Hi all,
For the past week, I've been playing around at Zaadz
It is a community of people who want to bring about positive change in the world. The discussion groups are really interesting and evoke a lot of thought. I guess you could say I am looking for ideas for my next story here :)
The community grows like orkut. Either existing members invite new people or you have to fill up a small application form that asks you questions like "how would you like to bring positive change in the world" and submit it. You then get an invitation from the CEO of the site itself :).
I feel it does a better job of networking than Orkut. Ping me if anybody wants an invite. :)
Mika - The Finale
For those who missed the earlier parts, here are the links
Mika - Part I
Mika - Part II
Mika - Part III
Mika - Part IV
Mika - Part V
Mika - Part VI
Mika - Part VII
Mika and Arun made their way through the throngs of people at the hospital. They found Hemanth's parents in the lobby. Mika went and sat next to Hemanth's mother.
"Hello mother, how's Hemanth now?"
"He's fine now, Mika. You look tired out! God will definitely help you find the person you are searching for."
"By the by, mother ... do you know Hemanth's email address? ..."
"Umm ... I think Hemanth once gave me his visiting card ... let's see if it has his email address ..."
She searched in her purse for Hemanth's visiting card and handed it over to Mika. Mika eagerly took it in her hands and glanced at it for the email address. Arun looked over Mika's shoulder.
"Is it him?"
Mika nodded in the negative. Mika stood up and went to the porch of the hospital. Amlu was standing there gazing at the garden. White little butterflies were skimmering over the tops of the tender petals of daffodils and daisies. Mika went and stood next to her.
"Do you enjoy watching the beauty that nature has to offer?"
Amlu looked up at Mika and gave her captivating smile and nodded very assertively.
"Yes ... Daddy has always taught me to enjoy the little things that many people miss out on ... Daddy says if you make peace with things around you ... you will always be happy ..."
"Very true ... "
"Mika Akka? ..."
"Yes?"
"Did you find 'neo'?"
"Nope ... I still haven't found him ... "
"Do you want me to help you in finding your friend? ... you see .. all you need is a lot of faith ..."
"umm ... I really wish you could ... but you already have done a lot in locating your father ... I guess you should also take a good rest along with your Dad ..."
"Come on, Akka, .. just tell me his name or something more about him ... you will see I can help a lot ..."
"Umm ..okay ", Mika cheered up a bit with Amlu's antics. "I don't know his real name and you also know his name on the computer 'neo' ... I will give you one more clue ... his email address is catchme.ifucan@yahoo.com."
"Yahooooo .. yahooo .. ", Amlu started dancing about.
"what ... what is it you are so excited about?"
"i ...know ... the .... person ! ...", Amlu kept running around Mika and shouting.
"oh! ... who is it? ... "
"it is my father ... the email address you told is his secret email address known only to him and me ...", Amlu suddenly stopped running. "umm .. how is that you know his secret email address? "
"Secret!", Mika said and ran inside the hospital.
"Arun!"
----------------------
Mika entered the ward where Hemanth was resting. Hemanth was reading a novel as Mika entered. Mika noted the title "A Walk to Remember". Hemanth closed the book and looked up as Mika entered.
"Hi Hemanth", Mika said. "I'm ... Aarthi ... I'm a neighbour of your parents..."
"Oh ... hello ... pleased to meet you ... take a seat .... "
Mika sat down in a couch across the bed.
"Thanks a lot for helping my parents in need .."
"Oh, it was my duty ..."
Both were silent for a while. Hemanth seemed to be deep in thought.
"Are you always very pensive like this?"
"Oh .. sorry ... no I guess - only when I am thinking ... "
"Oh .. I guesss I should be leaving ... I'll see you later ... "
"No ... no ... don't leave please ... I'm extremely sorry ... I guess I'm not very communicative but I would really love if somebody would talk to me ... "
"oh ... right then ... ", Mika sat down again.
"I was just in a deep thought about the novel I was reading ... it's one of my favorites ... every-time I read it, it always revitalizes my faith ... "
"oh ... great ... it must be a very good book then ... "
"yeah, it is ... especially when you are just out of a trauma .. it makes much more sense too ... "
"Did the ordeal test you a lot?"
"umm ... yeah .... umm ... ", he smiled to himself. "what's funny?", Mika asked.
"oh .. it reminded me of something I had said to ... ", Hemanth stopped, then looked at Mika straight in the eyes. Mika shivered a bit. It make her feel as if Hemanth was gazing deep into her thoughts.
"hey, have I met you somewhere before? .... "
Mika quickly said, "No .. I don't think so ... what makes you ask that?"
"well .. err ... ", Hemanth smiled to himself again. "this is the second time in the last few days that I am ready to believe in someone whom I don't know much ... something has definitely changed in me .... changed for the better I guess ..."
Hemanth then looked at Mika and smiled. Mika blushed.
"So ... who is this other person you are talking about ? ", Mika asked with a twinkle in her eyes. She was highly excited within. She could hear her heart beating louder than ever.
Hemanth fiddled his hair with his fingers. "Well .. huh ... I don't know much about her except her name ... I'll keep that a secret for the moment .... well, she .. she ... I don't know really know ... there was something about her ... her faith in me ... it filled a long standing void in my heart .... "
"well ... hah ..", Hemanth laughed again. " ... it is really funny I know but ... "
"What?", Mika asked hardly able to remain calm from outside.
"well ... you see I could be in love with her .... not sure how this is possible ... how I could feel so with a person whom I've never met ... but yet ... "
Mika got up and went to the balcony. "Excuse me for a second ... " Hemanth who had been engrossed in his own words .. suddenly realized that Mika had been in the room... "oh ... sure ..."
After a few minutes, Mika entered the ward again.
"Hemanth, I've got to tell you my real name."
-------------------
Hemanth had been stock still since he heard Mika tell her name. Mika turned and went out into the balcony again, tears in her eyes. Hemanth limped along to the balcony as well.
"Mika ... "
Mika did not turn to see Hemanth.
"Mika ... I'm sorry if I've hurt your feelings ... "
Mika simply turned around swiftly and tightly hugged Hemanth.
-------------------
Arun who had been dreamily watching the bustling activity outside the hospital for a long time turned back. He entered the hospital and walked up to Hemanth's parents.
"I've something very important to tell both of you."
------------------
Hemanth grasped Mika firmly and slowly pulled her away. She was beautiful in the evening light. Her hair blew over his face.
"Mika ... look at me ... it might be that whatever blossomed between us could have been ... ... but at the same time, that is the very same thing that gives one the power to look at things as they are ... and the courage to stand up to it ... "
Hemanth continued.. "You were right in your emotions ... and I guess, so was I .. I realize that now ... there is nothing wrong with that ... but ... "
"Appa!", Amlu came running in. "Mika Akka ... Appa, do you know that it was Mika Akka here who saved my life .... "
----------------
A fragile Sunitha entered the hospital with her caretaker. Nearly two years of chemotherapy had sapped most of her physical strength. Yet, she had fought on with Hemanth by her side.
Sunitha saw Hemanth's parents in the lobby. They were weeping. Then she noticed someone who was sitting across them. Someone, who initially had his head buried in his arms. The person looked up. Sunitha saw Arun looking at her with teary eyes. Hemanth's mother saw Sunitha and came running towards her.
"Sunitha ... why did you not tell us the truth earlier .... "
Sunitha consoled her. "Aunty, at least you know now ... "
She smiled understandingly at Arun. Arun smiled back weakly.
---------------
Hemanth held Mika's palms. Both of them had tears in their eyes. Both looked into each other's eyes for a long time. Hemanth with understanding in his eyes released his grip on Mika's hand gently. It was metaphoric to his emotions.
Mika finally said, "Hemanth, you have taught me more in these two days than all my life ... I know that I will tread my life boldly from now on ... and .... I would like to have you as a friend for life to guide me all along!"
"Definitely", Sunitha replied. "You should ... ". Both Hemanth and Mika turned to see Sunitha standing at the balcony door.
Hemanth exclaimed, "Sunitha, you shouldn't have taken the trouble to come all the way here .... you are still sick ... "
"Hey Hemanth, who am I fighting for? ... for you, idiot! ... when you are in trouble ... what's it about me ... ".
Hemanth went forward and hugged Sunitha's frail structure tenderly. They held each other for long. Amlu jumped up and hugged both her parents. Mika smiled at the three of them.
The end
Mika - Part I
Mika - Part II
Mika - Part III
Mika - Part IV
Mika - Part V
Mika - Part VI
Mika - Part VII
Mika and Arun made their way through the throngs of people at the hospital. They found Hemanth's parents in the lobby. Mika went and sat next to Hemanth's mother.
"Hello mother, how's Hemanth now?"
"He's fine now, Mika. You look tired out! God will definitely help you find the person you are searching for."
"By the by, mother ... do you know Hemanth's email address? ..."
"Umm ... I think Hemanth once gave me his visiting card ... let's see if it has his email address ..."
She searched in her purse for Hemanth's visiting card and handed it over to Mika. Mika eagerly took it in her hands and glanced at it for the email address. Arun looked over Mika's shoulder.
"Is it him?"
Mika nodded in the negative. Mika stood up and went to the porch of the hospital. Amlu was standing there gazing at the garden. White little butterflies were skimmering over the tops of the tender petals of daffodils and daisies. Mika went and stood next to her.
"Do you enjoy watching the beauty that nature has to offer?"
Amlu looked up at Mika and gave her captivating smile and nodded very assertively.
"Yes ... Daddy has always taught me to enjoy the little things that many people miss out on ... Daddy says if you make peace with things around you ... you will always be happy ..."
"Very true ... "
"Mika Akka? ..."
"Yes?"
"Did you find 'neo'?"
"Nope ... I still haven't found him ... "
"Do you want me to help you in finding your friend? ... you see .. all you need is a lot of faith ..."
"umm ... I really wish you could ... but you already have done a lot in locating your father ... I guess you should also take a good rest along with your Dad ..."
"Come on, Akka, .. just tell me his name or something more about him ... you will see I can help a lot ..."
"Umm ..okay ", Mika cheered up a bit with Amlu's antics. "I don't know his real name and you also know his name on the computer 'neo' ... I will give you one more clue ... his email address is catchme.ifucan@yahoo.com."
"Yahooooo .. yahooo .. ", Amlu started dancing about.
"what ... what is it you are so excited about?"
"i ...know ... the .... person ! ...", Amlu kept running around Mika and shouting.
"oh! ... who is it? ... "
"it is my father ... the email address you told is his secret email address known only to him and me ...", Amlu suddenly stopped running. "umm .. how is that you know his secret email address? "
"Secret!", Mika said and ran inside the hospital.
"Arun!"
----------------------
Mika entered the ward where Hemanth was resting. Hemanth was reading a novel as Mika entered. Mika noted the title "A Walk to Remember". Hemanth closed the book and looked up as Mika entered.
"Hi Hemanth", Mika said. "I'm ... Aarthi ... I'm a neighbour of your parents..."
"Oh ... hello ... pleased to meet you ... take a seat .... "
Mika sat down in a couch across the bed.
"Thanks a lot for helping my parents in need .."
"Oh, it was my duty ..."
Both were silent for a while. Hemanth seemed to be deep in thought.
"Are you always very pensive like this?"
"Oh .. sorry ... no I guess - only when I am thinking ... "
"Oh .. I guesss I should be leaving ... I'll see you later ... "
"No ... no ... don't leave please ... I'm extremely sorry ... I guess I'm not very communicative but I would really love if somebody would talk to me ... "
"oh ... right then ... ", Mika sat down again.
"I was just in a deep thought about the novel I was reading ... it's one of my favorites ... every-time I read it, it always revitalizes my faith ... "
"oh ... great ... it must be a very good book then ... "
"yeah, it is ... especially when you are just out of a trauma .. it makes much more sense too ... "
"Did the ordeal test you a lot?"
"umm ... yeah .... umm ... ", he smiled to himself. "what's funny?", Mika asked.
"oh .. it reminded me of something I had said to ... ", Hemanth stopped, then looked at Mika straight in the eyes. Mika shivered a bit. It make her feel as if Hemanth was gazing deep into her thoughts.
"hey, have I met you somewhere before? .... "
Mika quickly said, "No .. I don't think so ... what makes you ask that?"
"well .. err ... ", Hemanth smiled to himself again. "this is the second time in the last few days that I am ready to believe in someone whom I don't know much ... something has definitely changed in me .... changed for the better I guess ..."
Hemanth then looked at Mika and smiled. Mika blushed.
"So ... who is this other person you are talking about ? ", Mika asked with a twinkle in her eyes. She was highly excited within. She could hear her heart beating louder than ever.
Hemanth fiddled his hair with his fingers. "Well .. huh ... I don't know much about her except her name ... I'll keep that a secret for the moment .... well, she .. she ... I don't know really know ... there was something about her ... her faith in me ... it filled a long standing void in my heart .... "
"well ... hah ..", Hemanth laughed again. " ... it is really funny I know but ... "
"What?", Mika asked hardly able to remain calm from outside.
"well ... you see I could be in love with her .... not sure how this is possible ... how I could feel so with a person whom I've never met ... but yet ... "
Mika got up and went to the balcony. "Excuse me for a second ... " Hemanth who had been engrossed in his own words .. suddenly realized that Mika had been in the room... "oh ... sure ..."
After a few minutes, Mika entered the ward again.
"Hemanth, I've got to tell you my real name."
-------------------
Hemanth had been stock still since he heard Mika tell her name. Mika turned and went out into the balcony again, tears in her eyes. Hemanth limped along to the balcony as well.
"Mika ... "
Mika did not turn to see Hemanth.
"Mika ... I'm sorry if I've hurt your feelings ... "
Mika simply turned around swiftly and tightly hugged Hemanth.
-------------------
Arun who had been dreamily watching the bustling activity outside the hospital for a long time turned back. He entered the hospital and walked up to Hemanth's parents.
"I've something very important to tell both of you."
------------------
Hemanth grasped Mika firmly and slowly pulled her away. She was beautiful in the evening light. Her hair blew over his face.
"Mika ... look at me ... it might be that whatever blossomed between us could have been ... ... but at the same time, that is the very same thing that gives one the power to look at things as they are ... and the courage to stand up to it ... "
Hemanth continued.. "You were right in your emotions ... and I guess, so was I .. I realize that now ... there is nothing wrong with that ... but ... "
"Appa!", Amlu came running in. "Mika Akka ... Appa, do you know that it was Mika Akka here who saved my life .... "
----------------
A fragile Sunitha entered the hospital with her caretaker. Nearly two years of chemotherapy had sapped most of her physical strength. Yet, she had fought on with Hemanth by her side.
Sunitha saw Hemanth's parents in the lobby. They were weeping. Then she noticed someone who was sitting across them. Someone, who initially had his head buried in his arms. The person looked up. Sunitha saw Arun looking at her with teary eyes. Hemanth's mother saw Sunitha and came running towards her.
"Sunitha ... why did you not tell us the truth earlier .... "
Sunitha consoled her. "Aunty, at least you know now ... "
She smiled understandingly at Arun. Arun smiled back weakly.
---------------
Hemanth held Mika's palms. Both of them had tears in their eyes. Both looked into each other's eyes for a long time. Hemanth with understanding in his eyes released his grip on Mika's hand gently. It was metaphoric to his emotions.
Mika finally said, "Hemanth, you have taught me more in these two days than all my life ... I know that I will tread my life boldly from now on ... and .... I would like to have you as a friend for life to guide me all along!"
"Definitely", Sunitha replied. "You should ... ". Both Hemanth and Mika turned to see Sunitha standing at the balcony door.
Hemanth exclaimed, "Sunitha, you shouldn't have taken the trouble to come all the way here .... you are still sick ... "
"Hey Hemanth, who am I fighting for? ... for you, idiot! ... when you are in trouble ... what's it about me ... ".
Hemanth went forward and hugged Sunitha's frail structure tenderly. They held each other for long. Amlu jumped up and hugged both her parents. Mika smiled at the three of them.
The end
Mika (Part VII)
For those who missed the earlier parts, here are the links
Mika - Part I
Mika - Part II
Mika - Part III
Mika - Part IV
Mika - Part V
Mika - Part VI
"Let's go and see him...", Arun said.
Mika hesitated. "Arun, you go ahead ... my mind will not be at rest until I find out about 'neo'", she said firmly.
Mika and Arun had spent the last few hours asking the locals about anything that struck them about the scanty details that they had about 'neo' - his mail id and that he was a computer geek and that he might not have many friends. But since most of them were already in a state of grief about losing their loved ones or in frantic search for them, Mika and Arun could not garner any useful information. In this place, finding a person whom you knew very well was tough. Talk about finding someone you hardly know anything about!
"Mika, I know that we do have to find 'neo' ... but we do not seem to be making any progress here ... in fact, Amlu's father might help you find out who 'neo' is, since he has been here for quite sometime ..."
"No Arun ... sorry ... I can't leave ... "
"Okay ... no problem .... I will go and meet him and also try to find some information about 'neo' from him ... you continue your search ... keep your cellphone handy ... bye"
-------------------
Arun entered the hospital to see Amlu's grandparents sitting in the lobby. He walked up to them.
"Hello Sir, how is your son?"
"He is fine ... he has some suffered a few fractures ... also he was a little disoriented after the ordeal ... he has been currently sedated to relax and recover ..."
"Where is Amlu?"
"She is sitting beside him inside the ICU ... she has told the doctors firmly that she likes to be next to him ..,"
"Oh ... good ..."
"By the by, did you find anything about the person you had come searching for?"
"Not yet .. We are still searching for him ... "
The grandmother was still crying.
"Why are you still crying, ma? You son is safe now ... "
"Well ... I was just thinking that if not for Amlu, we could never have got all these people to search for my son ... you see, he ... he came away from Chennai to be away from family and friends ... not many were willing to help in searching for him ..."
"Oh ... he doesn't like company?"
"Not exactly .... I actually cannot blame him ... His actions made most of his family and friends desert him ... we too deserted him ... "
"What? You deserted your son?"
"Well, if you were to know what he did ..."
"Mitra ... don't bring that up again ...", the grandfather said firmly. The grandmother quietened up.
"Sorry Arun", the grandfather spoke to Arun "... well I don't want to go through that story all over again .... but you could just take it that Hemanth destroyed our faith ..."
"Oh ...", Arun did not know what to say. He looked down and then looked at the grandmother's hands in which she held a photo of their son Hemanth, Amlu's and a girl who appeared to him as Hemanth's wife.
Arun's eyes suddenly brightened with shock. He pointed at the girl in the photograph.
"Is .. is that Hemanth's wife?"
"Yes ... well.... do you know her? .... ", the grandmother asked seeing Arun's expression.
"Err ... sorry no .... I mistook her for somebody else .... I ... let me be going and see Hemanth". He got up, stumbled a bit and then walked towards the ICU. Then, halfway through his stride, he paused, turned and walked out of the hospital.
--------------------
27th December, 5.30 p.m
Mika called up Arun for the umpteenth time since 5'o clock. There had been no trace of Arun since afternoon. She had called up Amlu's grandparents and they had told her that Arun had left the hospital at around 1 itself. She was beginning to get afraid that something bad had happened. She debated as to whether she should tell her parents about this. They would definitely go hysterical. Just then, her phone rang. It was Arun.
"Arun! what on earth happened to you? I was so worried .... "
"Mika ...", Arun's voice on the other end was very soft and shaky, as though he had been crying.
"Mika, could you come over to the beach .. I am near the boat statue near the end of the beach where we were in the morning."
-----------------
Arun sat with his face buried in his hands. Ever since he had seen her in the photograph, Arun remembered nothing but the last meeting he had with her.
---------------
It had been a regular day at office when his desk phone rang. He picked it up.
"Hello"
"Hello, Arun. I am calling from the reception. There's someone to see you here."
"Oh ... ok ... I am coming there ..". Arun walked up to the lobby. It was a huge hall and lots of people were engaged in conversation. Arun glanced at the receptionist. She pointed to a girl who was sitting in the far corner of the lobby where not many others were seated. The girl was seated with her back to him.
Arun walked to her. She turned as he walked towards her.
The blood froze in his veins as he recognized her. "Oh my god ... what is she doing here!"
She stood up as he walked up to her.
"Afraid to see me?", she smiled sarcastically.
"Dont worry", she continued. "I just came to give you this ... ". She gave him an envelope and walked away.
"But ..... what ....."
--------------------
At the beach, 27th December 5.45 p.m
Arun heard footsteps behind him. He turned to face Mika.
"Mika, I want to tell you about a mistake I made six years ago ..."
-----------------
Mika looked up into Arun's bloodshot eyes. She had just finished reading the letter in an envelope that Arun had handed over to her.
"Mika ... that mistake haunts me ... I have never been able to get over it ... I carry this letter with me wherever I go ....."
Mika looked at the letter again.
"Arun,
For years, every night, your face used to haunt my dreams. I used to wake up every other night chilled to the bones. But slowly a smothering warmth started to pervade. Out of the ever surrounding mist, a form began to emerge, it was a face I had known since childhood. A face that brought a smile to my face every-time I saw it. A face so gentle and reassuring - the face of Hemanth. [I know I have mentioned him a lot to you]
Yes, I live with Hemanth now. As a child cuddling with his favorite pet, he has caressed me through my turmoil without uttering a single word. In fact, his silence has been the hallmark of the faith he has placed in me. Now, God has endowed me with a beautiful girl, a
darling whom I hope never is unfortunate to see her genetic father. She will be Hemanth's for the upbringing.
Today, I came here to tell you that I guess it was God's will that I should suffer so and it was his will again that I realize the ruby right in my backyard. I don't know how to thank Hemanth for his sacrifice. May be, I never will be able to. Today, as some unknown virus tries to make headway into my body, I smile to it to say, "Do your worst! .. I have got whatever I could ever hope for!"
For you Arun, I have just a few words before I bid adieu for ever.
"Keep the faith ..... ever"
Sunitha"
Mika suddenly felt something strike her. Hemanth ... left friends and family ... came here to work alone ...
"Arun, let's go to the hospital to see Hemanth"
Continued at Mika - The Finale
Mika - Part I
Mika - Part II
Mika - Part III
Mika - Part IV
Mika - Part V
Mika - Part VI
"Let's go and see him...", Arun said.
Mika hesitated. "Arun, you go ahead ... my mind will not be at rest until I find out about 'neo'", she said firmly.
Mika and Arun had spent the last few hours asking the locals about anything that struck them about the scanty details that they had about 'neo' - his mail id and that he was a computer geek and that he might not have many friends. But since most of them were already in a state of grief about losing their loved ones or in frantic search for them, Mika and Arun could not garner any useful information. In this place, finding a person whom you knew very well was tough. Talk about finding someone you hardly know anything about!
"Mika, I know that we do have to find 'neo' ... but we do not seem to be making any progress here ... in fact, Amlu's father might help you find out who 'neo' is, since he has been here for quite sometime ..."
"No Arun ... sorry ... I can't leave ... "
"Okay ... no problem .... I will go and meet him and also try to find some information about 'neo' from him ... you continue your search ... keep your cellphone handy ... bye"
-------------------
Arun entered the hospital to see Amlu's grandparents sitting in the lobby. He walked up to them.
"Hello Sir, how is your son?"
"He is fine ... he has some suffered a few fractures ... also he was a little disoriented after the ordeal ... he has been currently sedated to relax and recover ..."
"Where is Amlu?"
"She is sitting beside him inside the ICU ... she has told the doctors firmly that she likes to be next to him ..,"
"Oh ... good ..."
"By the by, did you find anything about the person you had come searching for?"
"Not yet .. We are still searching for him ... "
The grandmother was still crying.
"Why are you still crying, ma? You son is safe now ... "
"Well ... I was just thinking that if not for Amlu, we could never have got all these people to search for my son ... you see, he ... he came away from Chennai to be away from family and friends ... not many were willing to help in searching for him ..."
"Oh ... he doesn't like company?"
"Not exactly .... I actually cannot blame him ... His actions made most of his family and friends desert him ... we too deserted him ... "
"What? You deserted your son?"
"Well, if you were to know what he did ..."
"Mitra ... don't bring that up again ...", the grandfather said firmly. The grandmother quietened up.
"Sorry Arun", the grandfather spoke to Arun "... well I don't want to go through that story all over again .... but you could just take it that Hemanth destroyed our faith ..."
"Oh ...", Arun did not know what to say. He looked down and then looked at the grandmother's hands in which she held a photo of their son Hemanth, Amlu's and a girl who appeared to him as Hemanth's wife.
Arun's eyes suddenly brightened with shock. He pointed at the girl in the photograph.
"Is .. is that Hemanth's wife?"
"Yes ... well.... do you know her? .... ", the grandmother asked seeing Arun's expression.
"Err ... sorry no .... I mistook her for somebody else .... I ... let me be going and see Hemanth". He got up, stumbled a bit and then walked towards the ICU. Then, halfway through his stride, he paused, turned and walked out of the hospital.
--------------------
27th December, 5.30 p.m
Mika called up Arun for the umpteenth time since 5'o clock. There had been no trace of Arun since afternoon. She had called up Amlu's grandparents and they had told her that Arun had left the hospital at around 1 itself. She was beginning to get afraid that something bad had happened. She debated as to whether she should tell her parents about this. They would definitely go hysterical. Just then, her phone rang. It was Arun.
"Arun! what on earth happened to you? I was so worried .... "
"Mika ...", Arun's voice on the other end was very soft and shaky, as though he had been crying.
"Mika, could you come over to the beach .. I am near the boat statue near the end of the beach where we were in the morning."
-----------------
Arun sat with his face buried in his hands. Ever since he had seen her in the photograph, Arun remembered nothing but the last meeting he had with her.
---------------
It had been a regular day at office when his desk phone rang. He picked it up.
"Hello"
"Hello, Arun. I am calling from the reception. There's someone to see you here."
"Oh ... ok ... I am coming there ..". Arun walked up to the lobby. It was a huge hall and lots of people were engaged in conversation. Arun glanced at the receptionist. She pointed to a girl who was sitting in the far corner of the lobby where not many others were seated. The girl was seated with her back to him.
Arun walked to her. She turned as he walked towards her.
The blood froze in his veins as he recognized her. "Oh my god ... what is she doing here!"
She stood up as he walked up to her.
"Afraid to see me?", she smiled sarcastically.
"Dont worry", she continued. "I just came to give you this ... ". She gave him an envelope and walked away.
"But ..... what ....."
--------------------
At the beach, 27th December 5.45 p.m
Arun heard footsteps behind him. He turned to face Mika.
"Mika, I want to tell you about a mistake I made six years ago ..."
-----------------
Mika looked up into Arun's bloodshot eyes. She had just finished reading the letter in an envelope that Arun had handed over to her.
"Mika ... that mistake haunts me ... I have never been able to get over it ... I carry this letter with me wherever I go ....."
Mika looked at the letter again.
"Arun,
For years, every night, your face used to haunt my dreams. I used to wake up every other night chilled to the bones. But slowly a smothering warmth started to pervade. Out of the ever surrounding mist, a form began to emerge, it was a face I had known since childhood. A face that brought a smile to my face every-time I saw it. A face so gentle and reassuring - the face of Hemanth. [I know I have mentioned him a lot to you]
Yes, I live with Hemanth now. As a child cuddling with his favorite pet, he has caressed me through my turmoil without uttering a single word. In fact, his silence has been the hallmark of the faith he has placed in me. Now, God has endowed me with a beautiful girl, a
darling whom I hope never is unfortunate to see her genetic father. She will be Hemanth's for the upbringing.
Today, I came here to tell you that I guess it was God's will that I should suffer so and it was his will again that I realize the ruby right in my backyard. I don't know how to thank Hemanth for his sacrifice. May be, I never will be able to. Today, as some unknown virus tries to make headway into my body, I smile to it to say, "Do your worst! .. I have got whatever I could ever hope for!"
For you Arun, I have just a few words before I bid adieu for ever.
"Keep the faith ..... ever"
Sunitha"
Mika suddenly felt something strike her. Hemanth ... left friends and family ... came here to work alone ...
"Arun, let's go to the hospital to see Hemanth"
Continued at Mika - The Finale
Mika (Part VI)
For those who missed the earlier parts, here are the links
Mika - Part I
Mika - Part II
Mika - Part III
Mika - Part IV
Mika - Part V
---------
Mika looked straight ahead and saw the old couple coming towards her.
"Hello, we seem to meet again. Amlu told me your son lives here."
"yes ... I am praying that he is all right ... he hasn't contacted home ever since the disaster happened ... ", said the grandmother almost in tears.
"Mother, be brave ... your son will have survived this."
Mika escorted the grandmother to a nearby bench on the road to comfort her.
"By the by, you shouldn't have brought Amlu to a place like this ..."
"You maybe right but ... Amlu might be just five years old but I get the feeling that she is much more mature than myself ... in fact, she believes that she will be the one who finds her father ... in fact, she believes in this to the extent that she said she would never forgive us if we let her behind ... she emanates the same strength of character as her father ... so we had no other choice ... But seeing her here I am not afraid since she is the one who has been the most active ... contacting her father's friends and neighbors and gearing them up to build a search team ... I really can't believe it is Amlu ..."
"Oh, Amlu did so much?", Mika was astonished. She looked at Amlu who was standing at the road with Arun and her grandfather. She turned around and looked at Mika and smiled.
-------------------------------
27th December, some unknown time
Hemanth opened his eyes weakly. He did not know how much time had passed. The loss of blood from the wound on his leg had made him extremely weak. It was extremely difficult to remain sane in the total darkness and there was no way he could end this. He cried and talked to God, "God, why me ....... this is not the way you want me to die!".
The memories of the day came back again and again in spite of him trying to push it back. Now, his mental resistance had died down. He just let himself be drawn to his past .....
------------------
Hemanth reeled over with the unexpected slap.
"uncle .. sto.."
Sunita's father slapped him again.
"UNCLE!", Hemanth growled head facing down.
Sunita's father stepped forward to slap him again. Hemanth caught his hand in mid air and looked up into Sunita's father's eyes.
"UNCLE ... once more and ... ", Hemanth hissed. Sunita's father stepped back surprised by the ferocious anger that he saw in Hemanth's eyes. Just then, his parents entered the house and wondered at the situation.
"Raj sir, what happened? Why are you beating Hemanth?"
"Mitra, ask your son what he did to my daughter ... "
Hemanth's mother looked from her husband to Hemanth.
"Hemanth, what is Raj sir telling? What did you do to Sunita?", she looked beyond Hemanth and saw Sunitha crying.
"Hemanth!", she continued.
"Ma, I did not do anything! ..."
"Then why is Sunitha crying ...", she turned towards Sunitha.
"Ma, leave her alone ..."
Hemanth's mother turned back and started at Hemanth.
"Why? I must know what is going on!"
Sunita's father interrupted, "Mitra, he does not want the truth to come out. What else could be the reason?"
"UNCLE!!!", Hemanth turned towards Sunita's father and then said, "Sunitha, come with me!"
Sunitha stood surprised. "Sunitha, I said .. come with me!", Hemanth walked towards the door.
Sunitha's father opened his mouth to object ."But ... where ... "
Hemanth looked at him again with a deadly stare that conveyed "better not say a word more". Sunitha quietly followed him leaving everybody in the house astounded. They heard Hemanth starting up his bike and they were gone.
--------------------------
Hemanth stood facing the sea. He had brought them to a deserted dock. This is where he used to spend his time contemplating in solitude. Sunitha sat at a stone bench some distance away. He
walked back to the bench and sat beside Sunitha.
"Sunitha, what is the boy's name? Maybe I can talk and convince ..."
"No Hemanth!", Sunitha interrupted him. "No!, I can't marry him .."
"Buy why?? .. that is the most obvious solution out of the problem ..."
"No!", Sunitha almost screamed.
A long pause.
Hemanth spoke very slowly, "Sunitha, I know you well enough not to do anything hasty like the mess you have got yourself into .... "
Sunitha was still silent.
"You are hiding something from me ... tell me what happened"
Sunitha burst into tears and collapsed on to Hemanth's lap for support still crying bitterly.
"Hemanth ... you are right .... I did not lose my virginity of my accord! ", she sobbed.
"What!"
"My family and I cannot bear this disgrace .... I dont know what to do .... "
Both were silent for a long while. Sunitha still crying.
"What .... is that boy's name ... and address?", Hemanth asked.
Sunitha got up and looked into Hemanth's eyes ...
"If I know you, Hemanth, then I know that he is a goner once I tell you about him ... I dont want you to do anything of that sort ... So I will not tell you his details ..."
Hemanth, sat quietly, smiled to himself and said, "huh ... You gauged me rightly"
Hemanth stood up and walked to the edge of the dock again and stared at the ocean for a long while. Finally he turned.
"Sunitha, I ..."
He saw Sunitha standing on the other edge of the dock as if planning to jump. Sunitha looked at him with a stricken face, gave a faint smile and then ... jumped into the void ...
"SUNITHAAA ...."
------------------------------
Hemanth dragged Sunitha out of the water with a final heave and then collapsed with exhaustion. He took a few deep breaths and then stumbled over to Sunitha. She was sputtering water out of her mouth. Sunitha then saw Hemanth and started sobbing again.
Hemanth sighed. He got up and pulled up Sunitha by her arms.
"Hey, I can get you out of this ... but you have to believe me ... dont question what I do ... okay?"
Sunitha looked at Hemanth and nodded weakly.
"Okay then ... come on with me"
-------------------------------
Hemanth and Sunitha returned to Hemanth's house. Both their parents were still there. They noticed that Hemanth and Sunitha were completely wet.
Hemanth's mother came over. "What happened to you both?"
Hemanth walked over to Sunitha's father "I am going to marry your daughter".
Sunitha stood stunned. "Hemanth, what ..."
Sunitha's father replied, "there! I told you .. the truth has finally come out!"
Hemanth's mother came over to Hemanth and started beating him. Hemanth stood still.
"Hemanth ... you have broken the faith I had in you all these years ..."
"Ma, listen to me .."
"No! what more do I have to listen! ... oh god, all my prayers were in vain .... ", she collapsed on to a chair.
"Everybody .. please listen for what I have to say! .. "
Sunitha's father again interrupted, "You ... you ... whatever you say is not going to change the truth ... "
"UNCLE ! BETTER WATCH YOUR WORDS ", Hemanth's anger that he had a hard time controlling started rising again.
"Oh ! ... no! ...", Hemanth realized his anger was taking over him again.
"Sorry uncle! .. ", he said in a soft tone.
"Ma .. please listen, you see ...", he turned to his mother.
"Hemanth", his mother said slowly, "leave the house and never come back .. I can no longer call you my son"
"Maa!!"
"I said leave!"
"Aunty, you are making a mistake ! ... ", Sunitha intercepted.
"Sunitha, dont stop me ... tell him to leave ... "
"Aunty, let me tell you what happened ... "
Hemanth said, "Sunitha! ... no..", he nodded. Hemanth began to leave.
"Ma, remember one thing 'Don't doubt, learn to believe' and you don't hurt anyone."
Sunitha stood at the door. As he came near, she held his hand. "I'm going with you."
------------------
27th December, 12 noon
Mika remembered the talk she had with her mother about three days ago,
Mika's mother:Mika, you are twenty six and still not willing to marry ...
Mika: Mother, I told you: arranged marriage is not for me .. ! I will marry only a boy I love!
Mika's mother: See Arun has been a good boy and married at the correct age. Why don't you learn from him?
Mika: Mother, let talk about this when I come to Chennai tomorrow, shall we?
Mika's mother: Okay, but remember my patience is running out!
Mika: Okay mother! ... we will make a firm decision in my visit to Chennai
A sudden commotion roused her out of her reverie. She turned and saw Arun running towards her.
"Amlu's father has been rescued."
Continued at Mika (Part VII)
Mika - Part I
Mika - Part II
Mika - Part III
Mika - Part IV
Mika - Part V
---------
Mika looked straight ahead and saw the old couple coming towards her.
"Hello, we seem to meet again. Amlu told me your son lives here."
"yes ... I am praying that he is all right ... he hasn't contacted home ever since the disaster happened ... ", said the grandmother almost in tears.
"Mother, be brave ... your son will have survived this."
Mika escorted the grandmother to a nearby bench on the road to comfort her.
"By the by, you shouldn't have brought Amlu to a place like this ..."
"You maybe right but ... Amlu might be just five years old but I get the feeling that she is much more mature than myself ... in fact, she believes that she will be the one who finds her father ... in fact, she believes in this to the extent that she said she would never forgive us if we let her behind ... she emanates the same strength of character as her father ... so we had no other choice ... But seeing her here I am not afraid since she is the one who has been the most active ... contacting her father's friends and neighbors and gearing them up to build a search team ... I really can't believe it is Amlu ..."
"Oh, Amlu did so much?", Mika was astonished. She looked at Amlu who was standing at the road with Arun and her grandfather. She turned around and looked at Mika and smiled.
-------------------------------
27th December, some unknown time
Hemanth opened his eyes weakly. He did not know how much time had passed. The loss of blood from the wound on his leg had made him extremely weak. It was extremely difficult to remain sane in the total darkness and there was no way he could end this. He cried and talked to God, "God, why me ....... this is not the way you want me to die!".
The memories of the day came back again and again in spite of him trying to push it back. Now, his mental resistance had died down. He just let himself be drawn to his past .....
------------------
Hemanth reeled over with the unexpected slap.
"uncle .. sto.."
Sunita's father slapped him again.
"UNCLE!", Hemanth growled head facing down.
Sunita's father stepped forward to slap him again. Hemanth caught his hand in mid air and looked up into Sunita's father's eyes.
"UNCLE ... once more and ... ", Hemanth hissed. Sunita's father stepped back surprised by the ferocious anger that he saw in Hemanth's eyes. Just then, his parents entered the house and wondered at the situation.
"Raj sir, what happened? Why are you beating Hemanth?"
"Mitra, ask your son what he did to my daughter ... "
Hemanth's mother looked from her husband to Hemanth.
"Hemanth, what is Raj sir telling? What did you do to Sunita?", she looked beyond Hemanth and saw Sunitha crying.
"Hemanth!", she continued.
"Ma, I did not do anything! ..."
"Then why is Sunitha crying ...", she turned towards Sunitha.
"Ma, leave her alone ..."
Hemanth's mother turned back and started at Hemanth.
"Why? I must know what is going on!"
Sunita's father interrupted, "Mitra, he does not want the truth to come out. What else could be the reason?"
"UNCLE!!!", Hemanth turned towards Sunita's father and then said, "Sunitha, come with me!"
Sunitha stood surprised. "Sunitha, I said .. come with me!", Hemanth walked towards the door.
Sunitha's father opened his mouth to object ."But ... where ... "
Hemanth looked at him again with a deadly stare that conveyed "better not say a word more". Sunitha quietly followed him leaving everybody in the house astounded. They heard Hemanth starting up his bike and they were gone.
--------------------------
Hemanth stood facing the sea. He had brought them to a deserted dock. This is where he used to spend his time contemplating in solitude. Sunitha sat at a stone bench some distance away. He
walked back to the bench and sat beside Sunitha.
"Sunitha, what is the boy's name? Maybe I can talk and convince ..."
"No Hemanth!", Sunitha interrupted him. "No!, I can't marry him .."
"Buy why?? .. that is the most obvious solution out of the problem ..."
"No!", Sunitha almost screamed.
A long pause.
Hemanth spoke very slowly, "Sunitha, I know you well enough not to do anything hasty like the mess you have got yourself into .... "
Sunitha was still silent.
"You are hiding something from me ... tell me what happened"
Sunitha burst into tears and collapsed on to Hemanth's lap for support still crying bitterly.
"Hemanth ... you are right .... I did not lose my virginity of my accord! ", she sobbed.
"What!"
"My family and I cannot bear this disgrace .... I dont know what to do .... "
Both were silent for a long while. Sunitha still crying.
"What .... is that boy's name ... and address?", Hemanth asked.
Sunitha got up and looked into Hemanth's eyes ...
"If I know you, Hemanth, then I know that he is a goner once I tell you about him ... I dont want you to do anything of that sort ... So I will not tell you his details ..."
Hemanth, sat quietly, smiled to himself and said, "huh ... You gauged me rightly"
Hemanth stood up and walked to the edge of the dock again and stared at the ocean for a long while. Finally he turned.
"Sunitha, I ..."
He saw Sunitha standing on the other edge of the dock as if planning to jump. Sunitha looked at him with a stricken face, gave a faint smile and then ... jumped into the void ...
"SUNITHAAA ...."
------------------------------
Hemanth dragged Sunitha out of the water with a final heave and then collapsed with exhaustion. He took a few deep breaths and then stumbled over to Sunitha. She was sputtering water out of her mouth. Sunitha then saw Hemanth and started sobbing again.
Hemanth sighed. He got up and pulled up Sunitha by her arms.
"Hey, I can get you out of this ... but you have to believe me ... dont question what I do ... okay?"
Sunitha looked at Hemanth and nodded weakly.
"Okay then ... come on with me"
-------------------------------
Hemanth and Sunitha returned to Hemanth's house. Both their parents were still there. They noticed that Hemanth and Sunitha were completely wet.
Hemanth's mother came over. "What happened to you both?"
Hemanth walked over to Sunitha's father "I am going to marry your daughter".
Sunitha stood stunned. "Hemanth, what ..."
Sunitha's father replied, "there! I told you .. the truth has finally come out!"
Hemanth's mother came over to Hemanth and started beating him. Hemanth stood still.
"Hemanth ... you have broken the faith I had in you all these years ..."
"Ma, listen to me .."
"No! what more do I have to listen! ... oh god, all my prayers were in vain .... ", she collapsed on to a chair.
"Everybody .. please listen for what I have to say! .. "
Sunitha's father again interrupted, "You ... you ... whatever you say is not going to change the truth ... "
"UNCLE ! BETTER WATCH YOUR WORDS ", Hemanth's anger that he had a hard time controlling started rising again.
"Oh ! ... no! ...", Hemanth realized his anger was taking over him again.
"Sorry uncle! .. ", he said in a soft tone.
"Ma .. please listen, you see ...", he turned to his mother.
"Hemanth", his mother said slowly, "leave the house and never come back .. I can no longer call you my son"
"Maa!!"
"I said leave!"
"Aunty, you are making a mistake ! ... ", Sunitha intercepted.
"Sunitha, dont stop me ... tell him to leave ... "
"Aunty, let me tell you what happened ... "
Hemanth said, "Sunitha! ... no..", he nodded. Hemanth began to leave.
"Ma, remember one thing 'Don't doubt, learn to believe' and you don't hurt anyone."
Sunitha stood at the door. As he came near, she held his hand. "I'm going with you."
------------------
27th December, 12 noon
Mika remembered the talk she had with her mother about three days ago,
Mika's mother:Mika, you are twenty six and still not willing to marry ...
Mika: Mother, I told you: arranged marriage is not for me .. ! I will marry only a boy I love!
Mika's mother: See Arun has been a good boy and married at the correct age. Why don't you learn from him?
Mika: Mother, let talk about this when I come to Chennai tomorrow, shall we?
Mika's mother: Okay, but remember my patience is running out!
Mika: Okay mother! ... we will make a firm decision in my visit to Chennai
A sudden commotion roused her out of her reverie. She turned and saw Arun running towards her.
"Amlu's father has been rescued."
Continued at Mika (Part VII)
Mika (Part V)
For those who missed the earlier parts, here are the links
Mika - Part I
Mika - Part II
Mika - Part III
Mika - Part IV
9.05 a.m. 26th December 2004
Hemanth opened his eyes, yet everything was still dark around him. He rubbed his eyes to find out whether he was really awake or dreaming. He felt around with his hands. He felt the cold touch of stone about three feet on either side. On the top, his hands did not reach anything anything in spite of stretching. He started to get up and then a searing pain ran through his legs and set him back flat on the ground. His left ankle was locked below some huge stone. He could not budge it. The slightest moment since shock waves of pain through his nerves. So he decided to stay put.
The total darkness enveloping him was mesmerising. It seemed like time had stopped still. No sound could be heard as well. The events of Hemanth's life played through his mind in this enclosure which he realized could very well be his tomb. His thoughts went back to the most important day in his life.
--------------------------------
Hemanth was rolling over on his bed on a hot Sunday morning in Chennai. It was 8'o clock in the morning but he kept rolling over from side-to-side trying to convince himself to go to sleep again. His parents had gone to the temple.
The doorbell rang loudly. Hemanth got up cursing. Who was it? It couldn't be his parents. They would have taken a set of keys with them. Why did people have to trouble early in the morning on a Sunday?
He meandered towards the door. He brought down the latches and opened the door.
It was Sunitha, his neighborhood friend since childhoo. She looked very uneasy, eyeing the road on either side alternately.
"Hi Sunita. What's up? ... so early in the morning?"
"Hi Hemanth, err ... is aunty or uncle at home ? "
"Nope ... they have gone to the temple.... they will be back in about half an hour I guess ..."
"could I come in?"
"sure .."
Sunita came in and seated herself in the sofa in the living room. Hemanth shut the door after her. Hemanth hastily flattened the tufts of hair standing upright on his head and sat down facing her.
"Tell me."
"well .. Hemanth ... I dont know how to tell it .... ", Sunita seemed to be fighting her emotions.
"hey, u all right? any problem?"
" ... Hemanth, you are the only person I know from childhood and the person who will .... who will understand what I have to say now ....", Sunita started crying.
Hemanth was alarmed. He went over to her and put a hand over her shoulder.
"Hey, whatever the problem is - tell me and we will find a solution. Now please stop crying and gather yourself"
".. ok .. promise me that you will not disclose what I say to anybody ... ", Sunita calmed down a bit.
"uh .... ok ... I promise"
There was an awkward pause as Sunita prepared to tell whatever she had to say.
"You remember the boy I told you about ... the boy whom I met on the train ..."
"Well, yeah .. "
"Well ... last summer I spent somedays with him at Ooty ..."
"uh ... oh ... fine ..."
Sunita looked as if she was going to break down again. She was silent.
"Well? ", Hemanth enquired
" ........ I'm pregnant ........."
---------------------------
Only a few minutes must have passed since Sunita had spoken those words, but it seemed like an eternity to Hemanth. A lot of thoughts had raced through his mind. Why has she come to me now? Maybe something happened to the boy .... My god, what has she to say next?
"ok .. ", he finally said. " ... go on ..."
"he ..... he ..... he says he will not marry me!"
"What?!"
"says his parents will never agree to it ... also, since he would not be married off for at least a year or more ... he says any thought of marriage, if any, is possible only if we ... we ..."
Again a long pause.
"I understand ... so....", started Hemanth. "You disagree to that ...."
"Yes"
"Aaah, .... humph ... what do we do then .... ", Hemanth started contemplating."Anything else you have to add?"
"I can't marry him since I know his true colors now ..."
"Okay ... that too ... umm ... anybody else who knows about this?"
"No one except the doctor who treated me"
At that moment, the door bell rang again. Hemanth walked over and opened the door. Sunitha's parents were standing outside the door. They saw Sunita inside and then turned to Hemanth. Before Hemanth could speak a word, Sunitha's father slapped him.
--------------------------------
Hemanth's senses came back to the present. His forehead was bathed in sweat. He decided he could not let his emotions take over him at this moment. He had to concentrate on survival. He remembered he had his cellphone still with him. He took it out and smiled sarcastically. Murphy's law was too good! The cellphone was on the brink of going out of charge. He realized he had enough charge left for maximum one call or one message.
Thinking for a few moments as to what the best use of this last ounce of charge could be. He started keying in a message.
--------------------------------
8.56 a.m. 27th December
Mika alighted off the train with her Arun brother at Nagapattinam. The past twenty four hours had been a blur with the amazing number of phone calls she had made. Arun on the other hand, had been using his online search skills and his network to find out as much as he could gather about the mail id catchmeif.ucan@yahoo.com. This was the email address from which the messages had come. The email id seemed to be a metaphor for what she had undertaken. Arun had found that the message had actually been routed from a cell in some secure fashion. But some experts at the cellphone company had helped her in tracking down the call to the town where it originated from - and here she was.
The whole town of Nagapattinam was in total chaos. Ambulances rushing past every minute or so. Rescue workers covered with face masks carefully sifting through the rubble that was every house. It was a total devastation here. Distraught relatives screaming for their loved ones. In fact, a fishing boat was grounded and the waves had brought it nearly a kilometer inland and here it lay right in the middle of one of the main roads in the town. There was a stench of death, disease and destruction all around. If all the rubble and bodies were not cleared off soon, this would trigger off a major epidemic. Arun went to a nearby rescue worker tent and fetched a couple of face masks for them as well.
Arun stopped a passer-by to ask how him for directions on how to reach the beach. It was not far away, only about a kilometer. So they started to walk. As they walked, one question by Mika's mother still rang in her mind, "Why did the person decide to send probably the last message he/she may ever send to a person whom he hardly knows?" He had mentioned he hardly had any friends, did he not have anybody else who cared for him? She had been running this question through her mind ever since. More stinging was the statement that her mother made, "Mika, the person believed in you to save his life!"
Mika suddenly felt someone pulling at her skirt.
"Hello Mika"
Mika recognized the voice and turned around in surprise. It was the little girl whose life she had saved in the morning.
"oh! hello Amlu! what are you doing here?"
"My daddy's house is here."
Continued at Mika - Part VI
Mika - Part I
Mika - Part II
Mika - Part III
Mika - Part IV
9.05 a.m. 26th December 2004
Hemanth opened his eyes, yet everything was still dark around him. He rubbed his eyes to find out whether he was really awake or dreaming. He felt around with his hands. He felt the cold touch of stone about three feet on either side. On the top, his hands did not reach anything anything in spite of stretching. He started to get up and then a searing pain ran through his legs and set him back flat on the ground. His left ankle was locked below some huge stone. He could not budge it. The slightest moment since shock waves of pain through his nerves. So he decided to stay put.
The total darkness enveloping him was mesmerising. It seemed like time had stopped still. No sound could be heard as well. The events of Hemanth's life played through his mind in this enclosure which he realized could very well be his tomb. His thoughts went back to the most important day in his life.
--------------------------------
Hemanth was rolling over on his bed on a hot Sunday morning in Chennai. It was 8'o clock in the morning but he kept rolling over from side-to-side trying to convince himself to go to sleep again. His parents had gone to the temple.
The doorbell rang loudly. Hemanth got up cursing. Who was it? It couldn't be his parents. They would have taken a set of keys with them. Why did people have to trouble early in the morning on a Sunday?
He meandered towards the door. He brought down the latches and opened the door.
It was Sunitha, his neighborhood friend since childhoo. She looked very uneasy, eyeing the road on either side alternately.
"Hi Sunita. What's up? ... so early in the morning?"
"Hi Hemanth, err ... is aunty or uncle at home ? "
"Nope ... they have gone to the temple.... they will be back in about half an hour I guess ..."
"could I come in?"
"sure .."
Sunita came in and seated herself in the sofa in the living room. Hemanth shut the door after her. Hemanth hastily flattened the tufts of hair standing upright on his head and sat down facing her.
"Tell me."
"well .. Hemanth ... I dont know how to tell it .... ", Sunita seemed to be fighting her emotions.
"hey, u all right? any problem?"
" ... Hemanth, you are the only person I know from childhood and the person who will .... who will understand what I have to say now ....", Sunita started crying.
Hemanth was alarmed. He went over to her and put a hand over her shoulder.
"Hey, whatever the problem is - tell me and we will find a solution. Now please stop crying and gather yourself"
".. ok .. promise me that you will not disclose what I say to anybody ... ", Sunita calmed down a bit.
"uh .... ok ... I promise"
There was an awkward pause as Sunita prepared to tell whatever she had to say.
"You remember the boy I told you about ... the boy whom I met on the train ..."
"Well, yeah .. "
"Well ... last summer I spent somedays with him at Ooty ..."
"uh ... oh ... fine ..."
Sunita looked as if she was going to break down again. She was silent.
"Well? ", Hemanth enquired
" ........ I'm pregnant ........."
---------------------------
Only a few minutes must have passed since Sunita had spoken those words, but it seemed like an eternity to Hemanth. A lot of thoughts had raced through his mind. Why has she come to me now? Maybe something happened to the boy .... My god, what has she to say next?
"ok .. ", he finally said. " ... go on ..."
"he ..... he ..... he says he will not marry me!"
"What?!"
"says his parents will never agree to it ... also, since he would not be married off for at least a year or more ... he says any thought of marriage, if any, is possible only if we ... we ..."
Again a long pause.
"I understand ... so....", started Hemanth. "You disagree to that ...."
"Yes"
"Aaah, .... humph ... what do we do then .... ", Hemanth started contemplating."Anything else you have to add?"
"I can't marry him since I know his true colors now ..."
"Okay ... that too ... umm ... anybody else who knows about this?"
"No one except the doctor who treated me"
At that moment, the door bell rang again. Hemanth walked over and opened the door. Sunitha's parents were standing outside the door. They saw Sunita inside and then turned to Hemanth. Before Hemanth could speak a word, Sunitha's father slapped him.
--------------------------------
Hemanth's senses came back to the present. His forehead was bathed in sweat. He decided he could not let his emotions take over him at this moment. He had to concentrate on survival. He remembered he had his cellphone still with him. He took it out and smiled sarcastically. Murphy's law was too good! The cellphone was on the brink of going out of charge. He realized he had enough charge left for maximum one call or one message.
Thinking for a few moments as to what the best use of this last ounce of charge could be. He started keying in a message.
--------------------------------
8.56 a.m. 27th December
Mika alighted off the train with her Arun brother at Nagapattinam. The past twenty four hours had been a blur with the amazing number of phone calls she had made. Arun on the other hand, had been using his online search skills and his network to find out as much as he could gather about the mail id catchmeif.ucan@yahoo.com. This was the email address from which the messages had come. The email id seemed to be a metaphor for what she had undertaken. Arun had found that the message had actually been routed from a cell in some secure fashion. But some experts at the cellphone company had helped her in tracking down the call to the town where it originated from - and here she was.
The whole town of Nagapattinam was in total chaos. Ambulances rushing past every minute or so. Rescue workers covered with face masks carefully sifting through the rubble that was every house. It was a total devastation here. Distraught relatives screaming for their loved ones. In fact, a fishing boat was grounded and the waves had brought it nearly a kilometer inland and here it lay right in the middle of one of the main roads in the town. There was a stench of death, disease and destruction all around. If all the rubble and bodies were not cleared off soon, this would trigger off a major epidemic. Arun went to a nearby rescue worker tent and fetched a couple of face masks for them as well.
Arun stopped a passer-by to ask how him for directions on how to reach the beach. It was not far away, only about a kilometer. So they started to walk. As they walked, one question by Mika's mother still rang in her mind, "Why did the person decide to send probably the last message he/she may ever send to a person whom he hardly knows?" He had mentioned he hardly had any friends, did he not have anybody else who cared for him? She had been running this question through her mind ever since. More stinging was the statement that her mother made, "Mika, the person believed in you to save his life!"
Mika suddenly felt someone pulling at her skirt.
"Hello Mika"
Mika recognized the voice and turned around in surprise. It was the little girl whose life she had saved in the morning.
"oh! hello Amlu! what are you doing here?"
"My daddy's house is here."
Continued at Mika - Part VI
Mika (Part IV)
For those who missed the earlier parts, here are the links
Mika - Part I
Mika - Part II
Mika - Part III
----------------------------------------------------
Mika reached the grandfather first, almost out of breath.
"There's ... there's ...", she fought to regain her breath, half out of shock and exhaustion. "there's a huge wave about thirty feet high headed here ... please take your wife and get to safety as soon as possible ... I will get your little girl .... go!"
"But ... but ... how can I go without my lil' girl ...", said the old man, almost in tears.
"Please sir, get going ... you have to believe me ... I promise I WILL get your child back for you.... GO NOW please ...and FAST"
The grandfather made his way back as soon as he could taking the grandmother along with him. Mika turned around to see where the little girl was. She was swimming in the water about sixty feet away. The girl had moved further into the sea with the retreating tide.
Mika started sprinting towards her. As she raced towards the girl, she looked to either side to see if there were other people on the beach. She could see some boys playing cricket some distance away, she waved to get their attention. She screamed at them, "BIG WAVES COMING! GO BACK! GO BACK!" They could not understand why she was screaming like that. She pointed at the sea and then continued to scream.
She had almost reached the girl. The little girl on hearing her screams had turned back. Mika looked at the sea beyond the girl. She could see the water line on the horizon rising at an alarming rate.
"Oh bloody shit!"
"Come on", she grasped the little girl by her arm and they began to run towards the shore.
"Don't look back! Just keep running!"
They were about forty feet from the shore when the sea breeze suddenly stopped and she felt as though the ocean's breath had stopped for a moment. Mika glanced back as she was running, the wall of water loomed like a skyscraper. The stopping of the breeze probably meant that the wall had reached it crest and it was going to unleash its fury at any moment. She ran harder, the breeze started again, this time it was from behind her. Their shadows on the sand before them grew dimmer and dimmer. She knew that the moment had come. They were about a yard away from the end of the beach when the wave hit them. It was about ten feet high and it swept both of them off their feet. The waves engulfed them with enormous force but she did not let go of the girl. As they were swept along, her head banged against something hard. She instinctively engulfed her free hand around the object. It was round and rough. She did not let go of it. The wave lost its force and the water became still, only just for a moment, and then the water began to recede and take a lot of things along with it. The receding waters started gaining more and more force but Mika still held firm onto the object. Slowly, the water level receded and they began to float towards the ground. Finally, the wave deposited them flat on the ground.
---------------------------
Mika and the girl lay still for some minutes. Mika gradually regained her senses and glanced in the direction of the sea to see if any more waves were to come. But it looked as if the tsunami had lost its fury. She looked up the object she had held onto. It was a coconut tree. Most of the leaves of the tree had been washed away by the fury of the wave.
She sat up and looked at the girl. The girl was lying to her side facing her. Her eyes met Mika's and she gave a weak smile. Mika could still see the shock in her eyes. She lifted the girl and hugged her. The little girl started to cry.
"It's all over... don't be afraid ... we are going home now .. come on ...", Mika comforted her.
She got up, the little girl still held fast to her. She carried her slowly towards the road. The little girl's grandparents who had been taking refuge in a compound nearby came out. When they saw Mika, they came running forward.
"Oh .. Thank god ... Thank god .... you both are safe!"
She deposited the little girl in her grandma's arms. The girl took a while to release her hug on Mika.
"We .. we don't know how to thank you .. you were sent by God to save us ...", said the grandfather.
"Oh .. no problem sir .. I'm glad I was able to help .. take your little girl home ... she needs a good rest to get over the shock ... "
"Thank you, akka ..", a little voice said. It was the little girl.
Mika kissed her. "Hey, go home and have a nice sleep. Then you can go and play with your friends. ok?"
"ok", blinked the little girl. The color was returning to her soft chubby cheeks.
"You have some cuts on the head .... will you come to our house and put some ointment for it?"
"No, problem sir .. I will immediately attend to it .. you go ahead .. my house is just here .. bye"
The old couple gave her a joint hug. "We will never forget what you have done for us".
The grandparents left with their granddaughter, looking back from time to time and waving at Mika.
---------------------------
Mika tiptoed into her house. Just as she was about to go up the stairs. Her mother came out of the kitchen and caught sight of her. She noticed the cuts on Mika's face.
"Mika! What happened? You have hurt your face and you're dripping wet as well!"
"Mama, there was a tsunami just a few minutes ago. I was on the beach.."
"Oh my god. Thank god you are fine. Wait here."
Mika sit on the sofa. She rushed to the bathroom and brought a bucket of water mixed with dettol. She bathed Mika's head wound with a wet towel. Mika winced on the touch.
"It seems to be just a superficial wound but anyway you cannot say anything about head injuries .. we will go immediately to the doctor after you dry up a bit."
"Oh mama, I think it is just a light wound .. it doesn't pain much .. no need for a doctor"
"No way, we must go .. only then will I be happy"
"Oh! .. right ... but not immediately ... let me dry up and take a bit of rest and we can go in the afternoon"
"Umm ... ok ... but if you feel anything uneasy, let me know and we will go to the doctor immediately"
"Ok mama, sure"
They went upstairs to Mika's room. Mika's mother helped her undress and get into the shower. The hot water helped a lot to subside the tension in her nerves. She came out refreshed from the shower and got into the dress that her mother had kept ready for her. Her mother then brought a hair dryer and started giving her long hair a good drying. Mika's brother came out of his room with sleepy eyes. He too had not known what had happened in the morning at all. He peeked into Mika's room.
"Hi Mom.. Hi Miki ...", he noticed the long cut on Mika's forehead. "hey, what happened? where did you get hurt?"
"Oh Arun! There was a tsunami in the morning .. and Mika was at the beach!"
"Oh shit!... you all right now, miki? want me to take you to the doctor?"
"No daa, I feel fine ... I just want to take a good rest to get over the shock ..."
"Oh okay ... yeah, you need a good rest ... "
"Right Mama, my hair's quite dry now .. thx a lot .. now let me take a nap."
"Ok dear"
Mika lay on her bed and her mother nicely tucked her in into her blanket and gave her a peck of a kiss on her forehead and then left the room.
"Come on Arun, let Mika have a good rest"
Arun gave Mika a reassuring smile as he left. "Sleep well"
He closed the door quietly behind him. Mika was left all alone in her room. She looked a while at the ceiling unable to close her eyes. Then, the exhaustion and then the hot bath took their toll. She drifted off into a deep sleep.
------------------------------
A beeping sound roused her out of her sleep. Another SMS! What did this have in store for her.
She realized it was still in the pocket of her wet dress. She got up and took the cell out of the pocket. Somehow, the cell was still in a working state. This must be some usual message, she thought. Every message could not be as significant as the last one she had received. She opened the message.
The message was short :
S.O.S, neo
Continued at Mika - Part V
Mika - Part I
Mika - Part II
Mika - Part III
----------------------------------------------------
Mika reached the grandfather first, almost out of breath.
"There's ... there's ...", she fought to regain her breath, half out of shock and exhaustion. "there's a huge wave about thirty feet high headed here ... please take your wife and get to safety as soon as possible ... I will get your little girl .... go!"
"But ... but ... how can I go without my lil' girl ...", said the old man, almost in tears.
"Please sir, get going ... you have to believe me ... I promise I WILL get your child back for you.... GO NOW please ...and FAST"
The grandfather made his way back as soon as he could taking the grandmother along with him. Mika turned around to see where the little girl was. She was swimming in the water about sixty feet away. The girl had moved further into the sea with the retreating tide.
Mika started sprinting towards her. As she raced towards the girl, she looked to either side to see if there were other people on the beach. She could see some boys playing cricket some distance away, she waved to get their attention. She screamed at them, "BIG WAVES COMING! GO BACK! GO BACK!" They could not understand why she was screaming like that. She pointed at the sea and then continued to scream.
She had almost reached the girl. The little girl on hearing her screams had turned back. Mika looked at the sea beyond the girl. She could see the water line on the horizon rising at an alarming rate.
"Oh bloody shit!"
"Come on", she grasped the little girl by her arm and they began to run towards the shore.
"Don't look back! Just keep running!"
They were about forty feet from the shore when the sea breeze suddenly stopped and she felt as though the ocean's breath had stopped for a moment. Mika glanced back as she was running, the wall of water loomed like a skyscraper. The stopping of the breeze probably meant that the wall had reached it crest and it was going to unleash its fury at any moment. She ran harder, the breeze started again, this time it was from behind her. Their shadows on the sand before them grew dimmer and dimmer. She knew that the moment had come. They were about a yard away from the end of the beach when the wave hit them. It was about ten feet high and it swept both of them off their feet. The waves engulfed them with enormous force but she did not let go of the girl. As they were swept along, her head banged against something hard. She instinctively engulfed her free hand around the object. It was round and rough. She did not let go of it. The wave lost its force and the water became still, only just for a moment, and then the water began to recede and take a lot of things along with it. The receding waters started gaining more and more force but Mika still held firm onto the object. Slowly, the water level receded and they began to float towards the ground. Finally, the wave deposited them flat on the ground.
---------------------------
Mika and the girl lay still for some minutes. Mika gradually regained her senses and glanced in the direction of the sea to see if any more waves were to come. But it looked as if the tsunami had lost its fury. She looked up the object she had held onto. It was a coconut tree. Most of the leaves of the tree had been washed away by the fury of the wave.
She sat up and looked at the girl. The girl was lying to her side facing her. Her eyes met Mika's and she gave a weak smile. Mika could still see the shock in her eyes. She lifted the girl and hugged her. The little girl started to cry.
"It's all over... don't be afraid ... we are going home now .. come on ...", Mika comforted her.
She got up, the little girl still held fast to her. She carried her slowly towards the road. The little girl's grandparents who had been taking refuge in a compound nearby came out. When they saw Mika, they came running forward.
"Oh .. Thank god ... Thank god .... you both are safe!"
She deposited the little girl in her grandma's arms. The girl took a while to release her hug on Mika.
"We .. we don't know how to thank you .. you were sent by God to save us ...", said the grandfather.
"Oh .. no problem sir .. I'm glad I was able to help .. take your little girl home ... she needs a good rest to get over the shock ... "
"Thank you, akka ..", a little voice said. It was the little girl.
Mika kissed her. "Hey, go home and have a nice sleep. Then you can go and play with your friends. ok?"
"ok", blinked the little girl. The color was returning to her soft chubby cheeks.
"You have some cuts on the head .... will you come to our house and put some ointment for it?"
"No, problem sir .. I will immediately attend to it .. you go ahead .. my house is just here .. bye"
The old couple gave her a joint hug. "We will never forget what you have done for us".
The grandparents left with their granddaughter, looking back from time to time and waving at Mika.
---------------------------
Mika tiptoed into her house. Just as she was about to go up the stairs. Her mother came out of the kitchen and caught sight of her. She noticed the cuts on Mika's face.
"Mika! What happened? You have hurt your face and you're dripping wet as well!"
"Mama, there was a tsunami just a few minutes ago. I was on the beach.."
"Oh my god. Thank god you are fine. Wait here."
Mika sit on the sofa. She rushed to the bathroom and brought a bucket of water mixed with dettol. She bathed Mika's head wound with a wet towel. Mika winced on the touch.
"It seems to be just a superficial wound but anyway you cannot say anything about head injuries .. we will go immediately to the doctor after you dry up a bit."
"Oh mama, I think it is just a light wound .. it doesn't pain much .. no need for a doctor"
"No way, we must go .. only then will I be happy"
"Oh! .. right ... but not immediately ... let me dry up and take a bit of rest and we can go in the afternoon"
"Umm ... ok ... but if you feel anything uneasy, let me know and we will go to the doctor immediately"
"Ok mama, sure"
They went upstairs to Mika's room. Mika's mother helped her undress and get into the shower. The hot water helped a lot to subside the tension in her nerves. She came out refreshed from the shower and got into the dress that her mother had kept ready for her. Her mother then brought a hair dryer and started giving her long hair a good drying. Mika's brother came out of his room with sleepy eyes. He too had not known what had happened in the morning at all. He peeked into Mika's room.
"Hi Mom.. Hi Miki ...", he noticed the long cut on Mika's forehead. "hey, what happened? where did you get hurt?"
"Oh Arun! There was a tsunami in the morning .. and Mika was at the beach!"
"Oh shit!... you all right now, miki? want me to take you to the doctor?"
"No daa, I feel fine ... I just want to take a good rest to get over the shock ..."
"Oh okay ... yeah, you need a good rest ... "
"Right Mama, my hair's quite dry now .. thx a lot .. now let me take a nap."
"Ok dear"
Mika lay on her bed and her mother nicely tucked her in into her blanket and gave her a peck of a kiss on her forehead and then left the room.
"Come on Arun, let Mika have a good rest"
Arun gave Mika a reassuring smile as he left. "Sleep well"
He closed the door quietly behind him. Mika was left all alone in her room. She looked a while at the ceiling unable to close her eyes. Then, the exhaustion and then the hot bath took their toll. She drifted off into a deep sleep.
------------------------------
A beeping sound roused her out of her sleep. Another SMS! What did this have in store for her.
She realized it was still in the pocket of her wet dress. She got up and took the cell out of the pocket. Somehow, the cell was still in a working state. This must be some usual message, she thought. Every message could not be as significant as the last one she had received. She opened the message.
The message was short :
S.O.S, neo
Continued at Mika - Part V
Mika (Part III)
For those who missed Part I and II here are the links
Mika - Part I
Mika - Part II
----------------------------------------------------
Hardly had she logged in that the little blinking star appeared again. She clicked it and a window popped up.
"Hi, your system still has a vulnerabilitythat enables me to login via the ssh port on your system :). If you want to counter it here is the webpage that describes the steps." An browser window opened up on her system.
Mika was surprised. True, she had wanted to find out the person was but this person was tracking her every move. She tiptoed to her brother's room and peeked in. Her brother was still soundly asleep and the system switched off. So, it was not one of her brother's pranks. Who was it then?
She came back to her chair in her room in a very pensive mood and placed her fingers over the keyboard.
"Hey, whatever be the security holes on my system, I think it is rude to intrude into other's privacy like this!"
"Oops ... sorry guy/gal .... I just was ambling around the network to see what vulnerabilities various machines were exposed to. Found yours one of the toughest machines to crack :) ... looks like you have set up some pretty good defenses on your machine ... so I just found it a nice challenge to find a loophole ... and once I did find one .. I wanted to inform u so that you could gear up for it."
"Oh, you are some sort of a cyber evangelist are you?"
"Now that you do mention it, I feel I just help people help themselves."
Mika felt her tension melting away as soon as it has risen. "hey", she said to herself, " here's a guy I wanted to thank for making me feel much better and the first thing I do is to bark at him and yet he handles me with ease"
"Hey, by the by, I wanted to thank you for the message you left on my screen in the morning. It was nice."
"wow, an admirer ;) ... thx .. I've always liked that one"
Mika , for the first time, realized that she had been chatting to him in an application window that she had never seen before. It displayed his name as "neo". Rightful name for such a hacker, she thought. This also suggested that the person was a "he".
Mika: "Hey, do you have a yahoo or gmail id?"
neo: "Umm .. of course, I do .. but .. I guess it would betray my identity to you ;)"
Mika: "Aha, do you know me? or viceversa :) .."
neo: "I only know you as much you have told me since the last five minutes .. no more, no less"
Mika: "Umm .. u expect me to believe that?"
There was a long pause from the other side.
neo: "You got to realize that giving out personal details to an unknown person is quite an uneasy job .. for infact you might be anyone"
Mika (thinking - "does this guy really not know me or is he just pretending!)": "Well, you potentially had and still do have access to my whole system. Have I not sympathised with you for so long that you can't even give me a small info I want"
neo: "What you essentially are asking for is an act of faith ... I need a bit of time before I can make that decision .. . you will hear from me very soon on this "
Mika (realizing she probably had been a bit too hasty) : "Hey, no problem at all. If you dont want me to know your identity then let it be like that .. but on my side, I dont mind giving you my contact details since I would like to be friends with you ... Here's my yahoo id mika.sparkles@yahoo.com"
neo: "well .. uh .. am a bit stunned ... I hardly have friends ... and you are the first person whose reached out a hand to me ... I deeply appreciate it ... "
Mika too was a bit stunned at her own courage in giving her mail id to someone whom she hardly knew. Yet there was something in this "neo"'s character that so deeply connected to her. She did not feel uneasy at all. His reply sent her wondering as to why so nice a person hardly had friends. She could almost feel that his heart was searching out for companionship and yet none had come. Mika decided that she would be his friend.
Mika: My name as the id indicates is Mika. I live at Chennai by the beach.
At that moment, Mika heard her mother coming up the stairs calling her.
"Mika, can you come down here. I need you to help me with the preparations for the party"
Mika (quickly typed) : Hey, my mother's coming up .. I am going to sign off ... catch you later
neo: Looks like I am a secret friend ;)
Mika: Yup :) bye
[Mika closed the window]
---------------------------------------
26th December 2004
Mika woke up early again and went out to the beach early in the morning. She was beginning to love the time spent in quiet contemplation savoring the beauty that the world had to offer. She realized she had unduly imposed restrictions on herself after the incident. In fact, Anand had done nothing wrong from his side. In fact, going through her relationship with him, it had been she who had harbored wrong intentions from the relationship. All this meant something more to her, it meant she had to just go on and enjoy life, it was not life who had let her down - it was herself.
Mika looked towards the sea and saw a small girl playing in the water with her grandfather. The grandmother was sitting on the sand watching them play. An old fisherman in a catamaran passed along quite close to the shore. The little girl waved her arms at him and he returned the gesture. Mika felt a strange peace floating around her. The people, the sea, the sun rays .. everything around her seemed to radiate the same feeling.
A slight vibration in her pocket brought her out of the trance. It meant that she had received an SMS. She reached out for her cellphone in her pocket and brought it out. She opened the message - it was sent to her yahoo id. She had configured her yahoo messenger messages to be delivered to her cell when she was offline. She read the message wondering what it meant. Strange things seemed to be happening to her suddenly. She re-read the message and looked at the sea again. The tide seemed to have retreated further into the sea. She then realized the truth in the message. She jumped up and ran towards the child and her grandfather. The message had said ....
"Tsunami . Any moment . Warn people! - neo"
Continued at Mika - Part IV
Mika - Part I
Mika - Part II
----------------------------------------------------
Hardly had she logged in that the little blinking star appeared again. She clicked it and a window popped up.
"Hi, your system still has a vulnerability
Mika was surprised. True, she had wanted to find out the person was but this person was tracking her every move. She tiptoed to her brother's room and peeked in. Her brother was still soundly asleep and the system switched off. So, it was not one of her brother's pranks. Who was it then?
She came back to her chair in her room in a very pensive mood and placed her fingers over the keyboard.
"Hey, whatever be the security holes on my system, I think it is rude to intrude into other's privacy like this!"
"Oops ... sorry guy/gal .... I just was ambling around the network to see what vulnerabilities various machines were exposed to. Found yours one of the toughest machines to crack :) ... looks like you have set up some pretty good defenses on your machine ... so I just found it a nice challenge to find a loophole ... and once I did find one .. I wanted to inform u so that you could gear up for it."
"Oh, you are some sort of a cyber evangelist are you?"
"Now that you do mention it, I feel I just help people help themselves."
Mika felt her tension melting away as soon as it has risen. "hey", she said to herself, " here's a guy I wanted to thank for making me feel much better and the first thing I do is to bark at him and yet he handles me with ease"
"Hey, by the by, I wanted to thank you for the message you left on my screen in the morning. It was nice."
"wow, an admirer ;) ... thx .. I've always liked that one"
Mika , for the first time, realized that she had been chatting to him in an application window that she had never seen before. It displayed his name as "neo". Rightful name for such a hacker, she thought. This also suggested that the person was a "he".
Mika: "Hey, do you have a yahoo or gmail id?"
neo: "Umm .. of course, I do .. but .. I guess it would betray my identity to you ;)"
Mika: "Aha, do you know me? or viceversa :) .."
neo: "I only know you as much you have told me since the last five minutes .. no more, no less"
Mika: "Umm .. u expect me to believe that?"
There was a long pause from the other side.
neo: "You got to realize that giving out personal details to an unknown person is quite an uneasy job .. for infact you might be anyone"
Mika (thinking - "does this guy really not know me or is he just pretending!)": "Well, you potentially had and still do have access to my whole system. Have I not sympathised with you for so long that you can't even give me a small info I want"
neo: "What you essentially are asking for is an act of faith ... I need a bit of time before I can make that decision .. . you will hear from me very soon on this "
Mika (realizing she probably had been a bit too hasty) : "Hey, no problem at all. If you dont want me to know your identity then let it be like that .. but on my side, I dont mind giving you my contact details since I would like to be friends with you ... Here's my yahoo id mika.sparkles@yahoo.com"
neo: "well .. uh .. am a bit stunned ... I hardly have friends ... and you are the first person whose reached out a hand to me ... I deeply appreciate it ... "
Mika too was a bit stunned at her own courage in giving her mail id to someone whom she hardly knew. Yet there was something in this "neo"'s character that so deeply connected to her. She did not feel uneasy at all. His reply sent her wondering as to why so nice a person hardly had friends. She could almost feel that his heart was searching out for companionship and yet none had come. Mika decided that she would be his friend.
Mika: My name as the id indicates is Mika. I live at Chennai by the beach.
At that moment, Mika heard her mother coming up the stairs calling her.
"Mika, can you come down here. I need you to help me with the preparations for the party"
Mika (quickly typed) : Hey, my mother's coming up .. I am going to sign off ... catch you later
neo: Looks like I am a secret friend ;)
Mika: Yup :) bye
[Mika closed the window]
---------------------------------------
26th December 2004
Mika woke up early again and went out to the beach early in the morning. She was beginning to love the time spent in quiet contemplation savoring the beauty that the world had to offer. She realized she had unduly imposed restrictions on herself after the incident. In fact, Anand had done nothing wrong from his side. In fact, going through her relationship with him, it had been she who had harbored wrong intentions from the relationship. All this meant something more to her, it meant she had to just go on and enjoy life, it was not life who had let her down - it was herself.
Mika looked towards the sea and saw a small girl playing in the water with her grandfather. The grandmother was sitting on the sand watching them play. An old fisherman in a catamaran passed along quite close to the shore. The little girl waved her arms at him and he returned the gesture. Mika felt a strange peace floating around her. The people, the sea, the sun rays .. everything around her seemed to radiate the same feeling.
A slight vibration in her pocket brought her out of the trance. It meant that she had received an SMS. She reached out for her cellphone in her pocket and brought it out. She opened the message - it was sent to her yahoo id. She had configured her yahoo messenger messages to be delivered to her cell when she was offline. She read the message wondering what it meant. Strange things seemed to be happening to her suddenly. She re-read the message and looked at the sea again. The tide seemed to have retreated further into the sea. She then realized the truth in the message. She jumped up and ran towards the child and her grandfather. The message had said ....
"Tsunami . Any moment . Warn people! - neo"
Continued at Mika - Part IV
Mika (Part II)
For those who missed Part I here is the link Mika - Part I
----------------------------------------------
It wasn't much, just a few lines but yet they had shaken her to the marrows. But the optimism that filled her after that had made her feel much better than she ever had in the past six months. These were the lines
"True love strikes as disaster does - when you least expect it,
Disaster tests you the same as true love does - when you least want it,
Test do they your faith, upto the last strand,
Face them head on, answered will you be,
The power to believe against all odds,
And that makes all the difference!"
She read the lines and looked at the horizon. She did not realize how long she had been staring ahead but suddenly out of the blue, she heard someone calling her name. "Mika! Mika!"
Mika turned and saw her mother walking hurriedly towards her.
"Oh, there you are... I was beginning to get afraid that something happened to you ... you have been out nearly three hours"
"three hours .. " Mika couldn't believe herself.
"Hey, you are all right, are you not? You have been acting different from morning. "
"Well, Mama, I'm all right, was just thinking about something. Come let's go home."
------------------------------------
After lunch, Mika made sure her mother was busy in the kitchen below. There was a big family party at their house that night and her mother was very busy preparing for it.
She sat at the computer and switched on the power. She waited until the desktop appeared but by some impulse, she went and lay down on her bed and closed her eyes. Her thoughts wavering around the morning's events. What had come over her?
------------------------------------
"Mika! where are you?" Anand's voice rang out through the window. Mika peeked out, her chin resting on the window sill.
"What is it, Anand?"
"Hey, come down fast. I want to show you something."
"Show it from there itself .. I can't come down"
"No way .. are you coming down now or I am not going to come up there and get you!"
"ok baba, coming .. but it better be a good reason"
"come down, you wont regret it"
"ok"
Mika jumped up from bed and hastily made her hair. As she did so, she looked longingly at the computer screen. Her mailbox was open in the computer and it showed a long list of mails from Anand. The mail subjects read ...
"Chocolates by mail from Switzerland by way of Wisconsin :)"
" Snowing at Atlanta .. wish you were here"
" Stars up and away - photo taken at the lawn in the night"
" I'm coming to India in June"
...
She hastily picked a small, ornamental bindi and fastened it to her forehead. Then rushed down the stairs, smiling to herself. She ran to the front door and out into the lawn. Anand was waiting for her there. He looked so handsome in the sherwani. He seemed to be gesturing to somebody on the far side of the house, but he swiftly turned as he heard her approaching.
"Hiyee", he yelled.
"Hi! .. ouch... why on earth do you have to yell like that for? .. by the by, whom were you talking to when I was coming."
"Me talking to someone? .. not at all!". There was a twinkle in Anand's eyes as he said this.
Mika got a wind of something being hidden from her, "Anand!", she said in a mockingly slow manner. "I know you are hiding something from me... come on .. tell me."
"okay .. okay sir, I accept defeat ... that was a part of the surprise"
"oooh ... okay, what's the surprise?"
"You will have to close your eyes ... come on"
Mika closed her eyes.
"Hey, no peeking !"
Mika laughed and kept her eyes closed. She wondered what Anand had in store for her. She heard some shuffling noises by the bushes. She willed to open her eyes, but she kept them tightly shut so as to not disappoint Anand.
"okay now .. you can open your eyes"
Mika opened her eyes to see Anand standing along with another girl. She was dressed in a traditional saree. Mika was lost for words, she looked from Anand to the girl and then back at Anand.
Anand then spoke, "Hi Mika, she is the surprise. Pavithra, meet my close friend from childhood , Mika"
"Hello"
"Hi..", Mika managed to bring out from her throat. What had come over her? Why was she struggling to talk?
Anand continued, "Mika, this is Pavithra, the girl who I am going to marry. We were classmates while I did M.S at Wisconsin"
The lump in Mika's throat hardly allowed a single word to emerge "Oh..cool".
"Hey Mika, are you ok?"
"Uh, well .. I have a bad headache ... that's why I was lying down .. it will go away soon .. don't worry"
"Oh ok then, I'm really sorry for disturbing you but I wanted you to be the first person whom I introduce Pavithra to. All others can come after that"
"oh, come on .. that was not really needed ... err .... hey guys, could you excuse me for sometime ... I want to take a bit of rest now to trash this bad headache ... I will come and meet you guys in about half an hour ..."
"oh, no problem at all," Pavithra said. "take your time .. get completely well and then come to see us ... besides I guess we will be seeing each other much more often in the future". Pavithra gave Mika a wink.
"ok thanks ... bye guys"
Mika turned and ran towards the front door, hardly able to conceal the tears in her eyes.
She rushed up the stairs, ran into her room, slammed the door shut and dropped to the floor crying"
Mika jumped out of the bed, bathed in sweat.
Oh! [Mika sighed in relief] it had been a dream!
She had never been able to remove that incident from her mind. She drank some water from the jug on the table by her bed and looked at her computer again.
The happenings of the morning came rushing back to her. Smiling to herself, she swore to find out who the mysterious messenger was.
Continued at Mika - Part III
----------------------------------------------
It wasn't much, just a few lines but yet they had shaken her to the marrows. But the optimism that filled her after that had made her feel much better than she ever had in the past six months. These were the lines
"True love strikes as disaster does - when you least expect it,
Disaster tests you the same as true love does - when you least want it,
Test do they your faith, upto the last strand,
Face them head on, answered will you be,
The power to believe against all odds,
And that makes all the difference!"
She read the lines and looked at the horizon. She did not realize how long she had been staring ahead but suddenly out of the blue, she heard someone calling her name. "Mika! Mika!"
Mika turned and saw her mother walking hurriedly towards her.
"Oh, there you are... I was beginning to get afraid that something happened to you ... you have been out nearly three hours"
"three hours .. " Mika couldn't believe herself.
"Hey, you are all right, are you not? You have been acting different from morning. "
"Well, Mama, I'm all right, was just thinking about something. Come let's go home."
------------------------------------
After lunch, Mika made sure her mother was busy in the kitchen below. There was a big family party at their house that night and her mother was very busy preparing for it.
She sat at the computer and switched on the power. She waited until the desktop appeared but by some impulse, she went and lay down on her bed and closed her eyes. Her thoughts wavering around the morning's events. What had come over her?
------------------------------------
"Mika! where are you?" Anand's voice rang out through the window. Mika peeked out, her chin resting on the window sill.
"What is it, Anand?"
"Hey, come down fast. I want to show you something."
"Show it from there itself .. I can't come down"
"No way .. are you coming down now or I am not going to come up there and get you!"
"ok baba, coming .. but it better be a good reason"
"come down, you wont regret it"
"ok"
Mika jumped up from bed and hastily made her hair. As she did so, she looked longingly at the computer screen. Her mailbox was open in the computer and it showed a long list of mails from Anand. The mail subjects read ...
"Chocolates by mail from Switzerland by way of Wisconsin :)"
" Snowing at Atlanta .. wish you were here"
" Stars up and away - photo taken at the lawn in the night"
" I'm coming to India in June"
...
She hastily picked a small, ornamental bindi and fastened it to her forehead. Then rushed down the stairs, smiling to herself. She ran to the front door and out into the lawn. Anand was waiting for her there. He looked so handsome in the sherwani. He seemed to be gesturing to somebody on the far side of the house, but he swiftly turned as he heard her approaching.
"Hiyee", he yelled.
"Hi! .. ouch... why on earth do you have to yell like that for? .. by the by, whom were you talking to when I was coming."
"Me talking to someone? .. not at all!". There was a twinkle in Anand's eyes as he said this.
Mika got a wind of something being hidden from her, "Anand!", she said in a mockingly slow manner. "I know you are hiding something from me... come on .. tell me."
"okay .. okay sir, I accept defeat ... that was a part of the surprise"
"oooh ... okay, what's the surprise?"
"You will have to close your eyes ... come on"
Mika closed her eyes.
"Hey, no peeking !"
Mika laughed and kept her eyes closed. She wondered what Anand had in store for her. She heard some shuffling noises by the bushes. She willed to open her eyes, but she kept them tightly shut so as to not disappoint Anand.
"okay now .. you can open your eyes"
Mika opened her eyes to see Anand standing along with another girl. She was dressed in a traditional saree. Mika was lost for words, she looked from Anand to the girl and then back at Anand.
Anand then spoke, "Hi Mika, she is the surprise. Pavithra, meet my close friend from childhood , Mika"
"Hello"
"Hi..", Mika managed to bring out from her throat. What had come over her? Why was she struggling to talk?
Anand continued, "Mika, this is Pavithra, the girl who I am going to marry. We were classmates while I did M.S at Wisconsin"
The lump in Mika's throat hardly allowed a single word to emerge "Oh..cool".
"Hey Mika, are you ok?"
"Uh, well .. I have a bad headache ... that's why I was lying down .. it will go away soon .. don't worry"
"Oh ok then, I'm really sorry for disturbing you but I wanted you to be the first person whom I introduce Pavithra to. All others can come after that"
"oh, come on .. that was not really needed ... err .... hey guys, could you excuse me for sometime ... I want to take a bit of rest now to trash this bad headache ... I will come and meet you guys in about half an hour ..."
"oh, no problem at all," Pavithra said. "take your time .. get completely well and then come to see us ... besides I guess we will be seeing each other much more often in the future". Pavithra gave Mika a wink.
"ok thanks ... bye guys"
Mika turned and ran towards the front door, hardly able to conceal the tears in her eyes.
She rushed up the stairs, ran into her room, slammed the door shut and dropped to the floor crying"
Mika jumped out of the bed, bathed in sweat.
Oh! [Mika sighed in relief] it had been a dream!
She had never been able to remove that incident from her mind. She drank some water from the jug on the table by her bed and looked at her computer again.
The happenings of the morning came rushing back to her. Smiling to herself, she swore to find out who the mysterious messenger was.
Continued at Mika - Part III
Mika
25th December 2004
The first rays of dawn kissed Mika's tender cheeks as she lay curled up in her blanket. She dismissively pulled the blanket over her head. A subtle tinkling sound penetrated through the darkness under the blanket. Although half asleep, it roused her curiosity; she tried to dismiss it as a dream but somehow it kept continuing. She flung open the blanket and sat up straight in bed. The sound seemed to continue. Strangely enough, it seemed to be coming from her computer which she had left on screensaver overnight. But the screensaver running on it was not the one she had set. It was a beautiful house bathed in snow. Little snowflakes were dropping all over the screen. In the centre of the screen, in shiny carpet red, were the words "Merry Christmas". She then realized it was the start of her Christmas hols and what a way to start than to get up to mysteriously see this greeting on her screen.
She gently gathered the curls falling all over her face with her hands and made a loose knot of them at the back. Her blue eyes twinkling with curiosity, she got up from bed and walked over to the computer. She pulled up a chair and blinked at the monitor. At her touch, the screensaver disappeared leaving her staring at her desktop wallpaper. But something caught her attention. It was a small blinking star in her "system tray" to the bottom right of the screen. It seemed so unreal to her, "who had done all this in surprise for her?" Her father was not in town so it couldn't have been him. Had he returned sooner than expected as a surprise or was it her one of her brother's tricks or her mother? She moved the mouse over the blinking star and clicked it.
-------------------------------------
Mika's mother was cooking a sumptuous breakfast of omlette, bread and butter. The Christmas cake was getting ready in the oven. The aroma was turning heads out in the street. She heard Mika coming down the stairs.
"Hi Mika, Happy Christmas dear, it is a wonderful day today"
"Yes Mama, it is"
Her mother turned around to see her. Mika was dressed in a light pink skirt.
"Wow, you look lovely dear. Fully ready at 7'O clock in the morning! Any new resolutions you have taken?", her mother asked jokingly.
"No, nothing of that sort ... err.. Mama..."
"Yes?"
"Can I go over to the beach for sometime?"
"Well, sure. Go on. I am a bit busy with the kitchen chores right now. You go ahead."
"Great, thanks Mama ... I will be back in about half an hour... bye"
"Bye"
-------------------------------------
Mika's house was about two hundred metres away from the beach. She fidgeted along on the pebbled pathway to the beach. The fresh sea breeze blew her hair all over her face every few seconds. A few joggers passed her on the way. Apart from that, the road was pretty deserted.
She replayed the events since yesterday in her mind as she walked along. Yesterday evening, she had arrived after a nine hour journey from Bangalore. The train had been late by about three hours and the journey had left her totally exhausted. She had just garnered enough energy to have a small chat and an early dinner with her mother and brother. She had also send a short mail to her father in a dreamy state. Then, her senses had just melted away and she had a vague remembrance of her mother gently laying her down on her bed and covering the blanket warmly over her....
"Hi Mika, Merry Christmas!"
Mika turned in the direction of the sound to see her school friend Radhika. She and her husband were jogging back home from the beach.
"Merry Christmas, to you too.."
Mika continued walking towards the beach. She had just reached the stone wall that indicated the start of the beach. She sat on it and looked at the spectacle in front of her. She could not understand what was it that made her do the things that she had done since morning. It seemed so unlike her but something excited her about doing it. She remembered what she had read when she clicked the blinking star on her computer. Whoever the person was, he/she knew what exactly to make her realize on this day and in a fashion that she would never forget. As the person had mentioned, she had taken a printout of the content and brought it out with her to read all alone in this serene environment. She unfolded the printout, closed her eyes for a few moments to calm down her emotions and then began to read.
Continued at Mika - Part II
The first rays of dawn kissed Mika's tender cheeks as she lay curled up in her blanket. She dismissively pulled the blanket over her head. A subtle tinkling sound penetrated through the darkness under the blanket. Although half asleep, it roused her curiosity; she tried to dismiss it as a dream but somehow it kept continuing. She flung open the blanket and sat up straight in bed. The sound seemed to continue. Strangely enough, it seemed to be coming from her computer which she had left on screensaver overnight. But the screensaver running on it was not the one she had set. It was a beautiful house bathed in snow. Little snowflakes were dropping all over the screen. In the centre of the screen, in shiny carpet red, were the words "Merry Christmas". She then realized it was the start of her Christmas hols and what a way to start than to get up to mysteriously see this greeting on her screen.
She gently gathered the curls falling all over her face with her hands and made a loose knot of them at the back. Her blue eyes twinkling with curiosity, she got up from bed and walked over to the computer. She pulled up a chair and blinked at the monitor. At her touch, the screensaver disappeared leaving her staring at her desktop wallpaper. But something caught her attention. It was a small blinking star in her "system tray" to the bottom right of the screen. It seemed so unreal to her, "who had done all this in surprise for her?" Her father was not in town so it couldn't have been him. Had he returned sooner than expected as a surprise or was it her one of her brother's tricks or her mother? She moved the mouse over the blinking star and clicked it.
-------------------------------------
Mika's mother was cooking a sumptuous breakfast of omlette, bread and butter. The Christmas cake was getting ready in the oven. The aroma was turning heads out in the street. She heard Mika coming down the stairs.
"Hi Mika, Happy Christmas dear, it is a wonderful day today"
"Yes Mama, it is"
Her mother turned around to see her. Mika was dressed in a light pink skirt.
"Wow, you look lovely dear. Fully ready at 7'O clock in the morning! Any new resolutions you have taken?", her mother asked jokingly.
"No, nothing of that sort ... err.. Mama..."
"Yes?"
"Can I go over to the beach for sometime?"
"Well, sure. Go on. I am a bit busy with the kitchen chores right now. You go ahead."
"Great, thanks Mama ... I will be back in about half an hour... bye"
"Bye"
-------------------------------------
Mika's house was about two hundred metres away from the beach. She fidgeted along on the pebbled pathway to the beach. The fresh sea breeze blew her hair all over her face every few seconds. A few joggers passed her on the way. Apart from that, the road was pretty deserted.
She replayed the events since yesterday in her mind as she walked along. Yesterday evening, she had arrived after a nine hour journey from Bangalore. The train had been late by about three hours and the journey had left her totally exhausted. She had just garnered enough energy to have a small chat and an early dinner with her mother and brother. She had also send a short mail to her father in a dreamy state. Then, her senses had just melted away and she had a vague remembrance of her mother gently laying her down on her bed and covering the blanket warmly over her....
"Hi Mika, Merry Christmas!"
Mika turned in the direction of the sound to see her school friend Radhika. She and her husband were jogging back home from the beach.
"Merry Christmas, to you too.."
Mika continued walking towards the beach. She had just reached the stone wall that indicated the start of the beach. She sat on it and looked at the spectacle in front of her. She could not understand what was it that made her do the things that she had done since morning. It seemed so unlike her but something excited her about doing it. She remembered what she had read when she clicked the blinking star on her computer. Whoever the person was, he/she knew what exactly to make her realize on this day and in a fashion that she would never forget. As the person had mentioned, she had taken a printout of the content and brought it out with her to read all alone in this serene environment. She unfolded the printout, closed her eyes for a few moments to calm down her emotions and then began to read.
Continued at Mika - Part II
Music and modern nationalism in India
Hi guys,
I have started another blog "Chai please" which is around film making, my latest hobby. I have a few articles on it as well. I guess it might be the more active of my blogs for the times to come. Keep a tag on it as well :) Here's the link to it Chai please
I have started another blog "Chai please" which is around film making, my latest hobby. I have a few articles on it as well. I guess it might be the more active of my blogs for the times to come. Keep a tag on it as well :) Here's the link to it Chai please
Picture perfect
Dozing off on a rumbling train,
a shrill cooing escorted by a cacophony,
effecting an underwater drum,
pricked me into reality.
Eyelids half-open, cornerning the source,
Driven by a mind tug locked -
Arise? .... What's the hurry?
Then, a voice so strangely familiar,
Tuned into my dreamy waves.
Wide awake now, straightened to behold,
A face something wrong,
The beauty of light blocked,
Yet a soul undeterred,
Selling wares, head upraised.
A carriage of no profit,
But a carrier of pure gold.
a shrill cooing escorted by a cacophony,
effecting an underwater drum,
pricked me into reality.
Eyelids half-open, cornerning the source,
Driven by a mind tug locked -
Arise? .... What's the hurry?
Then, a voice so strangely familiar,
Tuned into my dreamy waves.
Wide awake now, straightened to behold,
A face something wrong,
The beauty of light blocked,
Yet a soul undeterred,
Selling wares, head upraised.
A carriage of no profit,
But a carrier of pure gold.
A bit of choc - co - lat - te
Guys, this is a short write-up on my favorite movie "Forrest Gump". This is how I pay my tribute to it.
I love to remind myself of the words I heard in Forrest Gump "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get". The good part is, we get to choose the chocolates.
Last night, you might be having the time of your life with everyone you love. Today, maybe your best friend will leave you. At such times ,I love to think that life has called me and opened up a box of chocolates for me to choose from. Infact, the best chocolates are the bitter ones (as the Hershey's :)). So it pays;) to take a bitter one since the best relationships are those that stand the test of faith.
The act of Forrest starting his cross-country journey to discover the meaning of life is something that means a lot to me symbolically. Get up and go!! Forrest learns a lot in that journey. I have made it a point to take this to heart, this day as I enjoy my vacation at my home.
I love this scene in the movie as well which happens while Forrest is on the cross-country run.
Bumper sticker maker: You just ran through a big pile of dog shit.
Forrest Gump: It happens.
Bumper sticker maker: What, shit?
Forrest Gump: Sometimes.
"SHIT HAPPENS" -> this hit slogan makes me laugh, yet makes me aware of the fact of how to view life ;) Dont get any interesting ideas.
This conversation when Forrest describes a beautiful sunset to an ailing Jenny is also touching.
Forrest Gump: It was so beautiful.
Jenny: I wish I could've been there with you.
Forrest Gump: You were.
This is a timeless relationship. I love to experience one such relationship. It is as Forrest put it in his own words "We was like peas and carrots."
The end is quite touching as well.
"I don't know if we each have a destiny or if were just floating around accidental-like, on a breeze.", is a classic reflection of the wisdom that experience has moulded into Forrest's heart. It is more of a starting point in his journey to solve that question. Infact, the film's start in which a feather appears to be floating around in the breeze but yet lands 'by chance' at Forrest feet's reflects that very philosophy. The end is similar which goes to say that the process continues.
The light of Diwali
This year my Diwali plans to go to my hometown Chennai were unexpectedly cancelled because of the torrential rains. I was gloomy that I would not spend this Diwali with my parents. But, I would like to share a few things that I learnt from spending a quiet Diwali weekend at my flat. These realizations probably lit up a lot of diyas in my heart that may not have otherwise happened had I spent a usual Diwali.
Sitting at home, I let my mind be idle. I knew the age-old saying, "An idle mind is a devil's workshop". Yet, I somehow let it do what it could. This was the first time in one-and-a-half years of a software professional life that I totally let myself relax. A lot of thoughts floated about. I could see the various times in the recent year that I had been in a state of confusion of whether I am on the right track towards my dreams, infact, now the question arose, one that I had taken for granted earlier - what exactly were my dreams? Now that I tried to lay them down, I realized that I couldn't put down even a single focussed dream. I realized that I had been drifting from one dream to another not really focussing on any of them. Sometimes, it was to become a scientist in aerospace, sometimes to become a writer, sometimes to pursue higher studies and sometimes to become a millionaire :). (I think the devil caught up properly with me :))
I tried to focus harder on what I would really like. One side my mind was telling me this was a fruitless search that you have done many a time and not gained. Other side, a force that was telling me to have faith and try harder, for it does not make sense to simply let life push you along, and that it was the way of life to make people frequently stop and look down at their future. This second force was telling me that wise are the ones who realize this and constantly realign themselves back on track to their dreams.
This flow of thought also brought one more thing that I had overlooked in my pursuits to satisfy my mind - my family and friends. I realized that family and friends gave me more pleasure than my personal pursuits.
I realized that only if I intertwine and balance my pursuits with my social life would I really be able to get the drive and the support to pursue my dreams.
After nearly an hour of interrogation into myself, I was finally able to define my dreams in three words - Focus, Balance and Innovation. I realized that if I built my life around the above three entities I would really be a happy person. Infact, I smiled to myself since the three words abbreviated to FBI :).
I realized that this was a kind of meditation that I had just experienced - a kind of deep introspection into one's soul. I realized that I had not heard a single sound, nor noticed the passage of time or anything material in that span of time. It was like the whole universe had been inside my mind. I realized the gravity with which my mind had held me. It was simply refreshing and I got up energized like a phoenix rising from the ashes.
Thanks God for enlightening up a confused soul this Diwali.
Guys, this blog will be much more active henceforth :)
A tribute to the auto-rickshaw drivers of Bangalore :)
What I really like about the auto drivers of Bangalore is their consistency. Let me give you examples that stand out.
It is sort of a rule in Bangalore that the first auto that a commuter asks should not accept the deal. I have seen it happen so many times that I am considering writing a theorem on this. :)
Next, every auto driver in Bangalore has straight line vision only. You can't stop an auto by waving your hand from the side of the road. You have to get directly into the path of the auto to intercept his straight line vision.
Another cool ability of the auto drivers is their skill to feign deaf when ask them to go to a location they aren't interested in. Infact, there is an ongoing research in the police ranks as to what interests the autodrivers. As the first result of this research, the police have put up boards to report any auto driver that refuses a customer.
Individual attention is another trait. If you ask a driver and he refuses, you must repeat the request to the next guy who was listening to you ask his friend. And invariably, he will also say 'no' !!
Of course, not to be-little them, they are probably the only drivers in the country who come exactly by the meter. That I must really applaud.
It is sort of a rule in Bangalore that the first auto that a commuter asks should not accept the deal. I have seen it happen so many times that I am considering writing a theorem on this. :)
Next, every auto driver in Bangalore has straight line vision only. You can't stop an auto by waving your hand from the side of the road. You have to get directly into the path of the auto to intercept his straight line vision.
Another cool ability of the auto drivers is their skill to feign deaf when ask them to go to a location they aren't interested in. Infact, there is an ongoing research in the police ranks as to what interests the autodrivers. As the first result of this research, the police have put up boards to report any auto driver that refuses a customer.
Individual attention is another trait. If you ask a driver and he refuses, you must repeat the request to the next guy who was listening to you ask his friend. And invariably, he will also say 'no' !!
Of course, not to be-little them, they are probably the only drivers in the country who come exactly by the meter. That I must really applaud.
The Touch
I shared a special relationship with my grandmother. The interesting part of this relationship was that it wasn't apparent to anybody who saw us together. In fact, seeing us together itself was rare. Of all my cousins, I must have been the black sheep who hardly stayed at her place. Yet, we deeply loved each other. The only visible aspect of our bonding was the short speck of a kiss that both of us exchanged whenever I was to leave for home after my visit to her place.
She lived in one of the most busiest streets in Chennai. It was the heart of the electronic component market in the whole of India. It was a bustling place with continuous activity. People jostling in and out of shops. It was said that there was not a single electronic component that existed that could not be found in that street and its adjoining ones. In that very place, with shops on either side, was my grandmother's home. Nothing could make her part with that house since it was her standing memory of her husband who died nearly thirty years ago. It was the place I spent every weekend. A weekend would not feel complete without a visit to my grandmother's.
My grandfather died when their eldest son had just finished college. She was left all alone to raise eight boys. She had taken it as her mission to make sure everyone of the boys made it through the tough times and as I see my uncles today, I can see that she has more than achieved her goals. She always told me to never be afraid of the consequences of my actions. "Be true to yourself, then you'll never have to regret later".
She was a person who knew how to enjoy life to the fullest extent. Even when she was seventy-five, she used to have a cup of chukku coffee every evening , a medicinal coffee that had an invigorating flavor that used to rouse me out of even the deepest sleep, and read her favorite magazine in tamil. She used to dress very simply but neatly always, but whenever it was time to go for a function or somebody's house, out used to come a collection of pattu sarees, internationally known as kanchipuram silk sarees, from her wardrobe.
Even when she was diagnosed with some sort of stomach ulcer, she never changed her diet to a flat one. When the doctor told her she could no more have salt in her diet, she looked at him incredulously, as if saying, "Tell whatever you like but I am going to live the way I like" and she did. She never stopped salt from her diet.
Then, one day, she was taken very ill. In fact, she was deteriorating visibly for nearly a year by then. After that sudden illness, I went to see her at her house. She was lying down in her room. She sat up feebly when I went in. We just sat without saying anything for a time. It was one of the many times in her company that I felt sad for not choosing to be a doctor. She had infact wanted me to be a doctor as she saw the potential in me to be one. I was a bit of a pandu you see. A pandu in chennai college tamil is a guy who studies hard. I had asked her once why she badly wanted me to be one for which she had told me that her husband had died due to lack of proper medical care. She did not want anybody else to suffer the same fate. That day when I sat next to her, I realized how she would have felt. I felt a great longing to become an angel and blow her illness away, but there I was helpless, not able to do anything.
Shortly after that her condition deteriorated so badly that she had to be taken to the hospital. It was the beginning of a long tryst with the hospital atmosphere. It almost became a habit for me to go and see her every evening. All she could do was to bat her eyelids in recognition, but eyes can tell a lot. I could a zeal to return home in those feeble eyes. I used to sit quietly next to her bed with my hand on hers. I used to beg god to flow youthful energy from my hands to her fragile body. I understood why Silence is Golden.
It was in those tough days that I got the news that I had stood first in the entrance examinations for the state. I went to tell my grandmother about it. She always used to like to listen to news of my studies. I was shocked to learn that her condition was even worse. Now, she could hardly recognize anyone. I just held her hand for a while and looked into those wizen eyes. "Come on, amma. Make it out of here". Later, I was told by my aunt that I was the only person she had recognized that day.
I guess God wanted to test her to the limits. In my view, she had already had enough share of troubles. Why on earth should she suffer until the end? But I guess that God wanted her to make a greater impact when she was no more. And she did. Today, I am a much more mentally balanced guy only due to her. I am not afraid of failure due to her. I resolve to be cheerful even when troubled due to her. I am what I am today due to her. Never has a task that I started with her in mind gone into fray. Her remembrance helps me keep focussed on my purpose in life.
Thank you grandma. Thanks for being with me always.
She lived in one of the most busiest streets in Chennai. It was the heart of the electronic component market in the whole of India. It was a bustling place with continuous activity. People jostling in and out of shops. It was said that there was not a single electronic component that existed that could not be found in that street and its adjoining ones. In that very place, with shops on either side, was my grandmother's home. Nothing could make her part with that house since it was her standing memory of her husband who died nearly thirty years ago. It was the place I spent every weekend. A weekend would not feel complete without a visit to my grandmother's.
My grandfather died when their eldest son had just finished college. She was left all alone to raise eight boys. She had taken it as her mission to make sure everyone of the boys made it through the tough times and as I see my uncles today, I can see that she has more than achieved her goals. She always told me to never be afraid of the consequences of my actions. "Be true to yourself, then you'll never have to regret later".
She was a person who knew how to enjoy life to the fullest extent. Even when she was seventy-five, she used to have a cup of chukku coffee every evening , a medicinal coffee that had an invigorating flavor that used to rouse me out of even the deepest sleep, and read her favorite magazine in tamil. She used to dress very simply but neatly always, but whenever it was time to go for a function or somebody's house, out used to come a collection of pattu sarees, internationally known as kanchipuram silk sarees, from her wardrobe.
Even when she was diagnosed with some sort of stomach ulcer, she never changed her diet to a flat one. When the doctor told her she could no more have salt in her diet, she looked at him incredulously, as if saying, "Tell whatever you like but I am going to live the way I like" and she did. She never stopped salt from her diet.
Then, one day, she was taken very ill. In fact, she was deteriorating visibly for nearly a year by then. After that sudden illness, I went to see her at her house. She was lying down in her room. She sat up feebly when I went in. We just sat without saying anything for a time. It was one of the many times in her company that I felt sad for not choosing to be a doctor. She had infact wanted me to be a doctor as she saw the potential in me to be one. I was a bit of a pandu you see. A pandu in chennai college tamil is a guy who studies hard. I had asked her once why she badly wanted me to be one for which she had told me that her husband had died due to lack of proper medical care. She did not want anybody else to suffer the same fate. That day when I sat next to her, I realized how she would have felt. I felt a great longing to become an angel and blow her illness away, but there I was helpless, not able to do anything.
Shortly after that her condition deteriorated so badly that she had to be taken to the hospital. It was the beginning of a long tryst with the hospital atmosphere. It almost became a habit for me to go and see her every evening. All she could do was to bat her eyelids in recognition, but eyes can tell a lot. I could a zeal to return home in those feeble eyes. I used to sit quietly next to her bed with my hand on hers. I used to beg god to flow youthful energy from my hands to her fragile body. I understood why Silence is Golden.
It was in those tough days that I got the news that I had stood first in the entrance examinations for the state. I went to tell my grandmother about it. She always used to like to listen to news of my studies. I was shocked to learn that her condition was even worse. Now, she could hardly recognize anyone. I just held her hand for a while and looked into those wizen eyes. "Come on, amma. Make it out of here". Later, I was told by my aunt that I was the only person she had recognized that day.
I guess God wanted to test her to the limits. In my view, she had already had enough share of troubles. Why on earth should she suffer until the end? But I guess that God wanted her to make a greater impact when she was no more. And she did. Today, I am a much more mentally balanced guy only due to her. I am not afraid of failure due to her. I resolve to be cheerful even when troubled due to her. I am what I am today due to her. Never has a task that I started with her in mind gone into fray. Her remembrance helps me keep focussed on my purpose in life.
Thank you grandma. Thanks for being with me always.
Restless
It was a hot summer afternoon in Bangalore and yet it was raining cats and dogs. The scene inside Manipal hospital however was just like any other day. People rushing in and around labs and operating rooms. Anxious faces all around.
In the second floor, Anand's parents sat at the end of a long corridor. They had got the news yesterday that Anand had been injured in a road accident and had rushed from Chennai by bus. Now, with Anand in the operating room undergoing a head surgery, Anand's mother was crying inconsolably. Her husband could not voice any supporting words for her. He too sat there praying for Anand, his hands continuously fumbling the magazine that he held open. He had not read a single word despite staring at an article for a full hour. He hardly noticed the sounds of two school buses stopping in front of the hospital and the loud chatter of a lot of children.
The receptionist on the ground floor could not conceal her amazement at the marching line of young faces entering the building and going up the stairs. "Find out why these children have come immediately. We can't have this kind of commotion in the hospital", she said to a hospital ward boy nearby.
"Definitely madam", the ward boy said as he rushed to the stairs. He ran up the stairs and overtook the first child. He stopped her and asked whom she had come to meet. She innocently replied, "I have come to see Anand bhaiya".
"How do you know where he is in this hospital?", the ward boy asked her.
"Sister, can you come here please ...", the girl called out to someone who was walking up the stairs.
A nun who was almost on the second floor landing turned back in amazement and then rushed down the stairs. "Oh, where are you children?", she came rushing down. She came up to them. "Sister, are you the one leading this group of children?", the ward boy enquired.
"Yes, I am", she replied.
"Well Sister, whom are you going to meet?"
"I have brought them to see - Anand Kumar, who is currently in ICU in the second floor."
"Did you have to bring all of them? We cannot allow such a huge crowd."
"Well, they decided to boycott classes today if they were not brought to see him."
"Every one of them?", the ward boy asked.
"Yes"
"But we cannot allow so many people inside the hospital."
"Isn't it visiting hours now? And do you have a rule saying that a person cannot go and see a patient? I told you that each one of these children wants to see him personally."
The ward boy could not say anything. He went back to report to the receptionist.
Anand's father was surprised to see a long line of children walking up to the ICU room. He was even more surprised to see the first child come up to him. "Don't worry, uncle. Anand bhaiya will get well very soon. He has all our prayers."
Anand's father was dumbfounded. "All these children have come to meet Anand?", he wondered.
"Why do you all like Anand so much?", he asked her.
"Well, he taught me to paint a lot of flowers. He also taught me singing."
"Oh, that's nice", said Anand's mother speaking for the first time.
"Well, that's a small thing compared to what he has done for the other children. Although each child treasures her relationship with him.", the Sister spoke, "Hello, I am Sister Maria."
"Where do these children come from?", Anand's mother asked.
"They belong to St. Mary's Orphanage"
"I seem to know nothing of what Anand has done in his free time at Bangalore. Could you tell me more about it?"
"Yes, definitely. Has he been doing all this even without telling you? oh..."
"What happened? Any problem", Anand's father interrupted.
"No .. no problem.. I think I found the right person to tell you all about it." She got up and went near the stairs to the window where a girl was seated on the window sill. She was weeping and looking out into the road. She turned as the Sister called to her. "Sunita, how long have you been here? Did you meet Anand's parents?"
Sunita glanced at Anand's parents and gestured that she hadn't. "Come on, there's no problem. After all, he is your best friend."
The teacher brought Sunita and made her sit next to Anand's mother. Sunita kept looking down. Anand's mother gently lifted Sunita's face to look into the watery eyes of the girl.
"Sunita looks tired out. I don't want to bother her now to tell me all about this."
"By the by", Sister Maria asked. "How's Anand now?"
"Well, the doctor said that he has to undergo a head surgery. They have asked an expert surgeon to come from Mumbai. He arrived just now. He has gone to see Anand in the ICU. We are waiting for what he has to say."
She was interrupted by the arrival of the surgeon. All of them jumped up to meet him.
"Well, doctor?", Anand's father asked.
"A bad injury but I've seen people survive through worse. I think he will require all our prayers... ", that was when he saw the children, "have all these children come to meet Anand?.. Well, well.. then I think I don't think we need to believe in luck. I have asked them to immediately arrange for the operation in about 15 minutes."
"Doctor", Sunita interposed.
"Yes?"
"You are definitely sure that nothing will happen to Anand?"
"Well, he has the best care and I too am a strong believer that the most crucial battles are fought in the mind.. Have complete faith and everything will turn out all right. Right, I am now going to conduct the operation. I will talk to you after the surgery. Sister, I think you can tell the children that they can see Anand tomorrow. Today, it will be tough I think."
"Don't you worry, Sir. They are all an understanding lot."
The operation took nearly three hours. Every-time the operation theatre doors opened, there was a sudden rise of expectations as to what had happened. The receptionist on the ground floor had to come up and make sure the children were still there. She had never known such a quiet and disciplined lot before.
Finally, the doctor came out.
"The operation was successful. He needs to be in ICU for a few days so that we can be sure that there are no after-effects. After-effects in head injury are extremely dangerous, but I think if he makes it through the first few days without problems he will be all right. Trust in God. Everything will be all right.". The doctor gave a thumbs up to the children. Immediately, he was engulfed in a wave of emotions. "Thank you Doctor." "Thank you"
Sister Maria came up to Anand's parents. "God has answered our prayers. I think I will leave with the children now. They are satisfied now I hope. I will come everyday and gather news of Anand's recovery for them. Dont' worry, all our prayers are with him whether we are here or not."
.....
It was midnight. The children had left in the evening. Anand's mother was leaning on the couch. She was tired but yet she could not go to sleep. She looked down at Sunita who was lying on her lap.
Sunita spoke, "Aunty, I am not able to sleep at all."
"Well, I too am not sleepy. It is always the case when someone close to you is ill. I can see that Anand means a lot to you. He means a lot to me too. I don't seem to know about this particular aspect of his life that is unfolding itself rapidly in front of me. I mean - these chidren ... and you.....I think you are the one who knows how to help me assemble this jigsaw. Please tell me."
Sunita wiped her tears with her dupata, "Let me relive my treasured moments with Anand in my mind and recite along as I do so. Probably then I may be able to relax".
She then closed her eyes and started off.
"Well, both of us got to know each other as we were from the same college and we both work in Bangalore. I used to live alone in an apartment in the outskirts of Bangalore. Most of my communication with Anand was by mail and phone. I used to feel restless all evenings. Sometimes, I used to break down and cry.
One day, we met in a restaurant on M. G. Road and I presented my dilemma to him only to find that he too was in the same state of mind. For both of us, work was fine but both of us felt that something was missing in our lives, something beyond our known interests in books, writing and music. As we were talking, suddenly Anand rushed out of the door and ran. Only then did I realize that a terrible accident had happened right in the road in front. I was sitting with my back to the road, so I did not notice anything in the restaurant. Anand rushed to the spot. A couple and their child on a motorcycle were hit by a speeding car. Unfortunately, the couple died on the spot. I still remember the scene where Anand sat stunned on the road with the child in his arms feeling the reality hit him - the child had become an orphan in an instant. But the worst was yet to come. We found that child had no relatives who were willing to take her. The couple had loved and married against the wishes of their parents. The child was admitted to St.Mary's orphanage.
Anand surprised me the next weekend by arriving at my apartment and asking me to go out with him. It was his first visit to my place and it was an unforgettable one. He had told me that he had bought a new car the other day. So I thought he was taking me for a ride in his car. But then we got into his car in complete silence. I noticed that we were going towards the centre of the city. He was silent all the time. I finally couldn't bear it so I asked him where we were going. He gave me a look that pleaded silence. I immediately quietened up. This was the first time in my life that I was sitting in a car with a friend in whom I had faith would take me anywhere for my good. He drove into St. Mary's Orphanage.
When we got out, he spoke out for the first time 'I found a solution to your dilemma. It lies inside this building.'. I could not understand what exactly he meant by that. 'Come in', he said. The whole place was silent, I was bewildered. 'Where were all the children?', I thought. Anand went to the office and peeped in and said something which I didn't hear. In a few moments, a nun came out of the room. She introduced herself as Sister Maria. She then led the way down a long empty hall towards a room whose door was shut. It was a huge wooden door. She gave a rap on the door and went inside. Anand followed her, I followed suit.
I gasped when I entered, since there were about a hundred children inside the room in age groups from five to fifteen. All their faces were on me as I entered. Sister Maria then announced 'Children, this is Sunita madam. She is going to teach you all drawing today.' She then came and thanked me for coming and gave a sheepish grin at Anand and went out closing the door. I was lost for words. I then looked pleadingly at Anand who was smiling. I whispered upto him with minimal movement of the lips 'Anand, you idiot. Why did you get me into this trouble? Besides, you know that I am horrible at drawing'. Anand looked at me with twinkling eyes and then faced the children. 'Hi all, your miss is very tensed today. So I will take the class and she will help me out.'
He turned to me, 'Happy now? That was just a little prank I played with the Sister's help.' 'Come on, just help me out in keeping this organized.' My tension suddenly vanished. Somehow, I felt a lot better working with him. That Sunday afternoon was the most memorable of my life. Sitting in the middle of bunch of laughter-laden beings is a very nice feeling. I was amazed at the way Anand worked his magic with the children. I just tottered behind him. I knew this was his answer to my dilemma and his as well. I never thanked him for that day but both of us knew that this was the right filling for the void in our lives.
From then on, every weekend, we would take classes for the children. We taught a variety of subjects, drawing, physics, biology, mathematics and music - my stronghold. Anand used to love my music classes. He would sit there mesmerized just as every other of the children. He constantly used to emphasize the fact that everyone should make an effort to become what they liked to be or at-least try to - and that is the thing that will satisfy their hearts. Slowly, some of the older children came up to him and told him what they liked to become - one wanted to become a chef, one a sailor and another a journalist. In fact, we were amazed that none of them wanted to become a software professional - the craze that we saw in our world then. Here were children who were listening to their hearts. Anand was very impressed with them. From then on, he used to spend his time collecting information for these kids on how to pursue their careers. The children trusted him a lot and would work hard on the assignments that he set them that would help them proceed towards their goals.
In fact, the boy who wanted to become a chef became one last month. He is now the chef of one of the best five star hotels here. Anand's training in English helped him clear his interview boldly. Lots of others are now keenly focussing on their interests too..."
.... Sunita had drifted to sleep. Anand's mother caressed her temple.
Anand's mother smiled at her remembering what Sister Maria had told her before leaving, "Your son has brought a vigor into each of those children. I am so happy that all of them are now working hard towards their dreams. Anand has been a living example to me of how faith in someone can help bring out the best in them. You have been gifted with a wonderful son." She leaned back on the couch and closed her eyes.
......
About 7'O clock in the morning, the nurse came and announced that Anand was conscious now. "Do you want to see him for a short time?" Sunita leapt from the couch and ran towards the ICU. At the swing doors, she paused realizing that she had been too hasty. She shyly turned back. Anand's mother smiled and gave an understanding nod. Sunita turned and went into the ICU to see Anand.
She entered the ICU and the nurse pointed her to Anand's bed. She went and stood next to him. Anand was resting with his eyes closed. She sat next to him on the bed. Anand opened his eyes. There was a mischief in his eyes even at that moment. "Marry me.", he whispered. Sunita placed her head on his chest and gently hugged him muttering, "We already are! You nit-wit"
The raining had stopped. The sun ray's played magic on the drenched garden city. Birds came out of their nests to savor the warmth. Sitting outside the ICU, Anand's mother was resting on her husband's shoulders, she couldn't stop crying. "Anand has been impeccable in his choices".
In the second floor, Anand's parents sat at the end of a long corridor. They had got the news yesterday that Anand had been injured in a road accident and had rushed from Chennai by bus. Now, with Anand in the operating room undergoing a head surgery, Anand's mother was crying inconsolably. Her husband could not voice any supporting words for her. He too sat there praying for Anand, his hands continuously fumbling the magazine that he held open. He had not read a single word despite staring at an article for a full hour. He hardly noticed the sounds of two school buses stopping in front of the hospital and the loud chatter of a lot of children.
The receptionist on the ground floor could not conceal her amazement at the marching line of young faces entering the building and going up the stairs. "Find out why these children have come immediately. We can't have this kind of commotion in the hospital", she said to a hospital ward boy nearby.
"Definitely madam", the ward boy said as he rushed to the stairs. He ran up the stairs and overtook the first child. He stopped her and asked whom she had come to meet. She innocently replied, "I have come to see Anand bhaiya".
"How do you know where he is in this hospital?", the ward boy asked her.
"Sister, can you come here please ...", the girl called out to someone who was walking up the stairs.
A nun who was almost on the second floor landing turned back in amazement and then rushed down the stairs. "Oh, where are you children?", she came rushing down. She came up to them. "Sister, are you the one leading this group of children?", the ward boy enquired.
"Yes, I am", she replied.
"Well Sister, whom are you going to meet?"
"I have brought them to see - Anand Kumar, who is currently in ICU in the second floor."
"Did you have to bring all of them? We cannot allow such a huge crowd."
"Well, they decided to boycott classes today if they were not brought to see him."
"Every one of them?", the ward boy asked.
"Yes"
"But we cannot allow so many people inside the hospital."
"Isn't it visiting hours now? And do you have a rule saying that a person cannot go and see a patient? I told you that each one of these children wants to see him personally."
The ward boy could not say anything. He went back to report to the receptionist.
Anand's father was surprised to see a long line of children walking up to the ICU room. He was even more surprised to see the first child come up to him. "Don't worry, uncle. Anand bhaiya will get well very soon. He has all our prayers."
Anand's father was dumbfounded. "All these children have come to meet Anand?", he wondered.
"Why do you all like Anand so much?", he asked her.
"Well, he taught me to paint a lot of flowers. He also taught me singing."
"Oh, that's nice", said Anand's mother speaking for the first time.
"Well, that's a small thing compared to what he has done for the other children. Although each child treasures her relationship with him.", the Sister spoke, "Hello, I am Sister Maria."
"Where do these children come from?", Anand's mother asked.
"They belong to St. Mary's Orphanage"
"I seem to know nothing of what Anand has done in his free time at Bangalore. Could you tell me more about it?"
"Yes, definitely. Has he been doing all this even without telling you? oh..."
"What happened? Any problem", Anand's father interrupted.
"No .. no problem.. I think I found the right person to tell you all about it." She got up and went near the stairs to the window where a girl was seated on the window sill. She was weeping and looking out into the road. She turned as the Sister called to her. "Sunita, how long have you been here? Did you meet Anand's parents?"
Sunita glanced at Anand's parents and gestured that she hadn't. "Come on, there's no problem. After all, he is your best friend."
The teacher brought Sunita and made her sit next to Anand's mother. Sunita kept looking down. Anand's mother gently lifted Sunita's face to look into the watery eyes of the girl.
"Sunita looks tired out. I don't want to bother her now to tell me all about this."
"By the by", Sister Maria asked. "How's Anand now?"
"Well, the doctor said that he has to undergo a head surgery. They have asked an expert surgeon to come from Mumbai. He arrived just now. He has gone to see Anand in the ICU. We are waiting for what he has to say."
She was interrupted by the arrival of the surgeon. All of them jumped up to meet him.
"Well, doctor?", Anand's father asked.
"A bad injury but I've seen people survive through worse. I think he will require all our prayers... ", that was when he saw the children, "have all these children come to meet Anand?.. Well, well.. then I think I don't think we need to believe in luck. I have asked them to immediately arrange for the operation in about 15 minutes."
"Doctor", Sunita interposed.
"Yes?"
"You are definitely sure that nothing will happen to Anand?"
"Well, he has the best care and I too am a strong believer that the most crucial battles are fought in the mind.. Have complete faith and everything will turn out all right. Right, I am now going to conduct the operation. I will talk to you after the surgery. Sister, I think you can tell the children that they can see Anand tomorrow. Today, it will be tough I think."
"Don't you worry, Sir. They are all an understanding lot."
The operation took nearly three hours. Every-time the operation theatre doors opened, there was a sudden rise of expectations as to what had happened. The receptionist on the ground floor had to come up and make sure the children were still there. She had never known such a quiet and disciplined lot before.
Finally, the doctor came out.
"The operation was successful. He needs to be in ICU for a few days so that we can be sure that there are no after-effects. After-effects in head injury are extremely dangerous, but I think if he makes it through the first few days without problems he will be all right. Trust in God. Everything will be all right.". The doctor gave a thumbs up to the children. Immediately, he was engulfed in a wave of emotions. "Thank you Doctor." "Thank you"
Sister Maria came up to Anand's parents. "God has answered our prayers. I think I will leave with the children now. They are satisfied now I hope. I will come everyday and gather news of Anand's recovery for them. Dont' worry, all our prayers are with him whether we are here or not."
.....
It was midnight. The children had left in the evening. Anand's mother was leaning on the couch. She was tired but yet she could not go to sleep. She looked down at Sunita who was lying on her lap.
Sunita spoke, "Aunty, I am not able to sleep at all."
"Well, I too am not sleepy. It is always the case when someone close to you is ill. I can see that Anand means a lot to you. He means a lot to me too. I don't seem to know about this particular aspect of his life that is unfolding itself rapidly in front of me. I mean - these chidren ... and you.....I think you are the one who knows how to help me assemble this jigsaw. Please tell me."
Sunita wiped her tears with her dupata, "Let me relive my treasured moments with Anand in my mind and recite along as I do so. Probably then I may be able to relax".
She then closed her eyes and started off.
"Well, both of us got to know each other as we were from the same college and we both work in Bangalore. I used to live alone in an apartment in the outskirts of Bangalore. Most of my communication with Anand was by mail and phone. I used to feel restless all evenings. Sometimes, I used to break down and cry.
One day, we met in a restaurant on M. G. Road and I presented my dilemma to him only to find that he too was in the same state of mind. For both of us, work was fine but both of us felt that something was missing in our lives, something beyond our known interests in books, writing and music. As we were talking, suddenly Anand rushed out of the door and ran. Only then did I realize that a terrible accident had happened right in the road in front. I was sitting with my back to the road, so I did not notice anything in the restaurant. Anand rushed to the spot. A couple and their child on a motorcycle were hit by a speeding car. Unfortunately, the couple died on the spot. I still remember the scene where Anand sat stunned on the road with the child in his arms feeling the reality hit him - the child had become an orphan in an instant. But the worst was yet to come. We found that child had no relatives who were willing to take her. The couple had loved and married against the wishes of their parents. The child was admitted to St.Mary's orphanage.
Anand surprised me the next weekend by arriving at my apartment and asking me to go out with him. It was his first visit to my place and it was an unforgettable one. He had told me that he had bought a new car the other day. So I thought he was taking me for a ride in his car. But then we got into his car in complete silence. I noticed that we were going towards the centre of the city. He was silent all the time. I finally couldn't bear it so I asked him where we were going. He gave me a look that pleaded silence. I immediately quietened up. This was the first time in my life that I was sitting in a car with a friend in whom I had faith would take me anywhere for my good. He drove into St. Mary's Orphanage.
When we got out, he spoke out for the first time 'I found a solution to your dilemma. It lies inside this building.'. I could not understand what exactly he meant by that. 'Come in', he said. The whole place was silent, I was bewildered. 'Where were all the children?', I thought. Anand went to the office and peeped in and said something which I didn't hear. In a few moments, a nun came out of the room. She introduced herself as Sister Maria. She then led the way down a long empty hall towards a room whose door was shut. It was a huge wooden door. She gave a rap on the door and went inside. Anand followed her, I followed suit.
I gasped when I entered, since there were about a hundred children inside the room in age groups from five to fifteen. All their faces were on me as I entered. Sister Maria then announced 'Children, this is Sunita madam. She is going to teach you all drawing today.' She then came and thanked me for coming and gave a sheepish grin at Anand and went out closing the door. I was lost for words. I then looked pleadingly at Anand who was smiling. I whispered upto him with minimal movement of the lips 'Anand, you idiot. Why did you get me into this trouble? Besides, you know that I am horrible at drawing'. Anand looked at me with twinkling eyes and then faced the children. 'Hi all, your miss is very tensed today. So I will take the class and she will help me out.'
He turned to me, 'Happy now? That was just a little prank I played with the Sister's help.' 'Come on, just help me out in keeping this organized.' My tension suddenly vanished. Somehow, I felt a lot better working with him. That Sunday afternoon was the most memorable of my life. Sitting in the middle of bunch of laughter-laden beings is a very nice feeling. I was amazed at the way Anand worked his magic with the children. I just tottered behind him. I knew this was his answer to my dilemma and his as well. I never thanked him for that day but both of us knew that this was the right filling for the void in our lives.
From then on, every weekend, we would take classes for the children. We taught a variety of subjects, drawing, physics, biology, mathematics and music - my stronghold. Anand used to love my music classes. He would sit there mesmerized just as every other of the children. He constantly used to emphasize the fact that everyone should make an effort to become what they liked to be or at-least try to - and that is the thing that will satisfy their hearts. Slowly, some of the older children came up to him and told him what they liked to become - one wanted to become a chef, one a sailor and another a journalist. In fact, we were amazed that none of them wanted to become a software professional - the craze that we saw in our world then. Here were children who were listening to their hearts. Anand was very impressed with them. From then on, he used to spend his time collecting information for these kids on how to pursue their careers. The children trusted him a lot and would work hard on the assignments that he set them that would help them proceed towards their goals.
In fact, the boy who wanted to become a chef became one last month. He is now the chef of one of the best five star hotels here. Anand's training in English helped him clear his interview boldly. Lots of others are now keenly focussing on their interests too..."
.... Sunita had drifted to sleep. Anand's mother caressed her temple.
Anand's mother smiled at her remembering what Sister Maria had told her before leaving, "Your son has brought a vigor into each of those children. I am so happy that all of them are now working hard towards their dreams. Anand has been a living example to me of how faith in someone can help bring out the best in them. You have been gifted with a wonderful son." She leaned back on the couch and closed her eyes.
......
About 7'O clock in the morning, the nurse came and announced that Anand was conscious now. "Do you want to see him for a short time?" Sunita leapt from the couch and ran towards the ICU. At the swing doors, she paused realizing that she had been too hasty. She shyly turned back. Anand's mother smiled and gave an understanding nod. Sunita turned and went into the ICU to see Anand.
She entered the ICU and the nurse pointed her to Anand's bed. She went and stood next to him. Anand was resting with his eyes closed. She sat next to him on the bed. Anand opened his eyes. There was a mischief in his eyes even at that moment. "Marry me.", he whispered. Sunita placed her head on his chest and gently hugged him muttering, "We already are! You nit-wit"
The raining had stopped. The sun ray's played magic on the drenched garden city. Birds came out of their nests to savor the warmth. Sitting outside the ICU, Anand's mother was resting on her husband's shoulders, she couldn't stop crying. "Anand has been impeccable in his choices".
My first attempt at a short story
The Governor
The applause at the amphitheatre was overwhelming. Colonel Mathew stood up to face his distinguished audience. The anchor on the stage announced "Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you, Colonel Robert Mathew, Winner of this year's Peace Prize for his monumental work in campaigning for peace in the sub-continent.". The thunderous applause took nearly two minutes to die down. The colonel could discern the members of his former battalion in the audience. He gave a quick bow to them. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I am here today before you not because of what I did but because of human faith and compassion of the highest kind. It is the same faith that enabled me to garner the strength of my battalion members even when they were mortally wounded. It is the same faith that aided me in stopping the bloody civil war in my country.... It all began due to a particular incident .. one that I can never forget ... one that has been the cornerstone of my life for so many years and will go on to be..... Let me share it with you all... "
It was a cloudy day in February about forty years ago. The sun was totally engulfed by a massive mountain of snowy clouds. The few rays that somehow penetrated the barrier illuminated the courtyard of the prison. The moss grew like a fur coat over the high walls making it very slippery. The interior of the prison was quiet. One could hear the water dripping from the tap in the restroom. One could hear the flies that endlessly buzzed around the kitchen. Almost every inmate in the prison was assembled at the courtyard. Every eye was fixed on the boy who stood alone at the front of the gathering. He was a twenty year old. He was staring at the ground in silence. Behind him, the execution stage stood harrowingly with its noose as if waiting to gorge its next victim.
High above from a sheltered seating, the Governor watched the boy. The jail warden who was standing behind the Governor looked at his watch for the twentienth time in five minutes.
He grudged, "Why do the last few minutes always last a lifetime?". This was his the first execution since his five months at office. He wanted it to be done impeccably. He had reviewed all arrangements made to the most minute detail. "Nothing could possibly go wrong", he thought, "The boy would be hung in a few minutes and it would all be over".
The Governor stood silent and erect looking at the solemn congregation in the courtyard.
"What did you say was the boy's crime?", the Governor asked suddenly.
The warden was astonished. This was the second time in ten minutes that the Governor had asked the same question. He looked at his associate, and motioned to him to bring the file which contained the details about the boy.
The Governor turned around to face the warden and said "Could you read it aloud please".
The warden flipped open the file and started to read, "David, son of farmer, doing his electrical engineering, Crime ... Murdered his classmate who was outscoring him at academics in college ......".
"The details?", the Governor pressed on, "Read on..".
"Details ... Called his classmate, Ram to a desolate lake about sixty kilometers from Delhi. Drowned him in the lake after inviting him for a swim. Returned to the city soon after that and went to college the same day. Phoned the police and reported that his classmate was missing... probably as a ploy to take suspicion away from him. But the CBI found incriminating evidence that David had gone with Ram to the lake. David denied his involvement in the crime. Said that he did go to the lake by some instinct. Said he saw something wrong happening in his dream. He finally broke down after intensive interrogation . In a sporadic outburst, he accepted that he had killed him."
"Your opinion of him?", the Governor asked the warden.
"Well, in the five months at office, I have seen him as a sort of a revolutionary. He has raised many demands and brews up a lot of trouble by getting the unions to support it. One of his outrageous demands was to release the high-profile prisoners from the underground into the normal inmate quarters. He spent a lot of time in the underground quarters talking to the prisoners there. I guess they like him. Naturally, birds of a feather flock together. Do you know, the inmates intended to boycott this ceremony if the underground prisoners were not allowed to attend it. I did not want to start a massacre, so somehow I have managed it. You can see the high-profile prisoners on the left. Don't worry, security arrangements are much above normal standards .... I have found it extremely tough to handle his demands. Better off with him gone soon."
The Governor looked at the sober group on the left, one of the prisoners looked up into the Governor's eyes. The Governor thought he saw the reflection of a tear in those glassy eyes.
"Bring the boy here", the Governor ordered.
"Sire?"
"I said, bring the boy here."
The boy was brought to the room. He looked at the Governor and gave a weak smile.
The Governor eyed the boy for a moment and then ordered, "Everybody leave the room, I want to talk with him alone.". Nobody moved, the Governor looked at the warden knowingly and then towards the door. The warden had no choice but to obey the orders.
"Everybody out! Come on!". The doors closed leaving them alone.
About five minutes passed, the warden started to worry. He did not like the thought of the convict staying alone in the room with the Governor. Drops of sweat flowed down his throat right upto his stomach. Just then he heard a loud bang inside the room. Instantly, he undid the safety catch of his pistol and rushed towards the door, pushed it open and charged in with the guards just behind him.
He saw the governor on the floor, his chair had been knocked down. The convict sat calmly on another chair beside him. The guards seized him and took him back out into the courtyard.
Above, the warden kept telling the Governor "Sire, I warned you that he was a maniac."
"Set him free. I have pardoned him", the Governor said quietly, still a bit dazed from his fall.
"Sire? Did I hear you right? Set the maniac free? After all that he has done? I must ask ..."
"Are you the governor ? or am I?"
"Sorry Sire. Your orders will be carried out!"
Colonel Mathew paused to survey the audience, there was a gripping silence all around.
"That boy was me!"
Gasps went up in the audience.
"I know that you are all dumbfounded that a former convict is now the holder of the Peace Prize. I am not worried about losing this prize but what I do treasure is the everlasting revelation that I experienced that day. I shall cherish it throughout my life."
One of the reporters from the press section raised his hand.
"Yes?"
"Sir, what exactly happened in those five minutes that you spent with the Governor?"
"Well,...He pulled up two chairs and arranged them facing each other. We sat facing each other. The first minute or so, the Governor and I just gazed into each other's eyes. Both tried to gather the thoughts of the other person. That silence brought back all that I had dreamt of doing in my life. The Governor seemed to be in sync with me. Gradually, the dreams faded way into the desperate situation that I was in at that moment. A burning anger was again growing within me, the same that had made me accept having committed the murder even though I never committed it.... At that precise moment, the Governor said, 'Anger blinds your dreams.... your dreams are big and they require a big heart.... Do you believe in yours dreams enough to avert what's coming ....'. A tense silence followed during which I saw my dreams again, this time with a stronger mental disposition that I would achieve them no matter what. Then, I looked at the Governor again and smiled. The Governor still waited 'Well?..'. I knew I was being tested by the Governor who was waiting for a strong answer to his question. That was the moment I kicked his chair and you know the rest...."
The reporter sat down. The colonel still remained on the podium. The audience shared the silence with him. Tears welled into the colonel's eyes. He continued "........... Infact, I got to relive that magical experience again several times in my life... when I lay wounded along with my battalion members surrounded by the enemy...... when I sat in my house with my family during the riots............ Faith in one's dreams is a power beyond anything you can imagine. Don't question it just believe in it. Thank you."
The applause at the amphitheatre was overwhelming. Colonel Mathew stood up to face his distinguished audience. The anchor on the stage announced "Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you, Colonel Robert Mathew, Winner of this year's Peace Prize for his monumental work in campaigning for peace in the sub-continent.". The thunderous applause took nearly two minutes to die down. The colonel could discern the members of his former battalion in the audience. He gave a quick bow to them. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I am here today before you not because of what I did but because of human faith and compassion of the highest kind. It is the same faith that enabled me to garner the strength of my battalion members even when they were mortally wounded. It is the same faith that aided me in stopping the bloody civil war in my country.... It all began due to a particular incident .. one that I can never forget ... one that has been the cornerstone of my life for so many years and will go on to be..... Let me share it with you all... "
It was a cloudy day in February about forty years ago. The sun was totally engulfed by a massive mountain of snowy clouds. The few rays that somehow penetrated the barrier illuminated the courtyard of the prison. The moss grew like a fur coat over the high walls making it very slippery. The interior of the prison was quiet. One could hear the water dripping from the tap in the restroom. One could hear the flies that endlessly buzzed around the kitchen. Almost every inmate in the prison was assembled at the courtyard. Every eye was fixed on the boy who stood alone at the front of the gathering. He was a twenty year old. He was staring at the ground in silence. Behind him, the execution stage stood harrowingly with its noose as if waiting to gorge its next victim.
High above from a sheltered seating, the Governor watched the boy. The jail warden who was standing behind the Governor looked at his watch for the twentienth time in five minutes.
He grudged, "Why do the last few minutes always last a lifetime?". This was his the first execution since his five months at office. He wanted it to be done impeccably. He had reviewed all arrangements made to the most minute detail. "Nothing could possibly go wrong", he thought, "The boy would be hung in a few minutes and it would all be over".
The Governor stood silent and erect looking at the solemn congregation in the courtyard.
"What did you say was the boy's crime?", the Governor asked suddenly.
The warden was astonished. This was the second time in ten minutes that the Governor had asked the same question. He looked at his associate, and motioned to him to bring the file which contained the details about the boy.
The Governor turned around to face the warden and said "Could you read it aloud please".
The warden flipped open the file and started to read, "David, son of farmer, doing his electrical engineering, Crime ... Murdered his classmate who was outscoring him at academics in college ......".
"The details?", the Governor pressed on, "Read on..".
"Details ... Called his classmate, Ram to a desolate lake about sixty kilometers from Delhi. Drowned him in the lake after inviting him for a swim. Returned to the city soon after that and went to college the same day. Phoned the police and reported that his classmate was missing... probably as a ploy to take suspicion away from him. But the CBI found incriminating evidence that David had gone with Ram to the lake. David denied his involvement in the crime. Said that he did go to the lake by some instinct. Said he saw something wrong happening in his dream. He finally broke down after intensive interrogation . In a sporadic outburst, he accepted that he had killed him."
"Your opinion of him?", the Governor asked the warden.
"Well, in the five months at office, I have seen him as a sort of a revolutionary. He has raised many demands and brews up a lot of trouble by getting the unions to support it. One of his outrageous demands was to release the high-profile prisoners from the underground into the normal inmate quarters. He spent a lot of time in the underground quarters talking to the prisoners there. I guess they like him. Naturally, birds of a feather flock together. Do you know, the inmates intended to boycott this ceremony if the underground prisoners were not allowed to attend it. I did not want to start a massacre, so somehow I have managed it. You can see the high-profile prisoners on the left. Don't worry, security arrangements are much above normal standards .... I have found it extremely tough to handle his demands. Better off with him gone soon."
The Governor looked at the sober group on the left, one of the prisoners looked up into the Governor's eyes. The Governor thought he saw the reflection of a tear in those glassy eyes.
"Bring the boy here", the Governor ordered.
"Sire?"
"I said, bring the boy here."
The boy was brought to the room. He looked at the Governor and gave a weak smile.
The Governor eyed the boy for a moment and then ordered, "Everybody leave the room, I want to talk with him alone.". Nobody moved, the Governor looked at the warden knowingly and then towards the door. The warden had no choice but to obey the orders.
"Everybody out! Come on!". The doors closed leaving them alone.
About five minutes passed, the warden started to worry. He did not like the thought of the convict staying alone in the room with the Governor. Drops of sweat flowed down his throat right upto his stomach. Just then he heard a loud bang inside the room. Instantly, he undid the safety catch of his pistol and rushed towards the door, pushed it open and charged in with the guards just behind him.
He saw the governor on the floor, his chair had been knocked down. The convict sat calmly on another chair beside him. The guards seized him and took him back out into the courtyard.
Above, the warden kept telling the Governor "Sire, I warned you that he was a maniac."
"Set him free. I have pardoned him", the Governor said quietly, still a bit dazed from his fall.
"Sire? Did I hear you right? Set the maniac free? After all that he has done? I must ask ..."
"Are you the governor ? or am I?"
"Sorry Sire. Your orders will be carried out!"
Colonel Mathew paused to survey the audience, there was a gripping silence all around.
"That boy was me!"
Gasps went up in the audience.
"I know that you are all dumbfounded that a former convict is now the holder of the Peace Prize. I am not worried about losing this prize but what I do treasure is the everlasting revelation that I experienced that day. I shall cherish it throughout my life."
One of the reporters from the press section raised his hand.
"Yes?"
"Sir, what exactly happened in those five minutes that you spent with the Governor?"
"Well,...He pulled up two chairs and arranged them facing each other. We sat facing each other. The first minute or so, the Governor and I just gazed into each other's eyes. Both tried to gather the thoughts of the other person. That silence brought back all that I had dreamt of doing in my life. The Governor seemed to be in sync with me. Gradually, the dreams faded way into the desperate situation that I was in at that moment. A burning anger was again growing within me, the same that had made me accept having committed the murder even though I never committed it.... At that precise moment, the Governor said, 'Anger blinds your dreams.... your dreams are big and they require a big heart.... Do you believe in yours dreams enough to avert what's coming ....'. A tense silence followed during which I saw my dreams again, this time with a stronger mental disposition that I would achieve them no matter what. Then, I looked at the Governor again and smiled. The Governor still waited 'Well?..'. I knew I was being tested by the Governor who was waiting for a strong answer to his question. That was the moment I kicked his chair and you know the rest...."
The reporter sat down. The colonel still remained on the podium. The audience shared the silence with him. Tears welled into the colonel's eyes. He continued "........... Infact, I got to relive that magical experience again several times in my life... when I lay wounded along with my battalion members surrounded by the enemy...... when I sat in my house with my family during the riots............ Faith in one's dreams is a power beyond anything you can imagine. Don't question it just believe in it. Thank you."
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