Highway..

"These are testing times, son, stay cool." These words were all that he remembered. Lying on the hospital bed, he could feel the broken ribs and an amputated right hand and some bruises. He wanted to shout but failed. He looked around for a clue, thought it was a dream and tried speaking but could not. Completely perplexed, he stayed there on the cot.

A beautiful girl appeared and began preparing the injection for the patient. Her fragrance filled the room with newer zeal. His senses responded and he uttered few words, 'Errrrr... ?' She immediately went out and called an older looking guy, possibly his father. "Son, don't worry, your wife and kids are safe. Mother is all right too, a little weakened by all of this." 
The patient, his son was travelling for a holiday with his wife and kids when his car was rammed by a truck on the highway. He was brought to the hospital by Highway police and some witnesses.

"Errr, do...do I know you , Sir ?", was all the patient could say. 

Matter-of-fact...

               First things first. This post is not penned out of pity or sympathy towards the Rickshawala, Babloo (Learnt the name later). It’s just that the things he said made me think about some unnerving facts.

So, here I was, waiting for an auto to reach a place called Oberoi Mall. I got into one and noticed the Armed Forces Flag Day sticker on the left side of auto roof and the inscription of Hindu God Ram on the other.When it rustled through bumpy Arrey Colony roads, I asked him about the bus to return Powai. He took a pause and hesitantly began saying in a slow tone, ‘Sir, I am really sorry. You must be thinking, I lie when I say, I don’t know but please believe me, this place is newer to me and I hardly know the bus timings or the routes.’  To what I replied, ‘Ermmm, you are right, how would you know!’

Conversations went on; I enquired him of his whereabouts. He hailed from Benaras, had a family consisting of a crippled father, an un-educated wife and a 7 year old son. He left his place when he was in the 7^th grade owing to his father’s severe accident and bore all the family responsibility then on. He was doing this commuting job since a year.

I offered him snacks that I was munching on and he happily had some. ‘Sir, thank you, you know, the moment I touched the auto handle, I was sure, I won’t drive this for my life. I really want to get forward in life. To start with I shall begin my Business. ’ My eye balls widened and being a B School student myself, my inquisitive soul could not refrain asking about what kind of Business he wished for. 

“Sir, I wanted to do Benaras Saree Business, I have already installed one machine, back at my home. In coming two years, I intend to go for two more. There’s just one thing we need to work on that is, ‘Just start crawling towards our goal and in an attempt of that we shall attempt getting 60-70-90 % closer to our goal. It can be late but some day I shall be there.’ I was awestruck by his statements. Very aptly said, ’Not failure but low aim is a crime.’

“I have a son, Sir, Rishabh . He is at my native place studying in an English School. If at all I fail, he shall help me accomplish my dream. It has been a very topsy- turvy ride since ages. Not everyone has stars that favour things to happen. I am still hopeful and won’t deter trying.” We both smiled J

He asked about me and I told him about how I would be facing my Company Interviews soon. To which he wished, ‘All the very best for your CAMPUS PLACEMENTS’ Sir. Hope you get all that you want.’

With the rent being paid, we departed wishing each other all the luck for our endeavours. His smile and those sleep deprived eyes etched a beautiful memory on my mind. Thought would share with you all.

Some ordinary experiences just cheer your heart up,this sure was one of those. We need to slog for better because a lazy mind is only going to get you nowhere. :) 

Take care.

[Song for the day – Animal Instinct by The Cranberries] 

Foreswear…

Times those hazy,
Still seem to hallucinate and force him see.
Was she not the one?
Ponders he, for antonym wee.

Things reorganized themselves well,
When they were together.
Confused was he to the core,
Thanks to the poor fish trail.

Those moments haunt him now,
He’s left broken.
Wish had not preserved them,
Alas! He’s already shaken.

Yet, posing a brave smile he stood,
Often misunderstood by many.
They called him a chump,
Cared he least , with all might he could.

Alone in the room, seldom he cried,
Always thought of a silver lining instead.
Forgetting was all he tried,
Regrettably, nostalgia had him fed.

Every day, now he hopes,
If he could have that half-hug, completed,
The connection, each second he gropes,
Fails him leaving depleted.

Knows he honest-to-God, the jinxed times won’t return,
She was and she will be there, comely.
Friends shall keep pouring,
And atomize the wound-salt, fairly.

(P.S: The above stuff is solely fictional and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental)

[Song of the day : Burning in the skies ~ Linkin Park]

Maverick..

He knew the task undertaken was not a cakewalk. All his life, the guilt of not doing it was all that was stuck inside his head ripping it apart like a slow poison. Over- guardedly, the things were placed in the sole bag he had. Cared he too much, rehearsing each and every damn thing thousands of times, so that the execution of the act can be flawless.

               Some told him, there was only one way, the destination could be reached. People were supposed to catch a bus filled with double its capacity. He accepted the challenge as the gradual intent was far more vital. Getting down from the bus was not the only thing; the final place was at the other side of a river and anyone who wished to reach there was doomed to get wet due to lack of boats or so. The river was not that deep but the filth made sure it would give one, a feel of getting drowned. He was blindfolded by something, an urge, may be.

                Not a single one from his family had ever done a thing like this. He had the privilege of doing so or as one might say; his fate was cursed to do so. Family-men condemned. Alas! They could not stir his soul. As a father-less child and an elder brother to his one year old sister with mother and uncle not in a state to work, he had to take this jinxed step. He had embraced; ‘devil-may-care’ attitude for the consequences of his deed had to have deep and grave results.

  Considered as an act of felony by some in his locality but he was not moved by the repercussions of the very thing. Still, taking a deep breathe,  closing his eyes and offering prayers to his Almighty, bidding adieu to his mother, kissing forehead of his sister and seeking blessings from Uncle, he took the damned bag, put it over his shoulder and proceeded to the fated place,‘School’. He was 7 and had dreams of becoming a learned scholar to steer his family away from poverty and break the orthodox shackles for the good...

STARGAZE....

“When I was of your age, I would walk 5 kilometers to the school”, Said the mother to her 6 year kid.. All he could do was just hear and utter no word… his eyes watered… The tears refused to get out of the socket though… The elderly figure, his mother, raised him singlehandedly… In a hut, big enough to make them play two-rolls-over-each-other game, this was his motherly love share…. She used to go clean society houses to survive.. Her husband was a drunkard and was gone away long back..she was thankful for the plight as it meant less liabilities for her… She dreamt her son to be an officer one day..

Years passed… Everything was stagnant….Except for their ages… One fine day, when she was busy making her son’s favourite dinner, some car horns caught her attention.. This was rare.... she hurried to see what that was… there, her son, 30, in his white shirt tucked neatly in the black trousers was standing next to a white Ambassador car with a red light over the car roof, SALUTING to his mother and more importantly his idol and only source of inspiration.. “This is for you ,Maa”, he cried his heart out that day in her arms…

Whoa ! What was that ????

Don’t know where to start off with, Ermm, let me just begin.. Well, it all happened like this…

The backdrop was sepia coloured and everything else was so scenic that I stood there spellbound by the amazing valleys and pasture in front of me. There, far far away, I could see some shepherds like mere specks on the ocean minding their herds… Cool soothing breeze massaging my body cells… The place seemed to be an un-trespassed sanctity minus the shepherds… And I was having quite a quality time there….

All of a sudden, I heard strong sound of brakes jamming the tyres, someone tried to reduce the speed of his car but failed miserably.. The speed took charge and went on to ram straight into the rock…. The bonnet was heavily damaged and I could see some fumes out of it… The bent head of the driver caused the horns to blow aloud (Filmy scene, yeah like that)…. I arrived at the sorry accident spot in no time... I tried opening the doors… The accident had left me completely terrified, skipped some heart beats I guess…Breathing deep, I courageously attemped again and I was stunned.... Not that it was more horrifying or something ……What surprised me more was that I knew those people…. Goddammmit, I knew those souls.. I did !!!!…. I went on only to find a young lad and a girl in her early twenties may be…

I hurried to the best of my capabilitiies and pulled them out and discovered that luckily the lady had just some bruises over her body and the chap was bleeding, blood dropping from his temporal spots of the head....

The following things happened in a quick succession, more like a rapid fire round….

“Errrm, Jazzz, How are you ???”, I asked .
“Don’t worry Amit, we are with you, you just have to breathe, keep breathing mate, you shall not leave us.. never… not like this….” I said….

It was a dream….. The next thing I remember is, we were in a hospital and Amit was safe with a white strip over his forehead covering his temporal spots and he said to me, ” This is for yu Joe, ‘jim’ gaya tha ????“ Don’t try to gauge what the question means… and I don’t even remember what was it that Amit gave to me…
Jazz just looked at me and said, " Buttercup is safe Joe, thnnxxx =) "...

Those people were --- Jazz- Aditi- (@Islejazz) and amit- @TyaunTyaun .. One of the amazing people I came in contact with on Twitter…. They were in my dreams some weeks ago…

Don’t know, what it meant… One thing is for sure, no matter if you know some people, you meet them or not, they do seem to have become the part of your life in a way or the other…The chats you have with them and the jokes along with sharing the grief and everything just makes you want to be in their company.... A much more evolved relationship than Friends…..Dream just gave me a chance to meet them... Must admit, I found a new world in Twitter, cuz’ I found some amazing Tweeps there J
Cheers to every Tweep :)

Thank You Andy Murray and Roger Federer for an amazing match WIMBLEDON 2012 !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ahaw00H_9TI&feature=relmfu