Sunday 11 December 2016

ALL TOO FAMILIAR


Look At Us...

Some Of Us Once Stood By Each Other
Like A Rock
Some Of Us Once Shone Bright For One Another
To Light Up The Dark

Now We're So Far Apart

Some Faces That We Once Found Endearing And New
Now Seem Intimidating And Old
Some Voices That We Once Found Silvery And Serene
Have Now Gone Dead And Cold

The Pillars We Once Leaned On For Care And Support
Have Now Become Canvases For Profanities And Dirt

The Sweetest Of Fruits Shall Eventually Rot And Go Sour
Every Torch Shall One Day Run Out Of Fire
That's When You Ought To Realise You've Run The Course
And Walk Away Silently Without Regret Or Remorse

Tuesday 1 November 2016

LET'S GO TO WAR


We've Had Enough
'Tis Time To Act Tough
We'll Call Your Bluff
Let's Go To War!

You Killed Twenty Four
Yeah, We're Keeping Score
We're Coming For More
Let's Go To War!

War's A Bloody Affair
But We Don't Really Care
Got Plenty Of Soldiers To Spare
Let's Go To War!

You Go Get Your Missiles From China
We'll Get Some Jets From Russia
Let's Both Get Some Guns From America
Let's Go To War!

We Both Have Millions Starving
But Our Defence Budget's Always Rising
Like Cricket and Hockey, A Win On Yet Another Field Will Be Rewarding
Let's Go To War!

Let Innocents Fall
Let The Children Bawl
Let's Kill Us All
Let's Go To War!

Tuesday 30 August 2016

HERE SHE COMES AGAIN (BRUTAL GAME)


Here She Comes Again Like Rain Across Parched Land
My Reins Clenched Oh-So-Tight, In Her 'Gentle' Soft Hands

She Tugs At My Heart, And Rips It Apart, With Equal Elan
One Moment I'm In Paradise, And The Very Next In Quicksand

And Yet Somehow, It Almost Feels Like Part Of A Divine Plan
Feels As If I'm Destined And Doomed To Eternal Remand
I Sit Back, Resign To My Fate, And Then I Stand
And Wait For Her To Continue With Her Brutal Game Of 'Upper Hand'

Saturday 13 August 2016

SILENT DEATH

There was silence.

She gazed at the mirror. The familiar face stared into her eyes and asked, "You love him...don't you?"

She simply nodded her head and sighed, "No."

"Why do you lie?", the face in the mirror snapped back at her.

She lifted her hand to show the band on her ring finger.

And there was silence again.

Tuesday 2 August 2016

फ़िर वही दास्तान - Phir Wahi Dastaan

यह मैं हूँ
बेसुध
फ़िक्रमंद
तेरी चाहत में खुदी को कुर्बान किया है हमने 

वह तुम हो
बेरुख
बेफ़िक्र
मेरी रूह को पैरों तले रौंद दिया है तुमने 

वह तुम हो
उड़ती हुई
झूमती हुई
आसमाँ में हवाओं से बातें करती हुई 

यह मैं हूँ
गिरता हुआ  
तड़पता हुआ
ज़मीन से लिपटकर धूल चाटता हुआ

यह मैं हूँ
तेरी हर हँसी पे मुस्कुराता हुआ
तेरे हर आँसू को अपना बनाता हुआ 

वह तुम हो
मेरी हर गुहार को अनसुनी करती हुई 
मेरे ज़ख्मों को अनदेखा करती हुई

अब और नहीं।
बस और नहीं।

Tuesday 26 July 2016

DEATH OF A STATISTIC

We Spend Our Lives
Trying To Make Things Better
For Ourselves
For Our Kin
For Everyone Who Depends On Us

In The Bargain
We Are Expected
To Keep People Happy
To Keep The Cash Registers Ringing
To Keep The Wheels Turning
And To Build Empires
With Our Sweat
With Our Blood
With Our Bones

So While Living His Piddly Mortgaged Life
A Man Slowly Comes To Realise
That He Is Nothing But A Statistic
A Provider For His Family
A Resource At His Workplace
A Taxpayer To His Government
Just One Friend Among Countless Others
A Whipping Boy For Those Who Weild Power

And When This Man Eventually Dies
He Gets Reduced To Nothing But
A Corpse In The Morgue
Two Minutes Of Silence
A Picture On The Wall
A Tombstone In The Graveyard
An Urn of Bones And Ash
A Claim To Be Settled
A Record To Be Cleared
A 'Late' Entity

Such A Shame
That All The Statistic Wanted To Do All His Life
Was To Make All The Pages He Featured In
Look Healthy And Formidable
But At The End Of It All, He Is Ultimately Struck Off
And Life Goes On
Like He Never Ever Existed....

Friday 3 June 2016

FUN.FREEDOM.CONFIDENCE.

It's June, and Indians (most of us) are eagerly awaiting the first showers of the Monsoon. Very soon, we'll be taking in the smell of wet earth and reaching out for our umbrellas. But that's not the only thing that's going to happen in June 2016. This June, Japanese auto maker Nissan will be launching its latest car in India under the Datsun brand. The eagerly-awaited car is the Datsun Redi-Go. The soon-to-be-launched car is being promoted as a car with the 'drivability of a hatchback and the ruggedness of a sports utility vehicle (SUV)'. In other words, it is being promoted as India's first ever Urban Cross car. For the uninitiated, a crossover or a crossover utility vehicle is a jacked-up hatchback vehicle that combines features of an SUV like high ground clearance, tall interiors, high centre of gravity, independent rear suspension, superior fuel economy, among others. What's more, the car will also be available at affordable rates.
Image Source: www.datsun.co.in

When it comes to looks, the Redi-Go is quite attractive, stylish and sporty. The high-mounted chrome grille up front, obviously gem-inspired and with an eye-catching honeycomb design, and the headlights flanking it, that turn at the edges give the car a wonderful sturdy look. With Yukan design, the car is compact and sleek, and yet looks robust.

Image Source: www.datsun.co.in

There are many features that make the car stand out. The three features that appeal to me the most are as follows:-

1) High Stance and High Ground Clearance
Considering the kind of roads in India and the general quality of driving sense that prevails, the design of the car has been well thought out. The high stance of the car allows for a good all-round and wider view of the road and surroundings while driving. Also, the car has an impressive 185 mm ground clearance, which can help avoid slightly higher road obstacles, making it one of the best around. This is absolutely ideal for Indian roads.

Image Source: www.datsun.co.in

2) Spacious Interiors
The car's interiors are amazing. For a fairly tall guy like me (with an equally tall family), sufficient headroom and legroom. The Datsun Redi-Go is big on space, affording enough and comfortably seating space for a family of five and their luggage. Apart from the ample space, the car is also furnished with luxurious sporty fabric for extra comfort. There is ample space on the dashboard as well, with roomy cubby holes, cup holders, a large bottle holder, and other cabinets provided. The volume of space provided is estimated to be around 222 litres. The dashboard also provides for air-bags, which are very necessary in terms of safety measures to protect against accidents.

Image Source: www.datsun.co.in

3) Digital Dashboard and Indicators
The dashboard is absolutely innovative in my eyes, because I personally have never seen anything like this before. The dashboard houses a digital tachometer. The drive computer helps keep manage fuel efficiency. For novices like me, who are yet to learn when and how to shift gears, the gear-shift indicator comes as a saviour.

Image Source: www.datsun.co.in

Fun. Freedom. Confidence. The ultimate Urban Cross - Datsun redi-GO - the capability of a crossover with the convenience of a hatchback.

For more information visit https://www.datsun.co.in/redi-GO.html

Sunday 1 May 2016

ZOMBIE


Finally...April has come to an end. Along with monthly salaries being credited to accounts, April 30 also heralds the end of the A to Z Challenge - April 2016. This was the first time I had ever taken up this challenge. The challenge brought forth feelings of joy and satisfaction, as well as pain and frustration. I'm glad I was able to complete it. I'm not sure that I'm ever gonna take up this challenge ever again, considering the fact that it has taken a toll on my sleep and emotional well-being (no kidding). I actually feel like a Zombie right now.

However, the Challenge has taught me a lot of things about myself. Allow me to share some of my learnings, discoveries and thoughts.

Firstly, when I look back at some of my posts, I'm amazed that I could come up with some really good ideas and concept in such a short span of time. Writers will agree with me that it's not easy to come up with a concept after spending hours at an office job, and then staying up late to come up with a writeup in merely an hour or two - it takes a toll on your brain and emotions.

Secondly, I feel I've played havoc with my health. I kid you not when I say that I've had an average on merely 4.5 hours of sleep per night in the month of April 2016. A lot of my posts were published at 2 or 3 in the night, followed my uploading links on Facebook, Twitter and G+. Also, I made it a point to read blogs of other participants. All of this kept me up late.

Thirdly, I feel embarrassed when I read some of my shitty posts. I wish no one ever reads them - not that I have hardcore fans - they make me feel I've tarnished my blog.

Fourth - Because of the Challenge, I was able to find some amazing blogs and bloggers. Throughout the course of the challenge, I regularly visited these blogs. Some of them are Preeti's Other Side of Life, Tanvi's Revelations of a Tangled Me, Srishti's Blabber in Ink, Pooja Laxmeshwar's The Side I Hide, to name a few.

Of course, I must also mention bloggers who I knew even before the Challenge. All of them, directly or indirectly, inspired me to hang on. Shesha and Shine told me about the Challenge and we sort of made an unwritten pact to take it up. Boy, did we pull through, and how! Rajlakshmi was also there to offer words of encouragement. I also found support in the various Blogger groups on Facebook and fellow-bloggers on IndiBlogger.

Fifth - My wife also supported my in my endeavour in a BIG way. Letting me keep the lights on till late in the night, words of encouragement, chipping in with ideas for topics, allowing me to escape my share of the household chores, keeping our li'l kid occupied so that I could focus, allowing me to sleep a little longer in the morning to make up for the late nights - these made it a little less tough to go on.

Sixth - The Challenge has helped spur traffic to my blog, and how! I've had at least 200 visitors to my blog per day in April 2016. That's crazy!

There are a lot more things I'vc learnt, but I don't know what to say. Maybe I'm overwhelmed, or maybe I need some sleep.

I'll sign off by saying that I'm proud to be a Blogger. And I'm proud to have taken the A to Z Challenge head on and done a fairly good job.


Previous posts in the A to Z Challenge - April 2016:-
S - Signals
T - Toddlers
U - Underdog
V - Valhalla
W - We
X - Xtra Large
Y - Younger Days

Saturday 30 April 2016

YOUNGER DAYS

Image Source: www.imaladymagazine.com
When I Was Younger
I Didn't Get Into Fights
I Didn't Get Familiar With Mild Seven Lights
I Didn't Indulge In Naughty Nights

When I Was Younger
I Never Had A Drink
My Folks I'd Not Hoodwink
Never Got Myself Inked

When I Was Younger
Weekends Were Never Wild
No Chicks Did I Profile
I Was But Like A Child

And Now...Not Much Has Changed

Need To Grow Up :p


Previous posts in the A to Z Challenge - April 2016:-
S - Signals
T - Toddlers
U - Underdog
V - Valhalla
W - We
X - Xtra Large

XTRA LARGE


You know what they say about guys who have big feet?

That they always have a hard time finding shoes their size, especially if they're Indians.

As if it wasn't bad enough to have broad as tree-trunk shoulders and a wide as the Titanic hips, nature had to play spoilsport with me even in the foot department. I need size 13 shoes (in some cases size 12 fits just right if it's a little broader towards the anterior end), and I can not explain to you how upset I get every time my shoes wear out and I need to buy a new pair. For me, shopping for shoes is like finding potential brides who perfectly match your 'fair, well-mannered, homely, gentle, intelligent' specifications - they're pretty hard to come by.

I and a few friends of mine - most of us are in our early 30s - have begun playing football religiously every week. So imagine my anxiety when I went looking for football shoes. Apparently, the Indian football boot manufacturers like Vector-X and Nivia do not make shoes beyond size 12. I've already exhausted online retailing options like Flipkart, Ebay, Amazon, Snapdeal, etc. as well. The only brands which produce bigger sizes are the internaional ones like Nike, Puma, Umbro and others, but those shoes cost upwards of ten thousand bucks!

I guess I'm gonna have to continue playing with my Campus Mile running shoes.

We've booked a 9-10 pm slot for tonight at a 5-a-side turf close to my house.

Hasta La Vista...


Previous posts in the A to Z Challenge - April 2016:-
S - Signals
T - Toddlers
U - Underdog
V - Valhalla
W - We

Friday 29 April 2016

WE


We - Just You And Me
We - No Room For Three
We - Young And Carefree
We - Seldom Disagree

We - Whether Near The Sea
We - Or Under A Tree
We - Beneath The Stars Maybe
We - We Need Nobody

There Ain't No Warranty
For Our Sweet Harmony   
We Just Need To Place
'We' Always Before 'Me'

Please leave comments after reading, irrespective of whether you liked or didn't like a post. I don't bite (when I'm sane), Also, leaving a comment is absolutely safe, painless and only takes a minute (or two). Commenting is akin to having a conversation with the writer, and although I am pretty boring in real life, I'm a lot of fun in this avatar.


Previous posts in the A to Z Challenge - April 2016:-
S - Signals
T - Toddlers
U - Underdog
V - Valhalla

Thursday 28 April 2016

VALHALLA


On The Land Of My Brethren That's Always Red
Under The Sky Where A Million Men Bled
I Fall In Battle And Am Left For Dead
And I Know O'er My Grave Not A Tear Shall Be Shed

As My Body Goes Numb And My Throat Goes Dry
And Vultures Circle In The Sky
I Bid My Brothers A Quick Goodbye
I Close My Eyes And Hope To Die

But Soon, To End My Misery
A Young And Lovely Valkyrie
Declares Me Free For Eternity
Valhalla's Going To Welcome Me

Please leave comments after reading, irrespective of whether you liked or didn't like a post. I don't bite (when I'm sane), Also, leaving a comment is absolutely safe, painless and only takes a minute (or two). Commenting is akin to having a conversation with the writer, and although I am pretty boring in real life, I'm a lot of fun in this avatar.


Previous posts in the A to Z Challenge - April 2016:-
S - Signals
T - Toddlers
U - Underdog

Wednesday 27 April 2016

UNDERDOG


I Walk Out Into The Arena
With Everyone Looking At Me
I Don't Have That Spring In My Step
But I Have A Dream In My Heart
Glint In My Eyes
And A Will To Turn The Tide

None In The Crowd Thinks I Stand A Chance
My Friends Pray That I Live Through The Ordeal
The Others Laugh And Mock At Me For My Audacity
But I Have Nothing To Prove, Nothing To Lose,
Just A Will To Hang On, The Skills To Survive,
An Opportunity To Shock, And A Desire To Upset The Odds

But Boy, When I Get Going
And When I End Up Slaying The Giant
The Look I See On Everyone's Faces
Is Something To Relish
Victory Is So Much Sweeter When No One Gives You A Chance
There's Immense Pleasure In Doing Well What People Say You Can Not Do
There's Heavenly Bliss In Becoming The Hero That No One Saw Coming

Ain't So Bad Being The Underdog.

Please leave comments after reading, irrespective of whether you liked or didn't like a post. I don't bite (when I'm sane), Also, leaving a comment is absolutely safe, painless and only takes a minute (or two). Commenting is akin to having a conversation with the writer, and although I am pretty boring in real life, I'm a lot of fun in this avatar.


Previous posts in the A to Z Challenge - April 2016:-
S - Signals

Monday 25 April 2016

TODDLERS

Image Source: www.123rf.com
A classic Hindi movie song from the late 1960s comes to mind as I write this. The song goes like this – “Bachche Mann Ke Sachche, Saari Jag Ke Aankh Ke Taare, Yeh Woh Nanhe Phool Hain Jo Bhagwan Ko Lagtey Pyaare”. The song evokes mixed emotions though. I smile as I think how true the lyrics are, most of the time. Indeed, kids are angels who with their innocence and demeanour can bring smiles on the faces of even the grumpiest amongst us. However, I also hold my breath as I think how far from the truth these lyrics can sometimes seem to be - I can visualise the Devil himself taking cover from the havoc wreaked by kids in their elements.

My son turned two a few months ago. I can’t believe the months flew by so quickly, it seems like only a few months ago that he was born (I guess that’s what long working hours does to the best of us). He has started to bond with me only since the past 6 months or so. He even points at me and laughs hysterically whenever I ask him whether he loves me or his mum more (ROFL@wifey). He only recently started calling me ‘dadda’ (previously, he’d call everyone ‘Maa’, since that was the only word he considered worth the effort).

Before having a kid of my own, I’d always be anxious about dealing with them – I still shiver and wince when I have to deal with kids. Although more than two years of parenthood have obviously taught me quite a lot about how to deal with kids, there are still a lot of things you can do absolutely nothing about.

There are a few axioms (self-evident truths that do not require proof) when it comes to kids. If they do not apply to your kid, either consider yourselves blessed, or brace yourselves for the storm that follows a lull. Some of these axioms are:-

1) Feeding A Toddler = Feeding The Surroundings
Sometimes (read ALWAYS), it simply isn’t possible to make your kid sit still while feeding him/her. Kids like to be on the move, shuttling from one parent’s lap to the other’s, then jumping onto a couch, proceeding to the floor, and maybe even considering rolling into bed – all while still eating. In short, kids can get really choosy about the right ambience while having their meals. As a result, you end up with more food at the spots mentioned above than in the child’s mouth.
Here’s a tip on finding out whether or not any random person has a kid – check whether his/her clothes have food stains.

2) Ain't No Place That’s Out Of Reach
As adults, you’re always trying your best to keep things that are delicate, valuable or harmful out of your kid’s reach. But no matter how hard you try, your kid will eventually learn how to get it. So brace yourselves for a kid who will eventually figure out what to climb onto in order to reach mobile phones kept at the farthest ends of high furniture, who will reach out for door latches and lock you inside bathrooms and toilets, who will fish out that important document hidden in a secret compartment of your office bag and tear it to smithereens, and much more. There’s absolutely nothing you’re going to be able to do to prevent these things from happening. All you can do is try your best, resign to fate and keep your fingers (and toes) crossed.

3) Kids Say The Darndest Things
Kids can embarrass you in public. Since they are innocent, they rarely (read NEVER) think about the repercussions of their words or actions. Also, you need to be extra careful about what you say in front of kids. Like this one kid who got so used to his dad calling his father-in-law a gorilla that he one fine day messed up a family gathering by saying something like “Daddy, can I sit with Gorilla for some time?” Thankfully, I don’t point out animals at public gatherings.

4) Risky Affairs
There are certain risks parents of a naughty, quick or curious kid should NEVER EVER take. These are:-

a) Leaving a kid without a diaper on for more than 2 minutes; unless you like to clean freshly and generously released poop and pee  

b) Leaving him/her in a room alone for even a minute, with easy access to things that could turn out to be recipes for disaster – Here’s a tip…if you’ve left your kid alone in a room and suddenly realise that your kid hasn’t made a sound for a while, you should get really worried and prepare yourselves to be welcomed by the sight of torn papers, missing laptop keys, talcum powder on the sofa and the floor, pain balm smeared on hands and legs, etc.

It might sound like an exaggeration, but even a minute of negligence on your part could potentially make your entire day’s schedule spin crazily out of control

5) Bura Waqt Aur Tantrums Kabhi Bhi Aa Sakte Hain
Here’s another thing about toddlers…when they are not allowed to have things their way, they resort to throwing tantrums. So whether it is wailing out loud, or throwing things on the floor, or flailing their limbs out to smack you in the face or lying down in protest in the middle of the road, these are all part of a well-devised strategy to convince adults. Sometimes, however, there might be no apparent reason for throwing tantrums. They simply make an appearance, almost like a demonic possession. So imagine sitting with your kid watching a cartoon show and all of a sudden he/she drags his/her body to the floor and starts wailing – you don’t know whether it was the visual of Jerry hitting Tom that upset him, or whether he/she hates the Hindi dubbing, or whether he abhors the ads, or whether you took more than your share of popcorn. All you can do is try to divert his/her attention and/or pray that it stops.

6) A Gentle Pat On The Head Can Be Moments Away From A Resonating Slap On the Face
It goes without saying that parents of a toddler don multiple roles. Yours truly proudly plays bath-giver, cleaner, feeder, football coach, first aid guy, hairdresser, shoe-fitter, mattress, jumping board, punching bag, complaint box, horse/donkey…as you can see, the job description does not explicitly and exhaustively define the required skill sets and tasks that need to be performed. Obviously, the job could leave you exhausted and out of breath. Accordingly, some day your kid might decide that dad/mom needs some moments of quiet and a head massage. So, while you’re sitting on the couch and your kid is gently patting your back and massaging your head and shoulders, make sure that you do not interrupt his little game, lest he/she lands a smackeroni (read slap) on your head and face.

7) Gadgets That Do Not Work Fast Enough Will Come Crashing To The Floor At Supersonic Speed
Pacifiers and Distractors (read gadgets…yeah yeah, judge me now) should not regularly get into loading or buffering mode. If patience is not a virtue that your kid possesses, a slow device could spell trouble, because for a toddler, things that do not work deserve to be dropped on the floor. Gorilla Glass is the greatest technological marvel I tell you!

8) The World's Fiercest Battles Are Fought At The Wash Basin
If you think the Third Battle of Panipat and the Battle of Haldighati were the fiercest conflicts in history, wait till it’s time to brush your little feller’s teeth. Flailing limbs and thrashing heads are known to inflict heavy damage on parents the world over. The Battle of the Pearly Whites is clearly right up there among the fiercest clashes in history. 

9) A Face Wash Or A Hand Wash Could Eventually Lead To A Bath
Most kids love water. Some kids like to share the love. Like Saint Peter, they seek more than what’s offered in the original deal – “Not just my feet, but my hands and head as well”. Consequently, what was initially intended to be a mere hand or face wash could soon turn into a full-fledged bath. For the benefit of the uninitiated, that translates into additional tasks like wiping with a towel, making sure the hair is dry, changing into dry clothes, changing your own clothes (not exaggerating), and many more.

10) Kids Believe In Being Down To Earth
Imagine yourselves getting ready for a function at an open ground/lawn. You’re all decked up in your suits and sarees, your shoes are perfectly polished, your toenails are looking divine. You’ve dressed up your toddler as well, and he/she is looking like a miniature version of a Greek God/Goddess. The evening promises to be an opportunity for a perfect family picture. Alas, the first thing your kid does when he/she sets foot at the venue is to have a mud bath or to roll in the grass, and nothing you say is about to make him/her stop. Sounds familiar? Well, to say that kids love nature would be an understatement. Oh, by the way, this also means that your own clothes are doomed, coz guess who’s gonna have to pick up your dusty kid?

So, there you go. I sincerely hope this helps you, although I'm almost certain that no amount of preparation can guarantee you a smooth ride.

Toddlers will be toddlers after all.

Please leave comments after reading, irrespective of whether you liked or didn't like a post. I don't bite (when I'm sane), Also, leaving a comment is absolutely safe, painless and only takes a minute (or two). Commenting is akin to having a conversation with the writer, and although I am pretty boring in real life, I'm a lot of fun in this avatar.


Previous posts in the A to Z Challenge - April 2016:-

Saturday 23 April 2016

SIGNALS

The enemy troops were in sight now. As the spies had rightly informed, they were about 500 men, all riding on the backs of the finest Arabian horses. They were coming on fast.

But Agrasen, commander of King Suryadev's light cavalry unit, did not seem impressed. His cold face did not betray any emotions or feelings, not that he had a reputation for being emotional anyway. He signalled his men to ready themselves for combat by pulling out their swords and weapons, but warned them against moving forward or making any move whatsoever until he gave them the appropriate signal.

The enemy got closer.

Agrasen held his hand out, asking them to hold.

The enemy got to a stone's throwing distance.

His hand was still held out.

The enemy inched close enough for Agrasen and his men to get a whiff of their horribly putrid body odour.

Finally, Agrasen broke the deadlock by lifting his right arm and turning his palm over and back.


His men were filled with disbelief, but obeyed and sped off on their horses, leaving him to fend for himself.

Poor knowledge of signals can be fatal, more so if you're a leader yourself.

Please leave comments after reading, irrespective of whether you liked or didn't like a post. I don't bite (when I'm sane), Also, leaving a comment is absolutely safe, painless and only takes a minute (or two). Commenting is akin to having a conversation with the writer, and although I am pretty boring in real life, I'm a lot of fun in this avatar.


Previous posts in the A to Z Challenge - April 2016:-

A - Arsenal

ROOM FOR TWO

Image Source: www.nationofchange.org
She heard the voice again.

Janice sprang off the bed and curled herself behind it, hoping to stay out of sight. Her heart was pounding heavily. It was a bone-chilling cold December night, and yet she could feel huge beads of sweat roll down her face. She was shaking and tears began to stream down her face, but she was careful not to make a sound. She began to pray in the hope of some sort of divine intervention.

And then she heard that voice again.

"I'm sure you have room for two...can I live with you?"

This was the twentieth time Janice had heard this question since the time she had moved into the room that afternoon. But she didn't respond.

Janice had only recently enrolled into the local university. Although the university had its own hostel, she was not open to the idea of spending her nights in a crowded dormitory. She had been lucky enough to find this room, that too at dirt cheap rates. She had overheard rumours about the room being spooky and previous inhabitants behaving a little crazy, but the prospect of assured privacy had been too hard to resist. She was now beginning to rue her decision. But she was determined to survive he night and move out the first thing in the morning.

The invisible entity, seemingly feminine persisted, "I'm sure you have room for two...can I live with you?"

"Why?", Janice mustered up some courage, although she was still unable to see where the voice was coming from.

"I'm lonely."

Silence.

The entity asked again, "I'm sure you have room for two...can I live with you?"

"OKAY!", Janice retorted, almost as if out of irritation, or probably in the hope that the entity would let her be if she gave in to her request.

The Spirit then possessed her body. Janice had now lost all control.

But she distinctly heard herself say, "Thank you Janice!", and let out a sinister laugh.


Please leave comments after reading, irrespective of whether you liked or didn't like a post. I don't bite (when I'm sane), Also, leaving a comment is absolutely safe, painless and only takes a minute (or two). Commenting is akin to having a conversation with the writer, and although I am pretty boring in real life, I'm a lot of fun in this avatar.

Previous posts in the A to Z Challenge - April 2016:-

A - Arsenal

Thursday 21 April 2016

QWERTY

My son Nigel is almost 2 and a half years old now, although he looks older due to his height and body structure. Like most kids, he's a cute li'l bundle of energy. He's also very curious and inquisitive, and likes to explore the unknown.

He loves to take stuff and examine them closely. This trait once cost me very dearly.

Of course, I'd like to clarify that my son, who was then only was only 17 months old was only trying to put his learnings into practice. His mum (my wife, duh) had only recently begun teaching him the English alphabet. So when he found my laptop unattended, it is only natural to assume that he did not understand the reason why his dad's device had letters of the English alphabet arranged so randomly. Hence, he tried to help his dad by doing this:-


Needless to say, I was seething with rage beaming with pride when I found the remnants of my laptop.


Please leave comments after reading, irrespective of whether you liked or didn't like a post. I don't bite (when I'm sane), Also, leaving a comment is absolutely safe, painless and only takes a minute (or two). Commenting is akin to having a conversation with the writer, and although I am pretty boring in real life, I'm a lot of fun in this avatar.

Previous posts in the A to Z Challenge - April 2016:-

A - Arsenal

Wednesday 20 April 2016

PALLBEARER


Don't Let Him Down, Dear Pallbearer
Don't Let Him Down Just Yet
Let The Weight Entrusted To You Be Carried With Grace
Keep Your Chin Up, Grip Steady, Don't Fret

You May Or May Not Know The Dead Man
But Remember This Needs To Be Done
Coz Sooner Or Later, When Your Own Story's Over
This Job Will Be Done By Someone

Pallbearer - A person helping to carry or officially escorting a coffin at a funeral.

Please leave comments after reading, irrespective of whether you liked or didn't like a post. I don't bite (when I'm sane), Also, leaving a comment is absolutely safe, painless and only takes a minute (or two). Commenting is akin to having a conversation with the writer, and although I am pretty boring in real life, I'm a lot of fun in this avatar.



Previous posts in the A to Z Challenge - April 2016:-

A - Arsenal

Tuesday 19 April 2016

ONCE UPON A TIME

Once upon a time, there was a blogger named CRD. He did not blog as often as many others, because somehow, he could write stuff only when he was overcome with emotions. According to him, every post needed to be well thought out, pondered upon for hours and edited and re-written a dozen times. - whether positive or negative. This way, he delivered a maximum of 20 blog posts a year, but he was happy and content with his stuff. Life was good.

Then one day, he decided to take up the A to Z Challenge - April 2016. The challenge required him to post on every single day in the month (barring Sundays). This was in stark contrast to his writing style, because he thought he could not write impromptu. Nevertheless, he eventually reckoned he needed to post with more regularity, and therefore he decided to take up the challenge. 

Initially, he managed to do a decent job. He mustered up a lot of pain and efforts to come up with the first 14 posts, ranging from the letters A to N. Of course, there were a couple of awfully shitty posts along the way, but he was delighted to have written a few posts that he was damn proud of as well.

As expected, however, along came the letter O and put a spanner in his smooth run. Suddenly, CRD did not know what to write about. To be fair to him, he did narrow down on a few possible topics to write about - Oxymorons, Oxygen, Omelette - but he couldn't proceed with them. He thought he might probably post something on these topics in the near future, but today? Oh no, not today. Today was a really bad bland boring day.

It sure was an off day.

Wish me better luck for tomorrow. Peace out and good night.


Previous posts in the A to Z Challenge - April 2016:-

A - Arsenal