Tag: story

Lost In Transition – Chapter 1

I woke up and my head was pretty heavy. I think I have slept hard. The day in my head is as beautiful as it can be. It was raining in the night.

I anticipated an earthy aroma rising from the grounds, but I guess the sun was too hard on the earth. I rose from the bed, feeling a little hazy as well; I guess last night must have been a drunken night.

The haziness in the air was surprising but soothing. This was highly unlikely as it had just rained.

The sooth-ness and stillness was very defining that made me a little wary of the situation. I had just woken up, but the adrenaline in me was pumping. It felt like those moments when everything goes great for you. I went downstairs. My mum was making something in the kitchen. I went into the hall, dad was reading a newspaper. The atmosphere suddenly started feeling grimy, as if a death has happened. Death, I realized, I was very close to death few days ago. I was riding my bike on the always busy streets of Mumbai when a public bus rammed into my bike from behind. I fell, but I remember there was no way the bus could stop before ramming into me. Now, I don’t exactly remember how I was saved, but that would always be one memory that I would try to forget, yet the hardest.

I wanted to forget it, but it was also the most vivid things my brain remembered. Being close to death does give you a different perception. When you scratch-by so close to it, everything else seems so small. Whatever you have done, whatever you have built will be dusted off after you. The fruits of life do not seem so attractive at that point. Meaning of life takes whole another turn. You don’t question the meaning of life, as it is in front of you. The whole journey, what you did, the regrets, the undoings you wish, all flashing like black demons making it one hell of a soap opera. You feel like stopping lying to yourself.

After having one of those moments, it made me feel lighter. Being the procrastinator that we are, the things that we have pushed-off of us, just because we didn’t want to admit it, are now laughing at our faces, making it impossible to get past them. 

I checked the time. It was 8 AM in the morning. I am confused whether its a weekday or a weekend. My memory didn’t ruffle up any feathers. I feel blank if I try to remember last few days. I can make a joke of ‘worst hangover ever’, but the situation will make it distasteful. Why do I have such hazy memory. Is it because of the knock in the head I got when I fell. But if I have suffered a head injury, why does my head feel so lighter. Kudos to the doctor who wrote the prescription for me.

Dad looks towards me but without acknowledging me goes back to reading the newspaper. I am hoping somebody didn’t tell him about my recent drunk adventure. I really need to sort my life together.  I remember some very stupid mistakes done by ‘drunk’ me, but most of it is lost in haziness. I make another useless resolve to care more about my health as ‘inner’ me laughs.

I come out in the open to see the world a little darker than normally accustomed to. The gloominess hangs so tight at the sky, it’s hard to ignore it. I am called by my mother. I rush inside to see what is happening. I see tears in my mother’s eyes as my dad is holding her head on his shoulders consoling of something. She says she is okay now. My father moves back from the kitchen to his newspapers. He is heading directly towards me.

It’s very confusing to see him coming directly towards me, looking at me as if I have done something grave. I cannot match his intensity, so I drop my eyes on to the floor. This reminds me of the time when he was very angry with me as I had done something horrible. Shit! I can’t remember what I had done. In fact, I am not able to remember any significant memory of my life except the accident and few hazy encounters. What is happening with me, is it because of the accident again? My mind is panicking, but my heart doesn’t have any idea about the panic. It’s the hollowest I have ever felt. The more I think about the panic, the more hollowness I feel in my stomach. Well, ‘feel’ wouldn’t be the right word. But this is becoming a more troublesome worry for me. I always used to get extra pleasure in pressure situation because of how much I enjoyed this. But today there is no rush of blood, nothing which wants me to find a quick solution to the menace I am about to face.

I was still processing my thoughts when it happened. I was so aghast, that I couldn’t move. I was terrified to the core, as I realized what had happened. 

I was dead. My dad passed through me.

Dreams Matter – 2

Click Here to read the prequel.

 

Saloni was on a trip with her parents and their friends in Chicago, USA. The weather was a perfect 21°C to roam around the streets. The place attracted a lot of crowd at this time of the year. She observed the crowd. It was a great diverse mixture. Everyone could be seen happily enjoying in their respective groups. The smiles making the environment even more pleasant. But the curious Saloni found something odd about the group dynamics. She observed that females were playing with different different toddlers in the garden. But she couldn’t spot any male playing with any other toddler but their own. The different ethnic group were grouped together, their were hardly any exception to it. The adults were not even glancing towards differentially racial groups, but their children hardly cared about that. The toddlers would look at each other, reached out their hands to touch each other from the distance. Their eyes seems tp say: ‘Come play with me, I am bored playing with my parents alone’. Although the adults would politely acknowledge each other in certain situations, but there was no warmth expressed.
 
Saloni then observed her parents also moving towards what seemed to be an Indian group. She wanted to play with everyone, as she used to play in her home. To run for one ball, or to catch one person by chaining their hands together. She asked her mom, ‘Can I play with that guy over there?’ . Her mum politely said, ‘Lets play with those Indian people there. We don’t know these people.’
‘But we don’t know those Indian people as well.’, replied Saloni.
Her mum thought about it a moment and then gave her hand to his father.
She didn’t like that nobody addressed her query. She thought that Akarsh would maybe understand her. She asked for his father’s cell to call Akarsh.
She knew her neighbour Akarsh was a curious soul and might help her out.
She narrated the whole incident to Akarsh. Akarsh had never experienced such a scenario.
He thought for a bit and he knew from his past experience that he needed to go to sleep. As soon as he dozed off, the voice called out to him.
“What is it this time?”, the voice asked.
“Why is there a differential treatment given to people of different complexion.”, Akarsh asked.
“We didn’t design it this way. Different complexion was supposed to provide diversity to the earth, as opposed to the diversity we seek in the name of religion, caste and creed nowadays.”
“Then why only so few complexion, why couldn’t we have  more so that nobody can judge any other color.”
“Lets try that out.”, the shadow said playfully.
 
The next day Saloni came into the park. She saw people with plethora of colors on and around them. Everybody’s faces were so colorful, that you could hardly recognise what complexion they possessed before. She saw her parents confused as to which group to join now. Seeing her mom so confused, she reached out to her, hugged her and placed her palm over her mum’s cheeks. Her mother’s face started taking a purplish color, as her confusion started reducing. Smile returned to both’s faces: the mother understanding what had transpired, Saloni observing that she had so many people to play with. The colors added what the complexion couldn’t in years.
 
At a distance, a smiling shadow saw the colorful people playing, appreciating the unbiased and colourful mind of the kids.

Diwali Vibes!!

I am the glamour, I am the glee,

I bring the energy and vibrance with me,

I light up the dark – be it sky or mood,

Would have been there all year, I wish I could!!

 

I am another occasssion to gather with your world,

I am another bonus that just got unfurled,

I am another reason to dress up real nice,

I am another victory – purity over vice!!

 

You know me very well and I love to bring you joy,

Aged ones with their children, little ones with their toy,

Like all my other friends, I too have a story,

When a righteous son returned – in full might and glory!!

 

But celebrate me with the spirit – of giving and care,

I am not only yours, but for all humanity to share,

Be joyous during my stay and keep well in health,

I am Diwali – I bring you luck and wealth!!

Mumbai Diaries – Part 5(The One where Nauman can’t talk)

“Are you using the m-indicator app that I provided, while travelling around Mumbai.” Nauman asked Jaya.
“Why would I roam around Mumbai? I hate travelling….” Jaya replied.
Jaya and Nauman met for a coffee date. The rains were expected in a few days and as always happened, every Mumbaikar was pretty excited about the coming rains. The rains brought with it, the comfort and relief, and accompanied by sun dresses, it was the most awaited event after the scorching summers.
This was the time when Mumbaikars, took time off and went on weekend trips to nearby locations. Some went to Lonavla, some to Matheran, some to Mahabaleshwar, while some planned and planned and eventually failed, cursing their group.
“….I just love to spend my weekends reading and cuddling my bed.” Jaya continued.
“Wow, you are a weirdo, stuck in a city like Mumbai”
“I don’t see it that way. Anyways do you know we have a place in Pune called Bhosari. I heard a joke about it, but couldn’t understand it.”
Nauman listened to the joke wide eyed, and he knew he had to change the topic.
“Hah, you don’t need to go far for silly names. Have you ever heard of Chembur?”
“Yeah, I hear about Chembur and my mind goes straight to Harry Potter and Chembur of secrets.”
“Harry Potter….more like the boy who was born in Mumbai. What would the first part be? Harry Potter and Santracruz to Sion?
“Lame.”
“I have a good one for Order of Phoenix…..Harry Potter and Order from Panvel.” Jaya continued.
“How about ‘Patient of Alzheimer’s’ for ‘Prisoner of Azkaban’?”
“That will work” Jaya said a little more awkwardly than she always does.
“What about ‘Goblet of Fire’?”
“It should be ‘Ghatkopar ki aag’?”
“This looks even lamer than RGV ki aag.”
“Haha, it certainly is.”
“Wow, this is awesome. We just made the whole franchise Mumbai based. They should put our conversation in the textbooks of Marathi children. They will learn about their city.”
 
“Give me credit as well, when producers line up at your doorstep.”
“Haha…sure. Anyways I should leave now, as I have an important meeting after this.”
Nauman was going to meet Gaurav to talk about the situation. Neither Gaurav nor Jaya was aware of the special situation that was brewing between them. Day after day, the guilt was getting heavy to carry for Nauman and so he had decided to talk with Gaurav first.
(1.5 hours and 2 local travels later)
 
Gaurav’s home
 
Gaurav was sitting at his home when Nauman comes in.
Nauman sits beside Gaurav somewhat awkwardly.
Gaurav was thinking something before Nauman had rang the doorbell. He tried recollecting but couldn’t.
Nauman knew that nobody would be there at home, so he thought it was good opportunity to talk to Gaurav. Though Gaurav was a localite of Mumbai, he used to live in a rented house, so as to be closer to workplace. It was a pretty common thing in Mumbai, for youngsters to live closer to workplace, for the obvious reasons, plus this also gave them the independence to enjoy night life of Mumbai.
“Bro, I need to talk to you” started Nauman.
“Yeah tell me.”
“Have you ever felt something inside you burning and you have to get it out before it eats you alive?”
Gaurav suddenly remembers what he was thinking.
“Oh yes, what a great coincidence. I was also thinking of similar lines before you came in.”
“Eh?”
“Yeah, you know you feel like that when you are about to puke”
“No I didn’t mean it like that. I mean…like when you have something to say but you don’t how to say”
“Are you in love bro? Because that shit happens only when this kind of shit happens”
“Kind of! Not exactly love…”
“Wow that will work as well. What a great coincidence, I was thinking for a reason to party, and now we have one.”
“You don’t understand what I am going through”
“We are gonna have whiskey today”
“Its such a big fear that is eating up my brain.”
“No beers today, only whiskeys.”
“I can’t seem to understand whether should I tell you or not?”
“Why tell me, go tell her. You know what I have been struggling with my drinking problem too much now. You don’t see me crying about it.”
“This is serious dude. This concerns you as well.”
“I am pretty sure you are concerned for me, but leaving it altogether is not a solution I fancy.”
Nauman understood that nothing is going to work today. So he decided to just roll with the flow.
“Yeah bro, we are concerned, please find something or someone worth leaving this hobby for. I would suggest Breezer, but looking at your current status, I think you would finish the drink along with the bottle.”
“I might.”
“Anyways, I should leave now. Thanks for the talk.” Nauman said sarcastically.
“Anytime mate!”, said Gaurav raising his bottle.
Nauman starts to leave, when Gaurav remembers something and calls Nauman.
“Do you know my sister?”
Nauman freezes to death. It was as if Gaurav was waiting for all the conversation to finish so that he can ask this question.

To Be Continued…

Click Here for the next part.