Hi all,
Here's a good instant messenger status message I came across that I felt like sharing with people around. (Thanks to my cousin Roshan for this, for it was from him that I picked it up)
Message:
Here's the test to find whether you mission on Earth is finished: if you're alive, it isn't.
- Richard David Bach (author of 'Jonathan Livingston Seagull')
Two movies .. and probably destiny ..
This weekend was one in which I chose to spend some time quietly with myself - A mood that I get into sometimes when you feel something's not just right with the way things are going on. People around you are happy, things at work are going great, you've got some good compliments from your boss, from friends .. still .. something feels wrong.
I guess resigning to myself in these times has generally brought out the best .. interesting part is that .. I am a firm non-believer in destiny .. so much so that I believe that God is my friend and guide in life rather than someone above .. that is probably one of the reasons I really do not pray. That does not mean I am a non-believer, I believe in the power of God to guide me .. but .. BUT .. only as a guide .. If I want something, it is ME who will have to do it ..
As usual, I got the guidance ;) and again, as usual, in an unexpected way (This is where I begin to wonder whether there is something in this "destiny" thingy ;) ). This time it was in the form of 2 beautiful films.
The first one, "The Hurricane" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0174856/) .. wow .. this one really blew me away. It was a beautiful portrayal of a mind which refused to give in to what was being forced on it. Another movie of the same cadre is the "The Shawshank Redemption".
The next one is something I've seen before .. found on rummaging through my disc collection in the hope of bringing some order .. (after all, discs were invented for random access .. geeks/nerds .. pardon the irony ;) ) .. this one is a marvellous piece no matter how many times I see it "Spanglish" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0371246/) . This one's about believing in your identity .. in what defines you ..
The beauty of films is the way they let you relive the emotions that the characters play. Am thankful for having found these two films this weekend to get back on track and thank God for making some film-makers follow their heart to produce such films.
I guess resigning to myself in these times has generally brought out the best .. interesting part is that .. I am a firm non-believer in destiny .. so much so that I believe that God is my friend and guide in life rather than someone above .. that is probably one of the reasons I really do not pray. That does not mean I am a non-believer, I believe in the power of God to guide me .. but .. BUT .. only as a guide .. If I want something, it is ME who will have to do it ..
As usual, I got the guidance ;) and again, as usual, in an unexpected way (This is where I begin to wonder whether there is something in this "destiny" thingy ;) ). This time it was in the form of 2 beautiful films.
The first one, "The Hurricane" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0174856/) .. wow .. this one really blew me away. It was a beautiful portrayal of a mind which refused to give in to what was being forced on it. Another movie of the same cadre is the "The Shawshank Redemption".
The next one is something I've seen before .. found on rummaging through my disc collection in the hope of bringing some order .. (after all, discs were invented for random access .. geeks/nerds .. pardon the irony ;) ) .. this one is a marvellous piece no matter how many times I see it "Spanglish" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0371246/) . This one's about believing in your identity .. in what defines you ..
The beauty of films is the way they let you relive the emotions that the characters play. Am thankful for having found these two films this weekend to get back on track and thank God for making some film-makers follow their heart to produce such films.
Lessons for Online Business
Got the following in a forward from a friend. Could not trace the origin of this article but really good stuff. If somebody finds the source, could you please let me know so that I can duly acknowledge it here.
- Hemanth
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's 3:00 am and I just finished watching 300 for the second time (this time in IMAX). I sit here struck by a moment of clarity. Frank Miller must be an online entrepreneur in his spare time because 300 is the perfect metaphor for online business. Now I know what you're thinking, this guy has completely lost it, and to be honest, that might be not far from the truth
Nevertheless, here are 10 Lessons Frank Miller's 300 can teach you about successful online business…
Nevertheless, here are 10 Lessons Frank Miller's 300 can teach you about successful online business…
Know your surroundings, and choose the battleground that most suits your strengths
Just as King Leonidas chose the Hot Gates as the perfect location for Sparta's stand against the Persians, the same methodology applies to deciding on the niche and hook for your new online enterprise. Do your research and pick an avenue where your skills will thrive and your competition will fall. Choose a plan of action that highlights your skills while taking away advantages of your predecessors. Just make sure you cover your back at the goat path! You never know who's sneaking up behind you!
The Spartan 300 stood against the million Persians for days because they were strong, well trained, and powerful. The same holds true for sites in the online marketplace. A well done site, where the owner takes the time to build a community and support it with continuous, quality content, has the best chance for success, even against hundreds of sub par competitors. At the end of the day, any successful formula requires repeat business, and you can't get repeat business if your soldiers died in battle!
A few good friends is better than an army of acquaintances.
The Spartan 300 drew their strength from their family of fellow soldiers on the battlefield. When it comes to online business, the temptation to work your way from one end of the web to the other begging for links is very high. Take the time to actually contribute to community sites like Digg, DigitalPoint, or even blogs you read every day. In the end, it will take you much farther by becoming a respected community member then a single comment that is never revisited ever could.
The gods aren't always right, do what's best for yourself, above all else.
King Leonidas knew that the Ephor were wrong when they advised him to stand down on the eve of battle. In online business, it is far too easy to read advice from people with sites that are more popular than yours and take it to heart. A lot of this advice is good but a lot of it is bad as well. Taking the wrong advice can cut you off from avenues that may be right for you, even if it wasn't for the person who gave it. Always do what is best for yourself, and never be afraid to experiment. After all, the Gods were all in the same position as you at one point in time. Remember that!
Keep your skill set sharp, cause you never know when you might have to defend yourself.
At a moments notice, the Spartans were ready to march into battle, with no hesitation. The same applies to EVERY area of business. Never stop learning, experimenting, and improving yourself. The moment you drop your guard, is the same moment your opponents take away your land.
Never retreat, never surrender.
Even to the bitter end, King Leonidas and his 300 fought for Greece, never retreating and never surrendering. While it's not so cut and dry in online business, in most cases this is great advice. A lot of people quit because it gets too tough to maintain their blog or too hard to keep the products up to date on their website. If you retreat, if you surrender, you'll never know if a month or two more of hard work might have paid off. You'll also never be a Spartan!
Constantly adapt to your changing situation, it's the only way to survive.
When the Persians dispatched Rhinos, the Spartans adapted and prevailed. When they charged in with elephants, they adapted and once again came out the victor. The web marketplace is no different. Technology is CONSTANTLY changing. If you want to stand atop a mountain of defeated competitors, you have to stay on the bleeding edge of technological advances to ensure your ready to ride the new wave the second it arrives. A spear is fine and dandy, until your opponent charges in with Lasers!
Never be satisfied with your past accomplishments, it might just get you kicked down a bottomless pit.
When the Persian messenger delivered his ultimatum to King Leonidas, he was cocky and backed himself up by the past accomplishments of the Persian Empire. What did he get for that? A trip to the bottom of a bottomless pit! (is that even possible???). While success is great, always look to improve on what you've done and never underestimate your competitors. The Web 2.0 world moves so fast that one days champion can be another days failure in the blink of an eye. Don't let your site get kicked into the pit. THIS IS SPARTA!!
Even a man-god can bleed.
King Leonidas proved that even the seemingly untouchable Xerxes was capable of bleeding after all. It is easy to look at the true juggernauts in a specific field and think it's impossible to compete against someone of that size. No one is untouchable, and great ideas rule the world. Be innovative, be cutting edge, and most of all be fearless even in the face of god-like competition. The history of the Web is littered with stories of the little guy rising up to conquer the great Internet beasts, with nothing but a better idea to drive them. As King Leonidas showed his Spartans, not everyone who seems like a God really is one!
Even if you're a hideous, misshapen troll, the right networking can get you riches and women.
Even in his hideously grotesque form, Ephialtes knew the value of networking. He made friends with Xerxes who ended up helping him to both riches and companionship. While you most certainly can use the web to find companionship through networking, from a business side networking can help you improve your income by leaps and bounds. If you make friends with other people in your niche, work on link exchanges and mutually beneficial collaborations, and actively contribute to sites with quality feedback and comments, there is no limit to the opportunities ahead of you. Know your strengths and know your weaknesses, and use networking to take advantage of both. If you can't be successful in one route, look at others. Constantly keep your best interests at the forefront of your decision making process.
The Art of Interviewing
Had always wanted to know what it is like to sit on the other side of the table. But, ironically, one year and about a hundred interviews later, I realized that it is all about being on the same side of the table. Interviewing, I realized, is about sketching the character of a person; and the simplest way to do it is to make the person feel at home in the interview. Otherwise, you unfortunately have the task of figuring out the "true" from the "superficial".
So that's rule number 1: Make the candidate feel at home.
Call him boss or bhai (as we call any friend in India), just make the candidate feel comfortable; anyway you want it. Sometimes, if possible, sit on the same side of the table as the interviewee to stress the fact that you are just there to support their thinking and not to criticize it. Setting the stage can also depend on the candidate. Some candidates are nervous at the start. In such cases, I have found that a small chat about their hobby or favorite game helps a lot. For a geeky guy, a talk about the algorithm in his project or some interesting recent tool he worked on etc. sets the tempo. We also don't have any dress code for the interviews at our company. We just ask the candidates to dress in any way they are comfortable.
...
Another important fact about interviewing is that you are there to make a decision.
So never have an analagous answer scale - he was good but ..., he was average but good on some factors etc ...
So never have an analagous answer scale - he was good but ..., he was average but good on some factors etc ...
The answer has to be a definite "Yes" or "No". The simple logic behind this is that you "might" just lose a good candidate by saying a "No" but the fact is that you will always mostly be able to find another good candidate. On the other hand, a misjudged "Yes" can cost the company dearly over a long term.
So rule number 2: Make a clear decision.
...
Interviewer: What do you do if you want to reverse a linked list?
Candidate: I would just iterate over the linked list editing pointers and go on ....
Interviewer: Hmm ... how do you do it recursively?
Candidate: I would just iterate over the linked list editing pointers and go on ....
Interviewer: Hmm ... how do you do it recursively?
Find anything odd in the situation above? Well, the point to make here is that people think differently. So do not try to force your idea or solution onto the candidate. The best interviewers build the interview around the thought process of the candidate. So every interview might be unique inspite of the same questions being asked.
That makes rule number 3: Listen and adapt.
...
Another thing to have in mind while preparing questions for an interview is to decide carefully around what each question tells you about the candidate. Jot down the various areas you want to evaluate the candidate on. Plan the questions and discussion accordingly. You can wrap up the interview at any time you have collected all the data points you were looking for. This will greatly improve the efficiency of the interviewing process.
Thereby, rule number 4: Have an evaluation plan.
...
There is generally a false notion that you need to ask really tough questions to pick out the best candidates. In this sense, there is also a dread in many interviewer's minds is that - if the candidate already knew the answer to that question, then they might not have got a clear idea of the candidate's capabilities.
The best way to counter this is to focus on the discussion around the problem rather than on the actual solution. So design your questions in a way that they involve some discussion. Even if candidates know the question, you can easily judge their prowess from the way they describe and validate the solution. Maybe, ask a few variations on the original question to see how they improvize.
So here goes rule number 5: Focus on the discussion; not on the solution.
...
For industry hires, the best way to recognize a good software engineer is from his code. So, the questions asked are pretty simple. What we need to concentrate on is on the elegance of the solution. This is closely related to my previous article http://ynaut.blogspot.com/2007/01/code-is-beautiful.html . It is about finding how deep a foundation have the coding practices laid into their daily work.
Rule number 6: Ask the candidate to code!
Guess I did learn some of these stuff personally over experience and also from this link
http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/GuerrillaInterviewing3.html. So this post is probably my summarization of Joel's article with a few of my own hints.
Overall, I hope you found this article informative.
Signing off.
Code is Beautiful
If you ask me what is the difference in me as a programmer from the time I left college, I would say it is my view of coding. At college, I loved algorithmic problems. It used to be a favorite post-lunch past time at college; a bunch of us huddling around the Bodhi tree right outside our department building and have a go at some wacky problems. We also used to have rapid-fire coding sessions where we used to code in-order to verify the ‘correctness’ of the algorithms.
Nowadays, as well, it is the same intensity with which myself and few of my colleagues solve problems, but when it comes down to coding them, well, there’s a big difference now….
A simple example, to give you an idea,
int x, y, z; // in college days
is nowadays,
int noOfVertices;
…
int noOfEdges;
…
int edgeConnectivity;
and that too, in different portions of the program, i.e. closer to the context where they are used. Guess you are getting the point.
This love for coding started with the exposure to real-neat enterprise scalable code in the organization. It was not love at first sight though. The very first time I saw how many lines of code change you needed to do something which took about one line of code at college, I was a bit aghast. At first, it gives you the feeling that this is probably some rule of conduct in the industry that classifies it as ‘enterprise’ code.
But very soon the dynamic nature of the software requirements and functionality hits you in the face and you realize the beauty of those lines of code that looked so abstract early on.
Welcome, to the world of design patterns. These nifty set of tips and tricks take the pain of software maintainability away from software developers. But it is important as well that they do not overwhelm you. Two points in this sense are to be noted:
- Inappropriate use of design patterns.
- Overdoing of design patterns.
A few books that are worth mentioning in this context that help you avoid the above pitfalls are
Effective Java (http://java.sun.com/docs/books/effective/)
Nowadays, as well, it is the same intensity with which myself and few of my colleagues solve problems, but when it comes down to coding them, well, there’s a big difference now….
A simple example, to give you an idea,
int x, y, z; // in college days
is nowadays,
int noOfVertices;
…
int noOfEdges;
…
int edgeConnectivity;
and that too, in different portions of the program, i.e. closer to the context where they are used. Guess you are getting the point.
This love for coding started with the exposure to real-neat enterprise scalable code in the organization. It was not love at first sight though. The very first time I saw how many lines of code change you needed to do something which took about one line of code at college, I was a bit aghast. At first, it gives you the feeling that this is probably some rule of conduct in the industry that classifies it as ‘enterprise’ code.
But very soon the dynamic nature of the software requirements and functionality hits you in the face and you realize the beauty of those lines of code that looked so abstract early on.
Welcome, to the world of design patterns. These nifty set of tips and tricks take the pain of software maintainability away from software developers. But it is important as well that they do not overwhelm you. Two points in this sense are to be noted:
- Inappropriate use of design patterns.
- Overdoing of design patterns.
A few books that are worth mentioning in this context that help you avoid the above pitfalls are
Effective Java (http://java.sun.com/docs/books/effective/)
Agile Software Development, Principles, Patterns, and Practices (http://www.amazon.com/Software-Development-Principles-Patterns-Practices/dp/0135974445)
So one of my favorite questions at industry interviews is to ask the person to write some really simple recursive code. Recursive code in-spite of not being the optimal solution in many cases still catches my imagination because of the magic in the way it works. It’s really amazing how a few lines of code can neatly portray the solution to a really complex problem. Potential hires come up with neat and concise code. It also pays to observe the gleam in their eyes as they explain the solution to you. You know that you have a good candidate.
Will cover the “Art of Interviewing” separately in a later post. It’s a cool and very responsible art of sketching the character of a person in half-an-hour.
Signing off.
So one of my favorite questions at industry interviews is to ask the person to write some really simple recursive code. Recursive code in-spite of not being the optimal solution in many cases still catches my imagination because of the magic in the way it works. It’s really amazing how a few lines of code can neatly portray the solution to a really complex problem. Potential hires come up with neat and concise code. It also pays to observe the gleam in their eyes as they explain the solution to you. You know that you have a good candidate.
Will cover the “Art of Interviewing” separately in a later post. It’s a cool and very responsible art of sketching the character of a person in half-an-hour.
Signing off.
Management - What it should really be
If you are looking at some really good discourse on management and software practices, then please move on to http://www.joelonsoftware.com/Archive.html.
This post is from a yankee who landed in the industry in 2004 right out of college looking for some really challenging techie work. Must say that my career here so far has provided me with lots of those, but interestingly, it has also taken me through a roller coaster ride on how exactly do you lead a bunch of people.
Even though at college, we had learnt the principles that make a single guy at the top to manage an extremely large organisation with thousands of employees under him - Hierarchy and Delegation. All that sounded very nice when we learnt it, but once in the industry, the reality bites you hard. How I just wish delegation just meant transfer some of your responsibilities to a person below and get the work done. Probably, it might work fine in software design where-in high-level modules delegate their work to low-level modules. But it is just not the case when individuals are involved.
To get to the point, Management, in short, is about,
- Respecting the individuals under you.
- Trusting the individuals under you.
- Caring for the individuals under you.
This post is from a yankee who landed in the industry in 2004 right out of college looking for some really challenging techie work. Must say that my career here so far has provided me with lots of those, but interestingly, it has also taken me through a roller coaster ride on how exactly do you lead a bunch of people.
Even though at college, we had learnt the principles that make a single guy at the top to manage an extremely large organisation with thousands of employees under him - Hierarchy and Delegation. All that sounded very nice when we learnt it, but once in the industry, the reality bites you hard. How I just wish delegation just meant transfer some of your responsibilities to a person below and get the work done. Probably, it might work fine in software design where-in high-level modules delegate their work to low-level modules. But it is just not the case when individuals are involved.
To get to the point, Management, in short, is about,
- Respecting the individuals under you.
- Trusting the individuals under you.
- Caring for the individuals under you.
[probably I reiterate the term "individuals" often as against "people" but that more goes to say the stress am laying on it]
Management is in reality all about relationships with individuals. Management is personal. In another sense, management is about listening. The more you listen, the more you understand the individuals under you and the better you can care for them.
That is why, people, ahem, sorry, 'individuals', more often don't leave their jobs; they leave their managers. So the key to building a great place to work is not about having great paychecks or great perks for employees. It is just about having a mechanism in place that ensures that managers care for those under them. Any organization that achieves this, whether it be a mammoth organization with thousands of employees or any run-of-the-mill organization with half a dozen employess, is sure to be a great place to work.
Another common misconception in many employees mind's is that once you rise to management levels, all you need to work around with are schedules and deadlines. So when it so happens that such employees do permeate to higher levels, the life becomes tough for those down under.
I would like to sign off for now with the role of management as defined on this site (http://www.fogcreek.com/About.html), [the CEO of this company is the guy who writes the JoelOnSoftware blog (link in the first line of this post), it is one of my favorite sites, so please bear with me if I keep getting back to this site in my future ramblings.]
That is why, people, ahem, sorry, 'individuals', more often don't leave their jobs; they leave their managers. So the key to building a great place to work is not about having great paychecks or great perks for employees. It is just about having a mechanism in place that ensures that managers care for those under them. Any organization that achieves this, whether it be a mammoth organization with thousands of employees or any run-of-the-mill organization with half a dozen employess, is sure to be a great place to work.
Another common misconception in many employees mind's is that once you rise to management levels, all you need to work around with are schedules and deadlines. So when it so happens that such employees do permeate to higher levels, the life becomes tough for those down under.
I would like to sign off for now with the role of management as defined on this site (http://www.fogcreek.com/About.html), [the CEO of this company is the guy who writes the JoelOnSoftware blog (link in the first line of this post), it is one of my favorite sites, so please bear with me if I keep getting back to this site in my future ramblings.]
" ... management, not coding, is the support function. Management is not here to make decisions, but to get all the furniture out of the way so that software developers can do great stuff. ... "
Rebound
Roses in bloom,
Daffodils swaying in the breeze,
Little birds chirping,
The wind skimming over the fields,
The gurgling stream over the pebbly underneath,
The sunshine winding its way through the green canopy,
Lighting up the mossy terrain,
There's so much in the little things around you,
The past's gone and done,
Leaving behind the golden prize of realization,
So wake up to a brand new year,
To carve a niche in the cliffs of life.
Daffodils swaying in the breeze,
Little birds chirping,
The wind skimming over the fields,
The gurgling stream over the pebbly underneath,
The sunshine winding its way through the green canopy,
Lighting up the mossy terrain,
There's so much in the little things around you,
The past's gone and done,
Leaving behind the golden prize of realization,
So wake up to a brand new year,
To carve a niche in the cliffs of life.
The Glass Door
Stand do we on either side of it;
Shouting our hearts out;
Think do we, that none of us is at fault,
Expecting either of us to wake up;
The transparency deceives us;
That seeing is believing;
What it needs is getting a bit closer;
Realization comes then;
That all it takes, is to break,
The glass door.
Shouting our hearts out;
Think do we, that none of us is at fault,
Expecting either of us to wake up;
The transparency deceives us;
That seeing is believing;
What it needs is getting a bit closer;
Realization comes then;
That all it takes, is to break,
The glass door.
The Hyderabadi touch
Here are a few bill boards I saw on my recent visit to Hyderabad. I could help smiling when I read them.
Most take-offs, ... Lufthansa [ :) I wonder why they refer only to the take-offs]
Drive carefully. Someone is waiting for you - XYZ Hospital
Most take-offs, ... Lufthansa [ :) I wonder why they refer only to the take-offs]
Drive carefully. Someone is waiting for you - XYZ Hospital
Really hold this close to my heart
Hi guys,
Today morning, I got up to check mails and I was fortunate to read this forward first thing in the morning. I am posting this here so that many more can experience it.
-------------------------------------------------------
At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves learning disabled children,the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question:
"When not interfered with by outside influences,everything nature does is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?"
The audience was stilled by the query. The father continued. "I believe,that when a child like Shay, physically and mentally handicapped comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes, in the way other people treat that child."
Then he told the following story:
Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked,"Do you think they'll let me play?" Shay's father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if his son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.
Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could play, not expecting much. The boy looked around for guidance and said, "We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning."
Shay struggled over to the team's bench put on a team shirt with a broad smile and his Father had a small tear in his eye and warmth in his heart. The boys saw the father's joy at his son being accepted. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.
At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away heir chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible 'cause Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.
However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing the other team putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least be able to make contact. The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.
The game would now be over, but the pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game. Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the head of the first baseman, out of reach of all team mates. Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, "Shay, run to first! Run to first!" Never in his life had Shay ever ran that far but made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.
Everyone yelled, "Run to second, run to second!"
Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to second base. By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball, the smallest guy on their team, who had a chance to be the hero for his team for the first time. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions and he too intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head. Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home.
All were screaming, "Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay"
Shay reached third base, the opposing shortstop ran to help him and turned him in the direction of third base, and shouted, "Run to third! Shay, run to third" As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams and those watching were on their feet were screaming, "Shay,run home! Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate,and was cheered as the hero who hit the "grand slam" and won the game for his team.
That day, said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world.
Shay didn't make it to another summer and died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making his Father so happy and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!
Today morning, I got up to check mails and I was fortunate to read this forward first thing in the morning. I am posting this here so that many more can experience it.
-------------------------------------------------------
At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves learning disabled children,the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question:
"When not interfered with by outside influences,everything nature does is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?"
The audience was stilled by the query. The father continued. "I believe,that when a child like Shay, physically and mentally handicapped comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes, in the way other people treat that child."
Then he told the following story:
Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked,"Do you think they'll let me play?" Shay's father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if his son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.
Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could play, not expecting much. The boy looked around for guidance and said, "We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning."
Shay struggled over to the team's bench put on a team shirt with a broad smile and his Father had a small tear in his eye and warmth in his heart. The boys saw the father's joy at his son being accepted. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.
At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away heir chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible 'cause Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.
However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing the other team putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least be able to make contact. The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.
The game would now be over, but the pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game. Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the head of the first baseman, out of reach of all team mates. Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, "Shay, run to first! Run to first!" Never in his life had Shay ever ran that far but made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.
Everyone yelled, "Run to second, run to second!"
Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to second base. By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball, the smallest guy on their team, who had a chance to be the hero for his team for the first time. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions and he too intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head. Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home.
All were screaming, "Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay"
Shay reached third base, the opposing shortstop ran to help him and turned him in the direction of third base, and shouted, "Run to third! Shay, run to third" As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams and those watching were on their feet were screaming, "Shay,run home! Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate,and was cheered as the hero who hit the "grand slam" and won the game for his team.
That day, said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world.
Shay didn't make it to another summer and died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making his Father so happy and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!
Zaadzing
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. :)
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
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