Beyond the Grave....

My Love from the grey;
beyond the grave;
long and far away;
I don't know what I miss;
but something's amiss;

The darker than dark among the Shadows;
Lurking among my half imaginations;
amusing hallucinations;
scarily reassuring;
spreading warmth from the cold corner;

My Love from the grey;
beyond the grave;
long and far away;
I don't know what I miss;
but something's amiss;

Watching over me;
The God over my lonely soul;
being my unseen company;
unaware in bliss;
ending my loneliness;

My Love from the grey;
beyond the grave;
long and far away;
I don't know what I miss;
but something's amiss;

Blood curdling screams;
the unwanted scenes;
silent killing of dreams;
worldly possessions, obsessions;
anchoring me to life;

My Love from the grey;
beyond the grave;
long and far away;
I don't know what I miss;
but something's amiss;

The allure to reach out;
the blur beyond the grey;
the creak covered in creeps;
the mist surrounding, making the grim scene;
blocking my reach;

My Love from the grey;
beyond the grave;
long and far away;
I don't know what I miss;
but something's amiss;

My Love from the grey;
beyond the grave;
long and far away;
someday;
I will live out my stay and........meet you beyond the grave...

Just wind; river and moon!

In a small town;

in the country side;

after dark;

after sleep has taken its toll;

In the silence of the night;

by the dark window;

sits a young widow;

with a twinkle in her eye;

calling out to the stars;

with her soothing smile;

looking up to the sky;

as her hair;

take to the air;

a serene beauty;

she does not object;

she does not

run a finger through them;

she closes her eyes;

lets the gentle wind;

feels the breeze;

livening up her smile.

I seat in shadow;

of a tree;

bewitched;

fixed in my gaze;

she served me all morning;

and never did I

see the person;

behind those rough hands;

rough by her karma;

the mundane house work;

fourteen hours behind curtains;

the unbreakable prison;

the invisible chains;

the prison of clothes;

the chains of traditions;

slave by day;

night is hers;

freedom she seeks;

freedom to feel;

just nature;

no lust;

no love;

just wind, river and moon!

that’s all;

what made her smile;

her smile!

Dancing in moon light;

singing all alone

to herself;

till the crack of dawn;

she smiled away;

and then

the prison;

the chains;

recaptured her;

resting her spirit;

she went on working;

working all the day;

serving;

not uttering a word;

that sweet voice;

was lost by day;

I

nor the hero;

neither the villain;

but a mere spectator;

each night;

each day;

and the days to come

and nights to come……..

Just wind; river and moon!

The End!

Is it end of the world?

or is it,

Just me?

That song,

the song,

that made our hearts cry,

with joy,

is being played again

There is no feeling

this time.

Was it you?

The first time,

and I joined in?

Or is it?

Just me?

This time

playing in the rain,

this time

crest fallen in the downpour

I cant hear a thing

other than

the song

what is he saying?

A gun in hand,

its pointed

at me.

Why?

Numbness.

Its not a dream,

It can’t be shaken away

He is smiling

unlike you

yours was

the one to die for

Why am I not with you?

When was last time?

I saw your face?

not this morning

not yesterday

at dinner

I was with you

but not with you

its been a long time

I have been running

running a race

is it time?

Time to lose?

Have I lost you?

have lost the time

I should have been with you

Where am I?

Is this our bed?

No, this seems harder,

rougher,

on the edge

of something

something grey

and

dry brown!

I am moving,

rolling over,

Is he kicking me?

Yes,

He is,

That grass

looks greener

on other side

other side of street

We picnicked once there

It was so much fun

It is,

When did it all start?

When did it all went wrong?

When did I make a false move?

I had not planned to be here

We had not dreamed this

Is it the end

Can’t I go back

He is pointing the gun

again

at me,

my eye

Fire!

Aaaaaaahhhhh

Here you are,

besides me,

I am all wet,

Was it?

Just a dream?

Then,

Why is there a bullet in my hand?

Perceptitude!

Raj was getting bored, rather was missing his girl friend, still in stage when he would miss her all the time, when she was not there. It was still early in love.

Out of nothing else could be done unless he hears her sweet voice, he calls her.

Triiiiiinnnnngggg Triiiiinnnnnnnggggg…….

She did not pick the 1st call up and Raj was just able to sit in his bed and hear all the 13 rings ring in vain.

Raj: “Why is she not picking up the damn phone?”

With greater resolve to get through this time, he calls her up again.

Triiiiiinnnnngggg Triiiiinnnnnnnggggg…….

Again 12 rings go by, and as the time nears for the 13th and the last ring, a drop of sweat dribbles down Raj’s forehead, he contemplates on giving up, and then with new found determination from depths of his love, for her, he wills the phone to be picked up.

And……..she picks up the phone, and …….keeps the receiver down on the side.

Raj is devastated.

Raj: “Helloo! Hellow!!!”

No answer.

Raj: “Helloo!!!”

Click…….phone goes to engage tone.

Raj: “She, my beloved Ritu; does not want to speak with me any more, she does not want to be with me any more, she is breaking up! She is dumping me! Why! Why does this happens only with me? Only me!”

No, she is not that kind of girl, Ritu is not like Ritika, she is not the kind of girl who would leave me. Is she? One more time….I will try calling her 1 more time.

Engage tone.

Raj is devastated, storms out of the room and as is not able to think clearly, as always turns to his best friend to drown out all sorrow. He makes it for the strongest beer available near his place. And sooner than ever he is down for the count, his senses have gone.

Raj: “What am I supposed to do! My life is over, I can not live without her! It’s all Rahul’s fault, he offered her chocolate, din’t he! So she has fallen for him! I should have beaten him up, before, but its not that late now! Rahul get ready, I am coming.”

Stumbles out of his seat, and somehow reaches the society where Rahul stays.

Raj: Shouts at top of his voice “Rahul! You f**king d**k! Come out, I am going to hit you!”

Rahul the hot headed macho man comes out and one punch does it, Raj is cold out for hours, transported back to his room by his friends, who are quite puzzled by his behaviour.

After about 3 or 4 hours, in middle of night, Raj wakes up with a head ache, partly due to hang over and partly due to punch to head. And as he tries to make sense of it all, some part of the night comes back to him.

Raj: “Why am I alive? I should be dead! I can not live without Ritu and neither can I fight for her! I should be dead! It is time to end this misery!”

Raj stands in his gallery, looking over the night lights of his city, and remembers one of his Sir’s words

“Life can look ironically beautiful when you are at the end of it.”

And decides to make one last call, call to his Sir.

Triiiiiinnnnnngggggg……

In middle of night, rather approaching dawn, phone is picked up in 1st ring.

Sir: “Is this the time to call! Are you in right sense of your mind? By the way, who are you?”

Raj: “I am Raj, Sir. And I am committing suicide.”

Sir: “Why?” So he is really not in right sense of his mind.

Raj: “Ritu has dumped me, she is not picking up my calls, I can’t live without her.”

Sir: “Hmmm….. I Will try and talk to her, put your suicide on hold till I call you back. Is it ok?”

Raj: Like a person who has given up hope. “Ok.”

Sir thinks for a minute and calls up Raj’s friend, and directs him to check on Raj, and do anything that is possible to get him to safety.

Next call to Ritu…

Trrriiinnnggggg…….

The call is picked up even before the 1st ring has completed 1/4th of its normal duration.

Ritu: “Hi Raj, My parents are here could not talk to you in evening, cant meet you tomorrow, please bear with me.”

Sir: “Ritu; I am not Raj, but that fool is going to commit suicide right now, thinking you have dumped him. Please call him.”

Ritu: “Sir; Sorry Sir!”

Sir: “Will you be able to call him?”

Ritu: “I am not sure!”

Sir: “Ok.”

1st thing Ritu does is calls Raj up, and tells him….

Ritu: “I am not dumping you, I love you, my parents are here, talk to Sir.”

Then sir’s call comes in.

Sir: “Raj; did you get Ritu’s call?”

Raj: “Yes, sir! Sorry Sir!”

Sir: “Did you understand what happened?”

Raj: “No Sir, but Ritu loves me!”

Sir: So fool stopped listening after the love part! Sigh! “Ok! That is good, but listen carefully now, are you there?”

Raj: “Yes Sir!”

Sir: “Ritu’s parents are here, they are staying with her, so no call’s or meeting her till few days. Ok? Did you understand?”

Raj: “Yes Sir!”

Sir: “What did I say?”

Raj: “No calling Ritu, no meeting her, till her parents go.”

Sir: Phew! “Ok! Now give phone to Rahul.”

Raj gives phone to Rahul.

Rahul: “Yes Sir?”

Sir: “Stay with the fool, in-case he tries anything foolish, like climbing her compound gate.”

Rahul: “Yes Sir.”

Raj is finally asleep, with an unproductive day added to his long list of unproductive days.

Moral: Do not assume situation you are in, based on your past experience alone.

An inkling!

It started as an inkling

not even a feeling

caught me in the moment

I lost control

I lost my heart

or

was it meant to be

or

just a flitting

flutter off beat

It started as an inkling

not really a feeling

at the corner of my eye

hesitation

for a feeble second

I couldn’t say bye

It started as an inkling

certainly

not a feeling

it grew

had to turn back

retrace my steps

to you

couldn't ignore

not then

itched in memory

it started as an inkling

grew into a feeling

step by step

moment by moment

weakness of heart

or

strength of string

between rings

a lot like love

nothing more than friends

she said

and never said no

a kiss

that sealed

was not a deal

was not a flitting moment

was not a light need

no desperation

it started as an inkling

grew into a feeling

infatuation

attraction

want

&

then

need

it started as an inkling

grew into a feeling

love finally

but

just not another love story

The Concussion.

It was still raining outside, he had lost considerable amount of time already. He remembered the days when he considered rainy days as happy days, god showering his love over earth, not any more, not today, it was like what most poets thought, "Sky is Crying with him." Siting there, alone he looked up to the desk, and memory of his own office desk flashed through his mind, it is similar, mine is cleaner but lot bigger. He so much wished this day had not started at all, and wanted to be in his office in Air-Conditioned bliss, which he would have dreaded any other day.

A file reached the desk, Sanjeev looked up from his sitting position, Inspector gave him a glance. It must be his file, thought Sanjeev. And a sharp pain went up his spine through his head, why! What had happened? Thinking was not what he should be doing now. Another image: His wife, so beautiful, no she is not his wife, not yet, and yes they are getting engaged, getting married, his promise to be with her, always. Not today, he should have been with her now, can not remember why but he should have been with her.

Inspector flips the first page of Sanjeev's file. Yes! She was pregnant, with their first child, there was another  child. A van? What trick is my head playing with me? Why am I not in office? Was I on a trip? What's going on?

He asked it loud: "What is going on?" A momentary pause with deadening silence & "Where am I?"

Inspector finally broke the silence

Inspector: "You don't know what's going on!" Getting angry, and as he holds Sanjeev by his shirt, realizes that Sanjeev is drenched in his own blood, and not the rain. 

Sanjeev: "Blood? Why am I bleeding?" And he faints.

Inspector can't believe his eyes, calls for an Ambulance.

Opens eyes, he is in Ambulance, no I was following one, or was he, it looks as if I am in Ambulance, 

Sanjeev: "Why? How come?"

Nurse: "You had an accident, we are taking you to Hospital. Stay still, you need to relax."

Yes! He was driving fast, behind an Ambulance, but why? 

Nurse pierced Sanjeev's hand. Sanjeev sees blood running into his arm, yes he was bleeding before. No Neera was. She was in hospital, she gave birth to a beautiful daughter, yes his daughter, their daughter. He was so happy! 

Sanjeev: "Where is my daughter?"

Nurse has no answer, so she makes him sleep again.

Neera was going to be fine, she was supposed to come out any moment, his beautiful wife Neera, and something went wrong, Doctor was frantic, moving in and out of the operating room. Something had gone wrong, it had started to rain outside. it is still raining outside, he can see out of the window, he is in Hospital bed now, but he does not recognize the skyline. Where is he? 

Sanjeev: "Where am I? Which part of City?" He see's a nurse, vaguely remembers her giving him an injection, half expects her to do the same. Flinches!

Nurse: "You are in Mumbai!"

Mumbai, city of dreams, yes! I was following an Ambulance, Neera's Ambulance, there were complications, a normal delivery and then something about 'vein got cut' and it was being difficult for the Doctor to stop the bleeding. Neera's life was in danger, he had talked with her parents, just few minutes back about both being well, baby and Neera and now he was calling again! Telling them frantically to start for Mumbai instead, she was critical, but why? What had changed?

Sanjeev: "Where is my wife? Is she here?"

Nurse: "Relax! Sleep!" As she changed the bottles for blood drip, flowing into his hand. 

Blood, lots of blood on the floor in operating room, Neera was bleeding, he had fainted, outside Doctor had said: "We need to take her to Mumbai!" And he had agreed, and he had followed the Ambulance at high speed, never letting it out of site, in rain, downpour that it was. He did not drive fast, but that day he did not check his speed, he followed Ambulance at whatever speed it was going at. Until!

Where had he woken up? He remembered a uniform, an Inspector, where had Ambulance gone? Inspector? Or was it Nurse, who spoke something about accident. Inspector, he seems to be here! Is he?

Inspector: "How are you feeling now?"

Sanjeev: "What has happened? Why am I here? Where is my daughter? Where is my wife?"

Inspector: "You had an accident! Your bike skid!"

Yes! They had reached Mumbai, and he was following the ambulance, when at a signal, after ambulance had passed a kid had run in, he had seen the kid, and braked, braked hard and skid. then he went blank. Kid was hurt, he saw the bike skid towards the kid, he had fallen off, what happened next? He had woken up in front of Inspector, he did not feel like he was hurt, he did not seemed to be hurt at all. But now he was in Hospital and his head hurt, hurt like hell!

Sanjeev: Holding his head. "How is the kid, is he okay?"

Inspector: "He is out of danger now, but bike had knocked him cold then. We rushed him first and then you to hospital. But we should have rushed you first."

Sanjeev: "That's good! Can you please tell me where my wife is, I was following Ambulance, she needs me, we are from Pune, hope nothing happened to kid at all, and my daughter, she gave birth to her yesterday, she was critical." And he slipped into sleep, due to exhaustion.

Inspector took in all the information, to process it, Sanjeev was not what can be termed conscious, but it was a start. Sanjeev's wallet was missing, but he had found an i-d, but no one was picking up phone at his house, and now he knew why, and company was closed for the weekend, but tomorrow he will be able to make contact, or today if he gets more information about that Ambulance, but something else had to be searched too.

Sanjeev's memory had returned completely, except he still did not remember where his daughter was, now he was not dazed, but he still did not have an answer for where his wife was? How was she?

Inspector walked in, and a calm smile on his face gave Sanjeev some solace. 

Inspector: "Your wife is here, in this very hospital, and doing fine, the blood you received was in fact given by your mother in-law." Who just walked in behind the Inspector. "And more good news for you, the kid is absolutely fine, and actually you did not cause the accident, you were pushed from behind by a Van, and we have caught the real culprit."

Sanjeev: "Really! How did you come to know?"

Inspector: "A witness came in yesterday and explained it all, he had taken down the number and gave it to us. He was on his way to give interview in your company, so he delayed the reporting. He also explained how you were the hero who tried to stop bike from going on to hit the boy, but failed in vain."

Sanjeev: The last question. "Where is my daughter?"

Sanjeev was able to walk and so he went to see his wife and there besides his wife slept their daughter. He felt like getting back everything from the brink of having lost everything.

A good deed, even an effort to do good, never goes unpaid for, the witness though did not get job in Sanjeev's company, he did get a strong recommendation in his next interview and made it.

And all lived happily ever after.

Strange Encounter!

Morning was not such a welcome time of the day for him, still he was quite early riser for a person who never worked days and never would have. And had one interesting habit, every morning he would search for the nearest wall, where ever he had fallen asleep last night, to release the pressure and read what was written on the wall. And those words some how made some sense to him, in a twisted way.

Today it was: "Yahan thukna mana hai!" (Do not spit.) he read it out loud.

A voice from behind: "Oye! Yeh kya kar raha hai! Yahan ye sabh mana hai!" (What are you doing, this is not allowed here.) 

He: "Yahan thukna mana hai, mutna thodi na!" (It says not to spit, not not to pee.) 

That was a cop, and hence our Mr street smartypants is a jail bird for the day.

No! This was not a setback but rather an opportunity, if he could tick the cops some more, his dinner would also be ensured. Since 25 years of existence he had never paid for a grain of food, being orphan meant not taking care of anyone and hence from the start of the day to end of it, all the living meant was to get some food. 

No! He is no beggar, would not even dream of being one, half a thief, stole only clothes and hearts for a day, lavish clothes, resulted in lavish food and lavish company, or just food. None could forget him, he was such a charmer, but he never made promises, so never have had to keep a date with any. Every day was not rosy, someday's lavish food came from the garbage of a restaurant of repute. A care free man or just an intelligent scum dog.

He was well aware of happenings in country and what so called elites joked about. If he wanted, he could put on a hell of a show.

He:" Gand main dum nahi saalo ke, isliye raste pe mutne walon ko pakd late hai, aur desh pe mutne waloon ke juthe saaf karte hain! Hijde!" (Don't have strength to take corrupt politicians, whose shoes you clean, and to showcase a filled file, arrest poor's peeing on streets.) To the cop at desk.

Cop: "Arey isko aaj raat yahin rakhna, bohot charbi chadhi hain, utarni padegi."(Keep him for the night, he needs to lose some fat.) and he got what he wanted.

The next moment was interesting, it had not come as yet but arrived on time. A honest cop walk's in dragging the current well connected don, with barely identifiable features and hairstyle that hide most of identifiable face. He is put in same cell as our smartypants-Johny.

Johny: "Kya kia, konse gali main dhaar mari?" (What did you do? Where were you peeing?) to Don.

Don just looked at him with disdain thinking this punk might not know, with whom he is trying to be friendly and just kept on looking, astonished. And starts touching Johny's face, nose, eyes, ears....

Johny: "Hey! Hat be, cross hai kya? Tu seedha nahi lagta." (Stop touching, you don't seem to be straight.)

Don: "Shhhhh" With angry look.

Johny decides to keep his distance, for safety.

The honest cop leaves and the scrubbed Don turns into a VIP, awesome lunch is ordered, clean warm water is given for cleaning up, and Johny is made to sit next to him for Don says so.

Johny thinks of his stars and how seriously wrong turn they were taking on him at a very wrong time. He was practically being packed up like that roasted Pig with a red Apple in it's mouth, that is me he said to himself. And then he remembered a wise saying, the other night, the woman in seductive black dress, having wine had said : "Har kutte ka din aata hain, par har din ka ek kutta bhi hota hain." (Every dog has his day, and then every day has it's dog.)

Johny thought it out loud: "Aaj ke din ka kutta main hu!"(I am the dog of the day.)

Don did not say a word, but urged Johny to finish his food, quickly and, quickly he did. After that Don decided to clean up his face and hair style. And to stylist he pointed out Johny's face: "I want that look." And that look is what he got. It was Johny's turn to stare and touch now, the resemblance was uncanny. One could have easily replaced the other. 

Johny: "Mujhe yaad nahi, ki main kisi kumbh ke mele main bhichad gaya tha, par kya tu apna bhai hai kya?"(I do not recollect having a brother, are you?)

Next thing Johny could not understand what was going on, he was forced into changing into Don's clothes and Don into his. And switchover was complete. Don walked out in Johny's clothes that evening, as the honest cop walked in.

The stress lines on cops face made it pretty evident that he was under lot of pressure because of the last arrest, the Don's arrest and their was only one right thing to do, "Encounter". Though it was wrong, he was not willing to let go a criminal with so many murders against his name.

He got up, opened the cell, dragged Johny thinking him as Don and took of with him in his Jeep. And just drove it with such speed, that Johny thought the cop is trying to be part of an accident. His pleas about who he really is had fallen on deaf ears and the others who knew, had become part of it.

Waking up at wrong place on a wrong day can take you on your most dreaded journey. The honest cop stopped the Jeep and got a newspaper out,

Cop:  "Yeh dekho, apni chati chodi karke chappwai thi yeh tasvir akhbar main, ki koi policewala tujhe chu bhi nahi sakhta, abey, sare policewale chudiya nahi pahente, aaj tere din pure honge, kutte.(Look at this, this is your face, you got this published to boost about your power, that none of the cops could lay a hand on you, but I am not one of those sissy's. I am going to end it here, you dog.)"

Johny: "Main woh nahi hu jo aap mujhe samajh rahe hain!"(I am not who you think I am.)

Those word did not matter, cop got his gun pointed at back of Johny and made him walk deep into the forest,  in outskirts of city. And then at the edge of cliff, a girl in red dress having wine in one hand and a gun in other is seen. Cop makes Johny sit down, and he too hides. Cop recognizes her as an aide of Don while Johny as the seductive girl from that party, but she is not alone, and with them; none other than the Don himself. 

Cop moved all the three in one corner, their was no other person there. He was totally confused, there were 2 Don's now, hence one was telling the truth and other was not. There were all the ingredients of a mix-up in place. 

Johny started wailing: "Hey bhagwan! iss bar naiya par laga diyo, abke se kisi bhi dewar par pesab nahi karunga. Arey mutne ki bhi kya itni badi saza hoti hain." (Oh god! please save me, I promise i will never pee on any wall, the punishment for peeing can not be so big.)  

And as Johny said this, Don made his move and shot at cop, and cop in reflex action shot him. Don died, on the spot, leaving the girl & Johny alive, Cop survived. 

They sat down in the car and drove away, on way to Don's place Johny said "Aaj ke din ka kutta woh tha, par mera naam bhi kareeb tha."(Today's dog was Don, but my name was on  list too.)

At that moment girl became sure she had the right guy with her. With the help of Cop, Johny rounded of the whole gang and became a pure businessman and she his wife, and he kept his promise to god, used bathroom. Cop became their chief security officer.

The Ripple Effect

Story 1.

The guy was having choclate chips ice cream, seating on a couch watching friends rerun, relaxed knowing he had done what needs to be done and news came in. He has just lost the job he was going to join tomorrow, a letter from company.

He just scampered to college, to principal's office and blurted out "Why has this happened with me?" lost that he was, letter had said: "As he does not meet the criteria for the placement in our company."

He was not sure what criteria had he failed, what had changed since last month, how was he qualified then and not now? "What has changed?" he asked to his sir. And they all looked preplexed as to what to say and how to console this ace of a student.

As he sat outside principles office, wondering what's going on, his friend came in....

Friend: "Dude, you just failed in final exam in ""Fundamentals of Management""

Guy: "What! You must be kidding!"

Friend: "I wish I was, but I am not, and something is wrong with the result, for I copied from you and have passed, but you have not!"

And he sat down, stunned. His world the way he knew it, just collapsed.

Story 2.

She was having time of her life! Everything was going her way, whatever she touched brought her happiness & wealth. She had never enjoyed life as now. She had made it in the world, she is successful now, and she did not need anything more.

A dream house, 2 lovely kids, a loving husband and a good job and company of her loving parents. Only problem, she never seemed to have enough time on her hands to enjoy this life as much as she would have loved to, but then who has?

Then one day, while she was working, she got a call. And she ran, as fast as she could, she wanted to be with him, her father, but she could not make it, it was too late. She could have given up anything to be with him again. All of that success did not matter now, not at all.

But it was not to be, she lost her smile, she lost her enthusiasm and she lost happiness.


Story 3.

He was driving to office, and there was goin to be a very important meeting, it was going to be make or break deal day, but traffic was proving unrelanting. Something was telling him, it was going to be a frustrating day.

And then there was an opening, and he jammed on the accelarator, and zoomed pass the traffic, scaring the hell out of an elderly.

"Hope! The elderly does not get a heart attack."

After suffering the loss of that client to company, the days of the young manager took a turn for worst, and it seemed none of the clients wanted to deal with him, for one reason or the other all seemed to be tailing the big client's tail. In frustration, he moved to inner work of company for sometime and came to technical support department for recruitment.

Just frustrated with his life, another file comes in front of the young manager, he gives one look at the result of aspiring managers who would be joining, and just gives a quick answer, after all it's not a good day at all.

"Drop all those who do not fit the citeria."


Story 4.

He is ready to take this company further up the lader of success and all he needs is a software, has shortlisted 2 candidates, and both are suitable, it is just the matter of who is the right one for them. The deal has been discussed well with first candidate and seems to fit the bill, but as is the case, it is matter of life and death, so checking up second firm is in the interest of company.

The traffic has already delayed the meeting, and then a guy zooms past them scaring the hell out of one of the elderly, who sadly dies due to a heart attack!

He tries to help save elderly's life but in vain. However, he does not make it to meeting and just decides to go with the first candidate.


Story 5.

The new and upcoming firm is in need of manforce, to serve the great quantity of new business it has been getting lately, and so visits the college of ace for recruitment, and selects him, for imediate joining.

It was not what he would have got if he had not failed that paper, but it was not bad at all, but the company promised of promoting them earlier than others, and there was no hook of getting new clients, just serving the existing ones.

Six months down the line, on an afterthought, he would not have been as happy if he would have joined that company.


Story 6.

Once the shock of her fathers death subsided, the teacher felt she had not done justice to students answer, which she checked while still in mourning, and decided to recheck them.

Spoke to college authorities and they relented and she rechecked all the papers from where she had left, that unfaithful day, starting from the paper of ace student, just next to the pser of his friend. He passed with flying colors.

The way things move around in this world, it is such a maze of actions and reactions, it is difficult to decipher sometimes, whether the bad morning that you are having is really your own fault or just an effect of some unrelated significant insignificant or insignificant significant happening in the world, which you are not even aware of.

Just like Ripple Effect, complexcities of waves depend on how many stones have displaced the water in pond and which shore they decide to reach.

Full circle!

A long time ago a boy lived in a small town on countryside, and loved a simple country side girl.  They had been friends since childhood, but then the conservative society had made them switch too secretive way of communications. This was the era where text messages were sent and received in form a crumpled paper balls, and they used to do so. One day, boy decided that it was time to take next step, and graduate from being just friends to lovers, and he wrote a love letter to her, crumpled up and dropped it when no one was looking, and she picked it up as skill fully as he had dropped. 

That night boy was a little to curious, he could not control his excitement, wanted to see her reaction when she read his letter, that way he would be ready to face the answer when she actually delivers it to him, whatever it was going to be, yes or no, it was going to be tough. So he crept to just below her room's window, where she had mentioned she used to read his notes. And he could look at her through her window, mesmerized. Her silky smooth skin, with black flowing hair sliding off her shoulder, her true beauty in her full splendour was visible, and she had that piece of paper, a piece of his heart in her hand. She is reading it.

"Nooooooooo" she screams, and lights go off! And he can hear her crying! Heartbroken the boy returns home, and unable to sleep that night, he cannot understand her rejection of him. Everything in this village reminds him of her, and her rejection rings in his ears, he decides to leave the village. Still, he does not want his parents to suffer; he does not want them to know that he is in reality running away. 

He ponders on his option, and while he is doing so, he avoids old pals and places. On one such unknown route he meets an older Gentleman who is not from the village, and gains his confidence by helping him unstuck a wheel of his horse carriage. In a pub down the route boy learns that the Gentleman is from the army. Boy starts asking him lot of questions and gentleman starts answering, thinking like any village lad this boy also has many dreams and is curious of outside world. 

                Boy: "So does a bullet hurt much?"

                Gentleman: "It hurts a lot," now quite drunk "but nothing hurt's more than a broken heart."

Boy had got his answer, next morning he packs his bags, tells parents, who feel proud of him, after all they have had a rich army background. It is army, which shall take him places, take him away from this village, from her. 

First day into army, and he is put in to hardship, but nothing deters him, he just makes a name for himself "The Unbreakable" nothing and nothing hurts him, no amount of punishment, no amount of exercise, no amount of hardship ever changes the expression on his face. All this is attributed to his military bloodline. A true blue army blood! Like the blue coats they respected. 

One year into army and he has become one of the strongest recruits, and now has been posted in a remote tough terrain border area of the empire, but this guy is relentless, he does not even crave woman! Not even once in a blue moon! Rumours start spreading, of him being gay. Instances of him looking away from women ( for he still sees her in every woman who comes across him) are discussed among colleagues without having any background knowledge. No one tries to ask him, "Why?" 

Until one night; an officer above his rank, calls him into his bunker, alone and suggests bending to his wishes. Boy ponders for few minutes, contemplating on whether to deny this man love or to say yes and try loving men for once, for he would never be able to love another woman, and he gives in. He follows his superior's instructions, and loses his virginity to him. This continues till he is posted there, every night, every night learning something new, something different, but never feeling any emotions. And one day, war breaks out! 

The boy's group is sent to the war front, where they are greeted by new commanding officer and two more regiments. On war front, women are seldom available, and many straight men turned gay, and no exclusivity remained. And in this scenario a tough gay man was hard to find, but here was one! His reputation preceded him! Boy had no choice but to give in, he could not say no, he still could not see face of a woman and had no feelings for men, but he gave in, for sake of being accepted in the twisted society he now was in. 

He was heroic! There was no other ruthless, tactful and brutally strong soldier in army, his heroics in battle brought him medals, promotions, out of turn promotions and name and fame to his parents. And his nights never went alone in those bunkers, sleeping with his men, now he had become an expert in that too! He could easily write Kama Sutra for gays, but he still did not have any feelings for them.

In one of the battle he gets injured saving life of one of his men, he is brought to hospital, where a peculiar thing happens. This guy screams at touch of a female nurse and curses them, warning them to never touch him again. He vows to never get injured, never ever.

After a decade since he joined army, after the end of war, the boy had grown to be the Colonel in army, and was given a 6 month long holiday, for he had been in war and performed really well for continuous 4 years and that to without a break in past 10 years. This guy never wanted to go back to his village, the memory of his rejection was still fresher than the last guy he killed in a battle.

Coming back to his village, the boy is hit by the nostalgia, and if nothing else he did miss his parents and his home, and he still misses her. As he reaches home, he hugs his parents and decides to rest for a while. he learns that his sister is married to his best friend in war times, letter must have got lost somewhere at that time.

In evening, his sister along with his best friend and now brother in law, and his tormentor of the decade, the girl walk in to meet him. He looks at her longingly, but moves away to his room. Sensing something to be out of place, his best pal follows him in, and gives him 10 year old letter back.

Boy looks at it, and

                Boy: "Yes! I wrote that letter, what about it?"

                Pal: "Yes, I know, she wrote the answer for you!"

                Boy: "I know it is 'No'! Why is she here, to humiliate me more?"

             Pal: "I should not have read it, but i did, when you left for the army, it does not say 'No'! She said 'Yes' to you!"

The girl walks in!

               Girl: "Why did you leave, without hearing my answer? Why did you make me wait so long?"

               Boy: "What are you talking about? I heard her scream her answer out, the same night I gave her the letter!"

            Girl: "Yes! I did scream that night, because there was a pervert standing outside my window, and I felt my modesty had been compromised."

              Boy: "Noooooooo!" Screams! Last 10 years of his life, flashing through his eyes.

After that the famed Colonel retired from army, got married and left the country to start a new life in country of dreams, across the ocean. 

Reverting back to present, a 70 year old man ask's his eldest grandchild, who is going through a similar situation in his life, while he is surrounded by his family, holding his wife's hand: "So the morale of the story is?"

And before the grandchild to whom it is directed could answer, a 5th grader steps in and says: "God punished grandpa for being pervert!"

And everyone laughs, as grandpa laughed!

Morale: Do not assume response by reaction of people alone, get context of the reaction verified too!

So how much do you earn?

A normal train journey, overnight and Lucky would be back to city he chose for his education and subsequently for job, some sleep and some reading was all that he needed to pass the time and he had the goods, mom's own recipe Paneer(Cottage Cheese ) chilly for dinner. To add to the perfect night, 2 perfect girls walk in, together! Only if forth occupant had been some nice guy, or even better some old person or another woman, it would have been better than perfect night, but it were not too be so!

There walked in a brute guy, who was wearing cheap imitation clothes, and fluxed his muscles more than his brain, and soon girls decided to turn in, to ignore his over probing questions. Well! None should ask "So, are you virgin on any date!" Certainly not the first question! That finished any chance of knowing them!

Next, this guy, who calls himself as "Myself Gobind!" turns to Lucky, and starts chatting up. Lucky thinks this guy is impossible to stop, and forget girls, no reading is going to be possible here, and to avoid questions like: "So what have you invested in?" takes a cue from girls and follows suit.

And sleep it is, though it is only 19:00 O'clock for now it is aided by slow gazals, almost lullaby kind of music plays in background on Gobind's cell phone. In backdrop of music and closed eyes, a thought crosses lucky's mind, before sleep: This guy is never going to earn more than me, not even what i earn in a month, would he make in an year!

Suddenly, in dead of night, tap....tap....sound starts and gets louder, and ends with a tap on Lucky's back and wakes up, to see TC-Ticket Collector. Lucky gets up and finds the two girls are also up and next see's the police in cabin! Lucky thinks he is dreaming, but then crying girls and inspectors questions drill in the reality. Gobind has vanished with all their luggage, girls have lost their cell phones too and it is only 21:00 o'clock, in just 2 hours, Lucky's perfect night had turned into unluckiest one!

Girls had their home number, on memory, and Lucky had his cell phone and purse, that helped inspector verify their identities. Finally at 22:00 O'clock girls get to call up their respective parents, and a bigger scam surfaces, both their parents got an SMS, asking for debit card pins and their parents, knowing and loving their forgetful daughter, replied with every pin number via SMS! Resultant, bank accounts were drained off of by total of 2 lakh rupees (INR 200,000)!

Lucky, being a finance professional made a total summary of amount that Gobind could make by selling all the stuff (3 latest laptops-1IBM think pad, 2 Sony Vaio, two 32GB I-phones, jewellery worth INR 100,000, branded clothes, 3-I pods, designer bags, make-up box!) All added up to 600,000 INR! That's about 200,000 more than what Lucky makes in a year, all gained in just a day of work!