“Where the hell are they taking me?!”
I thought to myself, as I followed, my four new friends as they took me out of the campus. I need to rephrase that, where is my girl friend and my three new friends taking me? It was kind of hard to decide upon the fact that Kavi was my girl friend, as she was totally a different person around her “friends”. For instance, why wasn’t she looking me in the eye? And why wasn’t she walking with me? But with her friends two paces ahead and I had to follow like an unwanted stray pup?
I was so preoccupied with these thoughts that I lost sight and stumbled, upon something on the ground; it was a solid cement block sticking out of the ground. I bent down to examine it, and realized it had projections on both sides, and the truth hit me in the face. I was being taken in to the ruined cemetery outside our college!!
“What are you looking for Sherlock Holmes?”
Josh’s voice came from ahead of me. I got up and followed without any comment or retort. It was normal for me to never stick up for myself, but why isn’t Kavi sticking up for me? And why not Gaurav or Aruna for that matter? I wondered. And why are they all rallying around a stupid bully like Josh?! And I thought of my grandma’s reaction if she ever came to know I stepped into a cemetery, she would start cutting deals with all gods offering to do this and that, and that would be only after bringing home a priest and exorcising me!! But this was my life, and the person who has unreasonably affected and started influencing it is walking right ahead, and I had to follow my dreams, rather my dream soul mate.
I was too lost in my own private talks that I didn’t realize that all four have stopped a few paces ahead of me. I reached them, and josh turned to me and said,
“Here is the grave of Charles”
in a matter-of-fact voice. I was scared out of my wits, yet, I didn’t want to show it in front of kavi, and it wasn’t like I have never seen a grave or anything. But standing next to a tomb and having a conversation about the person lying within it, definitely didn’t top my top ten favorite things of the day. I ignored the goose bumps travelling up my spine and calmly gave a “so what” kind of a questioning stare.
“We have contacted him through séance but we don’t know much about him, he killed himself due to grief, that’s all he would say. But he won’t tell us why. In order to make peace with him and invite him we need to give him offerings… and that is where you come in”
“So I need to deliver him a pizza or something?”
I thought to myself, and of course I didn’t voice it out. That wasn’t how I worked, I keep the insults and smarting answers within me. I managed to nod in a non committal manner. And Josh continued,
“Remember the bag that Kavi gave you? That contains the required items for you to conduct the ritual to contact, pacify and make him open up towards us. And this”, he held a paper, hand written, in front of my face, “contains the instructions on how to do it, so now it’s your final decision, you have to perform this to get into the group. What is your decision?”
I looked at Kavi, stupidly, hoping that she would laugh any minute now explaining it was all a joke from the beginning. But the few seconds stretching with absolute silence, proved me wrong. Kavi stood with her head bent down. If it was not the wind, it was definitely she who was making that sniffing sound. I thought about dad, mom and the painful past year which had no relevance to the scenario in front of me, yet, as those images flashed across my eyes, I became resolved, and decided what I had to do.
I stepped forward without uttering a word, and took the paper from josh’s hands, and gave a nod. And that solved everything; the group was back to normal. All except Kavi, who still found it hard to look me in the eye. Josh was the one, who had a complete reversal of mood,
“Good, you will have to do it on the coming full moon day man. That would be… Monday, so you have two more days to psych yourself to perform it. And personally… I think you will do it buddy”
And Gaurav came up and put his hands on my shoulder, and offered to drop me home as I had missed the bus. And all my polite refusals which I gave were of no use. We made our way to the bike stand near the college. And all the time, josh walking with a smirk on his face and Aruna animatedly talking to Gaurav. But Kavi still walked with her head bowed low. I had the urge to put my hands around her in a consoling way, asking her what was troubling her mind, and as though she read my mind, she came and held my hands and leaned against my shoulder and started walking along with me, in silence.
“What the heck… I could deliver 100 pizzas to all the dead guys here for this!!”
I thought to myself. And yet, as Kavi got on Aruna’s scooty pep, behind her, and I climbed the bulky apache and started off with Gaurav, in the opposite direction, I couldn’t help thinking,
“Have I landed myself in a whirlpool of unfathomable predicament?!”
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
MY FIRST STORY- CHAPTER 6
“kausalya supraja rama purva….”
M.S.subalakshmi’s voice woke me up early in the morning with her hymns of lord ram. My grandmother always made it a point to rise up before the sun and offer her prayers to all gods that ever were present since the starting of time. I lazily looked at my alarm clock. It was 05:20 in the morning. Personal best, I thought to myself and dragged myself out of the bed, and went through the usual morning “duties” that I had to finish.
I stepped out of the house by 6:30, after my grandmother pampered me with a heavy breakfast of hot idlys to make it to my stop. I saw jealously at my little brother Santhosh still in bed. As I started walking towards my stop I felt my cell vibrate, and was treated to a morning delight, “good morning dear” read the message from Kavi, and my morning languidness was history.
But it brought back, the grotesque things that were in the bag yesterday, right in front of my eyes. I pushed it out of my mind and had a wonderful journey to college, all the while, the cell vibrating every ten seconds, with the words
“1 New Message
From: Kavi”.
Gaurav and I met at the class and we kept the topic away from yesterday’s lunch. I avoided it purposefully, but didn’t know why he did. And I was reminded of his queer expression on our way back to class after lunch, just before Kavi interrupted for talking to me privately. But I was preoccupied about the second lunch I was to have with Kavi, I was secretly counting the minutes to it, and when it did come I was the first out of class to make my way over to the canteen,
“Hey!! Where do yo’ think yo’ are goin’ lover boy?”
I heard Josh’s voice behind me, I turned, and grinning at me, all four friends were standing with their lunches wrapped in neat bags, in their hands,
“Hey sunny come on, we are eating somewhere else today”
Kavitha said with joy brimming in her voice. Before I could tell them, I haven’t brought my own lunch; they took me off to their haunt.
It was a deserted class in the 6th floor, and it seemed it was their luncheon room. No wonder I haven’t seen Kavi in canteen before yesterday, I thought to myself. As soon as we entered, Gaurav, Aruna and josh took one side of a table while I and Kavi took the other.
“I haven’t brought my lunch guys, I tried to tell u that, but you wouldn’t listen”
I said. And josh who had already started on his chicken fried rice said in a muffled voice,
“It does pay to have a girl friend you know”
Spraying me with chunks of chicken and rice. And Kavitha took out a lunch for two from her bag, smiling at me. Unable to remember when I have ever been this happy, I started on the lunch.
As we had our lunch the talks were normal, in time I started to think if all that happened yesterday about the paranormal things were just a dream. Kavi was jus then telling me how she had done the lunch for me specially, when I remembered,
“Hey guys! Kavi was telling me about how you guys have to be open about things, so I need to tell you something”
All three friends turned to me with mild interests on their faces, except josh, who was still busy with his lunch.
“I got to tell you, I am not a pro in this ghosts and stuffs. Only after my father died, I got the Ouija board….”
“Ouija?!?! Yo’ gotto be kidding me!!!thats kid’s stuff”
Josh said, resurfacing from his lunch, displaying yet again his sarcastic nature. Loath is the simplest word that might be the least to define the feeling I had on this guy.
“For all the research and the books I have read, it’s not a device to contact the spirit, but just one of the oldest board games”
Josh said in his as a matter of fact voice and again diving into his lunch without waiting for a reply. It was when he again looked up from his busy lunch that he realized that all his three friends were glaring at him,
“Wouldn’t you just let him finish?!?”
Aruna scolded, and asked me to continue. Though I was deeply hurt by what that bam-pot just said, I was never a person to stick up for myself. And in my father’s issue, it was even worse, yet I resolved not to show my weakness in front of Kavi, and so I continued,
“My father died in a car accident…. Hit by a drunken truck driver… And my mother, unable to bear the loss of my father, became…. Depressed… And…”
“You mean she lost her marbles, isn’t it…?”
Josh again cut across me. This time, Gaurav was the one who lost the cool and shouted at him, and Josh retorted,
“Come on I was just tryin’ to cheer him up making fun of it…”
“Anyway” I continued, “she got herself admitted in the hospital and its grandma who is taking care of me and my little brother… after a few days I went into my father’s room, and there in his locker, to which he had given me the key when I was 12, and told me I will know when to use it…. I found the Ouija board. And with it I found a letter from my dad, with a single line… “I WILL ALWAYS BE THERE WITH YOU”. Along with it, a book explaining how to use the board. And since then I have been contacting my dad through it several times to ask for advice and that’s just sums up my expertise with the paranormal activities…”
I finished in a hurried voice fearing I may break down if I continued longer. Kavi silently held my hands under the table, and that little touch gave me more comfort than the hundreds of hugs my grandma and all my relatives gave me to console me. All were too sad to tell anything, and we finished our lunch in silence. We packed our boxes and we strolled out of the room one by one, when I was about to go out of the room, josh put his hands on my shoulder and stopped me,
“Don’t think yo’ are in just becoz yo’ got them all watery eyed, yo’ think yo’ can by your way in with sympathy?? Think again buddy, if yo’ wanna get in, yo’ gotta work for it. Today eve yo’ gonna miss the bus. We have other plans. Meet us at the cemetery by 3.15. You have a few unfinished business”
M.S.subalakshmi’s voice woke me up early in the morning with her hymns of lord ram. My grandmother always made it a point to rise up before the sun and offer her prayers to all gods that ever were present since the starting of time. I lazily looked at my alarm clock. It was 05:20 in the morning. Personal best, I thought to myself and dragged myself out of the bed, and went through the usual morning “duties” that I had to finish.
I stepped out of the house by 6:30, after my grandmother pampered me with a heavy breakfast of hot idlys to make it to my stop. I saw jealously at my little brother Santhosh still in bed. As I started walking towards my stop I felt my cell vibrate, and was treated to a morning delight, “good morning dear” read the message from Kavi, and my morning languidness was history.
But it brought back, the grotesque things that were in the bag yesterday, right in front of my eyes. I pushed it out of my mind and had a wonderful journey to college, all the while, the cell vibrating every ten seconds, with the words
“1 New Message
From: Kavi”.
Gaurav and I met at the class and we kept the topic away from yesterday’s lunch. I avoided it purposefully, but didn’t know why he did. And I was reminded of his queer expression on our way back to class after lunch, just before Kavi interrupted for talking to me privately. But I was preoccupied about the second lunch I was to have with Kavi, I was secretly counting the minutes to it, and when it did come I was the first out of class to make my way over to the canteen,
“Hey!! Where do yo’ think yo’ are goin’ lover boy?”
I heard Josh’s voice behind me, I turned, and grinning at me, all four friends were standing with their lunches wrapped in neat bags, in their hands,
“Hey sunny come on, we are eating somewhere else today”
Kavitha said with joy brimming in her voice. Before I could tell them, I haven’t brought my own lunch; they took me off to their haunt.
It was a deserted class in the 6th floor, and it seemed it was their luncheon room. No wonder I haven’t seen Kavi in canteen before yesterday, I thought to myself. As soon as we entered, Gaurav, Aruna and josh took one side of a table while I and Kavi took the other.
“I haven’t brought my lunch guys, I tried to tell u that, but you wouldn’t listen”
I said. And josh who had already started on his chicken fried rice said in a muffled voice,
“It does pay to have a girl friend you know”
Spraying me with chunks of chicken and rice. And Kavitha took out a lunch for two from her bag, smiling at me. Unable to remember when I have ever been this happy, I started on the lunch.
As we had our lunch the talks were normal, in time I started to think if all that happened yesterday about the paranormal things were just a dream. Kavi was jus then telling me how she had done the lunch for me specially, when I remembered,
“Hey guys! Kavi was telling me about how you guys have to be open about things, so I need to tell you something”
All three friends turned to me with mild interests on their faces, except josh, who was still busy with his lunch.
“I got to tell you, I am not a pro in this ghosts and stuffs. Only after my father died, I got the Ouija board….”
“Ouija?!?! Yo’ gotto be kidding me!!!thats kid’s stuff”
Josh said, resurfacing from his lunch, displaying yet again his sarcastic nature. Loath is the simplest word that might be the least to define the feeling I had on this guy.
“For all the research and the books I have read, it’s not a device to contact the spirit, but just one of the oldest board games”
Josh said in his as a matter of fact voice and again diving into his lunch without waiting for a reply. It was when he again looked up from his busy lunch that he realized that all his three friends were glaring at him,
“Wouldn’t you just let him finish?!?”
Aruna scolded, and asked me to continue. Though I was deeply hurt by what that bam-pot just said, I was never a person to stick up for myself. And in my father’s issue, it was even worse, yet I resolved not to show my weakness in front of Kavi, and so I continued,
“My father died in a car accident…. Hit by a drunken truck driver… And my mother, unable to bear the loss of my father, became…. Depressed… And…”
“You mean she lost her marbles, isn’t it…?”
Josh again cut across me. This time, Gaurav was the one who lost the cool and shouted at him, and Josh retorted,
“Come on I was just tryin’ to cheer him up making fun of it…”
“Anyway” I continued, “she got herself admitted in the hospital and its grandma who is taking care of me and my little brother… after a few days I went into my father’s room, and there in his locker, to which he had given me the key when I was 12, and told me I will know when to use it…. I found the Ouija board. And with it I found a letter from my dad, with a single line… “I WILL ALWAYS BE THERE WITH YOU”. Along with it, a book explaining how to use the board. And since then I have been contacting my dad through it several times to ask for advice and that’s just sums up my expertise with the paranormal activities…”
I finished in a hurried voice fearing I may break down if I continued longer. Kavi silently held my hands under the table, and that little touch gave me more comfort than the hundreds of hugs my grandma and all my relatives gave me to console me. All were too sad to tell anything, and we finished our lunch in silence. We packed our boxes and we strolled out of the room one by one, when I was about to go out of the room, josh put his hands on my shoulder and stopped me,
“Don’t think yo’ are in just becoz yo’ got them all watery eyed, yo’ think yo’ can by your way in with sympathy?? Think again buddy, if yo’ wanna get in, yo’ gotta work for it. Today eve yo’ gonna miss the bus. We have other plans. Meet us at the cemetery by 3.15. You have a few unfinished business”
Thursday, November 18, 2010
AUTHOR'S NOTE
This story is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons dead or alive or incidents is purely coincidental. In other words, this book is the output of hours of boredom, sitting alone with nothing else to do.
When we say it’s a work of imagination we fail to realize how little does man imagine outside the reality. And how subtle and inconspicuous is the line that marks the border which separates our real world and the imaginary one.
We imagine THINGS as we say in our life. And throw it off our mind thinking it was just a SILLY THOUGHT or FEAR and that in our intelligent and self realized life it was nothing but a small infinitesimal second of foolishness. But what if life is a long trodden path of foolishness and that fear, the unexplained fear of nothingness was in fact a revelation of sort which lasted for just under a second??!?
What if it were that we are living with our eyes open yet with our instincts shut close and neglecting the obvious? Was that just Goosebumps? Or is there more to it than that??! A touch may be?! Did we just imagine we heard the rustling of leaves behind us while walking on that lonely road at night?! Or was it the rustling of the spirits?!?
HOW DO WE SAY SURELY THERE IS NOTHING IN THE DARKNESS?!
AFTER ALL WE CAN’T SEE IN THE DARK… CAN WE??!?!
Do we ever realize the imagination of a dream when within it? And what is the surety that dream in itself is an imagination??! What is the surety that the blood thirsty vampires or ghouls and other vile creatures in our dream cannot follow us back in to our world?!?? what is the surety that this IS OUR WORLD?!!?
IT HASN’T HAPPENED…….. YET.
That doesn’t mean the world we see in our imagination is far beyond.
Or that the FAR BEYOND is our IMAGINATION.
When we say it’s a work of imagination we fail to realize how little does man imagine outside the reality. And how subtle and inconspicuous is the line that marks the border which separates our real world and the imaginary one.
We imagine THINGS as we say in our life. And throw it off our mind thinking it was just a SILLY THOUGHT or FEAR and that in our intelligent and self realized life it was nothing but a small infinitesimal second of foolishness. But what if life is a long trodden path of foolishness and that fear, the unexplained fear of nothingness was in fact a revelation of sort which lasted for just under a second??!?
What if it were that we are living with our eyes open yet with our instincts shut close and neglecting the obvious? Was that just Goosebumps? Or is there more to it than that??! A touch may be?! Did we just imagine we heard the rustling of leaves behind us while walking on that lonely road at night?! Or was it the rustling of the spirits?!?
HOW DO WE SAY SURELY THERE IS NOTHING IN THE DARKNESS?!
AFTER ALL WE CAN’T SEE IN THE DARK… CAN WE??!?!
Do we ever realize the imagination of a dream when within it? And what is the surety that dream in itself is an imagination??! What is the surety that the blood thirsty vampires or ghouls and other vile creatures in our dream cannot follow us back in to our world?!?? what is the surety that this IS OUR WORLD?!!?
IT HASN’T HAPPENED…….. YET.
That doesn’t mean the world we see in our imagination is far beyond.
Or that the FAR BEYOND is our IMAGINATION.
Friday, September 24, 2010
MY FIRST STORY- CHAPTER 5
“what the hell is that smell!?”
I swore aloud. As soon as I opened the small back pack, the stench of a dead rat hit me. Unable to fathom what was it that was in store for me inside I reached into the bag and groped around and heard a tinkling sound. And grabbed a small cylindrical object and lifted it out. It was a vial, filled to the brim with a dark crimson liquid which glowed in a vicious manner. And in the bottom, a piece of paper stuck to it read “BAT”. I felt nauseated looking at it, thinking that those guys who were so cool and composed, in college leading a sober normal life had such a sinister secret within them.
Having the crimson liquid in my hand erased away the hopeful doubts that I had since noon. Though I had a reasonable attraction towards spirit contacting and a secret of my own, I knew enough to realize that blood, and that of a bat, was never associated with the normal contacting of spirits, rather the darker side of black magic. Wondering what more was there, I again reached in to the bag, something warm and soft grazed against my fingers, and I took it out. It was a shiny black feather of a raven. More evil omen.
The next time I reached into the bag to explore its contents, something sharp pricked my fingers, I took my hand out swearing in pain and saw a trickle of warm blood flowing from the tip of my finger, I reached in again and took out the knife that just cut me, it was sharp, so much that it could slice a piece of wood without much difficulty even though it was no bigger than a pocket knife, and oddly it looked as if it was made out of some soft white material, like ivory, rather than metal.
It had an evil looking carving at the handle which looked disgusting and yet mesmerizing, I tore my eyes away from it and again started going through the contents of the bag, a jar with a live black spider the size of my palm made its way out. It was a disgusting sight to hold, and I controlled the vomit that raised in my throat, and after that a roll of yellowed paper and a purple match box followed.
Soon I was sitting with all the required ingredients to perform a complex black magic right in front of me. I took the yellowed paper and held out in the light and read from it, it was a battered old paper and it was difficult to make out the words in it. I noticed that they were hand written and not typed. It explained the ritual to be followed using the contents that I had just discovered from the bag. I felt a sorrow building up within me. To think even Kavi was part of this.
And soon the thoughts of my father’s death and my mother’s illness swooped down upon me, and trapped me in more sadness. It is always so confusing and yet common, how sadness of one issue reminds you of totally unrelated issues and slowly you start feeling more and more miserable. I felt so let down, and then I noticed another small piece of paper inside the bag. In contrast to the other paper, it was white and new, and after reading the first few words I magically felt elated. It ran,
“Sunny, I know you would have felt disturbed after seeing the contents of this bag I gave you. I don’t blame you dear, but know this, I feel so bad that you have been dragged in to this, though it is not as bad as you think. The distance you go counts, than the destination. I can’t say more than this, I hope you do understand my state. And wait till we say what should be done with all this and where.
With love…”
Even though the short letter was not signed I knew it was Kavi that had written this, just for me, understanding my emotions even before I had thought about joining their circle. I re read the letter again and again, each time slowly, coming out of the sorrow that had trapped me. And suddenly I heard my cell phone ring, and was treated to more happiness, “KAVI” flashed on the screen. I attended after the first two rings,
“hi sunny, so saw the bag?”
“ya… I did…”
“am sorry dear, it is just that… I had to do this”
“hmmmm…”
“come on, it is not as bad as you think, listen I can’t talk long, I will explain later okay, just trust me wont you?”
“yes definitely, but I need to tell you something…”
“what? You are not into these things? I know, that, and you said okay for this only for me…”
“how in the ….?!?”
“I know you more than you do sunny… so don’t you worry alright…”
“Ok Kavi, am speechless, but there is something else I need to tell you…”
“I got to go, its dad… bye... good night…”
And before I could say anything else she cut the call. Before I could tell her the secret I prized the most. I wanted dearly to tell her, the girl who read me more than I could. And at the same time, I felt so confused with all the sudden twists and turns in just one day, to think a short lunch in a boring college in Chennai has become a portal for me in to a cult. I had half the mind to try and ask his advice now and my eyes strayed over to the long bag in the corner of the room, but I knew it was too late and decided to turn in for the day.
But there was one thing still left for me to do before I turned in. I pulled my small diary again from its hiding place and opened the pages. I had a few more weird details to add to the date, 27/9/2010… Slowly I slipped into sleep, a disturbed sleep, wondering what more there is to come
I swore aloud. As soon as I opened the small back pack, the stench of a dead rat hit me. Unable to fathom what was it that was in store for me inside I reached into the bag and groped around and heard a tinkling sound. And grabbed a small cylindrical object and lifted it out. It was a vial, filled to the brim with a dark crimson liquid which glowed in a vicious manner. And in the bottom, a piece of paper stuck to it read “BAT”. I felt nauseated looking at it, thinking that those guys who were so cool and composed, in college leading a sober normal life had such a sinister secret within them.
Having the crimson liquid in my hand erased away the hopeful doubts that I had since noon. Though I had a reasonable attraction towards spirit contacting and a secret of my own, I knew enough to realize that blood, and that of a bat, was never associated with the normal contacting of spirits, rather the darker side of black magic. Wondering what more was there, I again reached in to the bag, something warm and soft grazed against my fingers, and I took it out. It was a shiny black feather of a raven. More evil omen.
The next time I reached into the bag to explore its contents, something sharp pricked my fingers, I took my hand out swearing in pain and saw a trickle of warm blood flowing from the tip of my finger, I reached in again and took out the knife that just cut me, it was sharp, so much that it could slice a piece of wood without much difficulty even though it was no bigger than a pocket knife, and oddly it looked as if it was made out of some soft white material, like ivory, rather than metal.
It had an evil looking carving at the handle which looked disgusting and yet mesmerizing, I tore my eyes away from it and again started going through the contents of the bag, a jar with a live black spider the size of my palm made its way out. It was a disgusting sight to hold, and I controlled the vomit that raised in my throat, and after that a roll of yellowed paper and a purple match box followed.
Soon I was sitting with all the required ingredients to perform a complex black magic right in front of me. I took the yellowed paper and held out in the light and read from it, it was a battered old paper and it was difficult to make out the words in it. I noticed that they were hand written and not typed. It explained the ritual to be followed using the contents that I had just discovered from the bag. I felt a sorrow building up within me. To think even Kavi was part of this.
And soon the thoughts of my father’s death and my mother’s illness swooped down upon me, and trapped me in more sadness. It is always so confusing and yet common, how sadness of one issue reminds you of totally unrelated issues and slowly you start feeling more and more miserable. I felt so let down, and then I noticed another small piece of paper inside the bag. In contrast to the other paper, it was white and new, and after reading the first few words I magically felt elated. It ran,
“Sunny, I know you would have felt disturbed after seeing the contents of this bag I gave you. I don’t blame you dear, but know this, I feel so bad that you have been dragged in to this, though it is not as bad as you think. The distance you go counts, than the destination. I can’t say more than this, I hope you do understand my state. And wait till we say what should be done with all this and where.
With love…”
Even though the short letter was not signed I knew it was Kavi that had written this, just for me, understanding my emotions even before I had thought about joining their circle. I re read the letter again and again, each time slowly, coming out of the sorrow that had trapped me. And suddenly I heard my cell phone ring, and was treated to more happiness, “KAVI” flashed on the screen. I attended after the first two rings,
“hi sunny, so saw the bag?”
“ya… I did…”
“am sorry dear, it is just that… I had to do this”
“hmmmm…”
“come on, it is not as bad as you think, listen I can’t talk long, I will explain later okay, just trust me wont you?”
“yes definitely, but I need to tell you something…”
“what? You are not into these things? I know, that, and you said okay for this only for me…”
“how in the ….?!?”
“I know you more than you do sunny… so don’t you worry alright…”
“Ok Kavi, am speechless, but there is something else I need to tell you…”
“I got to go, its dad… bye... good night…”
And before I could say anything else she cut the call. Before I could tell her the secret I prized the most. I wanted dearly to tell her, the girl who read me more than I could. And at the same time, I felt so confused with all the sudden twists and turns in just one day, to think a short lunch in a boring college in Chennai has become a portal for me in to a cult. I had half the mind to try and ask his advice now and my eyes strayed over to the long bag in the corner of the room, but I knew it was too late and decided to turn in for the day.
But there was one thing still left for me to do before I turned in. I pulled my small diary again from its hiding place and opened the pages. I had a few more weird details to add to the date, 27/9/2010… Slowly I slipped into sleep, a disturbed sleep, wondering what more there is to come
Thursday, August 26, 2010
MY FIRST STORY- CHAPTER 4
“What in the world just happened?!?”
I kept asking myself the whole day. The world was moving in a hazy slow motion and yet time flew so fast for I didn’t realize where I was for the whole afternoon. While in class, as the professor was droning away about rotary pumps and other stuffs, I caught a glimpse of a white light as that of a cell phone screen from under the desk, and soon after that, Gaurav kept glancing at me with a grin on his face as if he had seen the whole thing that happened in the isolated classroom during the lunch hour.
And I cottoned on as to why Josh had said “so you are the guy huh?” when we were introduced. I had a definitive feeling that the three friends were already in on the secret about me and Kavitha. But all these happenings were running by as if in a background, while the few seconds that I and Kavitha had shared occupied the whole of my mind.
Before I knew it I was walking out of the classroom bidding bye to Gaurav, with a wide stupid grin glued to my face, without knowing that my life was about to take a great twist. I was just about to board the bus when someone tapped me from behind; I turned to face Josh,
“So, got the bag from your girl? Here take this”
And he stuffed a crumpled up bit of paper in my hands, wished me bye and walked away. I opened it and to my surprise it had the cell phone numbers of the four friends I had made. But I already had Gaurav’s, but I was most happy to see the name Kavi and the ten digit number against it.
I had just stored the numbers when my cell phone flashed showing the name Kavi!! Hi sanju, it read, I am sorry but I had to tell the guys about us, it’s the code of honesty we had sworn. But not everything has to be said ;)…. And I immediately replied, it’s no big deal , glad that she wouldn’t be able to see me blush.
The bus started just then and a beautiful breeze was playing across my face and I closed my eyes, locking out the sight of the cemetery situated exactly outside our college and enjoying the two alphabets that gave immense happiness, “us” such a simple word kept me smiling the whole journey back home.
I started walking home, happy that I had something quiet elating to think about for my 4km hike, to my house from where I get down usually, with the small bubble of happiness that bobbed within my heart I forgot all about my depressing house.
But soon it all came rushing back, the memories which I had been fighting for a year now to forget. It was a happy family, until that accident. It changed everything. EVERYTHING!! First, the unexpected car accident and the hemorrhage of my father and his death, and soon, mom’s illness, and now……
“Hi mom!! How was the day? Who is the sweetest woman on earth?”
I said in a falsely cheerful voice, gulping down the sorrow rising up in my throat. One thing always rushed through my mind when I looked at my mother. No one should ever be cursed this way as me!!
She was lying as usual with her untidy hair in a loose bun in her green dress. She didn’t respond to my question; she continued calculating and drawing things in mid air, crying, with occasional laughter, living in her own world, with peace, but crashing mine. I again asked her the same question, for which she nodded and again went into her world talking to her imaginary friends and people who lived only within her world.
“Oh Sanjay you are back! Good, so how was college?”
I heard sandhya’s voice from behind me. And she walked into the ward, the young nurse who was assigned for my mom. She was always in a cheerful self, even though she worked in an asylum with so many people to deal with, so many people with bizarre thoughts and beliefs. I hid my tears and answered her that it was quite okay. She was giving mom her tablets and dress her up for the evening; I stayed at the bench, looking at my mom’s face, imagining how it used to light up when she looked at me in past, the shock it registered after my dad’s sudden death, and the permanent sorrow it is in now and hot tears failed me once again and this time Sandhya caught a glimpse of it and tactfully said,
“Sanjay its time, u go home, I will take care of mom don’t you worry now, go study….”
I stood up, and promised mom to meet her the next day, thanked Sandhya for her special care, and started my walk home from the hospital.
My brother, santhosh, was yet again busy studying when I entered home, he always studies and I always wondered, what is it that he studied all the time!! I never studied half the time that he did! Ever in my life!! The smell of hot Tiffin was invitingly wafting towards me, my grandmother’s specials. But I made my way over to my room to keep the bag and finish the rituals that I had to do every day, the prayers offered to sun god, Sandhyavandhanam and came to my room hoping that Kavitha would have messaged and I would have something cheerful to get me out of my dreary thoughts, but had no such luck. I heard my grandmother calling me for dinner and as I couldn’t think of any excuse to skip it, I carried myself to the dining hall.
As soon as I gulped down the food, I scrammed back to my room, to write down my unusual day in my diary. After I finished; I was about to turn in for the day when I remembered the bag that Kavitha had given, and decided to take a look at what was in it. Unprepared for the unpleasant surprise awaiting me….
I kept asking myself the whole day. The world was moving in a hazy slow motion and yet time flew so fast for I didn’t realize where I was for the whole afternoon. While in class, as the professor was droning away about rotary pumps and other stuffs, I caught a glimpse of a white light as that of a cell phone screen from under the desk, and soon after that, Gaurav kept glancing at me with a grin on his face as if he had seen the whole thing that happened in the isolated classroom during the lunch hour.
And I cottoned on as to why Josh had said “so you are the guy huh?” when we were introduced. I had a definitive feeling that the three friends were already in on the secret about me and Kavitha. But all these happenings were running by as if in a background, while the few seconds that I and Kavitha had shared occupied the whole of my mind.
Before I knew it I was walking out of the classroom bidding bye to Gaurav, with a wide stupid grin glued to my face, without knowing that my life was about to take a great twist. I was just about to board the bus when someone tapped me from behind; I turned to face Josh,
“So, got the bag from your girl? Here take this”
And he stuffed a crumpled up bit of paper in my hands, wished me bye and walked away. I opened it and to my surprise it had the cell phone numbers of the four friends I had made. But I already had Gaurav’s, but I was most happy to see the name Kavi and the ten digit number against it.
I had just stored the numbers when my cell phone flashed showing the name Kavi!! Hi sanju, it read, I am sorry but I had to tell the guys about us, it’s the code of honesty we had sworn. But not everything has to be said ;)…. And I immediately replied, it’s no big deal , glad that she wouldn’t be able to see me blush.
The bus started just then and a beautiful breeze was playing across my face and I closed my eyes, locking out the sight of the cemetery situated exactly outside our college and enjoying the two alphabets that gave immense happiness, “us” such a simple word kept me smiling the whole journey back home.
I started walking home, happy that I had something quiet elating to think about for my 4km hike, to my house from where I get down usually, with the small bubble of happiness that bobbed within my heart I forgot all about my depressing house.
But soon it all came rushing back, the memories which I had been fighting for a year now to forget. It was a happy family, until that accident. It changed everything. EVERYTHING!! First, the unexpected car accident and the hemorrhage of my father and his death, and soon, mom’s illness, and now……
“Hi mom!! How was the day? Who is the sweetest woman on earth?”
I said in a falsely cheerful voice, gulping down the sorrow rising up in my throat. One thing always rushed through my mind when I looked at my mother. No one should ever be cursed this way as me!!
She was lying as usual with her untidy hair in a loose bun in her green dress. She didn’t respond to my question; she continued calculating and drawing things in mid air, crying, with occasional laughter, living in her own world, with peace, but crashing mine. I again asked her the same question, for which she nodded and again went into her world talking to her imaginary friends and people who lived only within her world.
“Oh Sanjay you are back! Good, so how was college?”
I heard sandhya’s voice from behind me. And she walked into the ward, the young nurse who was assigned for my mom. She was always in a cheerful self, even though she worked in an asylum with so many people to deal with, so many people with bizarre thoughts and beliefs. I hid my tears and answered her that it was quite okay. She was giving mom her tablets and dress her up for the evening; I stayed at the bench, looking at my mom’s face, imagining how it used to light up when she looked at me in past, the shock it registered after my dad’s sudden death, and the permanent sorrow it is in now and hot tears failed me once again and this time Sandhya caught a glimpse of it and tactfully said,
“Sanjay its time, u go home, I will take care of mom don’t you worry now, go study….”
I stood up, and promised mom to meet her the next day, thanked Sandhya for her special care, and started my walk home from the hospital.
My brother, santhosh, was yet again busy studying when I entered home, he always studies and I always wondered, what is it that he studied all the time!! I never studied half the time that he did! Ever in my life!! The smell of hot Tiffin was invitingly wafting towards me, my grandmother’s specials. But I made my way over to my room to keep the bag and finish the rituals that I had to do every day, the prayers offered to sun god, Sandhyavandhanam and came to my room hoping that Kavitha would have messaged and I would have something cheerful to get me out of my dreary thoughts, but had no such luck. I heard my grandmother calling me for dinner and as I couldn’t think of any excuse to skip it, I carried myself to the dining hall.
As soon as I gulped down the food, I scrammed back to my room, to write down my unusual day in my diary. After I finished; I was about to turn in for the day when I remembered the bag that Kavitha had given, and decided to take a look at what was in it. Unprepared for the unpleasant surprise awaiting me….
Monday, August 16, 2010
MY FIRST STORY- CHAPTER 3
“What the f***?!?”
Was my first reaction .The guy who had just insulted me was standing right in front of me. No one could ever look so much out of place as he did. He had a perfect blonde hair and blue eyes and was casually smirking at me. I was much perplexed because I knew this college wasn’t famous enough for NRI or foreign students but there he was standing right in front of my eyes.
“Stop kidding around Josh!!”
Kavitha scolded the guy shaking me out of my shock. He just smirked and took his seat next to Kavitha.
“Sanjay, this is Josh. Mr. Joshua Rodriguez this is Sanjay. Now is that enough formal intro for his Highness?!?”
Aruna teased Josh. I later came to know from the conversations that followed, that Josh’s parents had moved in from San Francisco long before he was born for some unknown reasons, and they had ancestral properties strewn in and around Tamil Nadu.
“Hey, you are the guy huh?!? So Sunny boy I hear you are in Gaurav’s class?!”
Though I had no idea what the guy meant by “you are the guy” I just gave him the smile which I reserve for my irritating and embarrassing relatives. And from that day on I was christened as Sunny. The lunch was quite normal from then on and it seemed the guy Josh was friendly after all, in his own way!!
“So Sunny have you really thought it through?! You are gonna go for it?!”
Josh asked suddenly, I was totally lost and I guess it showed on my face, for Gaurav explained that I didn’t know it yet and that he found it ridiculous, a small argument broke out and Kavitha kept her head bowed without joining in on the argument and jus playing with her food without much interest in it. Aruna was backing Josh’s side of the argument while Kavitha kept on ignoring the whole heated argument. Suddenly Josh said,
“Don’t just sit there, what is your take on this kavi?!”
Kavitha still didn’t answer Josh’s question but kept her eyes closed. I was completely lost upon what is going on. After what seemed like ages, Kavitha spoke,
“Rules are rules, we can’t change that”
And that put an end to the argument, and everyone turned to face me, everyone except Kavitha. And Gaurav spoke,
“Sanjay, all four of us, me, Aruna, Josh and kavi we come from the same school, and back in our school we formed our group upon one thing which we shared common interest. Ghosts!!”
Kavitha looked up at me and her eyes were a bit moist, but before I could see it clearly, they were gone and then they all, the four friends explained me how they formed a group similar to a brotherhood and made a vow that any person who wanted to join their group have to go through a test of some kind to show their interest and courage in paranormal activities and how some have tried and many others have chickened out.
I was petrified to give any response to it, I felt transported to some R.L.Stine novel and no longer in a boring engineering in Chennai, the sunny pleasant day and a lovely afternoon lunch suddenly turned into a suffocating unknown place with me sitting with some people who are so casually explaining a kind of cult that they practice. It was a few minutes before I realized that Gaurav had stopped talking and they have been waiting for me to answer some question. I heard myself apologize and ask what is it that I have to answer.
“Dude! Are you in?! Will you go through it?!”
Josh asked me. And all I could see was Kavitha’s face, eager for my answer. She looked even more beautiful when she was tensed with beads of sweat on her forehead. I heard myself laugh and say,
“That’s no big deal; I myself am intrigued by paranormal activities. Count me in!!”
And looking at Kavitha’s relieved face I thought, I could tell a thousand more lies to keep that face happy. And everything was back to normal, Josh his usual sarcastic jovial self.
“That’s my Sunny boy!!”
Aruna and Gaurav were still bickering over the argument that’s long over. But all my eyes were for Kavi who looked more radiant after my words, and kept glancing at me all the time with a coy smile on her face.
The bell rang to indicate the end of the lunch hour. I felt a few days have passed in the last half hour!! And Kavitha stood up saying she had to go and ran off from the canteen leaving her half eaten lunch behind. And soon Gaurav and I finished eating and started off to our classes in the third floor in our block while Aruna and Josh made their way over to IT block.
Gaurav was unusually silent and just when I was about to ask why, I heard Kavitha’s voice from behind me,
“Sunny, can I have a word with you? Alone?”
Gaurav just grinned at Kavi and asked me to join him in the class and ran off. And Kavitha and I made our way to an empty class room and as soon as we were inside she started speaking in rapid Tamil, which was roughly translated as,
“I am so glad you are ok with it, to be honest I knew you would say so, come on Sanju, don’t say you didn’t feel the magic when we first met!! I feel I can understand you even before you do!! I know we share something more than friendship, a much deeper relationship!! And I knew you will say ok!! That’s why I brought this.”
And she gave me a back pack, I could hear things rattling inside, and she told me not to open it before going home and before I knew it, she kissed me on my lips and wished me luck and was off to her class, leaving me dumbstruck!!
Was my first reaction .The guy who had just insulted me was standing right in front of me. No one could ever look so much out of place as he did. He had a perfect blonde hair and blue eyes and was casually smirking at me. I was much perplexed because I knew this college wasn’t famous enough for NRI or foreign students but there he was standing right in front of my eyes.
“Stop kidding around Josh!!”
Kavitha scolded the guy shaking me out of my shock. He just smirked and took his seat next to Kavitha.
“Sanjay, this is Josh. Mr. Joshua Rodriguez this is Sanjay. Now is that enough formal intro for his Highness?!?”
Aruna teased Josh. I later came to know from the conversations that followed, that Josh’s parents had moved in from San Francisco long before he was born for some unknown reasons, and they had ancestral properties strewn in and around Tamil Nadu.
“Hey, you are the guy huh?!? So Sunny boy I hear you are in Gaurav’s class?!”
Though I had no idea what the guy meant by “you are the guy” I just gave him the smile which I reserve for my irritating and embarrassing relatives. And from that day on I was christened as Sunny. The lunch was quite normal from then on and it seemed the guy Josh was friendly after all, in his own way!!
“So Sunny have you really thought it through?! You are gonna go for it?!”
Josh asked suddenly, I was totally lost and I guess it showed on my face, for Gaurav explained that I didn’t know it yet and that he found it ridiculous, a small argument broke out and Kavitha kept her head bowed without joining in on the argument and jus playing with her food without much interest in it. Aruna was backing Josh’s side of the argument while Kavitha kept on ignoring the whole heated argument. Suddenly Josh said,
“Don’t just sit there, what is your take on this kavi?!”
Kavitha still didn’t answer Josh’s question but kept her eyes closed. I was completely lost upon what is going on. After what seemed like ages, Kavitha spoke,
“Rules are rules, we can’t change that”
And that put an end to the argument, and everyone turned to face me, everyone except Kavitha. And Gaurav spoke,
“Sanjay, all four of us, me, Aruna, Josh and kavi we come from the same school, and back in our school we formed our group upon one thing which we shared common interest. Ghosts!!”
Kavitha looked up at me and her eyes were a bit moist, but before I could see it clearly, they were gone and then they all, the four friends explained me how they formed a group similar to a brotherhood and made a vow that any person who wanted to join their group have to go through a test of some kind to show their interest and courage in paranormal activities and how some have tried and many others have chickened out.
I was petrified to give any response to it, I felt transported to some R.L.Stine novel and no longer in a boring engineering in Chennai, the sunny pleasant day and a lovely afternoon lunch suddenly turned into a suffocating unknown place with me sitting with some people who are so casually explaining a kind of cult that they practice. It was a few minutes before I realized that Gaurav had stopped talking and they have been waiting for me to answer some question. I heard myself apologize and ask what is it that I have to answer.
“Dude! Are you in?! Will you go through it?!”
Josh asked me. And all I could see was Kavitha’s face, eager for my answer. She looked even more beautiful when she was tensed with beads of sweat on her forehead. I heard myself laugh and say,
“That’s no big deal; I myself am intrigued by paranormal activities. Count me in!!”
And looking at Kavitha’s relieved face I thought, I could tell a thousand more lies to keep that face happy. And everything was back to normal, Josh his usual sarcastic jovial self.
“That’s my Sunny boy!!”
Aruna and Gaurav were still bickering over the argument that’s long over. But all my eyes were for Kavi who looked more radiant after my words, and kept glancing at me all the time with a coy smile on her face.
The bell rang to indicate the end of the lunch hour. I felt a few days have passed in the last half hour!! And Kavitha stood up saying she had to go and ran off from the canteen leaving her half eaten lunch behind. And soon Gaurav and I finished eating and started off to our classes in the third floor in our block while Aruna and Josh made their way over to IT block.
Gaurav was unusually silent and just when I was about to ask why, I heard Kavitha’s voice from behind me,
“Sunny, can I have a word with you? Alone?”
Gaurav just grinned at Kavi and asked me to join him in the class and ran off. And Kavitha and I made our way to an empty class room and as soon as we were inside she started speaking in rapid Tamil, which was roughly translated as,
“I am so glad you are ok with it, to be honest I knew you would say so, come on Sanju, don’t say you didn’t feel the magic when we first met!! I feel I can understand you even before you do!! I know we share something more than friendship, a much deeper relationship!! And I knew you will say ok!! That’s why I brought this.”
And she gave me a back pack, I could hear things rattling inside, and she told me not to open it before going home and before I knew it, she kissed me on my lips and wished me luck and was off to her class, leaving me dumbstruck!!
Thursday, July 29, 2010
MY FIRST STORY- CHAPTER 2
“Your hormones were just playing a prank on you!!!”
I kept telling myself for the next few days. Whenever I bumped into Kavitha my eyes suddenly got interested in the barren walls and mango trees usually in the exact opposite direction and my heart kept betraying me, working extra hard to pump every last drop of blood to my face. The “HULK” turned out to be in my own department and turned out to be more of a “HAGRID” in person. Just after the long nap we enjoyed on our first day during the speech, he sought me out in class and introduced himself,
“Hey man!! Am Gaurav Sharma, mere dosth mujae Gaurav bulathaen! Aur thum?”
And after the usual few minutes of embarrassing silence due to lack of topic we got on quite well. I took in his appearance clearly only then, he was much more gigantic when up close, about 6’2” tall and had a fair complexion. But he had a face of a boy, clean and smooth as the moon with no hint of manhood!! And soon we were to be found sharing the same bench. Though he was from Delhi he knew reasonable Tamil. It was because, I later came to know, he had done his schooling for the last few years in Chennai.
It wasn’t till a month later that Gaurav asked me to join his friends for lunch at the canteen. And the simple fact that I was to have lunch with the girl who had disturbed my hormonal balance so easily, made my insides squirm, as if I had gulped down a few snakes!! I toyed with the idea of denying the offer, but something within me made me never to utter a word against it.
As the clock clicked towards the twelfth hour I felt myself unusually nervous. I kept checking my watch every few minutes and Gaurav was cool sitting next to me smirking at my childish nervousness. When the clock struck twelve, as usual, we were treated to another quarter hour of the droning subject, our professor enjoying every groan and sigh from the students. And we made our way to the canteen fifteen minutes after the other department students had.
When we entered the canteen Gaurav excused himself to get his plate of north Indian dishes with the ghee rich parathas and tandoori chicken. Brought up amidst staunch Brahmins, and used to people who cringe their noses even at the mention of non- vegetarian foods, I have developed a natural aversion towards it. Though I secretly enjoy the smell of heavy spices and hot gravy that always accompanied these dishes! I went and punished myself with the dishes which were supposed to be called the vegetarian food with half baked potatoes and watery solution named rasam!
“ Hi! enna nyabagam irukka?! Hope you do remember?”
Kavitha’s jovial sarcastic voice startled me from behind. I dropped the cup of sambar I was collecting and cursing myself for letting me be startled that way, I turned around giving my radiant I-made-myself-embarrassed-yet-again smile, and gave a stupid repartee. Gosh! Why can’t I be cool around this girl I cursed myself yet again for the millionth time!! And we made our way to the table.
I saw Gaurav sitting there talking to a lean girl in rapid Hindi. They were talking seriously, munching on their chicken, and stopped suddenly as soon as they saw me and Kavitha walking towards them. They could go on talking for days with me sitting next to them and I still won’t get even an inkling of what they were talking, for my knowledge in Hindi was as bad as that of the English knowledge of our college professors!!
When I took my seat opposite to Gaurav and started on my lunch after a formal intro with the Hindi girl who was introduced as Aruna Jaitley (shortly Aruna). She had the figure of a girl who could make any guy’s head spin. I was astounded why she would choose engineering when she could have easily tried her hand at modeling!! She was tall, had an angular face with protruding cheekbones and dimples when she smiled, which was quite cute. I surprised myself by having an embarrassment free conversation by consciously keeping it away from the girl sitting next to me.
My god!! I thought, I am too old for this butterflies-in-stomach kind of crushes!!
After a few minutes I heard Aruna say,
“Are yar! I never thought I would meet a down to earth Brahmin other than Kavi!! You don’t mind sitting next to non-veg eaters huh?!?”
Being a bad receiver of compliments for as long as I can remember, never being able to decide on an apt reply for it, I just smiled away the compliment that I had received often. I actually am enjoying the smell I told within myself.
Everything was quite fine until I heard a voice behind me say in a perfect American accent
“Who s this crap in ma seat? Been replaced already huh?!?!”
I kept telling myself for the next few days. Whenever I bumped into Kavitha my eyes suddenly got interested in the barren walls and mango trees usually in the exact opposite direction and my heart kept betraying me, working extra hard to pump every last drop of blood to my face. The “HULK” turned out to be in my own department and turned out to be more of a “HAGRID” in person. Just after the long nap we enjoyed on our first day during the speech, he sought me out in class and introduced himself,
“Hey man!! Am Gaurav Sharma, mere dosth mujae Gaurav bulathaen! Aur thum?”
And after the usual few minutes of embarrassing silence due to lack of topic we got on quite well. I took in his appearance clearly only then, he was much more gigantic when up close, about 6’2” tall and had a fair complexion. But he had a face of a boy, clean and smooth as the moon with no hint of manhood!! And soon we were to be found sharing the same bench. Though he was from Delhi he knew reasonable Tamil. It was because, I later came to know, he had done his schooling for the last few years in Chennai.
It wasn’t till a month later that Gaurav asked me to join his friends for lunch at the canteen. And the simple fact that I was to have lunch with the girl who had disturbed my hormonal balance so easily, made my insides squirm, as if I had gulped down a few snakes!! I toyed with the idea of denying the offer, but something within me made me never to utter a word against it.
As the clock clicked towards the twelfth hour I felt myself unusually nervous. I kept checking my watch every few minutes and Gaurav was cool sitting next to me smirking at my childish nervousness. When the clock struck twelve, as usual, we were treated to another quarter hour of the droning subject, our professor enjoying every groan and sigh from the students. And we made our way to the canteen fifteen minutes after the other department students had.
When we entered the canteen Gaurav excused himself to get his plate of north Indian dishes with the ghee rich parathas and tandoori chicken. Brought up amidst staunch Brahmins, and used to people who cringe their noses even at the mention of non- vegetarian foods, I have developed a natural aversion towards it. Though I secretly enjoy the smell of heavy spices and hot gravy that always accompanied these dishes! I went and punished myself with the dishes which were supposed to be called the vegetarian food with half baked potatoes and watery solution named rasam!
“ Hi! enna nyabagam irukka?! Hope you do remember?”
Kavitha’s jovial sarcastic voice startled me from behind. I dropped the cup of sambar I was collecting and cursing myself for letting me be startled that way, I turned around giving my radiant I-made-myself-embarrassed-yet-again smile, and gave a stupid repartee. Gosh! Why can’t I be cool around this girl I cursed myself yet again for the millionth time!! And we made our way to the table.
I saw Gaurav sitting there talking to a lean girl in rapid Hindi. They were talking seriously, munching on their chicken, and stopped suddenly as soon as they saw me and Kavitha walking towards them. They could go on talking for days with me sitting next to them and I still won’t get even an inkling of what they were talking, for my knowledge in Hindi was as bad as that of the English knowledge of our college professors!!
When I took my seat opposite to Gaurav and started on my lunch after a formal intro with the Hindi girl who was introduced as Aruna Jaitley (shortly Aruna). She had the figure of a girl who could make any guy’s head spin. I was astounded why she would choose engineering when she could have easily tried her hand at modeling!! She was tall, had an angular face with protruding cheekbones and dimples when she smiled, which was quite cute. I surprised myself by having an embarrassment free conversation by consciously keeping it away from the girl sitting next to me.
My god!! I thought, I am too old for this butterflies-in-stomach kind of crushes!!
After a few minutes I heard Aruna say,
“Are yar! I never thought I would meet a down to earth Brahmin other than Kavi!! You don’t mind sitting next to non-veg eaters huh?!?”
Being a bad receiver of compliments for as long as I can remember, never being able to decide on an apt reply for it, I just smiled away the compliment that I had received often. I actually am enjoying the smell I told within myself.
Everything was quite fine until I heard a voice behind me say in a perfect American accent
“Who s this crap in ma seat? Been replaced already huh?!?!”
Sunday, July 25, 2010
MY FIRST STORY- CHAPTER 1
“Hey! Sanjay how are you man!?”
I turned instinctively, when I heard it, without realizing none of my friends have opted the same college as I did. And sure enough when I saw, I could see someone else had already responded to the call and the two guys walked away talking merrily. I wish I had at least one of my friends back from my school days. I wouldn’t mind even if it had been my arch rival!! It would have meant one less unfamiliar face.
Sorry, I haven’t introduced myself. I am Sanjay (and people call me so, no nicknames! Sorry! Though I always wished I had one!). I am the chosen one! For this god forsaken author has chosen me as the narrator! But for that you would rarely spare me a second glance. A typical Tamil guy, 5’11” tall, lean and dark (as are most of the Tamils!). I was just then entering the campus of my college, and it seemed I had reached the end of it! Well, there are hundreds of colleges in Chennai fitting this exact description so better not trouble your mind trying to place the college!!
I continued walking towards the auditorium repenting how I should have done better in my 12th board exams and escaped this excuse of a college. I reached the room which was supposed to be an auditorium, and sat in a corner as we were asked to. Slowly people started filing into the hall and as always, as the number of people increased the murmur slowly turned into fish market environment with loud welcomes and laughters. I was amazed how so many people were acquainted on the very first day of college!! I felt it would be ages before I made friends owing to my shyness factor!!
“Excuse me? Inga yaaravadhu vara porangala?” a voice asked from behind me shaking me from my thoughts. I turned, a beautiful girl with waist length black hair was standing waiting for my reply. She again asked me if anyone was to occupy the chair next to me. I stammered and gave a reply. I must have said no because she sat next to me.
“Hi am Kavitha, Computer Science department and you are?”
I heard myself answering from a long distance telling her that I was Sanjay from Mechanical department. She started talking away in rapid Tamil, but I was too enthralled in her beauty to notice what she was talking to me. She could have even called me a few bad names and I would still not have noticed!! I was gazing at how her hair was silkily flowing in the slight breeze, and her fair face and beautiful eyes giving expression to her every word.
“En friends ingadhan vareannu sonnanga …. But they haven’t come yet…”
I heard her continue. But my ears were busy enjoying old melodies!! She had an air of a very charming person and a friendly nature.I felt like I was the hero of a typical tamil movie meeting the love of my life for the first time ( how many times have I made fun of those silly movies before!!!). Suddenly from behind me I heard
“Hey! Kavi come over there. Everyone is waiting for you yar!”
I was jolted back to my senses when saw the speaker. What a sight!! He was no taller than me, may be a couple inches more but had the body of an average heavy weight!! Powerful biceps were showing out his tight shirt, fulfilling its owner’s wish. A few girls were already whispering behind their hands and giggling, undoubtedly talking about the new hunk of the college!! And Kavitha stood up and said
“Coming Gaurav”
and gave the usual formal goodbye with the ‘see you around’s and ‘take care’s etc and started walking away with the “hulk”, towards her friends leaving me in a trance!!
I turned instinctively, when I heard it, without realizing none of my friends have opted the same college as I did. And sure enough when I saw, I could see someone else had already responded to the call and the two guys walked away talking merrily. I wish I had at least one of my friends back from my school days. I wouldn’t mind even if it had been my arch rival!! It would have meant one less unfamiliar face.
Sorry, I haven’t introduced myself. I am Sanjay (and people call me so, no nicknames! Sorry! Though I always wished I had one!). I am the chosen one! For this god forsaken author has chosen me as the narrator! But for that you would rarely spare me a second glance. A typical Tamil guy, 5’11” tall, lean and dark (as are most of the Tamils!). I was just then entering the campus of my college, and it seemed I had reached the end of it! Well, there are hundreds of colleges in Chennai fitting this exact description so better not trouble your mind trying to place the college!!
I continued walking towards the auditorium repenting how I should have done better in my 12th board exams and escaped this excuse of a college. I reached the room which was supposed to be an auditorium, and sat in a corner as we were asked to. Slowly people started filing into the hall and as always, as the number of people increased the murmur slowly turned into fish market environment with loud welcomes and laughters. I was amazed how so many people were acquainted on the very first day of college!! I felt it would be ages before I made friends owing to my shyness factor!!
“Excuse me? Inga yaaravadhu vara porangala?” a voice asked from behind me shaking me from my thoughts. I turned, a beautiful girl with waist length black hair was standing waiting for my reply. She again asked me if anyone was to occupy the chair next to me. I stammered and gave a reply. I must have said no because she sat next to me.
“Hi am Kavitha, Computer Science department and you are?”
I heard myself answering from a long distance telling her that I was Sanjay from Mechanical department. She started talking away in rapid Tamil, but I was too enthralled in her beauty to notice what she was talking to me. She could have even called me a few bad names and I would still not have noticed!! I was gazing at how her hair was silkily flowing in the slight breeze, and her fair face and beautiful eyes giving expression to her every word.
“En friends ingadhan vareannu sonnanga …. But they haven’t come yet…”
I heard her continue. But my ears were busy enjoying old melodies!! She had an air of a very charming person and a friendly nature.I felt like I was the hero of a typical tamil movie meeting the love of my life for the first time ( how many times have I made fun of those silly movies before!!!). Suddenly from behind me I heard
“Hey! Kavi come over there. Everyone is waiting for you yar!”
I was jolted back to my senses when saw the speaker. What a sight!! He was no taller than me, may be a couple inches more but had the body of an average heavy weight!! Powerful biceps were showing out his tight shirt, fulfilling its owner’s wish. A few girls were already whispering behind their hands and giggling, undoubtedly talking about the new hunk of the college!! And Kavitha stood up and said
“Coming Gaurav”
and gave the usual formal goodbye with the ‘see you around’s and ‘take care’s etc and started walking away with the “hulk”, towards her friends leaving me in a trance!!
Thursday, July 22, 2010
MY FIRST STORY- THE INTRODUCTION!!
The crescent moon was intermittently shining high up in the sky and the owls were my only companions while I made my way through the dirt road that was almost non-existent under the pale moon light. The dead of the night had an eerie engulfing sensation all around me. I was in a state of reverie thinking about how I have landed here walking towards an unknown place, where my friends wait for me, hopefully.
I again tried to switch on my cell phone, but in vain. It died about an hour ago. Hoping that the place would be decent enough to have a few sockets, I remembered Josh’s words, “just a few kilometers away from the bustling road”. But in the middle of the night and in an unknown place, as everyone feels, I felt I had walked about ten miles or even more!! It was amazing to think I was just about a 100 km from my home town, Chennai. Musing over the thought how thindivanam had always been reasonably cheerful in day light I picked my way through the road with fields of paddy on my right and a small stream on my left, which fed the fields. It was then I realized that this place was neither here nor there for it was in the outskirts of thindivanam, a small village, I couldn’t even remember well and had to deal with the cranky conductor when I stammered on the name and gave some other. I felt beaten after the wearisome travel and the heavy baggage I was carrying. The board was much heavier than I had thought.
There at a distance I saw the lights from a bungalow, which didn’t fit the description I had in mind at all, but I knew it was the right one for I saw Josh and Aruna waving to me from the terrace. I continued walking towards it thinking about how it all started ….
I again tried to switch on my cell phone, but in vain. It died about an hour ago. Hoping that the place would be decent enough to have a few sockets, I remembered Josh’s words, “just a few kilometers away from the bustling road”. But in the middle of the night and in an unknown place, as everyone feels, I felt I had walked about ten miles or even more!! It was amazing to think I was just about a 100 km from my home town, Chennai. Musing over the thought how thindivanam had always been reasonably cheerful in day light I picked my way through the road with fields of paddy on my right and a small stream on my left, which fed the fields. It was then I realized that this place was neither here nor there for it was in the outskirts of thindivanam, a small village, I couldn’t even remember well and had to deal with the cranky conductor when I stammered on the name and gave some other. I felt beaten after the wearisome travel and the heavy baggage I was carrying. The board was much heavier than I had thought.
There at a distance I saw the lights from a bungalow, which didn’t fit the description I had in mind at all, but I knew it was the right one for I saw Josh and Aruna waving to me from the terrace. I continued walking towards it thinking about how it all started ….
Monday, July 5, 2010
get started
"what in the world am i doing?" we ask that to ourselves when we first try out something new... when you come to think of it the moment we are born each one of us start to try everything new.. new to breath outside our mom's womb... new to look at the world... everything from then on is new...
why.. even when we get something new for ourselves or our loved ones we are so excited... but why as time goes on we feel hesitant to try our hands at new things?!?! why?? its because we are afraid we may make a fool of ourselves.. but why this partiality about getting and doing new things... a company has to try new designs, a chef has to try new variations to dishes.... we enjoy when they serve us by trying new... so should we... isn't it??!
think!! how many passions each one of us have..?? and how many do we pursue??!! probably none!!
why deprive ourselves of the million opportunities that the world has in store for us for every second we live?!?! for every decision we make?!?!? give yourself a chance!!! give that innocent child who died within you long ago fearing the society!!! come out and feel the fresh air!!
think about it... well i thought about it and the result is this blog!! dunno if i ll strike gold with it... but ll keep trying...
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