Unscramble this

Your challenge:

Unscramble the letters to make logical words AND then un-jumble the words to make a sensible sentence 🙂

 

 

eth   msae   jtsu   uyo   kolo !

 

(I was typing this recently and realised it was a huge typo 🙂 but might make an interesting non-post 😉 )

Cheers guys and girls!!

x

(P.S: As soon as I hit ‘publish’, three people managed to unscramble this in 3 seconds flat.. so after that I enabled comment moderation AND shuffled the words about too, to make it a little difficult. Let’s see who can take up the challenge now!!!)

Breaking news again – 55er

  This post has been published by me as a team member of Tiger Trails Team for the SUPER 4 round of Bloggers Premier League (BPL) – The first ever unique, elite team blogging event in the history of blogging world. To catch the BPL action and also be part of future editions and other contests, visit and register at Cafe GingerChai

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.

..

The first call was at 4:00 am. Within an hour, every reporter worth his salt had arrived.

The chief doctor emerged, nervous.

‘Sir, this is BREAKING NEWS?’
‘Matter of national importance…..’
‘….Our right to information’

‘Do you realise We are THE MEDIA!’ 

The mob threatened dangerously.

‘Okay!’ the doctor relented.

‘Its a boy. bABy Bacchhan’

———————–

P.S. The above topic was: Comic/Power of media (I have tried to combine the two, and write a comic 55-er on power of media :-))

DO READ OUR BREATHTAKINGLY IMPRESSIVE E-MAGAZINE HERE (so much for modesty 😉 )

Debosmita’s in-depth article on the Bhopal Gas Tragedy
http://debosmita.wordpress.com/2010/06/28/cover-story/

Sudhakar’s racy account of ‘The Domestic Olympics’
http://idlivadasambar.wordpress.com/2010/06/28/the-domestic-olympics/

Sudhakar’s intriguing thriller (crime fiction)
http://idlivadasambar.wordpress.com/2010/06/28/the-garage-door/

Neha’s unique limerick on Indian politics,
http://www.nehasilam.com/2010/06/future-not-so-bright.html

Pallavi’s quick comic/55-er on power of media
https://writerzblock.wordpress.com/2010/06/27/breaking-news-again/

Saurabh’s hilarious interview.. one of its own kind
http://stuffilearnttoday.blogspot.com/2010/06/mere-pass-maa-ka-interview-hai.html

Rashmi’s interesting travel journal – City City Bang Bang
http://hungrypiranha.blogspot.com/

Kanagu’s analysis of Print Versus Electronic media
http://kanaguonline.wordpress.com/

P.S: This AWESOME magazine cover has been designed by our Tiger Sudhakar 🙂

Shadow Child – book review

There have been so many posts on ‘love and its various forms’ in recent times. I wrote about it here and more recently here, when I said people must not use ‘gay’ as a swear word. Well, in theory, being gay is as normal as being straight.

When I picked up this book – SHADOW CHILD – from my local library, I thought it would just make a quick weekend read.

I was slightly wrong.

It was a quick read for sure. Weekend material too. But I wouldn’t brand it chick-lit or anything frivolous.

In fact it left quite an impression!

Here is the synopsis from Waterstones.

‘…There is no right way to deal with the loss of a beloved son. Marion and Tom are doing their dignified best, but their own relationship is taking a battering. So when a fierce, strange woman turns up and demands to see the dead boy, Marion is almost glad of the distraction. Against Tom’s wishes, she determines to find out more about her son’s life away from home. The quest takes her out of her comfortable, conventional world to a shabby office in East London, and a series of shocks…’

This is the story of Marion, whose son dies all of a sudden, soon after which she gets to know about his shocking secret. A secret that changes the course of her life.

But in the process, it also opens up her mind – from a society where ‘love’ is clearly defined to ‘acceptance’ of other uncommon forms of love. It opens her heart and home to a woman she would have normally scorned or avoided like the plague.

It deals with lesbian couples and their relationship. And how an average person cannot comprehend this sort of love, and sexual relationship. Most importantly, the story does not try to ‘change’ the lesbian couple into a ‘normal’ one. Nor does it try to bring about a radical change in the mindset of the ‘normal’ couple. They live, each to themselves, in an extremely mature equation, managing to give due respect to each other, for whatever they are!!

I cannot reveal any more in this space, as it would spoil your experience of reading the book (if you do intend to read it, that is!!)

I liked the way Libby Purves has dealt with the grief of the parents, over their lost child. Venting of grief takes various forms.. sometimes it is by way of yelling, crying, and sometimes just silence. Silence so loud, it can be deafening!!

The author has handled the fragile relationship between the husband and wife. Trust, suspicion, sorrow, love… it is a roller coaster ride, typical of any relation, and the author has done a very good job of this.

But most of all, I loved the way the mother finally finds her peace.

And to think that the author herself had lost her son a couple of years ago.. it was quite heart-wrenching.

I think it is people like these who are the real heroes. Normal, ordinary, common folks, who survive the greatest sorrows that life throws at them.

Quite simply, I liked ‘Shadow Child’. Am afraid my review does not do this book justice!

Would it suffice to say I would give this 3.5 on 5?

Birthday-e-bash and more

The week started in a very uneventful manner. Until I logged into Facebook. The walls were flooded with ‘Birthday Wishes’ to our very sweet and popular blogger Swaram. Messages were pouring into Swaram’s profile 🙂 and when Masood said ‘this is a social event’ we realised the event deserved enough coverage 🙂 Then Uma suggested Swaram start an ‘event’. And before the birthday girl could think twice, I started the Event on her behalf 🙂 with this note:

Guys/Girls,
I have butterflies in my stomach as I invite you to attend the glitzy (er, is that a word?) event of our very dear Swaram’s birthday party 🙂 Do come and leave some words behind, esp if you can pull her leg or reveal some interesting secrets or anecdotes 😉 Even otherwise, do come 🙂
From:
All her friends from Blogworld
P.S: Feel free to gate-crash 🙂

And guess what? Within an hour, we had 28 ‘confirmed guests’! Deeps, Vichu, Baisali, Pixie, Uma, PnA, Monu, Padma, Sagarika, Any Excuse to Write, Iya, Ashwini, Trishna, Nupur, Nancy, Rakesh, ChatterBox, Saritha, IHM, Rakesh, Indy, Supriya, Meira and Masood….

It was a rocking party.. Swaram’s birthday wishes and post on her blog spread a lot of excitement around. Guests started pouring in questions, and it was fun to see Swaram answering all of them.

First was a boring question from me: If you were stranded on an island, and had to choose ONE Man to accompany you, who would it be? Please refrain from mentioning names of spouse/parents/siblings/children 🙂

Swaram’s answer: Rahul Dravid

Uma spiced up things a bit with her question: ‘Where would you like to go for your Second Honeymoon ? Why ?’
Swaram’s answer: ‘Mt Everest’
Meira’s response: ‘She said Honeymoon not Pilgrimage, Swathi’
The rest is censored, folks 😉

Rakesh’s san-sani question: ‘Interview Question: Finally all the blogging and commenting paid off when you got the Most Responsive Blogger Award by public voting. How would you have felt if Hitch would’ve got the award instead? 😛 Honest Answer Please!!!’
Swaram: ‘Vimmuuu won it he he he ;)’
Rakesh, however, was not one to take a beating. He persisted with ‘But swar, how did you feel when Vimmu won it and not you? Did you feel like counting all the comments that you’ve posted and showing statistics to the world, how you should’ve won?’
Swaram very diplomatically replied ‘Err he called me and wished me today .. so, no comments ;)’

Meira wanted to know ‘My question: Swaram, Who has presented you with the worst birthday
gift so far??? as it goes…HONEST answer. No diplomatic answers/no for an answer accepted’
The answer was rather anti-climax 😉 ‘ribbons…school ribbons’.

Rakesh bombarded the event with one more question ‘What is the 1 thing that you really want, you’re really praying for, your husband to do for you today without you telling him to? And no, Don’t say – I’d like him to put the toilet seat up before… he he’

The birthday girl – true blooded Venetian – replied ‘That he does not watch Wimbledon or football today and devotes all his time to me ahem ;)’

IHM asked (intelligently, as always): ‘How does it feel, Swaram, to be born on the longest day on the year (21 June) – so you can have the longest birthday? :)’
Swaram: LOL … gives ppl more time to give me some birthday bumps 😛 😛 😛

Pixie threw a tiny bombshell with ‘My question – Whose wishes did you NOT expect?!’
Swaram diplomatically said :’Time pass .. she is a blogger too 🙂 Never thot she wud send such a personal mail @ that 😀 😀  That very much means I expected all ur wishes 😛 :P’

Sumita: If you could have 3 wishes granted, what would they be? 😀
Hmmmm … that I cn get my grandma bk 😛 😛
I want a vacation to Venice soooooon
Another one .. ice-creams and cakes and chocolates go calorie-free 😛

Well Swaram, we all hope you get your second two wishes as soon as possible 🙂

Deeps Perceptions: Ok heres’ an easy one for you, Swar.. whats the whackiest funniest crackiest joke you’ve ever heard which makes you laugh like crazy even today?? C’mon humour us now!
Swathi Ram Hee hee hee that I am good girl 😛 😛
Deeps Perceptions- seriously,swar..u think thats the funniest joke you’ve heard?? c’mon think hard and give us some real laughs!
Deeps Perceptions- that I asked you to ‘think hard’ can still be considered funnier since you hardly think… bhagooooooo!

Monu: ok what is the weirdest bday wish or present

Now, FB did not allow me to see this answer 😦

Uma’s simple question ‘I’ve one more…Which birthdays were the best for you – the ones before marriage or after marriage ???? u have ever got?’
set a ball rolling in a very interesting direction 😉

Miss Diplomacy replied: ‘After marriage and blogging .. bcoz with parents n family, I nw hv the husband and u guys too 😉 ;)’

Unfortunately the rest of this thread cannot be posted in a public space 😉

Meira got us all laughing with this post: ‘Since the birthday girl is busy, lets all share our hilarious moments with her….
I’l go first. She read my post on my parents’ anniversary and went ahead and wished her parents a ‘happy anniversary’ instead of a ‘happy journey’ :D’

Unfortunately, just when Swaram started opening up with spicy details of ‘Chins’ and ‘Muns’ Facebook had the audacity to Block her from writing on walls!!! This was her farewell post:  ‘FB tells me that I am posting lots of comments and that too very fast…its asking me to enter test code to confirm identity… *rolling my eyes* …this is bad…FB can outcast me like this…‘

So well, the e-party had to end early!!

But yes, we had a GREAT time 🙂

Oh, and now for the BIG ANNOUNCEMENT.

Winner of the prestigious ‘Best Interviewer’ trophy. While many of the questions were excellent, we felt the trophy should go to this very persistent interviewer… none other than .. Rakesh!! So congrats, Rakesh! (Hope I got your blog link right!!) Here is your trophy:

Signing off for now, but looking forward to the next e-Party soon 🙂

Cheers all around people!!!

Princess of the Dark wins…

Folks,

Thank you so much, for your kind(est) comments, feedback and support for my earlier piece of Fiction: ‘Princess of the Dark’.

This post was chosen by the BPL Judges as best in that particular category (i.e. Fiction on child of a prostitute).

Thanks to my dear friends and to BPL.

This time however, there is a dark cloud that shadows the ‘thrill’ of winning. It is a shadow formed by sympathy for children who are subjected to horrendous forms of abuse and who LOSE their childhood itself, in the process. And something else that also contributes to the ‘shadow’ is a vague feeling of guilt. I do hope that some day, I will do something for such children.

Until the next post… TTFN (Ta Ta For Now)

-Pal

Of Faking News, Rahul Baba, Dalits and Gays..

I have been a huge fan of Faking News since its inception. But this latest post was in poor taste. And the jokes that readers cracked on this were deplorable.

This is the post I am referring to:

Faking News:

Rahul Gandhi turns 40 today. Let’s celebrateRahul Gandhi will turn _______ next year
option 1:41
option 2:Prime Minister
option 3:Dalit
option 4:FN Reporter
option 5:Papa

Now, this is actually quite funny 🙂 As of now, 187 people ‘Like’ this and there are 73 comments!

Unfortunately, most of the comments were in such poor taste. Can you guess what most of the comments are?

Rahul Gandhi is ‘gay’, turns ‘Dalit’, ‘becomes Papa of a Dalit’… one guy even said ‘will be assasinated’. Another said ‘a kick out of this country’.

Is any of that even remotely funny?

1) Being Gay

For one, how does it change things if Rahul Gandhi IS indeed gay?!! (Other than the fact that many young girls would be broken-hearted 😉 )

We talk of being educated and broad-minded, and then we promptly try to ‘insult’ someone by ‘calling him gay’! Being ‘gay’ is not abnormal. It is simply, an alternate state of normalcy! (Thanks to my friend Megha, who worded that for me 🙂 ) Our notions of love and rules are etched so deep in our minds, that anything beyond unwritten societal norms is disparaged and degraded. And this is what I had mentioned in my earlier post too.

I don’t think the people who call Rahul Gandhi ‘gay’ have anything against him ‘actually being gay’. I think these people just believe ‘gay’ is a ‘swear word’. And that is what irks me. If this is the mindset of the average educated middle class bloke, then GOD SAVE OUR COUNTRY.

2) Courting Dalits

Second, so what if Rahul ‘baba’ is courting Dalits? Isn’t every other politician attempting to do the same? Or something similar? If its not Dalits, its some other Minority community. I am confused about why this is so ‘unusually’ wrong.

Indian Politics, as we know, is a thriving business. And this business has its foundations on ‘Vote banks’. Now either we believe that there are indeed ‘good and honest’ politicians who get their votes because of their noble deeds. Or we accept the fact that politicians survive because of the vote bank. Either way, every politician courts the ‘aam junta’ in some way or the other.

3) ‘Papa’

Now, I know this is the ‘Fathers Day’ weekend. But really! This was in deplorable taste.

Some people have actually answered ‘papa of dalit’. I found this simply disgusting. Again, this is a clear reflection on the commentator, rather than on the person he is referring to. To me, it shows that he has sex on his mind. And perversion too.

Now, if I had to vote for a PM and my choices were ‘Dalit-courting-Rahul-Gandhi’ OR ‘sex-obsessed-commentator’, I think I will actually go for Option 1.

———–

Now now, I am not a ‘fan’ of Rahul Gandhi. (Though, he looks chocolatey cute 😉 *drools* )

IMHO, he does not seem capable enough to be PM, atleast so soon. I remmeber reading on another blog, quite some time back, of how the blogger actually met Rahul Gandhi, and the latter just seemed so over-whelmed, had no idea of how to handle the issue and merely deflected it, more often than not, to the wrong department!!

But my point here is, if we believe Rahul Gandhi is unfit, then call the bloke ‘inefficient, unwise, immature.. whatever suits’ but certainly not ‘gay’, ‘dalit’ or ‘papa of dalit’. Now, THAT is just in very bad taste.

And yes, if it came to it, I will choose Option 2 – Rahul becomes PM. If we believe that all politicians are corrupt and useless puppets in any case, then why not give a chance to someone who seems educated and is atleast presentable!!

I guess a lot of people who read Faking News are ‘inspired’ to be funny too. Sadly, such jokes sometimes go haywire.

Princess of the Dark

This post has been published by me as a team member of Tiger Trails Team for the SUPER 5 round of Bloggers Premier League (BPL) – The first ever unique, elite team blogging event in the history of blogging world. To catch the BPL action and also be part of future editions and other contests, visit and register at Cafe GingerChai

—————–

 

 

The secret diary of a little girl who sometimes believed she could be a Princess too..

01-Jun-10

I watched through the corner of my eye, as the ‘Princess’ distributed her birthday invites in the class. I had heard how the last year’s party was themed on ‘Treasure Island’. I wondered what it would be this year. Hmmm.. And yes, all the girls received their invites and were giggling excitedly all day long. Only three boys were invited, and even they were whispering about the party during classes. Phsaw! As if a birthday party was such a big event after all. It is silly!

02-Jun-10

Math class. I muddled with my numbers as usual. I honestly do not understand why we need to learn Trigonometry?! I mean, does anybody even use it? What a waste of time. Everybody laughed when I couldn’t answer the question. But then! Who cares? This isn’t what I want to pursue in Life! I want to be a dancer. A ‘famous’ one. Mummy says I will be ‘popular with clients’.

I think what she means is ‘Famous with a lot of fans’. She isn’t very educated, you see. She has not studied much, so she says she cannot even find a regular day-job like the Mummies of my classmates. So she works from home.

03-Jun-10

Gosh! Anu has been struck with chicken pox. The entire class is afraid now. Mummy says I had not been vaccinated against it when I was a baby. I asked her ‘Why?’. ‘None of your business!’ she retorted sharply.

The girls in my class say they have had the vaccination, but it could still strike them. And then, their face would be covered with dark spots and it would look awful at Rhea’s birthday party. Personally, I couldn’t have asked for more 😉 They deserve this, all of them. And guess what? The theme is ‘Disney Princesses’. Isn’t that silly? I think they are way too old to be ‘Princesses’. Nevertheless, I guess it is quite interesting.

04-Jun-10

It is official. Five girls are down with the pox now. Today is Friday, and the hot topic was ‘will the birthday party be called off?’ Not that it matters much to me, but I wouldn’t be too sad if it is 😉 After all, I wasn’t invited.

Mummy says I need to learn dancing. I am excited, of course. I really want to learn ballet. But she wants to teach me Salsa, as it is a very ‘in thing’. I wonder why! She said in her days, she used to do some other weird-sounding stuff called ‘mujra’. I don’t think I have a choice, anyway, but yes, I would be very happy to dance 🙂

05-Jun-10

My first dance class lasted about an hour. And boy! My body aches a little. I did not like the way my teacher kept sliding his hands down my back and breathing into my face! He needs a mouthwash! *Giggles* But Mummy says I need to master salsa, as it is very popular. Well then, I will do it!

I’m a big girl now, I turn 12 this month end, you know? The strange thing is, I share my birthday with ‘Princess Rhea’.

My classmates do not know this, but I am going to have a ‘private’ party too!

I cannot invite them, though. Mummy says they won’t come. When I asked ‘Why ever not?’ she laughed and said ‘Because they think I’m ‘dangerous’’. I have never heard anyone say so, in the last four schools that I have been to! Mummy is just beautiful, not ‘dangerous’!

It is a pity though, that she does not allow me to invite my friends home. They do not invite me either. The only people who come to my home are the other pretty Aunties and fat Uncles who smile inanely at me before Mummy shoos me off to my little room in the attic.

 

06-Jun-10

My body aches very slightly, from the dance. But my teacher says I’m a natural!! I don’t like the look of him, though.

Nevertheless, Mummy is so happy she has bought me a new salwar kameez for my birthday next week. It is a peacock blue, with red chiffon dupatta – and it is studded with little diamonds. She says it is befitting of a ‘Princess’ like me. She says I can wear this on Friday night, for the movie.

Didn’t I tell you about the movie thing? Mummy has booked a ‘private box’ for us, to celebrate my birthday! She, me and the new Uncle. Just the three of us. There’s going to be a huge pack of butter popcorn, chocolate cake slices, buttery sweet corn, and Pepsi 🙂

I love Mummy. And do you know a secret? ‘Mummy’ is actually my mum’s sister. I never knew my mum. My real one, I mean. She died when I was really young. But this Mummy looks after me like a Princess 🙂 You know, I go to one of the best schools here. Mummy works so hard for me.

But she says ‘Darling, you are a worth-while investment’. I love it when she calls me ‘Darling’.

I do not like the dark streets where we live. I feel a little scared sometimes. Especially when the men try to grab my hand as I rush past them, on my way to the bus-stop.

Mummy is so beautiful. But most of the men on the street call ‘me’ princess instead. They need to check their spectacles properly!!

I think I am just an ‘Ugly Duckling’ 😦 But then, Mummy says I am becoming very beautiful these days. And that everything is going to change soon 🙂

I am so lucky to have her!

07-Jun-10

Boy oh boy! I hate Mondays!! Math, History, Science… gets me, really! The only subject I like is English. I think I will be a famous writer when I grow up. I might just write about Princesses 🙂

Mummy says if I am a ‘good girl’ on Friday, the new Uncle has promised to buy me a new pink laptop. Woo hoo!

Oh, and there’s some spicy news. Something I have been secretly pleased about all day. ‘Princess’ Rhea’s birthday party may not take place after all!! Nine of the girls are now down with the Pox, and everyone else is worried they will ‘catch it’ too. Well, I, for one, am not affected, as I will have my private party anyway 🙂

08-Jun-10

Guess what? Guess, guess, guess!!!!

I got invited to Princess Rhea’s birthday party!!! ‘Come if you like’, she shrugged as she said it. But she really wants me to come, I know. Even though she ignores me during classes and even in the canteen, she still wants to be my friend 🙂 I am so excited. I need to buy a nice BIG gift for her.

I know, once she gets to know the real me, we will become best friends, after all.

Mummy has so many friends! The women are in awe of her, and the men really admire her. I want to be just like her!

09-Jun-10

Dance practice has started during the week days too! It is tough. And it leaves me no time for my home-work. But it makes Mummy happy. Mummy says, if I am a ‘good girl’ on Friday, she will give me LOTS of money to buy a huge gift for Rhea. Mummy will buy us both a big box of ‘foreign’ cosmetics. The new Uncle is returning from Singapore tomorrow night, and she will ask him to bring it from there.

Gosh! Whoever thought all this would happen!! Usually, nobody talks to me at school. Except Ramu anna, of course. But then, he is the canteen boy, so when I ask him for something that isn’t on the menu, he has to reply 😉

Anyway, now, here I am – a proud ‘invitee’ to the Princess’s party…. excited owner of a bejewelled chiffon dress. And the happy would-be owner of a big foreign cosmetics case 🙂

I feel like a Princess myself 😉

10-Jun-10

School was so much fun today. I was allowed to have lunch at the same table with the Princess and her friends. They didn’t talk much to me, but all the same, they didn’t ignore me either. So that’s a really good sign. They have all bought gifts for Rhea.

I have decided to keep mine a secret. I will stun them on the day 🙂 Mummy says she will find out if Uncle can drop me at Rhea’s party on Sunday and even bring me back in his luxury car!

By the way, something interesting happened at school today. There is a new subject called ‘Sex education’. It was so yuck! I can’t believe men and women do ‘that’! The boys were smirking right through the class. Many of the girls covered their mouth and giggled. I copied them. But I thought it was all really gross.

When I told Mummy, she just laughed and said ‘You’re a big girl now. It’s time for you to know, anyway!’

11-Jun-10 – am

EXCITED! Today’s my big day. I’m off to school now, but Mummy says she will send the car to fetch me at noon itself. She has planned to take me to the ‘Spa’ 🙂 I am so lucky, aren’t I? I bet even Princess Rhea doesn’t get pampered so by her handsome Dad! He’s a film star, by the way. Did I mention that before? And he has some really cool friends, and they have really cool cars and all that. They are all supposed to be ‘shooting’ for a film in Singapore this week. It seems he has actually flown back in his private luxury jet last night, just in time for her birthday party! How awesome is that!!

 11-Jun-10 – noon

No time!! Got to rush!! Off to the Spa now. Then I have to deck up in my gorgeous new outfit. And head to the cinema from there. Mummy did not mention which movie it is. I bet it is the new Hritik Roshan one. She knows how much I adore him!! Oooh, I am so excited!! Mummy reminded me twice that I must impress Uncle today! ‘Make him happy, and our life will change forever’! Ofcourse I will. My poor Mummy. She is so stressed with taking care of all of us. I will be ‘a good girl’ tonight. I promise!!

11-Jun-10 – pm

No entry.

12-Jun-10

No entry.

13-Jun-10

‘Happy Birthday to me’. I did not go to Princess Rhea’s birthday party. I feel sore. Every time I try to get out of bed, I feel like throwing up.

 14-Jun-10

No entry.

15-Jun-10

I am still bleeding.

Mummy says there is nothing to worry about. She wants me to get back to school and resume dance practice soon.

But it still hurts all over.. thighs.. lips…everything.

16-Jun-10

I did not go to school today either. I feel so Dirty!

Mummy is furious. She says I must have more respect for ‘our’ profession.

But I haven’t actually chosen my profession yet. Or have I?!!!

P.S: I do not feel like calling her ‘Mummy’ any more. Am I being ungrateful?

17-Jun-10

Mummy dragged me out of my bed today, and said I must ‘look after myself’. She says she cannot feed me for the rest of my Life. She says Uncle is going to visit this Friday too.

She says he is ‘our most desirable client’ and that I should be grateful that he flew back in his private jet to meet me last week.

I hate him. And his friends. And her.

I told her that. She just laughed. ‘Your mother said the same thing! Avoided my high-profile clients. And look where she landed. Contracted the disease and went to her grave. Atleast you have some sense. This is far more than you can ever dream of’.

For the first time in my life, I miss my real Mummy. If she were alive, she would have taken me far away from this hell.

Or….would she?!

Actually, I do not know any more.

18-Jun-10

Friday mid-night again. Did I tell you? ‘Uncle’ does look so much like Princess Rhea’s daddy. He looks old, from up close. He is bad at doing the Salsa. And he’s not so handsome, after all.

But he’s really very heavy. And rough. He hurts me so much. Even when I cry, he does not stop. It is very strange. The more I cry, the louder he seems to laugh.

He says I am delicious. That’s stupid, for a man his age. Only cakes or pastries can be called ‘delicious’. I cannot stop wondering how Princess Rhea’s birthday cake had tasted. Delicious???!!

I hear him promising his friends, that it will be their turn soon. They guffaw aloud. Mummy joins them. I want to die.

I have to go. He is calling for me again. ‘Stop hiding, my Princess of the Dark’.

 

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Do read posts of my fellow TIGERS, aka Team-mates, here:

Neha: http://www.nehasilam.com/2010/06/adult-education-english-lessons.html
Saurabh: http://stuffilearnttoday.blogspot.com/2010/06/12-commandments.html
Debs: http://debosmita.wordpress.com/2010/06/14/graduation-ceremony-fiction-55/
Debs again: http://debosmita.wordpress.com/2010/06/14/destinys-child/
Sudhakar: http://idlivadasambar.wordpress.com/2010/06/14/hey-there-you-idiot/
Arpita: http://soulrenaissance.blogspot.com/2010/06/with-love-to-mankind.html
Kanagu: http://kanaguonline.wordpress.com/2010/06/14/education-equality-and-excellence/

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The final redemption

At 28, he was beyond redemption. Drugs, alchohol, nicotine, women, theft… he had done them all! The de-addiction centres offered no more hope.

Her last hope was this pilgrimage by foot. They had covered most of the journey. This was the final leg. The famous dilapidated temple was just across the railway track.

She crossed the tracks and waited for him. He dragged his feet along, slow enough to show how resentful he was of her attempts at ‘rehabilitation’.
‘Try to walk faster..‘, she coaxed.
‘You’re pathetic!!‘ he spat angrily.

She looked crestfallen.

He plugged in his iPod to drown her unspoken words. He had heard enough. He knew what he wanted. To float away on clouds of Ecstasy. And she, was the biggest obstacle! He hated the sight of her. Sad, angry, begging. In turns. All day long!!! Well, atleast, she didn’t cry bucketloads any longer. That was a relief!

Then, she saw it coming. He didn’t. Eyes half-closed, he was swaying to the music in his ears.

It was nearing. She opened her mouth to speak. But her mouth went dry. She put out a hand, to caution him.

‘Buzz off and leave me alone!!!!’ he murmured.

Alarmed, she looked into his eyes.

Baby eyes that once had opened in wonder. Eyes that had once danced with joy, accompanied by the lilting sound of happy gurgles.

Eyes that had once quite blindly trusted in her.

Eyes that had slowly started questioning her authority.

Eyes that had then turned angry in rebellion.

Too soon, it had become too late! The same eyes had turned vacant, and cold. And when she had tried to reign them in, they had seemed almost murderous.

And then, he finally noticed! His eyes widened in fear. She knew that look. He was almost begging, for her to try to rescue him. One more time.

She needed to think. A millisecond went by. And by then, it was all over!

The grass around the track was splattered in red. A bright shade of red, that she knew was the same as her own.

She clutched at her breast. As if to hold the heart that was slowly and irreversibly crumbling into a zillion pieces.

And in that deafening silence, she let out a loud scream. In relief. Then, she screamed again. And again. In horror. At what had just happened. She pounded the grass with her bare fists. Furious, at the way a beautiful life had been wasted.

Spent, she dragged her tired feet towards the temple. The shrine was closed. She slowly climbed the steps. When she reached the top, she almost staggered backwards in exhaustion. She quickly sat down, and lay her forehead on the cool stone pillars. She imagined the beautiful face of the deity inside the shrine. It shone of kindness. 

‘Thank you!‘ she whispered. And then broke into tears. She banged her forehead on the pillar until it bled. Then, she hugged herself tightly. And tried to remember his face. She saw in it, the beautiful eyes that had hated and distrusted, but still needed her.

‘Amma….’ – she would never hear that word again.

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Folks, this post is dedicated to all those parents who struggle helplessly with children who fall into drugs and other vices.

To parents who deserve better.

To parents who have loved and lost.

Specially, to those parents, who look back longingly, on a Life that could have been spent so differently, and so much better.

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My second love (55-er)

He stormed into my life exactly four years ago, when I was already happily married.

I still love my husband. But then, I just love him more!!

Though.. I know that one day, he will dump me. For someone half my age!!!!

I will have to love her too!

For after all, she will be my daughter-in-law 🙂