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Showing posts with label Short Stories. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Short Stories. Show all posts

Thursday, February 1, 2024

Midnight Secrets with Ghost

It was midnight, and sleep eluded me, so I opted for a quiet walk in my apartment. The night air seemed more inviting than tossing in bed.

In the chilly night, my jacket was nowhere to be found, but who cares at midnight, right? Without second thoughts, I grabbed the white bedsheet from the bed and wrapped myself in it. Surprisingly, the cozy bedsheet turned out to be a savior against the night's cold. 

A few steps in, I had a close encounter with a spooky white figure, only to realize it was just me, scaring myself with my own reflection. Draping myself in that white sheet gave me a fright and I ended up scaring myself!

As I strolled along, a warm voice echoed in the quiet night, "Hey, hi! Do you reside in this apartment?" I wondered what brought him out at this hour. His voice, warm and friendly, resonated in the silent surroundings. Listening to him, I couldn't help but admire the charm in his eyes and the inviting smile. Sporting a 3-day stubble beard, he looked remarkably handsome. Oh, and by the way, he was wearing a black shirt. It added a cool touch to his whole vibe under the moonlight. 

"Can I join you for a walk?" he asked, and I thought, why not? It might be a more interesting night than usual.

Hesitant but curious, I asked, "I've been living here for a year, but I haven't seen you around. By the way, which floor are you on, and what's your flat number?""

The mysterious stranger grinned and replied in a hushed tone, "Ah, that's the perks of being a ghost - we're invisible. I reside on the ghostly 13th seventh floor, and my flat number is 1313. Lucky number, isn't it?"

Laughing at his ghostly details, I teased, "Well, that explains why I haven't seen you before – invisible and all. Must say, it's my first time encountering a handsome ghost. Lucky me, right?"

His laughter echoed like a ghost, sending shivers down my spine.

As we strolled, he started sharing spooky ghost stories, making the dark night scary. Amidst the ghostly tales, a sudden chill ran down my spine. The stranger grinned mysteriously, "Speaking of ghosts, there's one right behind you!" I turned around in a panic, only to find him laughing heartily.

"Oh man, feeling a bit uneasy here," I confessed, "mind if we switch to a less spooky topic?"

"Want to hear a joke?" he said, his tone sending shivers down my spine.

"Sure, why not? Mr. Ghost!" I responded, adding a playful touch to the scary atmosphere.

"Ever wondered why ghosts never interfere in couples arguments?", he mused. 

"Because ghosts have realized that couples arguments are deadly and scarier than facing a ghost. It's even worse than a haunting experience!" I responded, marveling at my own amusing articulation.

"Phew, nope!" he replied coolly.

"Well, because when they argue, they both end up looking like ghosts"  I attempted a philosophical response.

"Phew, nope!"

I shrugged, eagerly awaiting the punchline.

"Because they know it's a dead-end conversation!" His laughter erupted, bouncing off the walls like a mischievous ghost causing choas in a haunted house.

I signaled "shhh" to suppress his laughter. "Keep it down; people are in deep sleep," I whispered.

"If someone shows up, watch how I vanish like this,"  he whispered, playfully disappearing into the bushes and leaving a haunted silence that sent shivers down my spine.

"Mr. Ghost, Mr. Ghost sir!" I called out, but there was no response. 

Just as I started to feel spooked, the mysterious stranger reappeared from behind a tree, attempting not to burst into laughter. "Sorry about that," he said, struggling to compose himself. "Couldn't resist a little ghostly prank. Hope I didn't scare you too much!"

Relieved, I couldn't help but laugh along as the stranger remarked, "Chalo, it's time for me to vanish. Hope our paths cross again, goodnight," walking briskly and disappearing into the lobby.

As I continued walking, the security guard approached me and greeted, "Hello, ma'am. I noticed you talking to yourself. Everything okay? Anyone you're looking for?"

"Heyyy wait, have you not seen a man in a black shirt?" I asked the security guard.

"No, ma'am. Haven't seen anyone like that. Are you sure?" he replied.

"He just crossed you and went up to the 13th floor," I asked, my words jumbling and trembling.

"13th floor?" he questioned, puzzled. "lekin maaam, is taavar mein hamaare paas 12 floors hain"

Under regular circumstance, I never quite grasped Hindi and often had to insist him to repeat in a blend of languages (English, Tamil, Kannada, and Hindi), hoping to catch at least one word from each. However, in the current moment, the intensity of the situation I am in, made me realise what he actually meant. "But we only have 12 floors in this tower"

 "Oh, no, wait. Yes, you're right." 

My legs started to shiver, a chill running down my spine. Understanding the gravity of the situation, I rushed to the CCTV room, anxious to witness the footage of my midnight encounter with that mysterious stranger. 

"Play the last few hours, quick!". The person in the CCTV room played the footage from the last few hours without an enquiry sensing the urgency in my voice. The sound of my breaths intensified as I watched the footage, only to discover that the man in black shirt was never captured in the CCTV footage.

"Oh, no. There was no one next to me," confusion etched on myface. I was left standing there, talking to myself, my words hanging in the air.

👻💀👁️‍🗨️The mystery of whom I was talking to lingers, casting a shadow on the haunted midnight👻💀👁️‍🗨️

Tuesday, November 7, 2023

Expiry Date of Women's Dreams

Dreams are the threads weaving our aspirations and desires. For women, these dreams often carry the weight of societal expectations, family obligations, and the influence of traditional norms. Despite our dreams, we sometimes feel steered by the hands of our spouses, in-laws, or our own families, subtly dictating the course of our aspirations.


Once, there lived a woman who had a little dreams. Her journey wasn’t straightforward but a struggled maze. Witnessing her struggles, the universe presented her with two choices: one leading her towards pursuing her dreams and other an immedidate growth. The chance that universe offered to pursue her aspirations, was a path strewn with challenges, uncertainties and demanding unwavering determination. 

Regrettably, her family proved to be unsupportive, each engrossed in their own pursuits, casting shadows on her chosen path. Torn between the secure conventional route and her dreams, she felt shattered under the weight of expectations.

In that vulnerable moment, a realization struck her—she alone held the reins to her dreams. However, the societal whispers and judgmental fingers held the power, influencing her subconsciously.

Amidst the chaos, seeking solace in a place of worship—a temple, she clutched two chits, one bearing her dreams and the other promising immediate growth through the conventional path. Seeking divine guidance, her heart brimmed with anticipation as she drew a chit.

The divine message suggested the familiar conventional path, promising immediate growth. Yet, in that moment, a silent but potent realization echoed within.

She felt disheartened by the choice presented by the divine forces, as it also appeared unsupportive of her aspirations. Had even one person, perhaps her life partner, offered support saying, "Pursue your dreams, I am here for you," she would have fearlessly embraced her aspirations.

Finally, a small chit emerged as the architect of her destiny.

Sunday, May 14, 2023

Timeless Connections: Unbreakable Bonds

Once upon a time, in the charming city of Coimbatore, there resided couples, Naveen and Vinitha, while in the bustling city of Bangalore, lived Darshini and Krishna. In a world where neighborly conversations have become a rarity and where walls separate, Naveen, Vinitha, Darshini, and Krishna forged an exquisite bond of friendship and camaraderie.

Read on for a story that highlights the importance of open communication, nurturing friendships, emotional needs and relationship prioritization.

Darshini and Krishna's love story grew in the busy world of software. Whereas, when Naveen saw Vinitha for the first time, his heart immediately felt a connection, sealing their destinies forever. It was through Vinitha and Krishna's friendship that the four of them became close family friends, extending their bond even to their children.

While Vinitha and Krishna had a strong bond as classmates, it was Naveen and Darshini who formed a unique brother-sister relationship. Naveen had always been there for Darshini, supporting her through thick and thin. 

In the past few months, Darshini had been experiencing a subtle emptiness within her heart. She found it difficult to find joy in activities that once brought her happiness. It was a feeling that she couldn't quite explain, but it left her longing. 

One day, overwhelmed by her emotions, Darshini made a brave decision to open up to Naveen about the emptiness she felt. She mustered up the courage to share her deepest thoughts and fears, confiding in him with a level of vulnerability she had never shown before. Naveen, being the empathetic and caring brother-figure, listened attentively, understanding the depth of her emotions. Their bond as bother and sister grew even stronger as Naveen listened attentively, offering support.

Realizing the importance of addressing this issue, Naveen made an unexpected decision. He, along with Vinitha, paid a surprise visit to Darshini and Krishna's house, understanding the complexities involved. But little did they know that a hilarious mishap awaited them. As Naveen and Vinitha stepped into the house, they were taken aback by Darshini and Krishna's shocked expressions. Little did they know that Darshini and Krishna were engrossed in watching a movie and were just about to call it a night. The sudden surprise visit caught them off guard, resulting in a burst of laughter that filled the room.

Amidst the laughter, the underlying emptiness in Darshini's heart seemed to momentarily fade away and replaced with joy and light-heartedness. It was a reminder that sometimes, unexpected moments of surprise can bring the much-needed relief from life's worries.

After unwinding and relaxing, The four of them sat together, prepared to spend the night engaging in discussions and resolving the matter at hand. They shared their thoughts and feelings, allowing vulnerability to bridge the gap between them. Naveen and Vinitha provided a safe space for Darshini and Krishna to express their own concerns and fears, acknowledging that relationships can face challenges and misunderstandings.

As the night wore on, their conversations delved deeper into the intricacies of their emotions. In that moment of honesty and vulnerability, Krishna found solace of Darshini. Naveen and Vinitha's understanding and support for Darshini reminded her that she was never alone, and Krishna recognized the value of open communication and emotional connection in a relationship.

The night became a turning point for all four of them. They pledged to prioritize their bonds, ensuring that their relationships would always be nurtured and cherished. They realized that the fast-paced life they were living had blinded them to the importance of slowing down and truly understanding each other's needs.

From that day forward, Naveen and Vinitha's bond with Darshini and Krishna grew even stronger. The couples continued to support and uplift each other, creating a harmonious environment for their children to grow up in.

The story of Naveen, Vinitha, Darshini, and Krishna serves as a reminder that in this hectic world, true relationships can withstand the test of time. Their willingness to step beyond the boundaries of societal norms and prioritize their connections demonstrates the power of love, empathy, and understanding.

Key Lessons Learned from the Story:

1. The Power of Open Communication: Darshini's decision to open up about her feelings and concerns to Naveen highlights the importance of honest and open communication in relationships. Sharing our emotions and vulnerabilities can lead to greater understanding and connection.

2. Nurturing Friendships: The friendship between Naveen, Vinitha, Darshini, and Krishna shows the value of fostering and maintaining friendships throughout life. Even after marriage, investing time and effort into friendships can provide support, companionship, and a sense of belonging.

3. Recognizing Emotional Needs: Darshini's feeling of emptiness despite being married underscores the significance of recognizing and addressing our emotional needs. It's essential to listen to our inner selves and communicate our feelings, seeking solutions and support from loved ones when necessary.

4. The Importance of Empathy: Naveen's empathetic response to Darshini's struggles demonstrates the power of empathy. Being able to understand and share in someone's emotions can create a safe and supportive environment, fostering stronger relationships.

5. Prioritizing Relationships: The couples' realization of nurturing their relationships serves as a reminder to prioritize the people we care about. In the fast-paced world we live in, taking time to connect and deepen our bonds with loved ones is essential for long-lasting happiness.

6. Gratitude and Appreciation: The willingness of Naveen, Vinitha, Darshini, and Krishna to come together and resolve their issues showcases the importance of gratitude and appreciation for the relationships we have. Expressing gratitude for the presence and support of our loved ones can strengthen bonds and create a harmonious atmosphere.

Hope this story has reminded the importance of fostering meaningful connections and investing in the bonds that enrich our lives. 

DDiscover the world through my lens at Blog at My Fun, My Memories, My Life
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Monday, December 17, 2018

My First Love Story

Manushi Chhillar
"Wow, She Is Beautiful," Karthik exclaimed, admiring the picture of Manushi Chhillar, the winner of Miss World 2017.

As I watched Karthik gaze at the photo of Manushi Chhillar, I couldn't help but feel a tinge of jealousy. I wanted him to see me as the most beautiful person in the world. It was a feeling I'd never experienced before, and I found myself instinctively sucking my thumb, a habit I had whenever I was emotional.

But as I thought about our love story, I was reminded of the wonderful times we had spent together. We fell in love before we even met, sharing intimate moments on night walks, laughing, and enjoying each other's company. I wondered if my nagging had pushed him away or if his new responsibilities had made him forget how beautiful I was.

Suddenly, a scream broke through my thoughts, and I was jolted back to reality.

Had I hit someone?

Karthik rushed to help the woman who had been hit, and I watched in horror as she was rushed to the hospital. For the next few hours, I was surrounded by the chaos of the medical team trying to save her. I felt anxious, praying that she would be okay.

The doctors struggled for hours, and I could hear the woman's screams of pain. I wanted to help her in any way I could, even if it meant sacrificing my own life. With all my strength, I pushed myself out and into the doctor's hands.

The doctor placed me on the woman's chest, and I cried for the first time. I held her hand, and she squeezed mine with what little strength she had left. Her smile gave me hope, and I knew she was determined to get better.

The next moment, I was transferred to Karthik's arms, and I felt his touch for the first time. I looked into his eyes, and I knew he had fallen in love with me. It was a magical moment, and I could see the tears in his eyes.

"My life is complete now," my dad whispered into the woman's ear.

Karthik touched my face and said, "Wow, my child! You look so beautiful, just like your mom."


~~❤~~
FIND ME ON :


Thursday, March 24, 2016

A Birthday to remember

I realized someone hitting my head with pillow. Though the pillow was soft, the hit was hard. I tried my best not to open my eyes completely with an intention of not losing the sleep. But a guttural female voice made me to wake-up. I saw a cute figure standing next to the bed. She was neatly dressed in a red chiffon saree. It was none, other than my lovable wife Priyanka. Her face was red, might be the reflection of saree.

I reached to her hand, pulled her towards the bed and wrapped her in the bed sheet. She reacted instantly and got out of the bed.
"Her face is red in anger; Not due to reflection," I confirmed.
With anger, she offered her mobile phone and requested me to take her a snap. She does that everyone, while wearing a new Saree.
“Hey Sweetie, Looking damn hot in new Saree. But, what special today? Hmm,.. Ethnic day at your office?" I asked clicking her picture. Before I could open the gallery to check the captured picture, the mobile flashed a name "Preethi”

Preethi - My Wife’s  bestie from childhood. I was about to attend the call, but my wife snatched the mobile and started talking to her. Over hearing female conversation is fun at times; hence I engrossed my ears on their chat.
“He hasn’t even wished. As usual he forgot my birthday" my wife was complaining to Preethi
 Then it struck my mind, today was her birthday. As always, I missed to wish on her on right time. People say the best way to remember your wife birthday is forget it once. But it has been 5 years now; I never forget to forget her birthday. I can remember the day India won Cricket World Cup and all those complicated dates. But my wife's birthday I never remember.

"Can you take off from your work and be with me today?" she pleaded in a soft voice. I could sense from her eyes that she was expecting a yes answer.
“I have an important conference to attend, can’t avoid it." "You could have informed me a week before right.” I said in a sterner tone
She did not flailed out in anger but left the house in silence. I dropped a message apologizing and promising that I would be back to home early and surprise her with loads of gifts.
But the day we plan to leave early from office is the day we get bombarded with works. By the time, I completed the work and checked my mobile I had 15 missed calls and lots of what’s app notification. Priyanka has requested for a dinner, which I failed to make it again. Because, it was 10 PM. I called her to check, whether I can get a parcel but she was done with her dinner already.

Finally, I decided to celebrate her birthday with a cake cutting, but all the shops were shut by sharp 10. I roamed another 1 hour to find a bakery shop. It was just a small shop and there were no candles or the plastic knife available. Whatever it was, I just took the cake and left. By the time, I reached home, she had slept.

It was 11.55.
I lighted the cake with a big candle that I had as a backup at my home in case of power cuts. I woke her up and blushed as If I was giving her a big surprise. I gave her the real knife insisting, “No fake things in between us”
She must be now used to all my worst behaviors. She snatched the knife and tried to cut the cake. The cake was so hard that even with a real knife, we could not slice the cake. Understanding the rigidity of the cake, she went inside to get a bigger knife. After repeated attempts, the cake was still in its shape, but the knife got broke. The disappointment roared in her eyes and it was 11.59. Still I have not wished happy birthday or surprised her. Leave about surprise, I kept disappointing her from morning. She was about to leave the place and without a second thought, I pulled her closed, kissed on her forehead and said “I love you birthday baby”.
The clock stuck 12:00 and tears flooded her eyes. I opened my mouth to apologize, but she clogged my mouth with hers.

Who said expensive gifts, or surprise only would make a person happy? Sometime, a tight hug and a Love you said from the heart are more powerful.

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Tidbits about Life..


In a cloudy evening, my wife and me were taking a walk to the nearby shopping mall, we stopped by a flower shop to get flowers to my wife.There was a lady who welcomed with a hearty smile.We got flowers from her but we did not have a hairpin handy so that my wife could decorate her hair with the flowers.Witnessing the scenario the lady picked one of the hairpin from the bundle she had(seems that she offers it to everyone in the same scenario) and gave it with a smile to me.We thanked her and went to the nearby shopping mall.

After an hour we finished shopping and came to the billing counter, there was another lady at the counter who billed all the items I got from the shop and with a smile she asked me would you like get a carry bag sir? It is charged at RS.5 she added.

I replied stating that how else would you think that I will carry all these items.......

This is a guest post by Vignesh Kumar, Pushparaj

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

The Sound of Heart beat - chapter 3

Meghna woke up to the aroma smell of a freshly-brewed coffee and the scorching sun rays that fall on her face peeing through her bed room window. She realized that her laptop was still on with Facebook opened in the browser. She had slept off in the study table itself. 

Friend’s sometimes (or most of the times?) offers the worst idea in the world. Shiva suggested her to search Karthik in Facebook adding a bullshit point that even a newborn baby whose name has not decided yet has a Facebook page and twitter account. Though we scream that technology has dumped face-to-face interactions, it’s also true that with these technologies one can find and get information about any person under the sun. This idea cost her entire night. Karthik is not a rare name to be found easily on the Facebook. The moment she typed Karthik in Facebook search and hit enter, it listed 10 karthik profiles that was associated with her friends list itself. Out of 2 Tamil movies, one movie will definitely have the hero name as Karthik.
“Is Karthik such a common name?” She bit her nail and continued browsing the profiles.
“Karthik or Karthick? How does he write his name?” She has to browse thousands of profiles only to realize that few people even spell it as Kartik.
Karthik, Karthick, Kartik..
Is she going to find him in Facebook without knowing the proper spelling of his name or the Surname and not even one common friend.? We all know, it’s highly impossible, but people in love are driven in those fantasy worlds which according to them are "If you really love a person, universe will help in conquering.” Their mind just revolves around with such high positivity. Even if someone says, Karthik must have called off the marriage as he would be in some relationship, her mind would say, a big NO!!!. When they are in love, they believe that their body survives due to loveabolism and not because of metabolism.
     To some extent, it’s true as well. Since after the call-off incident, Meghna was unable to concentrate on anything. She had a long hot soak. The prospect of finding Karthik in a social setting filled her with a sense of tremor of excitement and kicked off her metabolism. But the entire night search did not help her in finding him out. She felt void and null. Meanwhile, Meghna's mom entered her room with coffee and Meghna closed the laptop with a slight disappointed.
"What a surprise!? Did you take any oath that you will follow good habits or was it my dream?" Her mother got excited as soon as she observed the bed sheets neatly folded in her room.
"Ma, I just slept off in the table itself" Meghna replied and want to brush her teeth.
"Hmm..I know, how I could expect good habits from you... Anyway don’t forget to return early from office today. We have to attend Narmadha aunt daughter marriage." Her mom reminded her again.
"Okay Mom. You told me enough times" she brushed her teeth with dismay. All of a sudden her face lighted up with a bright idea.
She rushed towards her laptop with white foam bubbles around in her mouth and opened the Facebook to search "Divya Bharathi"  
It’s in the wedding of Divya Bharathi, Karthik's mother saw Meghna. She gave her a friend request and started scrutinizing Divya Bharathi’s friends list.

"Found my man. :) " she messaged Shiva in What’s app.
Karthik?
It’s not Karthik. It’s Karthick. That’s how he writes his name :)
uff...okay Karthick...so did you message him?
No..I did even send him friend request
Y?
He may think, I purposefully searched for his profile 
So, What’s ur plan then?
Planning to Join Stepz dance institute.
gonna impress him with a dance?
Ufff. Bad joke. .From one of his photos I observed that he is going to that Stepz dance institute. Actually, he works at Amazon. definitely, I can’t clear Amazon recruitment process :P and get into Amazon. But dance class, I think I can. 
Oh..I c...so, u are gonna make a scene that, you are naturally meeting him at the dance class.
of course yes!
Handle it carefully. One wrong move and it can slip, slicing the relationship. 
Shiva gave another warning before they end up the chat.

The rules of a relationship are simple.
If you like them…let them know...
If they say no… let them go...
People think the former is easy and the later is tough. But the truth is later might be easy but the most difficult part is letting the person you love them. Will Meghan succeed?


Tuesday, June 30, 2015

The Sound of Heart beat - chapter 2


Image Source - hercampus.com
"Meghna... I want to call off our marriage..." 
Her thoughts were interrupted by her mother yelling out her name.
"Shiva has come to meet you". Her mother repeated from kitchen second time.
"Send him to my room mom", Meghna replied her mother and went to wash her face.
"What happened?" Shiva asked looking straight into her eyes.
"What?... What happened?" Meghna tried to hide her emotions. But Shiva was a best buddy from childhood. He can easily search and find the emotions that were hidden behind her eyes. Even Meghna wanted to exhaust all her thoughts that were bothering since a longtime.

"I think... hmmm....I think.. I like a..no. I love a person." The emotions made her to stutter.
"Please don’t say, you love me" Shiva spontaneously replied and winked.
"You..?!" she took the pillow that was on the bed and hit him hard.
"Stop beating our guest” Her mother entered the room with 2 cups of coffee.
“Aunty from when I turned out to be your guest?”
“If you are not visiting the house frequently, you will be de-promoted from son to guest.”
“Sorry Aunty. Lots of work. Could not manage time to visit your home” He said sipping the coffee.

Meghna's parents always treated him as their own child and with great kindness. Once her mother left the room, Shiva asked seriously.
"Who is that guy?"
After a long pause Meghna replied, "Karthik"
"Which Karthik? Our college mate Karthik? Or… Indian playback singer Karthik?
"I should have requested my mom to mix poison in coffee instead of sugar" Meghna scowled at him with an annoyed look.
He smiled and continued, “I knew all of your friends. Who is this new entry?"
☕.☕.☕.
     Meghna was stubborn that her wedding should be decided based on the character and not on personality of the bride or groom. She never encouraged exchanging the photos. Karthik's mother saw Meghna at some relative's wedding and expressed  her interest for her son to Meghna's mother. The horoscope match was indeed a positive sign and hence Meghna's parents agreed for the bride seeing ceremony.

On the other side, Karthik who was against the marriage, especially the arranged ones was brought to Meghna's house with some cooked up stories. He was totally unaware of the situation. When Meghna offered him coffee and Meghna's parents teased him to look at the bride carefully, he was totally thunderstruck and was angry with his mother for putting him at such an embarrassing moment. He stayed calm in order not to make the situation worse. But their parents took his silence as yes and started discussing about the marriage dates. Though his parents requested him to talk to Meghna in private, he rejected it considering his furious state. He does not want to vent out his anger with Meghna, who had zero contribution in this bride seeing drama. He took her mobile number and left the place.

Meghna who firmly believed marriage should be decided based on character, had fallen in love with Karthik the moment she saw him. She felt so loving, so tender and so overwhelming and a new feeling that she had not experienced before. Love at first sight does exist. We like a person at first glance, if they remind us of a person whom we admired from child hood or in past. Sometimes, it was believed that they meet our subconscious criteria. May be Meghna's inner voice might have suggested that he was her guy.!?
☕.☕.☕.
Shiva's anger rose to peak on hearing Meghna’s love affair.
“Do you think it’s not crazy to like a person in a first glance? How did you muster up the courage to spend the rest of your life under the arms of a stranger whom you have just seen for the first time?”
“Not once. I met him twice. The second time at coffee day” she tried to convince him.
“Fuck you… See Meghna. This is not fantasy world. Above all, I did not like the way he treated you at the coffee day.”
"Shiva, understand from his perspective. Who am I to him? I was just a stranger.. Annoyed stranger for him; His motive was only to stop the marriage. Why would he please me with sorry or kind words and actions? Think from his perspective. You might feel he was right.”
“Fine. Let him have an astonishing attitude. But Meghna, I feel it’s not right.”
“If a guy like a girl at first sight, he can proceed to make her understand about his love. How does it become wrong, when a girl does the same?”
“That’s how the world and people work. Not all guys take it with good spirit. When a guy knows a girl is behind him, there are chances of misusing her. Not all guys realize and accept the love. “
“What if Karthik was in second category. A guy who could realize my love”
“You are taking risk Meghna”, he sounded harsh.
“It has been almost 4 months. Still, I could not forget him. His thoughts keep pondering over and again. I am ready to take the risk. Please help me..”
"What's his mobile number?" Shiva asked pulling his mobile out of the pocket.
"I didn't save his number"
"Hmm.. Where does he work?"
Silence..
"Where does he stay?"
Again silence..
"Any clue about him?"
"I actually don’t know anything about him and I cant discuss or ask about Karthik with my parents now. Since he refused to marry me, the bitterness surged and they are in rage against Karthik and his family." She snapped.
Shiva was put under deep thoughts...

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Diary of a Granny

Diary of a Granny

I am blogging for #MaxFreshMove activity at BlogAdda.com. Are you? 

Its sad truth that our children got busy in their life and don’t have time to think of their parents.  I was not educated, neither my family customs let female child to step out of home and purse education. Moreover, I had a responsibility to look after the younger ones - four Sisters and one brother. My childhood was jam-packed by washing the dishes, clothes and taking care of my siblings. Yet, I loved every bit of it. . .

I was married at an early age of 18. My husband died when I was 24. After that, I raised my 2 sons single-handedly. I worked day and night at brick kilns and breaking stones, pilling up and carrying it to the top of the building. I get Rs.200 for a week. It was more than enough to cook variety of foods for my sons and gift them occasionally. I never got dress or things for myself. My owner’s wife, offer me the used ones. The Oxford English Dictionary contains 171,476 words, but I knew only 2 words. "My Children". Yet, I loved every bit of it. . .

One of my son is an Engineer now and another son is a Doctor. My first son, Babu got medical admission through merit, whereas my second son Shiva got less marks in his SSLC. Hence he got into a private college. Paying both their hotel fees, college fees, entertainment fees, project fees were as hard as breaking a stone with hammer. But my determination helped out in paying out those fees. I got debt from my relatives and from the owner whom I worked, with a hope that my sons would pay back when they earn. Now, both my son earns in lakhs, but said they are not responsible for the loans and debts I took. My elder son was even smarter and said, it was his hard work which made him to earn in lakhs and not my hard work or sacrifice or determination. It didn’t hurt me; since I had age and determination I thankfully worked after that to settle those debts. Yet, I loved every bit of it. . .

Before few years, my first son invited me to London to take care of his grandson. I roared in joy on hearing the news, but it broke when I overheard my son conversation with my daughter in law that maid and babysitter are costly in UK and I was appointed free of cost. I was content and did my maid duty flawlessly by cleaning the house, toilet and cooking and baby sitter duty by flooding my grandson with loads of love and affection. I was punished for showing too much of love on their son. As they felt, my love towards their son would cause a gap between them and developed an insecure feeling. I hid my love in front of them. When they reached a phase where they can handle further, I was sent out of the home. Later, I got a call from my second son and the story repeated. Yet, I loved every bit of it. . .

Previously when my son goes out on a business trip, I was invited to help them at house hold items. But now, my son feels I am an incumbrance. He feels that, I had become too weak and old and will not be able to do any work. I don’t want to burden my married son, so I came to this old-age home. It’s not painful. Its gives gratification to see both my sons busy in their life and I love every bit of it. .

My home age Chairman promised that there is an event planed tomorrow for World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) and the chief guest are the terrifying Dancer Allu Arjun's and magical Anushka Manchanda. Their dance and songs would makes us forgot our pain and I will love every bit of it…

You know, my grand son dance like Allu Arjun and my grand daughter sings like Anushka...
Yes, I miss my grandson...
Yes, I miss my granddaughter.. 
Yes,I miss my son..
Yes, I miss my daughter in law.. 
Yes, I want to see them....

Oh, seems like the event arrangements are going on.. I will also join to help them.. Yet, I will love every bit of it....

I am blogging for #MaxFreshMove activity at BlogAdda.com. Are you? 

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Love after Break-Up

I am blogging for #MaxFreshMove activity at BlogAdda.com. Are you? 

Love after Break-Up
“No, I am not coming”
“But…Why?” Ganesh asked with a confused tone.
“I have a client meeting on that day.” Ganesh got angry for my answer.
“Don’t lie Karthik. This get–together has planned before 3 years…”
“I know but…” I kept silent for a moment.
Listen, we took a vow during our college farewell that whatever situation we are in, however busy we are our entire batch mates would meet on this particular day at Goa.”
“Please Gokul.”
“Well, if you don’t make it to this gathering, you are going to insult and spoil every one’s mood” He snapped sharply.
“Nar…ma…dha…Narmadha, would come to this gathering…I don’t want to meet her again” I said gravely.
“Of course, she will... She is our batch mate as well...” He paused and continued, “Karthik, don’t confuse your personal issues with this one. We will be awaiting your arrival. Bye.”
He disconnected the call. Though my heart provoked to attend the gathering so as to meet Narmadha, my brain refrained from encouraging that idea. I don’t know whether Meeting Ex girl friend is a sin or blessing. But after that slight misunderstanding and big argument that happened on the last day of my college, neither she nor I tried to convince each other.

Gaps or conflicts are natural in relationships, but when those small gaps are not addressed it would lead to a bigger gap. Whether she is married or in relationship or in a recent break-up, I have no clue. But I realized that I made my mind to attend the get–together.

The day arrived and we all gathered in railway station to board our train to Goa. In just 3 years, people’s physical appearance and attitude has changed a lot. Few guys got bald; few guys developed tummy and fat, few conservative girls converted into ultra-modern one; all together everybody was with new updated versions. I was wondering how Narmadha would look at present.

Fat? with hairs short? Wearing huge glasses?
Even in my humorous meme, Narmadha looked cute as always. Everybody was busy engrossed with conversation, but I limited myself by “just a smile” as my eyes were scanning for my Narmadha.

The train whistled and slow paced. Narmadha was not in yet. My heart studded faster than the train engine. Ganesh must have captured my ginger eating monkey face. He approached and said, "Narmadha has some unavoidable emergency. Hence she will come directly to Goa by flight"

The train reached Goa and Narmadha had reached a head before us. Before I could start a conversation, all my friends started flooding her with welcome pleasantries. She was the same person as I met before 3 years. she gave a casual smile on looking at me. An emotionless smile. How could girls forget their love and act so casual?

We all went to the allocated room got ready for the party that was planned at night.

To our big amazement we saw Allu Arjun and Anushka Manchanda at the stage. One of my batch mate is a director now and his debut movie was with Allu Arjun and Anushka Manchanda.  He must have requested their presence.
"Mann Basiyo Sanwariyo" Anushka started singing the song from ABCD – Any Body Can Dance and Allu composed his sensational moves extemporaneously and the crowd mimicked his steps. Soon the vicinity turned into fun fusion. It took a moment for me to realize that I was holding Narmadha and she was twirling and tuning to the rhythm of sensuous music. We got lost in the bubble of harmony. The music and dance made us to forget our past. Allu Arjun's dance passion continued to roar high and Anusha passion kept lifting and re-energizing our body, mind and soul.
I never felt the need to communicate that I still love her, since my soul felt that our love was charged again with the energy of Allu Arjun's sensational moves & Anushka Manchanda's magical voice

I am blogging for #MaxFreshMove activity at BlogAdda.com. Are you? 

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

A Summer Vacation with hope

A Summer Vacation with hope

“The train arrives at 3.PM. Why you are so early?” the station master asked the old man.
"What I’m going to do sitting idle at my home” The old man was excited and desperate about meeting his grandchildren after five years. The villagers had only one train passing by and the people had to travel 15 KMS for the railway station.

The old man walked all along 15 KM and sat on the bench for so long. It was 1 P.M as he felt a pain of hunger and started feeling a little groggy. It was a small station, hence there were no shelter to hide nor food stalls to eat. He needs to walk 500 mts to find a small tea shop. He took out his jute bag and counted the money. He had six rupees, which is enough for a Tea. He walked to the nearest tea shop and ordered a tea for himself. The hot summer made him sweat a lot and since he was standing in the hot from morning, he felt head ache and dizzy. Suddenly a rose candy caught his eyes. He enquired the candy prize and walked back to the railway station cancelling his tea order. He felt happy for preserving the money for candy. The smile on the kids face, when he offer them those candy vanished his pain of hunger. The old man’s wife passed away 10 years before and he was living all alone from that time.

Five years before, his son visited his home with his grandchildren’s during summer holiday. The old man had an excellent time with the kids. He almost turned into a kid when he played Lattu, hide-n-seek, Kancha, Gutte, Gilli and many more game. He slept with his grandchildren in the courtyard under a sky full of stars, followed by narrating moral stories. The kids had a good time too. When the summer holidays got over, his grandchildren promised the old man that they would be visiting again in the next summer holidays. His son insisted in getting a land transferred to his name by saying some financial reasons. The old man whole heartily signed the form.

The train arrived and the old man rushed to check in inside all the compartments for his grandchildren and son. The train stops at the station only for 2 minutes, hence he checked in hurry burry. The train whizzed and snail paced.

The old man returned home with disappointment.

Next day, he woke up with cheer and headed towards the railway station with hope and came back in the evening with disappointment. This continued for entire April and may month.

One day he returned home with eyes full of tears. The summer vacations got over and the schools are reopening tomorrow. The old man wished for a A Never Ending Summer!

He entered his small hut, locked his door and searched for a letter that he received before few months. He opened the letter with trembling hands.

“Dad, did not get leave. Will visit home next summer.”

He took scissor and tore the statement, “Will visit home next summer” and pasted it in the wall. The wall had five similar cuttings with the same word.

He laid down on the bed, slept peacefully hoping to meet his grandchildren in the next summer. Had he opened the letter as soon as he received it, the old man would have been disappointed. Though his brain knew the truth, his heart hoped for his grandchildren visit. After-all, he is 70+ and now his brain and heart are inseparable like a new-born child.


World Elder Abuse Awareness Day | 15th June

As per a research study conducted by Helpage India, 50% of the elderly face exploitation in various forms. Verbal Abuse (41%), Disrespect (33%) and Neglect (29%) are ranked the most common types of offenses against them. The number of these cases are going up at an alarming rate.

Let's use the power of blogging to give a life of respect and love to the old, and voice our opinion against the sufferings of the elderly.

Let's take a pledge not to hurt elders... They are innocent children..


Friday, April 10, 2015

Zemblanity to Serendipity


When Dishikta entered the new phase of life with the hopes of realization of all her dreams of marital bliss one by one, fate caught her by surprise. The surprise, which was a disappointment initially, turned gruesome when she realized the man she married is not the man that he poses to be.

Deep down he is only an unsociable, ruthless, barbaric animal, practicing the exact opposite of the feminism he is preaching. Dishikta tolerated everything with hope but couldn't when her body too started to suffer. The numb mind, which was caught up with the everyday misery, couldn't take it anymore. Friends and relatives turned against her by cruel husband who tells imaginary stories. The guys loots all her money. Well, That’s no big deal. But he plunders all her confidence, innocence, happiness. He cleverly files a case against her to protect him form law. Husband bribes the lawyers with the money he looted from her and whitewashes all the truth again.

After a while Dishikta through hard work raises up, fights each accusation tooth and nail. Judge still delivers a partial justice, Dishikta smiles. Only she knows it was her exhaustion of tears and sadness that she is smiling.

She says, "but that’s alright. This is just a significant part of my life. I have experienced the unexpected and this doesn't surprise me anymore." She knows that she is only temporarily wounded. For she knows she will get up, collect herself, and continue the war- till the war or her life- whichever is weak will give up first.

MORAL OF THE STORY:
Sometimes, Life does not seem to work out as expected. "A break-up, financial loss, major accident, broken marriage or a wrong relationship, letdown in professional life” - it could be anything that has a negative impact in our life. One question that would definitely pop up in our mind would be "why me,?"
Well, it’s not only with US. It’s with everyone. Remember you are not alone. Look around the people, they have hundreds of reasons to worry about, still they live their life cheerfully. We can’t avoid those incidents, but we can prepare our self to adapt to those circumstances with an optimistic energy.  Learn from those mistakes and incidents. Let’s convert all our struggles, pains and experience into something positive that would help us in long run.
Come on, You are a cherubic!!!. You have lot of worthy things to explore in life.

Wake up! Rise!!
Make your life more interesting and cheerful with positive things. !!
Let Devil and Negativity envy you!!!


Tuesday, April 7, 2015

A complexity called love...

Wedding

I intentionally wore a black anarkali, since black is considered inauspicious for (in)auspicious occasions like fixing of marriage so that the groom's family would not take the wedding any further. But then we all face the mom's sentimental talks and compulsions, so I changed to a white anarkali. Well, if she has requested me to wear Pattu Saree, I might have kicked her out. Perhaps she knew that and kept quiet after I changed to the whites. I don't call this as a "bride-seeing-ceremony" because its more like a friendly meet and more over my only motive was to reject this proposal. Reason being “Bala- The love of my life.”

The groom father is my father’s best buddy and when the groom's dad discussed about their proposal with my parents, they couldn't find a reason to reject the proposal. In fact they were all grinning from ear to ear.  We were invited for an informal dinner at Aadhithiya' s house. Oh yes, the prince charming is named Aadhitya. Brides going to grooms house just to eat Bajji, sweets and reject the groom: sounds like the best plan for a dismal evening.

"Aadhithiya" his dad called him and he came out from his room folding his sleeve. Heck he was wearing a white shirt! Uffff!!! God!!! Why? Why do you play this coincidence games with me? Dark, short, fat, Chinese eyes, I was looking for a reason to reject the groom. But then life is a package of surprises. Its known to offer, what you don’t actually wish for. He is a tall, fair and got a perfect slim body. A guy any girl wouldn't refuse. He greeted my parents and turned towards me to greet. Indeed, his smile adds charms to his face and he gets a slight dimple too!

After all the formalities, Aadhithiya's dad said, "It’s a second life for both of you. Discuss everything, your expectations, and your misery and then you guys can decide about this marriage. You both went through disappointments and so you both know better than anyone of us here. Our wish is secondary and we will not force you any of the decisions. All we wanted is your happiness"

Aadhithiya and I moved to his room, wait no imagination please! That was just for the sake of understanding each other! I went in first, he locked the door behind him. OMG, is he going to pounce on me or what? 'Run babe, run out before any such thing happens'. But I did not run. Or even move from where I stood.

This is no sound-proof room. Our parents could listen to every word we could speak. Hence, our conversation was so formal like, "Which college did you study'?, 'Which field of work' and so on.
Then it so happened that elders aka eavesdropping parents of us, turned so even more formal that they left the place informing they need to catch some air on the nearby park. And then we spoke everything under the universe, the past life, future expectations, the insult, the hurt, the prevailing depression, the soul-mate, love, marriage and It was almost late dinner time when we bid goodbye to each other and got into the car.

As soon as he shut his door and the car soundproofed, my dad asked, "Can we proceed with the marriage?"
"Dad..."
Before I could complete, he said, "Give me one reason to reject Aadhithiya. And please don’t say Bala. I heard it numerous times" 
His voice came out with a judicious mix of anger and concern. My silence must have pacified him. He continued "Well, then I will get his mobile number from his dad. You both can talk to each other further" His voice indicating a satisfaction and even a smack of happiness.
"We exchanged our number already." I replied him. On hearing this, I could sense an excitement in his complete self. I leaned back on the car seat and reminisced.

It has been 5 years now. Still, I could not forget Bala. He was the guy who taught me what life is. I had a problem of complacency at my childhood due to which I always faced an inferiority complex. I was an average student. I don’t know how to dress up for an occasion, or even to take care of myself. It was during my higher education he came into my life. He was my maths teacher, freshly joined after his post graduation. Life, for me, had a drastic change after that.

He taught me feel my self-respect, he inspired in me confidence. In a summary, I rediscovered myself again and grew to love myself more, when I was with him. He taught me everything which any of my parentage or academics couldn't. 2 years just passed by like 2 weeks. I stepped into college where as he moved to London to pursue his PHD. I realized that he purposefully avoided me. He had a genuine love for me but I think he must have felt that I was too young and my love is the common for my age which would fade away with him distancing himself from me. I waited for my graduation and then started to seriously hunt about his whereabouts. He might have been so clever; he was not in orkut, facebook and none of our common friends could trace his identity too. But I was confident about his love and hence I believed that he must have left a tiny clue somewhere to find him. If my love was true for him, I would find it. I did not get stressed out for 4 years for waiting and the following 2 years of hunting his where about. Love tastes better, when you wait for your soul and I treasured every bit of it.

His aspiration was to become an author. Hence, I scrutinized and registered all the social networking sites of writers, attended all writer’s and blog meet in a hope to get him back. These days, all books mention author's email id in the "about author" section. Hence, I followed all publishing house new releases so as to find his book (If in case, he publish a book) .

One fine day, I opened my browser to launch WriteUpCafe.com (A social network of readers, writers and bloggers from around the world). and saw winners list of a recent contest was announced and Bala’s name was there. I know its Bala. My Bala. Because though his initial was N, he gave his name as Bala S, S being Shalini.  My name. Tears welled up my eyes. I posted a comment “Congrats on wining,. Hoping to win you soon– Shalini“ and dropped my email id there. Next day, I got an email from him.

I recovered my senses as my dad stopped the car in front of my home. Next day morning, as I was getting ready for the flight I heard the door bell. It was Aadhithiya, and before I could embarrass him with questions my dad interfered and said, “Since you would be travelling to Boston for 3 months, I thought you guys could catch up before.” 

My parents altogether treated him with that “son-in-law” status which for sure must have embarrassed Aadhithiya. But then either of us had a valid reason to stop this upcoming marriage. For him a broken marriage, where the girl eloped with her boyfriend after one month of their marriage and for me Bala. Circumstance should never develop a hatred feeling towards something. I could understand from our conversation that Aadhithiya was in deep love with that girl after their engagement. He still respects her and her decision but wished she could have done that before his marriage.  We both had a fear whether we could love someone else again.  Could love happen again?

“Why don’t you drop her at airport? You guys will get some quality time to be together during the drive” my dad placed his next question and a suggestion and I was shaken back to the reality.
During our journey Aadhithiya said, “Our family members are accepting our silence as yes for our marriage. What are your thoughts about our life? Are you prepared for another new life?"
I replied, “Don’t know. But the current stagnation is suffocating. Wish I could move on soon. I will give a thought about it during my journey of 22 hours. Is that fine?

Aadhithiya gave me a drop in the Airport and I boarded British Airways and the flight took off to London. Once, I reach London, I need to catch another flight to Boston.

                    Chennai  - > London(Heathrow Airport)  ->Boston 

My thoughts kept pondering over Aadhithiya during my flight journey. People do say, caring, trust, understanding, compromise are must for making a marriage work and I am sure, Aadhithiya would score a centum in above all and I can reciprocate the same as well. I am confident that I can be a perfect wife to him. But what about so-called-factor-called love.? Love cannot happen twice and I cant love anyone again in my life.

The British Airways landed at London and when it landed, it was delayed by some hours and I missed my connecting flight to Boston.  I was offered on arrival visa to UK and was arranged for another flight to Boston the next day.While I was checking into an hotel at London, I happened to see Bala.

God, why this should happen to me again. I was preparing myself to move on in my life, but I happened to meet Bala because of a missed flight. My thoughts roll back to 7 years.

7 Years before...

The happiness of meeting someone you know after years gives you lot of happiness. Imagine the happiness I got on receiving an email from Bala.

Bala and I roared out in joy.  Bala was doing research in London and our days and nights usually filled with skype and gtalk. I could do anything for him. If he says jump from third floor, I would do and then call him and ask, “I jumped and broke my leg Bala. What should I do next?” I am damn crazy for him and he was equally competitive in that.

But God had different plans for us. Bala planned to visit India for a month and the excitement of meeting him after decades made me restless. 30 days went like a fraction of second. I promised him that I will give come to send-off. While I was getting ready to leave for the airport, I got a call from my cousin brother saying that he cut his wrist in an attempt to commit suicide for a recent breakup.

I rushed to his house to rescue him and admit him in the hospital. In all that commotion, I forgot my promise to Bala. I was already late by 4 hours. Bala must have boarded the flight. I took the mobile to check, there were 89 missed calls and one message. “Someone seems to be MORE important to you. Take care” I know it was out of his anger and possessiveness or frustration or anger not from heart. But that one hour of anger changed both our fate. I waited for 10 hours for him to land him at London. All my calls went unanswered after that.

When I was talking with my cousin brother on the phone, Bala had to wait in his call. His mother brought a topic of Bala’s marriage while he was leaving India and in anger that his call was not answered for hours he replied “your wish.” This was icing on the cake for his mother who was eagerly waiting for our break-up so as to get a bride from her caste. Bala’s engagement was over without even Bala’s appearance. Everything happened in 2 days. Though Bala put forward the idea of stopping the marriage after his engagement, keeping a girl’s life and her consequence of stopping an engagement made me say no. After that, I disappeared from his life.

The receptionist called out my name loudly and I recovered my sense. 

Somewhere deep in my heart, I wished Bala' might have stopped that marriage and he might be waiting for me. But, it shattered into pieces, when a small kid ran towards him calling “Daddy”. Bala and I stood speechless. After minutes of silence, he pointed out a lady at the far and said, “She is my wife” 

On hearing those words, I felt like killing myself. Though my brains asked me to leave from the place at that instant, my heart wanted to stay. Could not control my heart and ended up asking, “How is marriage life”. 
Bala replied, “My wife loves me a lot and I like her too. Blessed with a female kid and life is cool” Not sure, whether he said it so as to make me to get married. But it did pain and I took a step to leave from the place. Bala replied, “Shalini, One minute. I do like her. But I don’t love her. Because I love another lady and you know who that is. Yeah, I am a perfect husband to her. But not a perfect soul-mate. Because.....” His words died in his throat. The pain on knowing that he still loves me hurted me to the core. We wish our soul mate to have a good peaceful life, but knowing that they moved on also hurts and knowing that still they think of you hurts too. Either way, a broken relationship hurts like hell. Next day, I boarded my flight to Boston.

After 10 hours I landed at Boston, collected my luggage and switched on my mobile. Received a what’s app text from Aadhithiya.

"Hey Shalini, Have you reached Boston safely. Well, I gave a thought about our life and marriage.. and to be frank, I like you. I can assure that I can be a perfect husband. But I am afraid that, I may not be your better half or soul-mate. Not with anyone too.. If you are okay with that, let’s talk to our parents for the marriage and fix a date."

My eyes clouded with tears, I couldn't get words, so just replied to him with a smiling smiley :) . And that would have conveyed him more than words could have.


This post is part of the contest Spin your Story on WriteUpCafe.com

Friday, April 3, 2015

That Special Day

That Special day

I was running on the treadmill when I heard a loud crash of the window shattering. It was the second time this is happening within a month - the cricket ball broke the balcony window into hundreds of pieces. It must be the 'cricket playing brats' out there. This time, I am not going to spare those idiots. I got down from the tread mill and went to the cricket ground with my tracksuit.

"Your nuisance to others is getting intolerable of late. I am going to complain to the colony secretary." I screeched.

Who asked you to construct a house opposite to a cricket ground?,” a guy in that group murmured. I couldn't identify who.

"Was this an Airport or Army training center to make sure no houses are constructed around its yard? Just a cricket ground!."  My anger crossed all limits and I stressed more on “cricket ground" as an attempt to belittle it.

“If your dad built the window with low cost glass it would crash even for a mild breeze. Go, ask your dad to build glass windows with strong Saint-Gobain glass” another guy besmirched with a smirk. I attempted to erupt again, but i was interrupted.

"Hey guys, Please. . .The mistake is on our side" The hero of the match  my life came forward and continued, "Sorry Deepika, I hit the ball. It was my mistake. Will pay the damage cost."

I didn't expect this, at least at this situation, so I was dumb-struck . How could I reply further? He was the guy I am admiring from the past 5 years. He is more than a crush for me now! . To hide any sign of expressing anything in front of him,  I just returned the ball with a formal warning and turned back.

I could hear the guys as I was making a move. "Adi, why did you lie to her that you hit the ball?" Someone was asking him.

“It was for a purpose. Since, I said I hit the ball; she didn't make an issue of it. If I had told the truth, she must have complained to secretary, and we would be in trouble, boys.”

Adithya house was next to my house on the left and he was not entirely unaware about the crush i had for him. But until now, it is only at a reciprocation of formalities with exchange of smiles and hi-byes. Nothing more than that. I think he wanted me to proceed further, but I wanted him. A narrow bridge between the hearts, but nevertheless, a blocking bridge.

The next day, I was on the way to office. I observed Adithya's friends boisterously jumping out of our neighbor's wall with hiss and hustle. The house owner's family settled in abroad and it remained unoccupied since 3 years without being rented out. The front yard of house was unkempt with full of  thorny bushes and shrubs. People started throwing wastes inside the compound and in the yesterday's torrential rain, water has formed a sizeable pool.

“What are these guys doing there inside the unoccupied house? These incorrigible brats must have hit the ball inside the compound” my prejudiced brain made a guess.

“It is a Black snake! I am sure" shouted one.

“It must be the King cobra,” other guy refuted him.

“No da, its Anaconda” other guy thundered.

“It must be no less than 40 feet long”

“Looks like It can swallow even a human” another brilliant boy yelled.

"Guys. It’s a just a normal rat snake” another guy in their group tried to stop their wild interpretations.

Gosh. I wondered at their imagination on seeing a normal non-venomous snake. And then suddenly,  I felt some pleasantly shocking electric effect through every vein of mine and yes, (you guessed it right.) My eyes caught Adithya hopping out of the compound.

I could sense the fear in Adithya eyes, but on spotting me he said, "I could easily catch and kill it with my hand. But, I care for annnnnmimals. . .. .“ He must have heard some dry leaves slithering beneath his feet and without losing any moment he took a run. I didn't hear anything about the snake after that.

Evening I was returning back from office.While crossing that unoccupied house, I heard a long, high-pitched whining; I peeped inside the unoccupied house gate and observed a puppy got struck somewhere in all the messy vegetation of the front yard. The puppy must be 5 day old!  It must have entered the compound through a small gap in the gate. It got it's limbs entangled in the roots under the water and if left unattended,  it may not last a day because of starving. Who knows, if more water accumulates, it may even... oh God. My heart wanted to save that puppy. But there were mosquitos, flies and insects flitting around that stagnant water. The years of accumulated vegetable wastes caused an intolerable stench and was giving me a vomiting sensation even if I inch close to the gate. Only in the morning the boys spotted a snake in that. One boy even said it is an anaconda!

Follow your heart
Whom Should I Listen !? Rational Brain or to the wisdom of my heart.
scratches around my body....
On remembering all these, I stepped back from trying to help that puppy. But my heart was not willing to leave that puppy to it's dreadful fate. Following your heart may be good for theory and in writing a post, but in reality!? The tired puppy is now giving up and it's neck got immersed into water further. I realized that I don’t have time to listen to my brain or even call out my friend. The compound wall was tall hence I need some support to jump into the front yard of the house. I rushed home, threw my bag somewhere, dragged a chair with me and using it, I hopped into the house. I had to cross at least a 100 meters of harmful bushes to reach for the puppy. The thorns were hurting and i could sense some mild bleeding somewhere too. Unmindful of the same, I stepped into the pud, while all the mosquitos started to buzz around me.  I reached for the puppy and I lifted it and started running back to the compound.

That Small puppy :) 
Sheesh. Never imagined I would be such a dumb-ass. The wall was out of my reach from the inside; I never gave a thought about getting back when climbing in. I left my mobile at my home, and hence could not call my parents even. Since the wall was tall, I could not see any people walking on the road. My parents will be back at home around 8 pm and it will be too long a wait in this dreaded place till that. The innumerable insects screeching and the mosquitos buzzing made me nervous and I started to sweat. As if my life is dependent on it, I cried out for help. But I think none could hear my voice. Tears rolled down my cheek. In all this tense moment, the puppy suddenly licked my hands. Glad that I could smile! There was a sense of contentedness in saving a life.

"Give" I heard someone shout with impatience, in my direction. Wait, I know that voice! It was him, Adhithya!

I got relaxed on seeing Adithya and offered my hand.

"Give the puppy first" he said and safely placed the puppy on road and offered his hand. He almost lifted me to the other side.

He was giving lecture for my blunder, but altogether I was enjoying the chemical reactions happening inside forgetting the physical damages that happened on the outside. The touch of his hands is adding frenzy to the chemistry.

“Go and apply medicine for the scratches.” He blurted again, which made me recollect my senses. 

I went home and the puppy started to follow me. Since it was looking dirty, I washed it while I cleaned myself. I took a hot shower and later when preparing tea for myself, I offered milk to that puppy. That’s it, from then on, it got attached to me. I had a nice time pass playing with that.

Cute Puppy
My Puppy 
Around 8 PM, My parents returned from work and scolded me for bring a puppy out of nowhere. I was ordered to leave that puppy somewhere far away from home. I took my scooty to drop the puppy, while thinking where to leave it.

Next day morning,

The puppy was sleeping in front of my house gate. This time, I don't have the heart to part with the puppy again. I decided to adopt it, whatever may come. My parents gave up convincing me and they finally agreed.

The puppy is now 6 months old and is my best buddy. He accompanies me always. Every day morning, he licks my face to wake me up. I grew to like this.

Cute Puppy
My Puppy Now 6 Months old :) 

My Best Buddy..

About Adithya?,

It has been six months now, and every morning he starts the conversation with, "How is your hand now? And what did the puppy do today!?" and our conversation never ends :P

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Sound of Love

Sound of Love

This post has won the BlueStone #SoundOfLove contest.

I took a deep relaxing breath, after putting my sign in the candidate’s Signature field of the Medical application form. But my heart skipped a beat when my dad requested hostel application form and filled it. My house is just a 10 minute drive from the college, then why he insist to put me in college hostel?  With thoughts in my mind, I signed the form and submitted.
While driving back to home my dad said, “For quite some years, things are not working in between me and your mom. We decided to go on our ways finally.”
I could not believe what my dad said. So as soon as I reached home, I rushed to check with my mom. I could see my mom’s sarees packed in a suitcase. She said, “Your education was important to us and we felt our decision of separation would disturb your education. That’s why, we decided to separate once you complete your Schooling. I got my job transferred to Bangalore and you dad will still continue to work in Apollo Hospital, Chennai”
Tears rolled down to my cheek. I am the only daughter and hence could not discuss this issues with my siblings too. Every first Sunday, my dad would visit my hostel and my mom on second Sunday.
5 years passed. 
Final day of my college...
My parents came to take me to their home, but mom expected me to leave my dad and come with her and dad wanted the same. They started having arguments and finally without even knowing what’s running on my mind, they decided to share me(!?). First 15 days I would be staying in my mother’s house and next 15 days in my father house.
Months passed. 
One day, while I was driving my 2-wheeler a black car lost its control and rammed my Scooty. When I opened my eyes, I found my mom and dad standing together. I realized that I was in ICU for almost 2 days in unconscious state. I was advised by the doctors to stay in the hospital for another 15 days. My parents started having conversation about my health and medicines. But nothing more than that. They stayed together in the hospital. I also understood that those 2 days, when I was unconscious, they both were emotionally supportive to each other. The final day came. It was time for me to get discharged.
My dad helped in placing the luggage in my mom’s car and voluntarily replied, “Nothing can replace mothers love and you are the best in taking care of my…my daughter. So take her, to your home.” He said and headed towards his Elantra without waiting for my mother’s reply.
My mother shouted at him, “What? What you said? Your daughter.. Huh!? How could you say that? Wasn’t she our daughter?”
My dad did not turn back. He opened the car door and was about to get in. My mom rushed towards him, stopped and pleaded, “Tell the truth. Didn't you miss me for these 5 years? These 15 days, I felt your intense love for me. Didn't you feel my love? Didn’t you observe my pain of missing you? Didn't my heart beats tell you, how much I need you?." She knelt and started crying.
“Go and check your car dashboard” He replied firmly.
My mom rushed to her car, to check the surprise lying in the dashboard. There was a beautiful rose and a greeting card. “I can’t live without you anymore. I need you. Can we start a new life again!?”


The Greeting Card
My mom covered her face with the greeting card and began to cry. They looked at each other and exchanged a small hug.
“Mom, proposing with a Rose and a greeting card? A very outdated style of proposing ma. At-least for this reason, you should reject his proposal.” I teased them.
"How could you tease my hubby?" She hit me on my head with love, forgetting the injury on my head. Dad took me in his arms from wheelchair and carried to the car. When he slipped his leg, my mom said, "Careful sweet heart, we just got her back."
Their eyes met and it exchanged lot of emotions.

“I am participating in the #SoundOfLove activity atBlogAdda in association with Bluestone”.