Garden

It was a garden. He stepped inside and made his way to an empty bench. The bench provided an excellent view of the garden's play area. Almost all the swings, seesaws and slides were occupied by children. There were children of all ages, some with their parents and some without. Looking at them, it was evident that they were all having the time of their lives. One was swinging as high as a bird, ignoring his mom who was constantly asking him to slow down. Another one was competing and trying to go higher on his swing.

There was a queue of anxious children on the slides, waiting for their turn. After every turn, they would go back and rejoin the queue. There was this particular small cute girl, who was with her mother. Every time it was her turn, she shouted “Mummy”, to draw her mother’s attention. Then with twinkling eyes she would slide down and laugh aloud as her mom clapped. Then she would rush back to rejoin the queue.

The seesaws were relatively empty. One particular seesaw had a small boy at one end and his dad kneeling down at the other end. The dad was using his hands to rock the seesaw. The child’s mom was feeding him some grapes, which he was nibbling unconsciously as he enjoyed the rocking. Up and down …ever smiling and eating grapes.

At one corner, there were two kids, who were probably brothers (since they had identical clothes on). They were busy digging a hole in the mud and making a castle. An elderly woman was guiding them (their grand mom probably). Both the kids were engrossed; the world didn’t exist for them. Their clothes were soiled with dust and mud, but they didn’t care. Finally when the castle was ready, they stood up, embraced each other and started dancing around it.

He smiled, as his loneliness vanished amongst these little angels.

Some more movies

Watched a lot of movies this weekend.

Excellent ones:
The Ilusionist
The Shawshank Redemption

Good ones:
Kidnap (except the last 30 mins)

OK ones:
Fashion (typical Madhur Bhandarkar)
E.M.I

Next in queue is Deshdrohi ...

Yet again!!

Yet again!

Mumbai is burning yet again. No, it’s not the politicians this time, it is the terrorists. I wonder how much more this city can withstand. Due to this continuous raping which has been going on and on, the financial capital of India now comes across as a scarred and mutilated body which is still breathing. Breathing, trying to survive, paying the price of being the richest city of the nation, paying the price of being “Bomb”ay. The name change didn’t help.
As I write, the city still burns and so does my heart.
May the people behind this rot in hell and may the soul of the innocent who lost their lives rest in peace.

Lost?

How can I be lost, If I've got nowhere to go?

Daily Diet Schedule

I found a piece of paper in my wallet, which made me smile. It read:

Daily Diet Schedule:

Start Date : 26th Sept 2005

Morning: Tea at home and an apple in the bus. After reaching office have breakfast and juice.

Afternoon: Lunch with butter milk or juice. Work hard in office.

Evening: Have a glass of juice. Leave office at 7.

Night: Have light dinner. Also have a glass of milk before sleeping.

NOTE: Don't have more than two cups of tea a day and try not to smoke any cigarette.

I am actually following this schedule nowadays. It is strange that I have started following this schedule three years after it was planned ...that too without having any remembrance of penning it down three years back. Strange but true.

Mystery

Is life full of circles or am I the one who is not walking straight?

I end up at the same spot again and again and again and again...

Movies

The Machinist
The movie is about an Industrial worker (Christian Bale) who hasn’t slept in a year. His insomnia drives him nuts and makes him imagine things. The movie is how he deals with his hallucinations. The movie pace is slow but it is worth watching.

The Devil wears Prada
This is a movie that could be watched if you have nothing else to do.

Bedazzled- Pakau movie.. This is a movie that should not be watched even if you have nothing else to do.

Happy 14th November

I wish myself today.. for somethings that no longer exist...also because I know no one else will wish me today... because there is no reason any longer.

Birthday gift

It was his mother’s birthday the next day. Fortunately it was a Saturday and it was a holiday. No school!! The whole week he had been confused about what to gift his mother. With a paltry budget of twenty rupees, there weren’t many options. He had spent long hours discussing the options with his friends. But even after four days and endless discussions later, he was clueless. Until Komal had suggested something! She was his tuition friend. “Cook for her. She will feel good!” she had said absent mindedly while solving the Mathematics problem in the tuition.

The thought had stuck. He would cook for her. But there was a problem. He didn’t know a thing about cooking. Suddenly something struck him and he knew his solution. As soon as the tuition ended, instead of staying back and chit chatting with his friends, he flew on his bicycle to Malti aunty’s house. Malti aunty was his mom’s friend and she stayed in the street next to their house. With a notebook and pencil in hand he quickly made his way to the kitchen where Malti aunty was preparing lunch.

“Hello aunty. How are you?” he said with the sweetest smile he could put on his face.

“Hello Raj. What mischief are you up to today? And why have you got this notebook and pencil for?”

“No aunty. No mischief. Actually tomorrow is Mom’s birthday and I have decided to cook for her” he exclaimed.

“Wow. That’s great. What do you plan to cook?” she asked.

“Aunty, I don’t know to cook anything. Please teach me something. I ll write down the steps.”

“But what do you want to cook, beta?”

“Whatever is the easiest.” He said after thinking for a moment.

“Ok. Here we go then.” she smiled.

Fifteen minutes and three pages scribbled with instructions later, he had the recipe to prepare aloo gobi sabzi. "Hehehe" he grinned in his mind.

The next day, he got up early but he didn’t wish his mother. It was to be a surprise for her. After a quick bath he raced to the nearby vegetable vendor to buy the ingredients.

“Bhaiya, Aloo aur gobi chahiye.”

“Kitna chahiye. Ek kilo?”

“Six aloos and one gobi” he said referring his notebook.

The vendor smiled but handed him the required quantity of the vegetables. Soon he was back home. He rushed to his mom and wished her. She hugged him and kissed him on the cheek.

“Where is my gift?” she asked naughtily.

He showed her the polythene containing the vegetables. “Today you will not cook. I will make aloo gobi sabzi for you.”

“Wow. That’s great, but do you know how to make the sabzi?”

“Yes. I have learnt. I will make it. But I don’t know how to make rotis.”

“Don’t worry, I ll take care of the rotis”

“Hmm…well that kind of makes you cook something. I wanted you not to cook anything, but I guess we ll need rotis. So its fine.” He said.

They made their way into the kitchen and he sat on the platform.

“Mom, I need a knife to peel and chop the vegetables.”

“Arre. First you have to wash them. Give it to me I ll do it”

“Ok. I also need a big plate to cut the vegetables into.”

“Here you go. Here are the washed vegetables, a big plate and knife. Be careful with the knife.” She said.

As he started cutting the vegetables, she stood there monitoring him, worrying about that he might hurt himself. At the same time she took another knife and decided to help him out by sharing the work.

“No….” he shrieked “I will do the work myself, you just stand here.”

“Ok beta.. as you say.” She said quickly putting the knife away.

Some minutes later all the vegetables were chopped. “Now we need a cooking utensil and some cooking oil.” He said staring at his notebook. “Mom.. give me the utensil and oil and also please throw the vegetable peels into the bin”. She acquiesced quietly.

“Beta, how much oil do you need?”

“Hmm… its written as per needs.. so I am not sure.. why don’t you put in the required quantity” he said sheepishly.

“Fine.” She said.

“Now, let me light the burner.”

“No, you are too young for that. I ll light the burner, you might hurt yourself.”

“No.. No.. as I said I ll do all the work today .. Pleaseeeee!!!” he screamed.

“Ok. But only this once.” She said handing him the gas lighter.

He lit the burner in the first attempt and said proudly “see..its so easy and safe. You are worrying yourself for no reason. Now we put in the vegetables.”

“No son. Not so soon, you have to wait for the oil to heat up before you out in the vegetables.”

“Strange.. I have not written this down in my book. Ok we ll wait” he said tapping his fingers on the kitchen platform.

“Is it time yet?” he asked her after growing restless in a few minutes.

“Yes. But I ll do it, since on putting the vegetables in the utensil, the oil drops may splash out and you might get hurt.”

“No. Its your birthday. I will do it.” He said adamantly.

“Ok if you say so. Try with this one piece of potato and see for yourself.”

As soon as he put the potato piece into the utensil, a few drops of oil splashed onto his fingers and he instinctively pulled his hand away. “I think you should do this mom. You were right.”

She smiled and put in the vegetables expertly into the utensil.

“Wow.. that was great. Now we wait for few minutes and then add the spices” he exclaimed.

“Yes. You seem to have mastered cooking in one day.”

He blushed in reply.

A few minutes later his mom added the spices because he didn’t know the exact quantity to be added. Finally the dish was ready. “Its ready.” He shouted. “Mom taste it and tell me how is it?”

She tasted the sabzi. “Its great beta. Thank you for a wonderful gift. I love you.”

“I love you too. Cooking isn’t difficult at all” he said smiling.

In the afternoon, when his dad came home for lunch, he ran to him and told him about his gift. His dad smiled and lifted him up and kissed him.
During lunch his dad mocked his mother, “My son is a better cook than you”.

His mom gladly accepted the fact and replied back “Obviously! He is the best son in the world”.

He was overjoyed with himself. He had chosen the right gift.

After lunch as she was washing the dishes, she glanced at his sleeping face. He was smiling in his sleep.

First 500 kms

As per the user manual,

“For the first 500 kms, avoid revving above 4000 rpm and driving above 40 kmph.”

Every time I hit the streets on my bike, I am subconsciously subdued. My attention is on the speedometer and the tachometer constantly. I am careful not to cross the line. I am holding myself back, and believe me it is very difficult.

But all it takes is a less worthy vehicle overtaking me. I take that as an insult to my machine and me. After this I am Me and the user manual can go to hell.

Cheers!

Clive Cussler- Deep Six

Just finished this book. As good as Atlantis found (http://infinitumnegativity.blogspot.com/2008/10/atlantis-found-clive-cussler.html).

Golmaal returns!

I decided to watch this movie ignoring the circulating rumors. Lots of friends warned me that the movie is not up to the mark.
But I was in for a surprise. The movie is truly a sequel to its predecessor which I had the pleasure watching at least five times (thanks to the Volvo buses). Nevertheless, I had enjoyed it every time.
Most of the characters are maintained from the first movie (though they are in a different role). Shreyas Talpade makes up for the missing Sharman Joshi. Tushar Kapoor is great in his goonga avatar. Ajay Devgan does a repeat from the first movie. Kareena is looking awesome (the other three females are good too :), but Kareena takes the cake). Wasooli Bhai and the Cobra gang guy do their part as well. Amrita Arora disappoints yet again. Arshad Warsi could have been given a better character; his piece in the movie isn’t too great.
Go to the theatres, shut off your brains and enjoy this roller coaster ride.