to go. Ah I am leaving on a jet plane, ah I hope I am and not singing loudly, otherwise Beetle might wake up.

Nah, she is not my pet, she is what you call, yeah she's my wife. And she's bald, and I used to have a beard which I took off out of respect on the day she went totally bald. What a canvas it is, her shiny head - I keep on drawing a girl with hair on it, its fun!

So is my problem now to not let Beetle wake up. She might come and give me a headbutt, ah that Zidane guy really is an idol for all bald people. My wide by the way plays lacrosse, and she represents one of the Canada's funnily named province in it. Forget the name, but how big she has become in size scares me, plus she eats Anything.

Right, I told her Anything Corn Flakes have additives which are harmful. Anyways she will die soon, she smokes 7 packets a day, 7 because at the same time she commits the seven sins mentioned in the Bible.

So now I know that am deep deep down in the scale of down to up for a good life. What should I do? Umm, why not pack my bags, for a change.

"Will you shut up John!"

"Are my thoughts so loud?"

"Nah, you were mumbling what you were saying too!"

"You know why I talk to myself? Because tum bhi ho, tanhai bhi - aisa to kam hi hota hai. But in your case it always happens - you are here, so is loneliness!"

Meine Jo ko nahi Maara

It is really interesting the way she behaves when she has to say something, half open-mouthed smile appears on her dimpled face and then suddenly you expect her lips to start moving; it would take a few fine fractions of seconds more when her lips would really move. And you cannot believe that that sharp featured girl has a very sober and mellowed down voice. At that moment, her eyes begin to wander and one tends to follow them, and you are suddenly lost - you don't know what to follow, her eyes or her lips.

"Sir, sir, sirrrrrrrr."

"Yes Jyoti..."

That delightful smile again, "Sir, I asked you something..."

I guess I quit the job the very same moment in my mind, and I really did it in the evening. As it I was taking these clases just for some extra cash, but as now I had a big crush on Jo, I had to leave the job. I didn't see her for many days and suddenly a call came on my mobile.

"Hello, I heard you left your job... The new guys really sucks..."

Ah and as on the phone I was able to concentrate on what she was speaking, I could make out that she was interested in me, and soon we were at the coffee shop having coffee....



"Jaaaaanu"

"Joo darling. Hey lets have some coffee first before dinner..."

"Ok, CCD at the corner will do no?"

"Lets go...."...



"Jo, don't worry, you will have a beautiful girl, I will be besides you..."....



"Jo, look where Jigyasa is going, don't let her go out alone..."

The same dimpled smile, the same wandering eyes, made me forget that Jo was not around!

"Papa, mummy is not here!"

"Oh, I almost forgot, anyways Jigyasa come on in, don't wander outside...".....


Next time I uttered the word Jo was when I mistook Jigyasa for Jo. She was a replica and a memento for me. She never let me forget Jo.

"Papppaaa... try and forget mommy, please, I can't see you like this! You have become a hermit!"

"Pappaaaaaaaaaa, do you even listen to what I say?"

"No Jo, your wandering eyes doesn't let me..."

"Papa!!! Don't call me Jo......"


How could I explain it to my daughter what that smile meant to me. How I am still crazy about those eyes. I was and I am in love with Jo....

One day I went to the same old CCD where for the first time we had had coffee. I saw a middle-aged lady sitting in front of me. She looked like an executive of a very big firm. I would have been something like that had I not left my life lose in the memory of Jo. I suddenly thought to walk upto her, from the back she looked very attractive.

"jo............................."

She had many explanations to give, which I didn't want to hear this time.... I took off in a hurry in my car....

"Papa, you look furious, what happened? Oh, don't tell me you saw mommy?"

I just had bought the gun for fun, but today I picked it out from the drawer and in a rush I shot Jigyasa, and suddenly I saw Jo on the door and the second bullet pierced her belly....

Judge had asked me, "Do you want to defend your action of firing bullets at your family members?"

"Meine Jo ko nahi maara. I can still see those wandering eyes...."

The Bewda

Hungama hai kyu burpaa,
thori si jo pee li hai....

These interesting lines are picked up from a very famour Ghazal by Ghulam Ali. Really, there are some people who drink to make a scene, some make a scene to drink and there are some who make a scene when someone else is drinking. Really drinking is bad.... Or is it?

There are people who detest it, and I agree people can do without having it! But there are people who equally love it, and I still agree they can too do away with drinking it ritually. There is a slight difference in what we know is right and what we do, even knowing it is wrong. And there is a slight difference in what people think is acceptable and what is not. All in all it is really a big jump for someone to drink the spirit, some people consider it a plunge whereas some a high!

I personally have no opinion, factually, I cannot beg to differ that alcohol in very small contents only is not harmful, but still I cannot offer any advice, neither do I mind a bewda nor a teetotaller. But rather I suggest, thori thori peeya karo. And I also suggest, hungama hai kyu burpa, thori si to pee li hai!!!

For me, I believe as long as you have something or someone that can make you high, so be it, but when someone or something makes u a bewda, then hungama to hoga hi!

Flashback Part V - The Finale

"Hey, he'll come for my treat today! The same place as we discussed in the plan"

"Beep. Message recorded. To replay press 1, to.." CLICK.

She had delivered the message. The three sisters were more than ready for the plan! Her next phone call was to me to confirm the timings of her treat.

Somewhere else another call was made:
"Hey, you confirm the seat bookings with the restaurant manager, your role is verryyyy crucial!"

"I have done it!"


So that is how the plan was made. I had no idea why such an elaborate plan was made for me! What really was the mystery? Why was this plan made? I was sure now that my friend was involved and I was imagining how the girls had proceeded with the plan. But wait a minute, where am I, as far as I remember last I had fainted. And to think of it, I was going to my office, it was a Friday, Thursday I had my previous accident, and it was only Wednesday when my diabolical friend had given her treat! Aah, that means I hadn't lost my mind or...

I had already fainted so many times in the last two days that nothing could shock me more. I was lying on my bed and the Television was on and I had just noticed it. The weather news was coming...

"There is chances of slight rains on Wednesday, thunderstorms expected on Thursday, and heavy rains surely on Friday..."

This time I did faint again!

PS: The complete title of this part was supposed to be "The Finale is it?"