Humility Pangs.

Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact.

Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth

- Marcus Aurelius.

I have procrastinated too long. Lets get back the writing thing, which I have been longing to write for quite some time. Before I go any further, 740FA6E3 - this is my #BBMPIN. Though I was the first among all of my friends to download this #BBM4ALL app and tried to use it only to fin myself alone. So I sent out requests to most of the contacts in my phone. And there was this waiting list. Cool. No, seriously! 

The Strategist.

There is always a little zeal to win a game whatever that game might be. As part of the Diwali celebration a great deal of games are being conducted. All this started last week so that by the time it is Diwali all games would be over and everybody could celebrate in whatever way they wish to celebrate. So, I participated in a few games as well. The first game to be played was Lagori. My apologies as I don't know any other names by which it is known. Let me state the rules, and may be that could shower some light on the dimension of the game. There is a stack of seven stones placed one above the other. A player from one team (A) has to hit the stack of stones with a ball. If it hits the pile of stones, the players from the team (A) have to pile up the stones while the other team(B) would hit the players of team(A) and whoever is hit, that person has to forfeit the game. Okay, I agree I am way too bad at explaining. May be Google will help. So, if you already know, why didn't you tell me that before. The game was actually postponed due to rains. So, my team members had a chance to practice; as if we were playing one international match. The day finally arrived (which was yesterday to be precise) and my team members went out to the ground a little time before just to practice. There is this guy who was the one who wanted all of to play in the first place. Lets call him Mr. P. So, our dear Mr. P was analyzing the possible strategies to win the game no matter what! Everything fell into order when in the practice session everyone was performing way too good. But when the time came and the game had started, nothing went according to plan. Oh wait, there was no plan as such. There was just the "TALK" about some sort of plan. And believe me this talk guaranteed us the win which we hoped. The table turned, the chicken died, the rain stopped, the coin flipped, and the evens(odds) were(weren't) in our favor. We not only scored NIL, but lost miserably. To avoid any more humility, we just came back. Truly, 'There is no honor in game lost'. 

If you are thinking it is all over. Let me finish this paragraph as well, then it would be. Today was for another game. "Hitting the Pot - Blind folded". This time I told Mr. P that there would be no strategies and that we will act upon that very instance. This does sound like an easy game. But believe me when you are the one blind folded and are in the arena trying to hit a pot which is suspended about 8 feet in the air and you don't know where you are headed even though your team members are trying to guide you in the right path, but still there are a hundred other people who are shouting at the top of their voices trying you to misguide. When Mr. P and I saw the game, we actually thought of not playing it at all. The ground is a rectangular shaped and a person has to start from one side to the another side, where the pot is suspended in the air and hit it. We were laughing our asses off when the people of the other team were totally misguided. And then there was my name his name and another persons' name. We were a team of three. Though the third one was no where to be seen. We two went to the spot to play. They blindfolded Mr. P and rotated him in a near 360 degree and the game began. The funny part was this Mr. P wasn't listening to anything I am saying. Well, I have to tell I was laughing my ass off in the first place. The reason being that he was going in exactly the opposite direction where there is no pot, no nothing, only one basket ball pole. He was going and going and though I was trying my best to guide him in the opposite direction he wasn't listening to me. There was another guy shouting louder than me and guiding him perfectly in the wrong direction. You can't even imagine how hard I was laughing. I almost fell on the ground. So, that is enough humility for two days. And there is another game tomorrow. Preparing myself for some more humility. Wish me luck.

The Asshole.

Now before you pass any judgement, hear me out. I just came to know a hard fact about one of my roommate. Firstly, I thought I was the one having a pair of undergarments for each day of the week and an extra pair. But there was another, which was a recent discovery. And I like those branded ones. I was equally surprised when I encountered another guy with almost the same number of garments and precisely the same brand. I thought , well everybody is following the trend may be. What shocked me more how he came to own these things. He goes to the Malls and on an excuse to try out a trouser, takes one or two undergarments along with him, wears them, tries out the trouser as if he is going to buy but doesn't buy, gives back the trousers but not the undergarments. When I heard this, I was like "I don't want to live in this planet anymore". Seriously! Whats' wrong with these people? I wouldn't have thought much about it if it were a T shirt or something other than the undergarments. 

P.S. : I promise to come up with more interesting posts, if only I could. 

Daily Chronicles.

"Start by doing what is necessary, then what is possible, 

and suddenly you are doing the impossible"

- Fancis of Assisi

The small ray of light penetrated through the hazy window glass. It wasn't dawn. Dawn / breaking light happened a long time ago. I wasn't aware of the advances of nature as of how fast it was moving, or may be I was too slow to notice, or umm, lets stick to the latter one anyway. I haven't written in almost a month. The last thing I wrote was a poem which I started a long time ago. So, technically, I haven't written anything this month. Anyway, I will just skim. No, you don't have to go through the whole ordeal. It is just for reassuring myself that I am still capable of writing. So, writing, you say? 

Once in a while I doubt myself trying to think about me from other's perspective and finding in awe with myself. Awe, I say not in reference to the awesomeness in the writing, rather with a question of doubt asking myself, "Is this really I, who wrote this?". After looking at it for a good long time, I snap out of it reassuring myself that I am not that bad as I think. Wait, are you laughing ? Now, please don't point the obvious. I know! I am just trying to umm.. exaggerate the nothingness. Well, that's what writers do! 

The reason I haven't been able to write as much as I wanted to was that my laptop had gone haywire. It always has been that way. I just beat the shit out of it. And well, it gave up. And yes, that is the excuse that I am coming up with. Moreover, by the time I could get a new one , courtesy of my father and the company he is working in, I managed to get a brand new laptop. Else I would have to battle my way through months by saving and saving and saving. And if anyone knows me, I am not at all good with that. Believe me. At the end of the month when I a little balance left in my account, I end up buying something or the other. So, you see I think I don't like saving money. And I suppose even if I won a million dollars, I wont leave a penny behind. 

Now that I got a laptop, I should have been writing every second I sat in front of my laptop. But that didn't happen. First of all, I lost the momentum of writing. I have to get back to it and that I have to adorn the thinking hat. *Looks here and there sheepishly and whispers* That's why I am buying hats hoping that one of it could be the thinking hat I so wish to adorn. And then there is this laptop with ultra sleek keyboard keys. So, I don't want to lay my fingers on it at all. Yes, seriously! Now, don't you give me that look. I am supposed to key a set of keyboard and mouse along with this laptop, which could only happen if my dad posts the required documents to the authorized company. But lucky for him, he is on a tour to Europe. Now get this, they went on a training of some sort. The training is for one day maximum but the tour plan is for over a week. You see, I could very well attend that one day training of whatever it might be and spend the rest of the days roaming different cities. If only, I could. So, what I am trying to say is that I have failed to write even a single word. And while I am writing this, I still feel like I am not writing perfectly. 

The Road of Mud

[Please close your ears or um.. close your eyes; for some of the words that follow might not be appropriate]

It has been raining a lot these days. I guess this is the retreating monsoons, if I still remember geography well. And seriously don't bother correcting me, I won't change it up anyway. So due to this "rain", the roads have been muddier than ever. The problem is not only that. In order to cover that wet mud which spoils the major part below the knees, they started covering that wet bed of mud with more mud and sand and waste and whatnot. Now the result was that they made a fucking quicksand. Imagine my plight when I am am trying to cross that enormous lump of quicksand that covered the whole of road. And as you might have perfectly guessed, I stepped on it. Not once , not twice, but many time more and then I look down and stand there in the middle of the road thinking whether I should get back to my room, wash up, come back and again become the victim or just get on with it and go to office and wash up there. I choose the latter one as I have been for the past (more than a) few weeks. And believe me, it is not a pretty sight. Seriously, no kidding. I hate to look below my knees and when others look at me as if... umm, that's kinda humiliating. What this has taught me is that I could go on a treasure hunt and try stepping on the stones which are supposed to be not throwing arrows or whatever, but I end up taking a million arrows all through me. So, now you can imagine that the Indiana Jones feat that I try to pull out everything I try to cross that road always fails. The second thing I learnt was the use of the word Fuck. Every wrong step automatically generates the word. I could control it. But come with to that situation and tell to control it when my feet is a feet inside the mud. I sometimes call it the 'Fucking road of mud' because it has more fuck words than the mud. Oh, it is not only me. Every single person has shared my feelings in the same exact way as I did unless you are travelling in a car. You fucking rich person. Opps, sorry, I was in the moment. And the third weird thing to happen in spite of all this melodrama is I finding out a small hole in my shoe. I would have known about it if it wasn't for this enormous mud bed. Ever since I found out about it, I have tried my life's best to avoid filling my shoe with that huge chunk of mud. But that just helps it more to get inside. If they don't make a cement road or a perfect road, they sure as hell are gonna die in my hands very soon.

The Absence

So, a few handful of people has asked me about I not writing these days. To a few, I gave the same exact excuses that I mentioned above. And not only that. I have stopped reading other's blog as well. That's not like me. But yeah, I had to confess about that. I sincerely apologize for my inability to read all your blog posts. I am trying to catch up with as many as possible. 

The Awkwardness

Believe me when I say, I just love to write my blog name where ever possible trying to attract as many as people as possible. The fact that nearly 99.999999999999999999999999999999% of the people don't care. And the remaining 0.000000000000000000000000000001% are the people whom I forcefully make them read my blog posts. So, the other day when I was on my mission-to-spread-my-blog a few people responded to it. They asked me to show my blog on my phone. Believe me, I was excited at that moment. So, the read the last poem which I wrote and scrolled down to read the comments. After reading the comments, they all said its just the girls commenting on your posts. I thought for a second, or two may be or half a minute I guess to remember a few comments by any of the guys. I did not respond to their question but I did give them a nod. Another person asked me what the conclusion of the poem was. To which I had to reply if only I knew. Its more like I can't explain. You just have to figure it out yourself. That was me speaking in my mind. And then he continued by suggesting me to read some Shakespearean work on literature and concluded that the poem also has a format like a relevance, some significance, some meaning. 

P.S. Did you stab yourself to death already? Phew ! Great! Added to my body count! Thanks for contributing to my body count without I doing anything. Oh, wait I did. I wrote this blog post. If you haven't, wait for the next post. I am stopping this here because I don't too much blood on my hands on the first day itself. And yeah, don't forget to take a knife with you before you open my next post.  

Lost in Translation.

The beauty of the night

Adorned by the moon

The cold wind ruffled

While the dark clouds scattered. 

The luminous darkness

Surrounded the life

In colors of two

The black and the white

Drowned in admiration

Which never ceased

The unspoken glittering stars

That shone the cold windy night

Stories that spread unheard

Mysteries that are left unsolved

Float in the visible darkness 

Almost invisible in the naked light. 

Stories we create, under the dome

Of glittering stars, of diamonds in the sky

But, what story do that tell ?

What mystery do they hold ?

Ajay Kontham 

Year 2030.

James came home from school. There is actually no need of schools these days but nevertheless one attends, never knew the reason actually. He lives with his mother. He hasn't seen his father for a long time now. It has been years. Last time he met his father was when he was 5 years old and he doesn't remember much about that time either. His mother has told him a lot many things, but he just couldn't be so sure about everything his mother said. He never really understood what he did. But as usual he would get a check every month, which he basically saved up. He fell in love with a girl, whom he once met in a annual science fair held a few miles north of where he stayed. She was from a different district which was rather too far from where he stayed. 

Let's just soak in the mental picture of the changes that took place in the last few decades. His mom used to tell him about the age of new invention and when computers were just beginning to hit the market and that she wasn't allowed to use a laptop until she was in college and that too because the course she opted for demanded some work on the laptop. To hell with that, James had his first tablet for his 5th birthday which was much more advanced than he could even understand the first thing about it. His father gave it to him. He actually made that. James didn't knew that. He always thought that the inscription JM which looked like some company's logo was actually his name "James Mathew". The world was changing, changing fast. The life was on a high lane, a path on development in every path man could ever think of. It was all new and people just jumped on the first opportunity that presented itself. So, what development and renovation achieved in making the lives simpler, in turn started making the lives harder to live. The innovation and development was fast and steady to say the least, but it was taking a heavy toll on the environment. By the time people started realizing that the environment is in a crisis, though they started implementing ways to minimize the impact on the atmospheric environment. But that failed, when in 2020 a huge environmental crisis occurred and a major portion of the world population had to suffer the consequences of the outbreak. There was global warming to begin with, the rising sea levels and the experimental procedures which aimed at creating better lifestyle and increase life expectancy broke into radiation zones. This radiation then started affecting the human lives counter attacking their actual purpose of creating them in the first place. People never knew they were unwell, when all of a sudden they passed out and also the average life span gradually started deteriorating. Within a year, the lifespan got half of the average lifespan a decade ago ( Year 2010 ). 

Everything changed that year. It was like a waking call. Though, everybody had been expecting this day to come, but this was way too soon. It was time to change. James father had to leave him for the very reason. His father was one among the few scientists to develop some sort of gases almost invisible to the naked eye but these also prevented the radiation from filtering through it. So, this led to the formation of districts. Some called them colonies and some still used the country's name if the whole country was protected. People had to be very careful while moving past these radiation zones. They were like everywhere. It was more like these districts were an oasis in the desert, the desert being the radiation. Yes, that was the situation of present world. Though almost everything has gone eco-friendly and use of clean fuel and stuff, but still people are still living on the knife's edge. They have stopped worrying about the future, which seemed to be totally unpredictable and just lived every moment of their lives as if it was their last day. 

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James was always hooked on his tablet. He was good at coding and stuff. And also he liked to own things. He just turned 15 and things he wanted to own started piling up. From shoes to bikes. He was spending all the money his dad used to send him on buying stuff. Now, one just couldn't get out of their district zone without prior protection from the radiation. The best way one could get anything was buying online. And the best part was that all the flights were computer controlled. So, it was far easier to send a plane filled with things and then they will be delivered to the door step the very same day. If computer controlled planes were out of question, there are always metros which ran underground. Though, they took a little longer time when compared with planes, but they did work like charm. It was like ordering a pizza and getting delivered within 30 minutes. And then James also started chatting with someone who makes him feel special; whom he met in a science fair a few months ago. He just couldn't get enough of her and just trying his best to meet up with her. And to make up for the time and the distance they are separated, they used to exchange some kind of gifts. He would send some of his stuff, sometimes would buy online, which still was the safest, most affordable and the easiest way to get anything.

_____________________________

Matthew Stanley is an scientist. He is James father. Though he hasn't met his son in little over a decade, they still used to talk over phone or over the internet keeping themselves equipped what the other person is upto. When he came to know about the girl that his son was interested in and was so longing to meet her, they forced him work a little harder to maintain balance in the atmosphere and reduce radiation to zero level, if possible. He always loved to build things, create fascinating things using the natural resources. And these so called resources are decreasing with each passing day. He would sometimes blame himself for the world around him. He was one among the few scientists who were hired to create and develop the life altering things. Though he saw the danger while they were still developing and raised his concerns, no one listened to him as the other became too ambitious and felt they could see the future and that they could just make history. Matthew pursued his own ideologies which were quite contrast to the others in his private lab. Though they showed progress on a small scale in testing, but he feared what would happen when used on a higher level like humans themselves. But then the catastrophic event happened which risked the very existence of human life. They had no other choice to use one of Matthew Stanley's prototype, which as a matter of fact worked perfectly. The artificial man-made atmospheric gases made from various chemicals and a few rare natural resources did help in sustaining the radiation on a larger level. No one knew about it. No one were told who created it, until the whole world was on a safer place. 

So, when he came to know about the girl his son was interested in, he wanted to make the world a better place for him. He wanted his son to have a life he could never had as he was always away from the family. So, he was on a mission now. When he started with his work, the list was pretty big and a lot of things were needed to make it happen. Some of the things were on the other side of the planet. But he had to worry the least. He ordered everything he need online, which still was the most convenient, most affordable way to get anything. Since some were on the other side of the planet, he feared that they might take take to reach him which in turn might delay his mission. But to his surprise he received them the very next day. He made no attempt to waste any more time and started building what he wanted to build. 

Within a year, he was successful in making his mission a success. The radiation levels started decreasing and there was a lot of improvement in the environmental balance. Though, they still had to live life like on knife's edge, as any slightest mistake could affect the ecosystem. But his discovery proved to be far better than he had expected. The use of eco-friendly things and clean fuel was advised so avoid any more catastrophic events which might hinder the very existence of the human kind and all the other living beings.

Now he is home to his family back after 11 years and enjoying the time with his son. They have moved to a place near his son's love. So that when he could grow up, they could all stay together in the days to come. 

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This is written for 'The Future of Shopping', a contest by IndiBlogger in association with e-bay. And also check out the 'EBAY Chrome extension' .

Silver.

Image Courtesy

Shiny piece of metal

Lost its glory

Adorning a crystal rock.

This Haiku is written for 'Haiku Heights #276 ~ September Heights Day 03' for the prompt 'Silver'

Path of Solace.

Image Courtesy

Lost in the Mist,

A confusion called Life; An Angel

The path of solace.

This Haiku is written for 'Haiku Heights #275 ~ September Heights Day 02' for the prompt 'Guardian'

Symbol of Peace.

Image Courtesy

A lonely bird

Parched in the battle

Lost and Wandering

Lost and Wandering,

A symbol of peace

Died in the name of war.

This Haiku is written Haiku Heights #280 ~ September Heights Day 07 for the prompt Dove.

The Singing Toes.

Image Courtesy

Story they tell

The singing toes

Of a Mournful soul

Of a mournful soul 

Express profoundly the hidden meaning

In the dance of bliss

This Haiku is written for 'Haiku Heights  #278 ~ September Heights Day 05' for the prompt 'Ballet'.

Shepherd.

Courtesy

Guiding the lost, A path

Through the darkness

A shepherd with a staff.

This Haiku is written for 'Haiku Heights' for the prompt 'Shephard'.

Requiem of a Dream.

Jonnathan James Taylor was a merchant. His trade was related to spices, which consisted of importing and exporting, for which he used to travel three times a year. It always has been his family's bread and butter for years. People used to call him JJ as in James Junior. James was his grandfather's name. His father was killed in a war that he never wished to fight for. He was a merchant and could never master the art of using gun powder. In contrast, JJ has always had a knack for guns. His grandfather has taught him well enough after realizing that war could happen anytime and one must be prepared to defend themselves in such a crisis. This he realized when his only son was dragged into the war and was killed fighting for the cause. 

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JJ woke up to the fresh aroma of the spices that filled the house. He just came from India with a variety of spices and he was excited about the day to sell them as these were some rare spices. His wife brought him a morning tea, which he brought while trading in India. The smell of the fresh tea leaves in his cup made him forget all the burden. Then there was his wife who radiated the lavender scent throughout the room. His daughter was just a few months old and just started walking. He couldn't have been happier with his life. 

There was a loud creak which bolted to sit aright.  He had been dreaming. The happy moment ruined by the morning bell , which made an annoying noise waking up the people telling them to get ready for work. He felt nauseated with the pungent odor coupled with the smell of the sweat of the people. People were jam packed in a small room where they were told to sleep where the number of people exceeded the actual capacity. He hasn't been home for 3 years now. He gets the same dream every single night. He so hopes to get back to his family one day. 

3 years ago while he was in his quarterly trip to India for trading spices as usual, they were attacked my the pirate ships in the pacific ocean who then sold them as slaves to the eastern Africa.  Tough they had no idea what to do with the spices which they ceased. they simply threw it in the ocean. For the last three, JJ along with the 30 other who were on the ship have been working against their will building homes and pyramids. Of the 5 people who managed to escape 4 were dead, apparently killed by the guards and no one knows about the 5th one. One can't be sure what's happening outside the huge walls that surround the ancient city of Africa. 

JJ had made a thousand plans already to escape the barriers and swore to himself never to travel through that path ever again. Of all the plans, one was most efficient to plan his escape. He never understood their language nor did they understood his language. But they knew the language of fear and guns. 

Every single night when he went to sleep in the swamp of sweat and hot desert smell he held a piece of Lenin cloth which reminded him of home, the lavender smell of his wife and the aroma of spices and the little cries of his baby girl. this kept his sane during the nights and helped him forget about the humid , tense and futile atmosphere in the hottest place on the planet. 

Every morning he had the same dream and wished to go back home. That day he saw a trader for whom they were building homes and whatnot smuggle guns into his house which the trader hid behinds the walls of under-constructed house. JJ thought it was his opportunity that moment and he along with 3 other people smuggled the guns back to their sleeping den and hid them well enough for no one to find out. They now planned for an escape and wanted to implement their plan as soon as the opportunity presented itself. The number of guards have substantially reduced as the people trying to escape decreased over the couple of months. And moreover the guards have started drinking with the advent of the traders who brought ecstasies from places far beyond. 

On one such night, most of the guards were heavily drunk as the new traders came to the city once in a quarter. They felt it was their opportunity that  they had been waiting for. The twenty five of them prepared themselves for the escape. Those who knew how to use a firearm armed themselves with the guns that they had safely hid. As the night grew darker, they ascended the darkness with the aim of fleeing and never come back. As they had anticipated for all the guards to be drunk and half asleep, there were still some guards who did their work. Some of the people were already afraid and thought that they were dead, for sure. But JJ convinced them that they can still pull it off. He told the other two people who knew how to use a gun  to aim at their heads. one of them protested that the sound of the bullet  piercing through the silent night could wake everyone up. Before he could complete, JJ handed him a sack filed with cotton and told him to aim perfectly. They only had 6 shots off the rifle they had and there were three guards scouring the premises while the other two slept in wine. 

JJ easily took down two of the people on the wall. They had taken different positions to get a clear shot at those people. After JJ had successfully taken two people, it was York the other one to take the other two of which one was sleeping. The first shot nearly missed the guard which hit the wall behind him. Since he had to shoot through the sack of cotton in order to avoid making any noise. It is just a matter of time before the guard realizes that the other two guards lying on the wall were no where to be seen from the ground. He had to act quick. He reloaded the rifle and shot correctly this time but his timing was wrong. As the guard was walking across the main entrance  the shot landed him just behind the sleeping guard who was in his chair. The loud thud woke up the guard while all the people who had planned to escape froze to death. They were sure that they were dead in no time. JJ didn't waste a moment as he saw the guard raise on his feet and slowly turned around rubbing his eyes. He snatched the third gun from the third person and without aiming or even thinking shot at the guard through the cotton sack which this time partially failed to prevent the noise of the gun fire. As the guard turned to the distinctive bang sound, the bullet pierced through his heart. That was a fluke shot and if it wasn't for the noise they all would have been dead in no time.

They didn't think twice as the guard fell down on the ground. They quickly grabbed a rope clamped to the wall and started climbing it. As the men started climbing the only rope, JJ ran towards the guards on the ground to make them look as if they were doing their job if someone else came for the rounds and also to buy some time before anyone figures out what actually happened. While he was doing that he stumbled across a lot money placed in the small pouches which apparently were bribes offered to them by the traders who came in and went out. JJ safely held on to that money which he thought could be used for food and the journey back home and that would be sufficient for the whole group. They all climbed down the other side of the wall and ran for their lives hoping that no one comes to knowledge before they are long gone. 

JJ woke up to the morning tea which his wife had specially prepared for him. His wife radiated the lavender scent which filled the whole room. That he could never forget. The smell of the fresh tea leaves in his cup of tea refreshed him as he took each sip enjoying it. There was his daughter who came running to him with a doll in her hand speaking gibberish yet cutely. 

He took a deep breath and felt relived that this moment was no longer a dream. 

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This post is written for "Smelly to Smiley!" contest conducted by AmbiPurIndia in association with IndiBlogger.

#Fiction 

An Apocalypse.

Concealed beneath those grayish-blue eyes is a life long agony, a misery hidden , making a void in the vastness.  She can't hide. She can't run. At the end of the day she cries to death. She isn't weak. They have made her weak. But still she isn't weak. She fights every single day. For herself, for the people who still believe in her. 

She might not know but she is an inspiration to a lot of people. She seeks justice. She doesn't fear death. She just wants equality. A place for the kind of her. The society has annihilated them , media has flaunted them as helpless souls who thought that these people need sympathy. A place where they can be normal. Normal ? You say. How can anyone be normal? When I can't even forget a white lie that I told to save my ass, which bothers me every single day. How can a traumatic incident be forgotten over a few weeks or months or years?

They left a scar, that can never be removed. A scar that reminds of the horror past. A scar that, in a way makes her possible to live every single day. That is a constant reminder of her past that the world isn't safe. The safest places aren't safer any longer. That the people who were once dear to you now stay a million miles away. She did not make a mistake. She was perfect in her own way. She is a successful woman. Yet, the society sees her a little different. Because she is a she, a woman. When the nation bloats about equality, one shouldn't get excited about what a great nation we have. It is like a myth. No, women aren't denied anything. But there are places where people have the same mentality that people are discriminated on the basis of gender. That woman are supposed to be attached to the kitchen and do the chores. 

When will that discrimination stop? When will the atrocities on women stop? Women aren't weak. Just that they weren't given a chance to prove themselves. And now that caterpillar is finally breaking out of the cocoon and the society treats her like she doesn't even belong here. And to the men who take advantage, what kind of a beast are you? 

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There is an unseen apocalypse on the rise. The human mind. Though it hasn't infected the major lot of people, but it sure is spreading. 

Now lets take a step into history and see what history has taught us. There are these three monkeys of Mahatma Gandhi which depict the nonviolent way of living. These as we all   of us know are "Don't see bad", "Don't speak bad", "Don't hear bad". The non violent way of living. Easy , isn't it? So what's happens when something really bad is happening and someone is really getting hurt. Should we just close our eyes , close our ears and do nothing while the people do whatever they want to do.. What about the third one ? Oh, we do speak bad don't we. There is this media in the name of whatever-that-is-called just takes out the best bad in anything. I don't see whether they are praising or seeking justice.  

Our politics is corrupt. No doubt. The whole justice system is corrupt.  No doubt. We as people try to find justice in this half baked society where everything feels so wrong, even fighting for justice. It feels like a crime to voice out our opinions while the culprits have it their way enjoying the freedom that this democratic country have bestowed upon us. They walk away, the culprits while the people fighting for the same justice go behind bars. Because they voiced their opinion? Because they are criticizing the whole political system? Because they are blaming the whole justice system? The candle marches, the reforms to the safety of women for the betterment of the women go in vain when they are held more often. 

Lets keep aside the justice seeking and justice giving ideologies aside for a moment. And lets speak about the people. Like I said, an apocalypse. I thought that the people who are responsible for any heinous act against women were uneducated people, that they had no knowledge of how to respect a women, how to live in a society. But I was wrong. I knew I was wrong. I wanted to blame that on something. But lets stop the blaming game for a moment and see what's really bothering the society. Educated or uneducated - The same things happen. People are just out-of-their-minds. The other day someone shared something related to the rapes that are happening in India. I didn't see the photo but a guy in my room was sowing the other guy and talking about it. So the picture was like even if the girl is fully dressed or naked, she shouldn't be violated. So what happens is that this guy laughs and says if a girl is naked how can anyone control themselves? THAT. That thinking is the apocalypse that I was talking about. No matter how educated one is, there is still that thinking that is corrupting the minds of people. Is it really a reason? How can one control themselves? Seriously, what is wrong with people. If you don't know how to control, learn to control or just die.

How can anyone even think like that? And that thoughts that revolve around in the minds of thousands other people saddens me. How can this thing, this apocalypse that is spreading like a wildfire be stopped? How can one man, or even a million men bring a change in the thinking when they don't even care to listen? I have lost hope. In a couple of years, I would still be furious and angry at the people probably writing this same thing, but change, the change in that thinking, that I so wish to see would never happen. Is there a way, writing this could change the thinking of people? Then I would be writing every hour of the day. But, there are people like me, writing for a cause, for a change. And there are people who are struggling each day to see that change happen, working on a noble cause. But I don't see it. I don't see the change at all. Is there a simple way, or even the hard way to stop that thinking process, that apocalypse? 

In the Silence of the Night (cont..)

Chapter 1 

In the Silence of the Night (cont..)

The cold wind blew through the open window. He woke up. It wasn't morning yet. It wasn't night either. He couldn't figure out the time. He was in a bathtub. His hands were numb and were half dead due to prolonged exposure to water. He didn't know what he was doing in the bath tub in the first place, not did he remember what happened last night. The last thing he remembered was having a hot dog outside his office.

He tried hard to recollect what happened the last couple of hours, but just couldn't. This was something new for him. It has happened a couple of times but he just couldn't figure out. He always thought it was a bad dream or may be because of the meds he has been taking due to too much work pressure at the office.  But these were becoming frequent. He is not sure, but he just can't put the pieces of the puzzle together.

He was confused, a little lost.  He got out of the bath tub and went straight to bed. He tried to sleep the rest of the night. He wrapped himself in blankets and tried hard to sleep. But he just couldn't. Time was finally 5 in the morning as he saw the first ray of light gleaming through the window curtains. He woke up from his bed, wore his track suit and went for a run. No, he never ran. He just wanted to clear the confusion from his mind and get some fresh air. 

___________________________________

The darkness engulfed the night. It was a calm night. The moon was bright and it felt like daylight in the darkness. He sped his bike through the empty streets lit with sodium vapor lamps. His mind was preoccupied with the thoughts of the work he just finished. His job was simple and it was done. He doesn't want to think much about it, but their was a war inside of his head of which he had no clue of. He had no idea what he was thinking. He talked less. He had always talked less. He preferred that. No one actually know the reason. But that look in his eyes, like a never ending fire, dangerous and fearless. 

The bike took a hard left . it was a dark street and it was almost empty, except when a few countable few entered the back alley dragging a man by his collar. He glanced from the corner of his eye and stopped short just at the sight of the happenings round the corner of the block. He would have gone past them without even caring for a glance. But things have changed. He is no more the same guy he used to be. They are beating the guy for the money of course, which he was refusing to give. One of those three guys in hoddies glanced up the corner of the alley as he sensed a shadow moving. He saw a man wearing a black jacket and loading his gun which eventually pointed at him. The guy wasn't scared. He was feeling himself superior though he wasn't holding a gun. None of that hoodie gang had a gun. They started laughing which stopped in the middle when the bullet hit the space between their legs. Now they were scared. They ran off without saying a word. The man drove his bike and was again on his usual thinking (war inside his head) . He parked the bike in the garage, hid the gun safely in the secret locker, went up to his room and dipped himself in the bathtub. 

To be Continued * ... 

* : Most probably

P.S : I am just continuing the fiction story I started writing in the last post. It may not be a great thing. But I am trying. Bear with me. Critics are always welcome. So, Bring.It.On. 

In the silence of the night.

At the stroke of midnight, is when he starts working. He sat in a dimly lit room in an apartment flat. He talked very less. He was more of a man of action. He glimpsed the photo of a man on the coffee table by the window as the wind made its way through it making the curtains fly away in silence of the night. He was waiting for someone. As the car made its way into the apartment parking lot, he became alert. He pulled out his gun and the silencer made its way to the head of the gun. The man twisted the keys to his apartment, not knowing what waited him , his fate. He kept his keys on the stand and made his way to the dining room. He stopped short when he saw him. He knew at that instant what was going to happen. He fell on his knees, kissed the cross necklace across his neck and said a silent prayer. The man fell down on the white Italian carpet as it slowly turned red. Nobody would have guess that someone had died in the very apartment that night. He exited swiftly from the front door, leaving no trace.

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.

Hilarious Stupidity 4.0

Chocolate stained fingers. A trendy new phone. Messed up laptop. Cozy bed. Two remotes in hand. Twitter buzzes on phone. Muted gossip. Piled up Novels. Piled up chocolate wrappers. Too much Biryani. Friends hair-loss cries. Uncanny cravings. Brawling stomach. Just another crazy mind. 

1. So the other day, my jeans got caught up in something while I was getting down from a bus. The result was that it was torn a little bit, a bit more actually. Though people could have mistaken it for new fashion, which probably is on the streets these days. But it was making me uncomfortable. The other thing was that it was a new one, like a month old and all the remaining jeans that I have are a lot older which is why I stopped wearing them altogether. So, the following weekend I went out to buy a pair of jeans. And what I find? My jeans over there. Well, not exactly. But there was this corner where all the jeans looked a little worn out, restitched and a little bit torn. In that big pile of jeans there were a couple of jeans which looked exactly like mine. I am referring to the torn part. And it was almost like double the price of my jeans. Boy, I could open a shop and sell all my torn jeans at triple the prices, may be. People would just consider it a new fashion. 

2. The weekend is usually my movie day. The Saturday, particularly and preferably the first show of the day. The prices are less and more over I get a rest of the weekend to do something else. So, like a month back I was on my routine Saturday-movie-day-out sitting comfortably in my seat that I booked online and playing songs in my iPod just to escape the boring advertisements by 'Vicco'. And eventually the movie was about to get started. Then a bunch of people like ten of them enter the theater with their hands full. Each one was carrying either a popcorn tub or a nachos or a Pepsi or other things ...which I couldn't figure them out as the lights dimmed. So, these army was supposed to be sitting right behind my row. That middle row has exactly ten seats but eight of them were already occupied. And they started demanding the people sitting that those seats were theirs. After a fifteen minute of a short battle the confusion was settled when that army found out that those tickets were for Sunday and not Saturday. Now that is foresightedness and a very perfect punctual group.

3. Now that you must have observed if you are Twitter that I am going crazy over the name that I have changed it more than I can remember. And not to mention, adorning the cloak of invisibility is just not as easy as I thought it would be. The first reason being I am out of names. The second thing was / is, well actually the display picture. Now, most of the people would say that it looks creepy. Well, that was the point. So, my name was also something like that. Unfortunately, it was worse than I thought. And now I am literally and practically banging my head on the wall for a new crazy, yet cool name. Now what? The last photo of yours had you in a hat, so the name was 'The Guy in the Hat', now you are in a hood, so does that make you 'The Guy in the Hood' or what ? 

4. Boy, size does matter. The last time I went home, my parent were like "Are you eating at all? You should resign from your job and come home. You are not eating at all!" So after spending like  80 % of my money on food, when they claim such preposterous things, well, what else can I say? I sent a picture of me to a cousin sister trying to tease her that even after eating all the junk food like anything, I am still slim. Now I should have used Photoshop and made myself look a little fat. Because then I was getting calls from all my relatives asking why I wasn't eating properly. Yeah, I dug my own pit. Now, the point wasn't that. Later I went shopping with my younger brother who was cursing me when I said that the trousers that I tried on was a size larger which apparently was a number less than my brother's waist. Okay, the point I wanted to make wasn't that either. Since I was a kid, I used to buy clothes keeping in mind that I would grow a little taller, a little fat (may be) . So, I was like lets take a one size up so that I could use it for a little longer time. But what I never realized that the little  longer was never even close and I had to buy a whole set of clothes again. It like a rule now, whenever I go for shopping, I tend to think that I might gain a few pounds , so why not take a size larger and moreover some clothes shrink. So, a month back when I purchased a few jeans, I applied the same rule. The blow-back came a few days later when I came back to Bangalore from home. The jeans was literally sliding down and clearly my jeans could accommodate two persons. Okay, that's too much. One and a half person, approximately.   

5. The other day, I sneaked out of office a little early. We are supposed to work for like nine hours each day, but who wants to work on a Friday. And more over it was the day after the Independence day and almost the whole office was empty. People have gone on leave. Anyway, I sneaked out and went straight to the KFC! Now, I don't know whether those people at KFC are noticing it or not, I have been there like almost every day. 12 days out of 16 days at KFC. Now, where is my privilege card ? I will collect it later. Anyway, after having a nice meal of chicken legs and a burger, which supposedly was my dinner I headed back to my room. I felt like I should buy a few chocolates. Now, if you aren't aware of my schedule , I eat chocolates more often than I drink water. And moreover, it was Friday night, on which I usually stay up all night. So, chocolates are a must. Since I was feeling a little lazy, I gave chocolates a pass for this night. Just.For.One.Night. I said to my mind. I came to my room and it was not even seven in the evening. And there was this Nestle Alpino advertisement on TV in every channel and that too on repeat mode. Damn you, Nestle! I was controlling myself, you know, not to go over that. And that for one night lets just keep chocolates away. I was doing fine until 10, when I gave in. Took my hoddie out and went to buy some. At the shop, I was like collecting chocolates like a 10 year old grabbing as many as possible. My hands were almost full and the guy at the counter eyes me suspiciously. I was having a set of 4, each of Dairy Milk, that Nestle Alpino, Munch, Perk, 5 Star, Coffee Bite. That's it. And that guy at the counter swipes each of the chocolate with the bar-code reader instead of multiplying all of them by 4. The Aunty behind me also gives a weird look. After swiping each one for like eternity, the guy asks "Birthday?" . I say, "Yeah, cousin's brother!" and gave him a weird reassuring smile. Now, 'Why are you people giving me a weird look?' 

______________________________________

Hello There! 

Hello, My dear friends , fellow bloggers, secret crushes, everyone.

How have you been? Let me come straight to the point. I am not okay. And hey by the way, I hope you people do recognize me. Well, AK is going crazy these days. He has changed my epic, rocking, not to mention the most liked display photo on the Facebook wall  and replaced with that-crazy-half-headed photo. I even reported it as spam on Facebook and tried to remove it. AK just updated the security while I was trying to figure a way out of his messed up mind and thoughts. Please don't get me started on that. He wants a new name now. Anonymity. He says. Like, being cut out from the world should help him. Like getting a name could end him up in Jail like for 'Harry Clifton' in Jeffery Archers' "The Sins of a Father". Oh, you haven't come across it? Forget that I ever mentioned it. And those crazy-messed up thoughts of his are keeping me away from thinking straight and apparently from writing as well. This guy needs help. Look at this pic, which would clear any doubts if you have any.

AK - Blowing Brains Out on stupid things.

See! You getting what I am saying ? Anyways, I have taken a lot of your time. Will see you around. 

Sayonara

Your-Friendly-Neighborhood-Stranger's-Alter-Ego

The Guy in the Hat.

Exactly, my point!

The clouds turned dark. The sky divided. The whiter the lighter, the darker the heavier. The universal equilibrium balance. The is a war among the mightier; in this case the heavier i.e. the darker. The sounds of battle echoed the whole dark sky. The result was tremendous downfall and strikings, everywhere. 

There is an emotion. An emotion hidden beneath the rigid plastered smile. The words are deceiving, just like the smile. But you will never know. The lies are just too perfect. The face is just perfect. On the long run, these words hurt more than anything. But who cares now, it is after a while, isn't it?

The say rain washes the emotion. I don't know about emotion but it does wash away my hair style. I spend like an hour decorating, I mean aligning my not-so-long-yet-long hair into a perfect one. And then there is rain. Thank you so very much. Now I look like a idiot. Which you always have been! So, why bother? And weren't you speaking about emotion and rain? When did you jump from train onto a flight? You are ruining it, bro! Yeah, yeah! Rain and emotion! Umm... that's pretty much it. Hopeless. 

I am a little lost. A little flustered. A little bewildered. The words escape my sight. my plight, my mind. I end up at the corner of the room which feels so cozy yet scares me to death. Ah! Death. Why are people so scared of it ? Don't we all know it is inevitable. But there is always a constant war to live a little longer. Blah! What not have people done to live a little longer for the life they don't know the future of. And what not the people have done to gift the inevitable gift of salvation that was thought only god could grant. 

What am I speaking? Death! Life! What an intellectual topics to ponder about, discuss about! Now, lets not get myself started with the aforementioned two things. I will preach, sure thing, but of something I know nothing about. Then again, you wouldn't know because I could be that ninety year old guy, full of experience and preaching about the divine knowledge. Yeah, I pretend. And I prefer to be good at it. Let me just put an end to your misery but not talking about it anymore.

There are thoughts which battle the insides of my mind. That, which never sees the light of the day. You know, I actually try to fish those thoughts out from the vast ocean filled with such well.. to be frank.. nonsense. The problem, if you ask is that the fishing rod is broken. If that's not it, then the fishing line is tangled somewhere in that mess. I try to find excuses. And haha believe me I am great at it. Perfect. Or may be not.

Now, I need a coffee. What? Now? The clock is chiming at 3. I was just kidding. I just had two whole bars of chocolate. Now, you! Stop right there. I got an extra one, just for you only. You can calmly keep down whatever that is in your hand that was supposed to fly out of your hand and hit my head. Take a breath. Phew! That was close. You are just exaggerating. Am I ? Damn! I thought you would never know! 

"Dude, you are good with words!", said a cousin of mine. Well thanks buddy. But come one, frankly I am not. Who am I kidding? I totally suck. Okay, I take it back. There are a few people like one or two who would track me down and put a gun to my head and probably would say, "Say it one more time, and the bullets' yours, for life. Period". (If they are reading this, they would probably know). And more over you should know I am just playing the beat-the-bush-from-behind card! What the hell is that? Who knows! Just came to my mind. It is actually like saying something that you don't believe, but you do believe is true and at the same time you feel that the others believe your little something, which you don't believe is true. I thought you never did/do drugs or drink as a matter of fact! What the hell is that supposed to mean? I didn't get a thing besides 'believe'?

 And dude, stop asking me so many questions. I am getting confused what lie I told the last time. So, what lie did you tell now? That I suck at writing. Oh, No! What have I done? What have you made me do? Oh, You are good at this. I mean you are such a really bad person. How can you make me turn my own words? 

People are getting confused over here. Are they? No, I don't think they are. When they opened my blog they knew what they were dealing with? You seriously believe that? How could someone possibly know that you could be some confused, pessimistic, hypocritical self obsessed person! Whoa! That's a high talk from a person like you. And moreover who are we talking about ? Oh, don't tell me thats' me! Because that wouldn't be be true.  

Okay, tell me one thing - What did you want to convey in this post ? Frankly speaking, God knows. Come on, God doesn't have a clue. Exactly, my point. 

P.S. I'd be changing my display name, most probably. So better watch out. No, it ain't cool. That's the reason I am warning you beforehand.

Adios. Sayonara.

Just Rambling.

The future is unknown and unpredictable. But what I feel is that it is in grave danger. It's mostly us, playing our parts perfectly or not. It's upto you to decide what kind of a player you are. I just can't go around telling that you aren't playing your part well.

When I see the present scenario of the country, I am completely and utterly flummoxed. The recent news that dwells about the division of a state. I am not that much into politics. As a matter of fact, I hate Politics. I used to think that the states were made on the basis of the language so that a particular junta of people who would have no problem speaking with one another could coexist without any setbacks. But that seems to be totally wrong. We speak about being united as one. And we still go on breaking up the unity. May be the phrase'Unity in Diversity' need just a little more diversity. People and their insane quests. It would be no surprise if each city is formed into a new state. 

Well, lets' get down to business..

Red heels. Short skirts. Turning heads. A hundred eyes. It's actually funny, or I don't know what it would/should be called, but when a girl passes by , there is rhythmic movement of heads, like the waves in the ocean. A few whistles, a few comments, a few flimsy filmy songs. A countable angry stares. It is very much the routine since like forever. Do you all agree with me? Of course you do. I seriously don't know whether the person who is responsible for causing this action for a few minutes enjoys or just hates it. Women are hard to understand! No doubt. But I feel they hate. Though, I would agree if you say there are a few people who want to seen, who want to be center of attraction and probably dress as if they are walking down the red carpet or whatever! But teasing with eyes , or whistles or comments or gossips or the list goes on.. doesn't make anyone comfortable. 

Where do I belong ? Where do I stand in this crazy act that people do? I don't know, you tell me. Usually, I am the guy who when spotting a head-turner exclaims with some adjectives and then I look at those other turning heads and hundred eyes, which like I said move rhythmically. Well, that's fine because looking at something beautiful isn't a bad thing after all. But then, I hear those comments and those weird songs / likewise things. That what doesn't feel right! Unknowingly, I curse those people. People should learn to appreciate and admire than violating. Oh, you couldn't even begin to imagine the thoughts that go through each and everyone of those minds. And that I.Fucking.Hate.

The Spam.

One man's desperation is other's opportunity. Dude, what the hell was that? Totally Irrelevant! These days to be in a relationship is more like a necessity than something (called love, duh!) happening for a reason. I hear people talking about it all the time. But in my circle of friends it mostly the people who still aren't into a relationship. They would brag about it and then again deny getting into one. Come on people. Make up your mind. 'And that includes you too, AK.' 

So, the question could be Why am I bragging about it all now? Good Question. No reason. Lets' clear the air. First of all, I suck at those things. And I see people talking about it almost every f#ing place. Nobody gives me a break. Like I said, necessity. May be it also states the social status of a person. And come to twitter, #ForeverAlone #Love #Sex #BlaBla #ThatShitThisShit hashtags keep flying around. Reading every aspect of it does give thoughts about that idea of being in a relationship. Come on, Grow up! Whom are you kidding? You and that ? *Jumps off a building*.

Okay, whatever! Lets' see the following transcripts. I should have hidden/masked the names? the email ids? , well I ain't so nice either. And let me get this straight, this is one of the biggest of the spams. Luring people into the so called hmm..erm.. shit / whatever ! 

So, once I played along to see what would happen next. Some chick from the west emailed me. I emailed back. Then came an email saying that she has a million bucks (the insurance money) which was given to her as their parents died in some kind of a war. So, she doesn't trust anyone from her country, I don't know about their relatives. But she wanted someone trustworthy and there I was, she said. Some trust issues, she has. Come on, seriously me ? I don't even trust myself and some stranger who doesn't even know my name (yeah, I sent a fake name) would trust me. And the thing was that she would come to this country and I have to pay for the customs to clear that million bucks. So, who's ready to kill me! *Kills myself*! That was like two months ago. And in the previous month, I got a few more.

# 1

# 2

# 3

So, you see I am getting a lot of chances here from people I don't even know. And these people, what should they be called? I don't even understand who gets time to create such SPAM mails. And then automate it! Come on, when I reply in the meanest way possible, the reply is something like "I am glad you too feel the same. I am looking forward to continue our friendship. bla bla bla.. *inserts a pic in a bikini* bla bla " . Okay, I am out of here. 

Adios