[kunalgupta]

as a kid i composed a poem , though only a bit of it...like to share it..



if i were a cricketer ...
just like tendulkar....
the runs would be flowing from my bat
and the ball would be disappearing way back...

[estranged_gnrs]

Wrote a poem after a long long time.
Here it is -

The God

They say moon is a harsh mistress,
But I try to play with it,
Stirring the imaginary strings around it
Invoking the skies with the sound of my breaking heart...

I disturb the dance of clouds with my hands,
And watch them, wondering, which turn they will take
I go ecstatic as they make me wet all over,
Refreshing me from the dreary life I have chosen...

They say ocean is deep and mysterious,
But I bury my fingers in it and tickle him,
I love to see the way it gets angry
Rising and roaring to take me away from this elysium...

They say sun has too much fire in it,
But I sometimes steal some heat from it,
I laugh out loud when it bounces on to me,
And tears out a hole through my heart...

They say women are beautiful and an enigma.
But I sometimes play with their minds,
I watch in amazement as they fight back and play games,
Which defeat me and declare me as a loser...

They say, what it must be like to be God,
I say, come and see me.
With all the powers at my disposal,
I am still the one with a heart.

Cheers,
Rohit

[the_egonomist]

Originally Posted by estranged_gnrs

They say ocean is deep and mysterious,
But I bury my fingers in it and tickle him,

Real nice. Was wondering why you refer to the sea as a he. Most commonly assigned gender would be female - the sea is a harsh mistress.

Cheers.

[sumitrocks]

Under the merciless afternoon sun,
trapped in the melancholy of her solitary world,
leaning against a stone wall as if,
shielding from the misery at her hurled,
she sits breaking stones.
Her silken hands are accompanied only by dust,
in the desolate, stony landscape.
A stark, hideous contrast,
to the dreams that she had once harboured.
Her sunken eyes are devoid of feeling,
hurt, accusing eyes,
furtively shift their gaze to the closed doors.
As if wishing to speak, rise,
but no sound does arise.
Her dusty delicate body trembles,
like a stone idol come to life.
As she thinks of that ruthless item,
responsible for claiming innumerable lives,
that cruel, cruel commodity called food,
tainted with the blood of innocents.
Broken by the quirks of fate,
battered by the waves of time,
with no one to call her own,
she sits, breaking stones.
Drifting on the seas of sorrow,
she cannot bear any more.
Only a stone statue,
she cannot remain any more.
In bitter-sweet dreams,
her tormented soul is lost.
Two stone tears run down her stone face,
just looking at her makes me contrite.
Make no noise, don't disturb her sleep,
let us go away, for dusk has turned to night.

*This one was written as a collection of thought on child labour.

[vikylov]

ITS WHAT I FEEL NOW::TITLE :JEEVAN SHIKHAR

MAN TU DHIR DHAR,MAN DHIR DHAR.
SURAJ KO BAHAR NIKALNE DE ,
MAN PAR CHAYE KALI GHATA
APNI DHADHAKTI ICHAO KO JALNE DE.

MAN TU DHIR DHAR MAN DHIR DHAR.
SURAJ KI KIRNO KO LAHRANE DE.
DIN KE PRAKASH ME TU APNE ,
SAPNO KO PURA MARG DARSHAN DE.

BHUL SABHI KAMNAO KO TU
KHUD KO AHUTIO PAR CHADNE DE,
SONE PAR PARI DHUL KO
THORA AUR NIKHARNE DE.

AAKASH KI OOR DEKH AB,
GADUD KI BHATI UD NIKAL TU,
PANKH KAR MAJBUT APNE
AANDHIO KO CHIR SAKE TU.

DHUM DHAM YA HO UTHAL PUTHAL AB
APNE LAKSHYA PATH PAR ADIG CHALE TU,
CHATRA JEEVAN KE ANTIM CHARAN KO
AAPNA SABSE UCHA SHIKHAR DE.

MAN DHIR DHAR ,MAN DHIR DHAR.........

SO FRIENDS THIS IS WHAT I CAN IMAGINE NOW AS FAR AS CAT IS CONCERNED .AFTER SO MANY LOWS IN LIFE THIS IS THE ONLY PANACEA.......
FOR CAT.................


I HV NOTHING ELSE TO SAY WHAT I HAVE WRITTEN WUD BE AN INSPIRING NOTE FOR ALL CAT ASPIRANTS...........WRITTEN KEEPING IN MIND WHAT WE ARE ABOUT TO FACE IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS ...........<BIKASH>

[amit.patni]

DAY OF A SOFTWARE ENGINEER

He (Software Engineer) wakes up with pain in his back, soon realizes that it is getting worse. Then he decides to use “1 minute MOOV ki maalish life superhit” formula from never coming tomorrow.

Starts for office around 8 AM, find never-ending congestion on city roads. Finds that congestion is firmaments high today and getting worse everyday, thinks that city is going nowhere and soon realizes his duties towards city. But shed off his responsibility by giving cursing govt. bureaucrats.

Reach office around 10 AM turn on his PC fill in his yesterday’s timesheet entry. Open his mailbox finds CC’s bill pending, recalls all the drawback of plastic money.

Open his never ending bug list over company’s intranet find some new CR’s (Change Request) and bugs which gets reopen which makes him annoyed, it’s time for smoke (SUTTA). Peers join him makes a good camaraderie. Ideas float in order to shed off load by virtually changing the entire hierarchy of management.

After smoke, finds another mail from management, saying company is growing. So some new norms have been added favoring management but added burden to him, another de-motivating factor.

Think for a change, but realizes market is down recession is on. Try to convince him by looking out for virtual positive aspects of company.

At 11.30 AM time for meeting, BA (Business Analyst) comes in with new CR’s with 2 days as a deadline. He put forward his point that it can’t be done in 2 days time but BA is adamant because client, ‘client devo bhava’ can’t give more time. After realization that argument is waste of time, he prepares MOM (Minute of Meeting), in the meantime he realizes that his dinner plan is on the verge of cancellation. But the question is how to convey the same to BHABHI JI (BJ) – spouse. Time for another sutta.

Lunchtime (2 PM), BJ calls up to reconfirm the program but he needs to request BJ to postpone the same but how to do. He use software industry best excuse (company’s dinner/lunch with client), excuse accepted got saved.

Around 5.30 PM when work is in full swing sees that gurlz or ladies start leaving at 6 PM. They got to leave early, need to prepare food for their spouse and somebody’s Boy Friend is waiting. Point of discussion among camaraderie why companies are hiring female staff, why don’t they pay us we can do the same in half compensation. Time for another sutta.

Soon after 8 PM when work gets over, time to leave, find congestion, traffic jam manage to reach home around 10 pm. As he enters home he sees that BJ is watching SAAS BAHU sops. Tulsi and parviti is crying, can’t figure out why parviti is crying but manage to know that BAA is not well, she is suffering from COLD i.e. tulsi is crying courtesy BJ.
At 11.30 PM want to ask BJ for “1 minute maalish” but finds that BJ is sleeping. So it’s time for sleep.

This vicious cycle continues.

[sudoku]

Decided to wash my hands in flowing river

Kaleidoscope in a Facade

I look through the microscope, an enlarged picture of people I call friends,
They form a still, it’s a beautiful pattern,

I twist it a little bit and realize,
It really is not a microscope but a kaleidoscope, coz...
When I see through a different angle the patterns change...

The colours look different,
Though some pieces are still the same
Some others just change the picture in a way I will never comprehend...

I dislike this new pattern, first because the faces glare at me,
But slowly realize that microscope was an illusion, and kaleidoscope is what I have to live with
So I look closely, may be I will contemplate things in the end...

Facades, good and bad.
Insecurities causing destructions,
Greed leading to dirt and filth...
Innocence could be lethal
Basic instincts at war with morals....
Need for acceptance causing people to lie...
Fools living parallel lives,
Happy on the face of it....
All in drudgery inside…

I can’t take the sight anymore, and change the angle again,
It all looks same as before, all the pieces are back in place...
It’s a still, beautiful pattern.

I pretend it’s a microscope;
that I never saw through a Kaleidoscope.
The pattern is comfortable in being seen like this,
it doesn’t glare back at me anymore.

-Khushbu

[feelnishant]

(This one coming directly from my blog... i suppose this one comes in short stories... Read only if you have time and please dont curse me if you feel its bakwas... i am a newbie in story writing...)

THE VILLAGE GIRL - I
My father worked in a Govt. Office in a small town. Once in a year, mainly during my summer vacation he used to visit his parents and we gave him company. By us, I meant me and my mother. My brother who is taller than me now was not present on earth at that time. I don’t remember the year but I was in 3rd grade. Like every year we packed for 1 month vacation to my Grand Father’s place which was a village somewhere in Bihar. One of the reason I liked my grandpa’s place was availability in abundance of mangoes. I was least talkative in my family especially with elders and they all knew it. It always worked as the less you talk the less number of rules are imposed on you. I slept after unpacking as I know from next day I have to be real fresh to eat those mangoes and play games.


Next day I had my breakfast and then I went in search of kids who visited the place like me and somehow, as my grandma told, I was related to them. My Grand Father being smallest of his seven brothers and one sister explains a lot. Anyway, I found them playing some game with squares and circles drawn on earth and a pebble which was supposed to be hit only by foot and one foot has to be in air all the time. Sounds tough but my childhood friends were experts in that game. I was introduced briefly to a new chap named Ajay. Later I came to know that his father worked in Nagpur and his family is also there for nearly the same time as me. We were playing when a soothing voice hit my ear, “Rahuuuuul, mummy’s calling.” I turn around to see her but only managed to see her back as she fled from the spot. Ajay too left. That day got over without any other pleasant surprises.

Next day I woke up late, and had a secret mission to find about that girl. I was just curious to know. First I thought I will ask Ajay but my instinct voted against that idea. Though later that day when I did not see Ajay with other kids, I asked about him to a friend. “He has left for 2 days to visit some place nearby.” Ouch said my heart and I heard it. Depressed for next 2 days, I ate lots and lots of mangoes. The morning after those 2 days I woke up very early as I believed in phrase “early bird catches the worm.” But I was not a bird and she was definitely not a worm. My mom was puzzled at my abnormal behavior but she never asked. Dear Lord! That day was so long. I waited and waited but no sign of her coming back. Finally, in the late evening Ajay with his parent came and they looked real tired. But there was so no sign of that lady kid. I talked Ajay in to telling me about his family and then I came to know that his parents had a twin of which one was Ajay and the other was that girl who had occupied most of my thought process for last four days. The day ended there.

Next day, I got up at my usual time and after going through the normal routine I was ready for any game. I went where my friends usually play but no one was there. I started my search the start point was always backyard of our house. I went there and what I saw just brought mixed emotion in me. I had seen lots of Hindi movie by that time and I cannot speak of other actors but she was definitely the female lead of my story. She was right there underneath the huge lemon tree playing with mud and earth.
The conversation went like this:

Me: “Hi, where is Ajay?” (Wasn’t that a very easy way to start?)

She: “Who are you?” (Not too happy with someone who saw her playing with mud and getting dirty.)

Me: “Ummm… you have put too much water in the soil and that way you can’t make a toy.” (As if I am a master of art and craft)

She: “Ajay has gone with other boys near the mango grove. Who are you?”

Me: “Rahul, Can I watch you making those toys?” (Man! She was giving me a look which can go either way; I thought she was going to say yes…)

She: No. (And she started to put some soil on the mess she had created by putting so much water)

Me: what is your name? (I was not going to give up that easily.)

But she continued with her work. My ego was badly hurt but I said to myself “Never mind my boy, she might have had tough day yesterday and you might be just a victim of over strained mind.” I had no other option but to leave and try my luck some other day. I turn around and hardly walked a few steps when I heard a familiar voice.

“Rahul”

It was her voice. I gave a puzzled look at her and my evil part suggested to me to leave and don’t go near her “She is one who was full of ego few minutes back. Let her come and beg for your time.” “Shut up” I told to myself and crawled towards her. But this time I had a dignified look on my face which told her silently to watch her words and Rahul won’t tolerate such disrespect again.

She: “I have always read about Indian villages and they are exactly the same as I had read. I am here for few more weeks so I will enjoy every bit of it. Do you know how to make toys, Rahuuul?” (My name was stretched and the puppy face she was making made my life hard. Though I gave little advice in what not to do while making toy few minutes back, I had no idea to make one myself.)

Me: oh yeah, I have made such toys many times. What is your name ummm…?

She: Twinkle. (Twinkle twinkle little star… twinkle as in handle, stars twinkle, do you? And many more phrases came in my mind and I was finding it difficult to hide my shining teeth.)

Me: Nice name. (Such an obvious lame line I could think to say, better if I could have used above phrase.)

She: Hmmm… So what are you going to make? (Boy, she means business.)

Me: let’s start with a tortoise.

I put more soil on the heap she had created, to make it little less muddy and more stable. I tore a big lump out of it and started to make a sphere. After that I dropped it on earth so that it took the shape of a hemisphere. All this she was watching me patiently. Then I took five more portion of soil though lesser in size this time. Made sphere of all of them and in similar fashion transformed them to hemisphere. Four of them I stick it to bigger hemisphere as legs and the fifth one as head. I saw panic in her eyes as it was difficult to recognize which is leg and which one is head. I ignored her puzzled eyes and with the help of a broom stick drew the fingers on the four legs. Though I was not sure as the fingers of my tortoise resembled human fingers a lot. I took two tine dark sand grains and stuck them to the head as eyes. Thus my tortoise is complete. She was smiling now and I was watching her pretty smile.

She: “Rahul, I want to tell you something.” (And my heart skipped a few beat. Wasn’t that too early.)

Me: “What?” (My mouth was filled with saliva at that moment and that made that what a little blurry to hear.)

She: “You don’t know how a tortoise look. You forgot its tail and their legs have fins.”

Now girl or no girl, pretty or not, no one can question my infinite knowledge in zoology. I think I had a good knowledge on animals and had a few big fat books on animals and reptiles which I had revised many times. I sometimes used to boast in front of my dumb friends that I grew counting crocodile’s teeth.

Me: “Tortoise has no fins in their legs, and for your information turtles look similar to tortoise and have fins.”

She: “Turtles! Are they not female tortoise?” (I was going to laugh on her face.)

Me: No twinkle, they are completely different reptiles. I have books at home where I have read about them. I will show you next year.

She: “No need, Internet will tell me.” (INTERNET!! Phew what was that, her boy friend? )

Me: “Who is Internet?”

She: “I will tell you tomorrow. Bye”

Me: “Bye” (So loudly that even I had difficulty hearing it.)

And she ran away. I was sad. I was not even properly introduced to her and I came to know about her boy friend. Hmm “Internet”, quite a weird name for a boy. At least for this night Internet was villain in my story.
To be continued

[feelnishant]

THE VILLAGE GIRL - II

That night I hardly slept. The internet guy was killing me. Next day I woke up late; late than usual late and with a big headache. My eyes were swollen as if I have cried whole night but I didn't. Part of me was telling me to talk to twinkle and sort things out and the other part was suggesting me not to as that would be too early. I was still observing my face and those swollen eyes when my mother called:

Mom: Sweetie, see who is waiting for you to wake up since morning. (I told mom not to call me with sweet laden words, at least In front of strangers, but mother are mother, you can be He-Man but for your mother you are always a baby in your diapers.)

Me: Coming mama. Give me ten minutes.

I expected some elders whom I didn’t knew might have come to visit me. So I took my own time to clean and dress myself so that I can prepare myself to bear the lecture of whoever has come to visit me. I was still thinking of twinkle indeed and the next thing after encountering some alien relative and devouring few kgs of mangoes, I will go straight to the back yard to meet her.

Mom: Rahuuulllll……….. (At least she should not scold me verbally in front of some strangers.)

Me: Comiiiiiinmmmggggg mama (Tit for tat.)

I came out and saw that relative and there were two of them. I could not breathe for next few minutes. Twinkle was seated on one of the chair eating the chocolate my mom might have offered her and beside that my mother was placed. In front of her, Twinkle’s mother was sitting. Both the elderly lady were knitting sweater for their respective cared to be most person. Somebody tell them; it is summer and still six months away from any chance of cold wave. I wished Twinkle’s mom and sat next to her.


Twinkle’s Mom: “So beta, twinkle told me you are quite good with making toys. What did you made yesterday?” (Oh I don’t want to fall into that tortoise-turtle argument again. If she says tortoise can fly, I am going to believe her.)

Me: “Tortoise, Aunty. But I am not really good at it. In fact I did it for the first time yesterday.” (God knows I felt a lot of new things in the last few days.)

Twinkle’s Mom: “How were your exams Rahul. I heard you are good at studies.” (It must be my Grandma’s idea to boast about my studies without talking me in confidence, because my parents will never do that.)

Mom: “He is doing ok with his studies. By the way, is that design you are knitting is done up two ways or down two ways?” (I love my mom as this was not the first time she had rescued me from a nasty situation.)

Twinkle’s Mom: “No, its two up and one down.”

With that my mother went into other technical details of that design and this made both of the ladies to be engaged within their knitting and themselves for next few minutes. I gave a nanosecond glance at twinkle. She was listening to the ladies argument.

Me: “Excuse me.”

I went inside my room again as I was feeling suffocated there. I need some time and air to be me. I went to that mirror which hung to the wall near to my bed and started staring at my face.

Me (Mirror): “So, what’s up sir? What are you going to do next?”

Me: “I don’t know, you suggest something.”

Me (Mirror): “You like that girl so tell her about your feelings. Perhaps, she might have seen some Hindi movie and link some parts of it with your story.”

Me: “But she might be already liking some guy with a weird name, she might put me down once she hear about my feelings for her”

Me (Mirror): “You are a genius fool as you know the result without experimenting it a bit. By the way look behind. She is here!!”

Twinkle: “Whom are you talking to?”

Me: “Umm... No one. I was just practicing my play lines.” (She doesn’t need to know about the stupid play I am going act in my new class.)

She: “Ohh, that’s cool. Which play? Is it some one of Shakespeare? I liked Merchant of Venice a lot and I acted as Portia in that.” (Who is this Shakespeare guy? I should rather not talk about him and let my ignorance about literature spill.)

Me: “That’s good. Well, I will tell you about my play but promise me you are not going to laugh on it.”

She: “Oh I will not Rahul.”

Me: “Ever heard of Jungle Book. In that story theirs a guy called mogli; he is human baby but was born and brought up by a wolf.”

She: “So you are playing mogli.”

Me: “No I am not playing mogli. He is some other guy and he got the part because of his long hair. I am his local guardian kind of thing. Actually I am Ballu the bear.”

At that point she started laughing and went pink to red and then purple. How could she. In fact being Ballu is next best thing to mogli in jungle book story. I had more dialogues to speak than the tiger who was villain of the story. But she was still laughing and by that noise, her and my mom came rushing in. Ohh why not call some more people and tell them there’s a bear in the house.

Mom: “What happened baby?”

She: “Nothing Aunty, Rahul just told me a joke. “

On hearing that both of the senior ladies went back to their normal chat.

Me: “I want to ask you something, who is this Internet, your friend?” (She started smiling.)

She: “You know what a computer thing is? It’s something to do with that.”

I was not completely satisfied but at least got relieved.

She: “What are you thinking Rahul?”

He: “Nothing.” (I was obviously thinking about you.)

She: “You know something; don’t ever try to hide anything from me. In fact you can’t do that from anyone. You are so readable. Only cowards try to hide what they want to say?”

I am not a coward. At that moment without saying another word, I stormed out of the room. I went to the same lemon tree where I watered my feelings for the first time. Some part of me was expecting her to come to me. I sat their till the time I felt very hungry. Then I went straight to my house, followed normal routine and finally slept. My heart was badly bruised that day. Next few days went away quite normally. I used to play with my friends away from my house. Ajay always joined us in whatever game we use to play. One day after the game was over, I and Ajay were sitting underneath the old banyan tree, and a conversation started between us.

Ajay: “you play cricket very well.”

Me: “Yeas, sort of, I started plying last year only. Previously I used to play…” (I was interrupted.)

Ajay: “What happened between you and twinkle? I mean why you stopped talking to her?’”

Me: “Nothing, I usually go out with you guys. Did she say anything?” (Ajay was stronger and getting beaten by the brother of the girl was not an idea I could neglect.)

Ajay: “My mom said you guys were very friendly, but last one week I hardly saw you anywhere around her. Go and talk to her.”

Me: “I am not going to do that and I don’t want to talk anything further about her.”

And I left him there, I was upset with her and more than that, I was not happy with myself. I just acted like a confused guys who don’t know how to work things out by talking. Probably she is right. I am just acting like a weird guy who avoids talking to hide his true self. Can’t I hide my emotions and what emotion it was which was nowhere few weeks back?

Someone was waking me up.

“Wake up Rahul. Look I have brought you something.”

Me: “I want to sleep some more mummy.”

“I am not your mom Rahul.”

I opened one of eye and saw Twinkle sitting on the chair beside the bed. I was sitting on the bed next second with a puzzled look on my face.


She: “Rahul.”

Me: “Ummm…. What are you doing in my room?”

She: “I am leaving this Friday. Where were you in last few days?”

Even I was leaving the coming Saturday and time will fly so quickly I had never anticipated. I was in deep thought of mine when she interrupted.

She: “I asked you something.”

Me: “I was with my friends.” (I was still angry with myself or I was over reacting. I will not let her read me this time.)

She: “I know, you are angry with me? I am sorry. I have brought some chocolates for you.” (And she figured my state of mind again.)

Me: “Give me ten minutes, let’s go and see that pond near the village temple. Meet me at the gate in ten minutes.”

She gave me the chocolates and left. I ate them all there itself. I dressed myself and went to meet Twinkle at the gate. She could be here any moment. But instead of her my other friends came.

Friend 1: “Hey Rahul, today no cricket.”

Me: “Nope, Tired a bit.” (She could be here any moment.)

Friend 2: “So come with us, we are planning to see some place around.”

Me: “Not today, next time I will definitely come. Bye.” (I was heavily impatient at time. Ajay was also there and I don’t want him to see that I have some other plans with his sister.)

Ajay: “Ok, in case you change your mind, come straight to the pond near the village temple.”

I stood there frozen on hearing that.
-to be continued

[feelnishant]

THE VILLAGE GIRL - III(LAST CHAPTER)

The guys were still there when I saw her running towards us. She came near the gate and walked toward the place where I and Ajay were standing. Obviously an awkward situation as Ajay is thinking I am tired and she thinks that I am ready to go to the pool and the offer for the pool I had already rejected. I wished I had the power to vanish but I had none so I was just on mercy of my luck. Ajay was looking at her and me in succession and was expecting anyone of us to answer him. I would dare not say anything and let her lead the scene.

She: “What?” (And she did that in style and attitude.)

Ajay: “Where are you going with that bag and all dressed up?” (I hate Ajay now for creating a situation where my intervention is a must. But I will take one more chance, as he was not looking that aggressive. It might be just a brotherly question.)

She: “I am not going anywhere. Are you? You can go, any far place also where mom has told us not to go. I will not tell mamma about anything. You can trust me on this.”

A very smart answer which brought Ajay into back foot for which he was not all prepared for. Anyway it didn’t look like he was going to create any problem and what Twinkle said now; she might have saved for future threat.

Ajay: “Thanks baby, I am not going that far though. Hey I forgot my cap. It’s on my bed. Can you bring it to me?”

I can smell something here as I have never seen him wearing a cap though he played all day under Sun. Twinkle left for the house and she might take two-three minutes to come back either empty handed or with some cap. The other guys were busy watching the tadpoles in the village drain at end of road. There was complete silence between me and Ajay. While he was looking at me with a strange kind of look, which I can’t term as furious, I was just moving my head in random fashion as if I was completely mesmerized by the beauty of my village. Finally Ajay’s patience made its call and he broke the silence.

Ajay: “So you want to add something to it?” (Clearly it was not the perfect time to joke.)

Me: “Hmmm… yeah… Ummm... I seriously thought about it when you said I should go and talk to your sister. So we planned to go the temple to pray to God and talk a little bit. I was unnecessarily angry with her.”

Ajay: “Why were you angry?”

Me: “She told me a coward.”

Ajay: “Yeah, she said that to me many a times too. What does she thinks of herself. She is good in studies and that doesn’t mean she will say anything to us. We will not talk to her.” (At last Ajay found out the shoulder where he can keep his head and abuse his sister. But he got that all wrong.)

Me: Nope! We will give her some more time to improve and she is a girl yaar. Give her some benefit for being that. (After I gave him that guy talk he looked convinced though still angry.)

By that time Twinkle came running again and as I guessed empty handed.

Twinkle: “There was no cap. Go and look for it yourself.”

Ajay: “I think I can do without it today. You guys go to the temple.”

She: “Temple!!” (I had to interrupt now.)

Me: “But you guys are also coming there.”

Ajay: “No, they are busy catching tadpole and I am also planning to join them.” (It was not a pleasant idea to watch anyone catch tadpole but never mind; it was working my way.)

Ajay: “Bye and take care of my baby sister.”

She: “I alone can take care of myself and no need for you irresponsible guys to worry about me.”

Ajay was about to say something but he stopped and left to join the gang of boys near the well. We also walked towards the temple which was ten minutes walk from my house. There was a small bag on her back, a pink one with shape resembling to mini mouse. A little bit of nervousness was gripping me. I guess she was also in similar situation as we both were walking unusually fast.

She: “Where are the chocolates I gave you?” (I didn’t say anything but pointed my fingers towards my tummy giving her the most satisfying smile.)

We reached the pond in a few minutes. Village women were already marked their areas where they were busy washing clothes and few of them just gossiping and walking around. Some buffalos were swimming in the mid of the pond. Though I can swim comfortable in the swimming pool but was not sure about the same about Twinkle. We were in search for some location where we can settle down and plan for the next few hours.


The other side of the pond though not being stepped was not that crowded. There was a huge tree whose branches were quite low on that side of the pool. The bank was usually clean as the ladies use the area to spread the cloth for drying. We decided that tree’s shade to rest ourselves.
After we had placed our selves near the tree, I had no ideas to spend the rest of the time.

She: “Let’s climb that branch.” (She was pointing to a branch which I doubt will sustain the weight of two kids. But I agreed.)

Me: “Yeah let’s go. But be careful, follow me and hold the branch tightly. Don’t slip because if you will fall, you are going to land directly in the pond. “(Though the pond’s bank under the branch was not deep enough but still why take the chance.)

She: “What we are going to do there?”

Me: “I will show you how to swing upside down with the help of legs.”

With that I started my adventure to climb that tree. The branch was very low and I was able to catch it without even jumping. As I proceeded with ease, I looked back and saw to my amazement that she is also doing the same with equal comfort. Now I was just above the bank of the pond and the branch being thinner than at start was swinging a little bit making my life less easier than before. I looked back to see if she was doing ok but she looked scared. In a few minutes we both were seated on that branch enjoying our new found friendship.

She: “Show me how you are going to swing.”

I have done that before many times so without any hesitation I used my knee joint as a hook and started swinging just like a bat.

Me: “eee…. Uuu…. Hhh……. It’s easy.”

She: “Yeah.”

But before she could try anything, God had some other plans for me. While I was trying to get back to my original position, somehow my hands slipped and my knee joint became straight and with a great splash of water I fell in the pond. I was shocked. As I have told earlier the bank was very shallow and I came out within minutes, completely drenched in water. I looked at her. She was not laughing this time.

She: “I told you to be careful. I am not going to try it anymore.”

Me: “Yeah, I am fine. Get down. We will walk in sun and that might dry me soon. Don’t tell my mom!! Ok?”

She came down in a few minutes and we walked towards the temple. It was not at all comfortable walking all wet.

Me: “Do you play video game?”

She: “No, but Ajay like it very much. Hey, I have brought some more chocolates. Do you want to have it?”

And before I can respond she handed me one. I saw her bony fingers and nails longer than what was permitted in our school. In my school we get canned if we sport longer nails and girls usually complain against such rules. Anyway, we reached the temple and prayed for a little while. I feel she was closer to God as she had a long talk with the almighty. After that we sat on steps and talked for a while. In mid of our conversation I stared unusually long in her eyes.

She: “What?” (I guess I over did something?)

I simply walked to ward the same tree I climbed and fell. I was in no mood to converse in any uncomfortable zone. She followed me. We reached the last step together when I spoke again.

Me: “Do you run?”

She: “Not unless I am chased by anyone.”

Me: “Lets race to that tree. Whoever wins will get your chocolate.”

She: “But that’s not fair. They are already mine.”

Me: “Ok fine, but I am not going to lose you see. So they are going to be mine. Right?”

She: “Let’s decide that after we finished the race.”

Me: “One…. Two….. Three… Go…..”

And I started not very fast. She was just few steps ahead of me I guess. The tree was still some distance from us and I can catch her anytime. She was running as if she was a born athlete. I started to catch up by running fast now. But what amazed me is that the distance between us remained constant. Now I panicked. I was running at my top speed but still behind her. She reached the tree and had enough time to see me running towards her. I was embarrassed.

She: “So Rahul, What do I win?”

Me: “You win nothing, I let you win.”

What she did next I was totally unprepared for. She jumped at me, caught me off guard for such a move and pushed me on the ground. I was lying on back the next second and she was giggling. I laughed too and acknowledged her win. God! She is strong. Better I should watch what I say to her as she is not going to wait for Ajay to muscle me down.


After that we played some game, ate some bananas and mangoes she had brought in her bag and simply lied down on the grass for a long time. It was time to leave for home now. We started our journey for home and none of us spoke a thing in between. I am a bit choosy in making friend and that day I knew I have found someone with whom I can be friend my whole life. She was smart, beautiful and intelligent. If she can hide the fact that she runs faster than me and can pin me down in less than five seconds she can be my friend. We were at our gate from where we started. I was completely lost in her thought.

She: “What are you thinking? About me.”

Me: “Naah....” (She didn’t look disappointed.)

Me: “So what are we doing tomorrow?”

She: “I don’t know about you but I am going to the pond again tomorrow.”

Me: I hesitated to ask “Umm…. Can I come with you?”

She: “Of Course! Stupid.”

And she left for her house. That was the best day I had in my life.

After that, it became a normal routine for us to spend the day time together near the pond. Friday came and it was her last day with me. I was sad, unusually sad and it didn’t took her long to read my face.

She: “We are going to meet next year also. I promise.”
I just smiled.

She: “Do you want to say something?”

She looked straight in my eyes and that sent a chill in my spine. Tell her all you want to say. No I should not. We are just friends. But she might already know about your feelings so you can speak. No I should not.

Me: “Nothing. But here’s my home number. Give me a call and tell me your number then.” (I was already having my number on a piece of paper and I handed it to her.)

She: “So I should call you and tell my number to you then.”

Me: “Yeah.. You got it right.”

She: “Why can’t I give you my number now?”

Me: “Yeah you can do that too.” (Mission accomplished. Within myself I gave a big sigh of relief.)
She was smiling and writing her number on another piece of paper and handed it to me. We looked at each other for another few minutes saying nothing. She broke the silence finally.

She: “So that’s it then.”

Me: “I guess so.”

We returned home. Why didn’t we have one more month to spend in village? Why did I waste lots of time not talking to her and taking care of my ego? Lots of unanswered questions were coming now and again. We reached the gate again like everyday but today it was not deserted. Her parents, Ajay, Grand pa, my dad and mom were already present. I guess she had already told her parents about her plans of the day so they didn’t panic on seeing me with her. Her mother came to me and kissed on my forehead and said.

“Take care of yourself beta. Study well”

I looked at Twinkle. We didn’t speak that time but my heart bid her goodbye. It seems that the message reached her. I stood there watching as the dust settled by the car on which her parents left to the station. I was not crying but a single drop of tear volunteered to flow down from my right eye. That was painful.

Next we also left for our home. The day I reached, I gave her a call but could not reach her. I tried many times that day, the day after that and next week. But my call was not getting connected. Disappointment started to grow within me.

“Maybe her number has changed.” But how can it change at once.

My life continued as it had for last eight years. One afternoon when we were having lunch our phone started ringing. It wasn’t usual as mu dad usually get bugged from the maintenance guys under him. My father answered the call and returned in few seconds and said the caller wanted to talk to me.

“Who can it be?”

Me: “hullo...”

She: “Hi Rahul, Twinkle here.” (My heart stopped completely this time.)

She: “Are you there? (Few more seconds passed by) Ok take your time.”

She: “My phone was dead for last 2 weeks so was not able to call you. Dad got it fixed today.”

Few more second of silence passed away.

She: “Okay! I have to tell you something.”

At last I cleared my throat and said.

Me: “What?”

She: “That I like Ballu more than the Mogli.”

A smile came spontaneously that time on my face. I knew that finally our story has begun.

(The End)