ONE ANOTHER

To say is one thing, while
to believe is another.
To convince is something and
to follow it is someother.

To play is one thing, while
to win is another.
To hold on is something and
to fight back is someother.

To be hurt is one thing, while
to cry is another.
To weep is something and
to hold it back is someother.

To laugh is one thing, while
to quitely smile is another.
To be happy one thing and
to make others so is another.

To recollect memories is one thing, while
to reminisce is another.
To miss them is something and
to relive them is just someother.

-sk

09/10/2010

Short story #1

A GLASS HALF FULL (With Orange juice)

AK was tapping his foot to the music being played in the restaurant. (The sign board said `juice bar’, but never mind.)He loved music. He loved it for the fact that it could bring out the energy in him; it was one of the very few things that moved him.
I agree.
He was always seen with those black sunglasses (Ray Ban?).He absolutely loved them. I assume he never took them off, mostly because I had never seen him without them on. The waitress (the really pretty one!) came out with a menu card and placed it before him. He didn’t care about it. He never did. The waitress cleared her throat to grab his attention. His response was quick, as if by impulse- “Orange juice, one glass”.
The waitress smiled and went back.
. . . . .

A few minutes later, this guy, 30ish, dressed in crisp formals, closely cropped hair and an utterly forgettable face walks into the restaurant. He came in and sat down next to AK, who didn’t notice him sit there courtesy his involvement in the #now playing Bryan Adams number. Before I started wondering why this guy didn’t take a different table, He said-
“Hi, am Sudhir” speaking to AK.
I noticed his shiny Acer Stream. Oh! That’s Android. Right.
“Hi, am AK”
So, tell me, how many times do you see someone enter a restaurant, sit next to some guy (on a table already taken) and start a conversation?
“So, you come here everyday?” enquired Sudhir.
“Yeah, almost. I love this place”
“Oh I see......that’s nice”
“So what brings you here Mr.Sudhir, from IT land, I guess” said AK with a chuckle.
“Yeah, no prizes for guessing though! SO you ask what brings me here? Its monotony, it’s been the same fuc**ng routine from the last few years. I come out every morning, go to the same something sagar, eat idly or dosa, head to my office, rot for eight hours there, come back home, watch some TV, have dinner and go to bed. I wanted to go to a different place to eat today......for a change”
“That’s not a bad routine Sudhir, most of them would be more than happy to have such a Time-table” AK said, almost satirical in voicing that.
“Not for six years Mr.AK, I’ve been trying for something better from the last four years, with no luck. Doing the same thing for six years kills you. There’s nothing about ME in this job you know, anyone can do this in my place. Lakhs of kids graduate every year, each of them as capable or a few even better than me. It’s become rather meaningless. Enough about me.....what do you do?”
“I am a teacher, in the school for the visually impaired kids” said AK, with a big smile; I could see how proud he was about it. Well, it’s justified, isn’t it?
“Oh, in a school for the blind eh?”
“Well, Sudhir, let’s not be so blunt. Call them visually handicapped.”
“Hey, am sorry. It wasn’t meant to be offensive. Anyway, its great Mr.AK, its admirable. It’s a great service to the society and you know what the best part is, you’re there for them. You are prominent; you have a role in their life, in this society. Whereas I am invisible. If I take off to someplace for a few weeks, nobody will notice (except my boss). It’s been like this from long, during my schooldays, the best students were lauded, the worst ones were frowned at and criticized. The ones like me were never in the picture. One word for me, MEDIOCRE. It’s better off to suck at something, you have a reasonable chance for improvement. It’s worst for the average mediocre also-rans like me.” Sighed Sudhir.
“That’s some overreaction, what has set you off?”
“I don’t know. I feel I may be fired today!!”
“You see Sudhir, that’s not all that bad” I could sense the sarcasm returning but sadly it didn’t. “It’s going to be a new opportunity, to start things afresh, find your niche, get a better job” said AK.
Just then the (pretty) waitress brought the glass of orange juice and the sandwich which Sudhir had ordered.
“It’s easy for you to say that Mr.AK. You don’t know how difficult it is.” Anger was imminent in Sudhir’s voice, or was it frustration? “You teach blind kids, you got no pressure, no targets, and no deadlines. It’s quite easy out there for you”
“It isn’t easy Sudhir; my pay packet is nowhere near yours. It’s not just that, there is a certain pressure when you handle kids, especially the ones who cannot see. Their future is bleak and the thing they need the most is hope, not pity or sympathy. It takes a great deal of sensitivity to teach them. Let me tell you something.........A boy, about 10 years old, asked me to tell him what red was? What it looks like? This has been pestering me for days. How do you explain what a color is?”
“Well, it’s sad........”
“Tell me the answer Sudhir” interrupted AK
“Well, red looks just like RED, how do you describe a color? Anyway, I get your point, but even you know that the blind kid will never know what red is. I am not being insensitive here Mr.AK, but this is how it is, this is how unfair everything is.....”
“Not if we want to make it better, by making the right choices” shot back AK
“You can’t. You are not in control of anything. The boy didn’t wish to be born blind, he was destined. What choice does that poor kid have? Thanks to you, he will learn a few sentences and some math and all that, but he will be trampled by the world around him. The competition, pressure and cruelty will make his life more miserable and sadly he is destined to struggle, so am I” sighed Sudhir.
He finished eating his sandwich. AK was still wearing his (Ray-Ban) sunglasses.
“Why do you wear your shades inside the restaurant Mr.AK?” Asked Sudhir
“I love them. It’s my CHOICE, you see” said a grinning AK
“That isn’t funny; Anyway, your idealistic philosophies don’t work. It’s like you are living in some sort of an imaginary world where everything is possible. It isn’t like that, the world doesn’t work that way” finished Sudhir. Some anguish that was.
I saw AK smile. Sudhir may have interpreted it to be a sign of agreement to his point of view but I could see that it was meant to be otherwise. AK believed in what he said, I knew that.
“Mr.AK, it was a pleasure meeting you, I hope to stay in touch with you. Here’s my card” Sudhir said as he placed his card near AK’s half-empty glass of orange juice.
“Sure thing Sudhir” finished AK.

I saw Sudhir walk out of the restaurant,. AK was sitting here, humming some song.
A minute later, I saw Sudhir rush in, clearly searching for something. I saw the relief on his face when he spotted his cell phone (Acer Stream) next to AK’s half empty glass of orange juice.
As he approached the table, he saw AK stand up and reach for a cane beside his chair. He held the cane forward and started taking short steps, headed towards the door.
YES!!!
AK never saw the card on his table, nor did he see Sudhir’s cell phone, nor did he see Sudhir coming towards him, nor did he know what red was. AK was blind. He was born like that. The Ray Ban sunglasses were a joke to him. He had never seen a thing in his life.......

I saw AK go past a speechless Sudhir. I still remember the look on Sudhir’s face. It is no more a face I could forget easily.
AK had made his choice. Maybe it’s time we made ours. All He has left us is a half-filled glass of orange juice to take cues from.

-sk
20.08.2010

METAMORPHOSES

METAMORPHOSES

The room was too dark to go anywhere near

a place for armies ghosts and devils,

Later, I knew, it wasn’t them, was just My fear.

Was always on the lookout for a shiny new toy

the pleading eyes, the tantrums and then anguish,

It was all well justified, I was just a little boy.

All things that hurt me were stones or walls

the words and wounds were for the Big,

The tincture would cure me and that was all.

Cried so hard but there were never any tears.

Laughed so hard that there were never any fears.

The fights lasted just for a second

and the grudges, half that time,

The joy we had, could last us a lifetime.

Questioned to the limits of our imagination

that’s how we learnt, that’s how we grew,

Well to the curious mind’s satisfaction.

But now,

Am still afraid of darkness and its din

but there’s something different now

It’s not the one Outside, it’s the one Within.

Still get hurt and wounds are as sore

not by walls but by failures sharper than stones

And worse, the tincture not effective anymore.

The questions, now, are tough to find

the doubts, though undoubtedly remain,

The curious case of the (not-so)curious mind.

Some of us age; a few just change in size.

Many of us just get old, only a few wise.

Some of us mature, take life in our stride.

But Blessed are those who have the little child Inside.

07/06/2010

-shrinidhi kalwad

THE UNTITLED

Our Songs,
Lyrical, yet the confusion persists
as things, far beyond words, still exist.

Our Stories,
Intriguing, yet bland in its many phases
as they’re not bright and beautiful at all stages.

Our Thoughts,
Infinite, yet anchored to reality
as we need to survive, in the world of practicality.

Our Memories,
Vivid, yet out of reach
for them, all our life, we beseech.

Our Lives,
Transient, yet immensely valuable
as living without our loved ones, none of us are capable.



18/02/2010
-shrinidhi kalwad

BREAK DAWN

I know at dusk, that night is not far away
The sun, now being replaced by the crescent moon
It’s already late and I have no place to stay
Night will give way to dawn, but not very soon.

With my shadow leaving my side,
my companion from long before noon
my mind, to this loneliness should abide
Till night gives way to dawn, which is not very soon.

The moon barely helping with the visibility,
The faintly visible lights, the deafening silence,
filling every inch of me with negativity
as night gives way to dawn, only if I endure this instance.

Thoughts of giving up hound my mind,
I had already endured too much trouble,
reasons for staying and fighting, I tried to find,
Although night will give way to dawn, was this worth the struggle?

The picture of dawn forces me to stay,
In spite of the silence, the unhelpful moon
I decide about staying here, come what may,
As night will give way to dawn, anytime soon.


Dawn breaks, I realized, I have made it
The troubles vanish, the journey seemed smoother than ever
the reasons for this, was my will and grit
Night was breaking dawn, and the moment seemed forever.

Yes, this was the stuff dreams were made of
and the heady feeling of success thereof
Out of the trance, to myself, I was returning
Now that night had given way to dawn,
I realized, it was only a new beginning....
-shrinidhi kalwad

11/03/2010

THE NEW ERR-A

The Nuances are being killed,

extremities being stretched,

Only voids being filled,

leaving humankind wretched.

Monotony vetoes over creativity,

the only beautiful things, by Serendipity.

Our conscience governed by our egos,

eroding with us, are our ethos.

In the quest for a living,

Have we given up on life?

Midst nature’s beauty,

how have we resorted to such strife?

There are simple joys inherent in everyone,

they come out of hibernation with laughter and fun.

Cherish great moments and spread the smile,

Pray for other’s joy, once in a while.

Keep the smile, leave the tears,

Have some hope and forget your fears.

Think, and give your thoughts some space,

Make the world you live in a better Place........

-sk

3/10/2009

DESPISED

We all had planned to go for a picnic

out of these places we had to pick

The amusement park at Khelghara

or the lush green valleys of Harabhara

To harabhara we decided to go

all the schoolmates; friend or foe

In a luxurious bus we all did travel

through sand clay and gravel

We saw a little boy wave at us

desperately trying to stop our bus

With pleading eyes he asked for a lift

we decided to grant him this gift

He was in rags, hungry and poor

my friends said ‘he belongs to a sewer’

He was undeterred by such comments

alas, he had faced infinite such moments

We soon reached our final destination

much to our heart’s joy and elation

The splendid valley took our breath away

we ate our food, had dance and play

Then came the time to say goodbye

we couldn’t find the little boy

my friends said we lost him for good

Then we caught a glimpse of him,

Eating our leftover food...........:-(

-sk

3.3.2008

SPIRIT (Non-Alcoholic)

SPIRIT

(Non-Alcoholic)

I Run

To stay in the race,

despite my slow pace.

I run

Despite the terrain being rough,

the competition increasingly tough,

I’ll Fight

To become one of the best,

I will have to pass this test, so

I’ll Perform

Deep inside the heart, hopes lie

Seen as sparks in the eye,

I’ll Dream

The sparks in the eye may not burn the pyre of failure,

but the charred wood will show.

So. I’ll try.

- sk

30/12/2009

THE PARADISE

I was once in a strange land

Midst a huge crowd i did stand

People were happy as if they knew no sadness

Trading wasn't in

money but in heart full of kindness

The world should be like this,i thought

For many years for this,i sought

I was enticed and overjoyed

Alas, this situation had arrived

Buoyed by this joy, i had woken up

I soon found out that

my dreams had broken up.........

-shrinidhi

05.12.2006

JUST DO IT

When you know you can’t win,

Then why play?

When you know that you cannot survive,

Then why stay?

When you know that you’re against all odds,

Then why be in the fray?

When you know your very existence is under threat,

Then why pray?

So,

Don’t just play, Fight, till your opponents have knelt,

Don’t just stay, Live, to make your presence felt,

Don’t give up till your last breath, come what may,

and Help, as hands that help

are holier than the lips that pray......

-shrinidhi kalwad

08.10.09

THE BRIGHTER SIDE

I cursed the power cut, which left us dark in the night,

He said, let us take this opportunity to savour the moonlight.

I complained, when it started to rain,about getting drenched,

He asked me to think about the million plants, their thirst getting quenched.

The street paintings, I said, were waste of money, though they were good,

He reminded me that the painting got the artist a day’s food.

I sometimes saw a glass half full, or just a quarter,

He didn’t try seeing anything, he just filled the glass with water

-shrinidhi kalwad

13.11.09