LAST DAY

I thought,

It was just another morning,
and would be as usual boring

It came without warning,
To show how I was faring,

All I did in my life,
Was nothing but strife?

Realized that I did nothing,
For whom I was everything

Wrote down all I wanted to say,
Kneeled down to god to pray
　
Because,

It wasn’t just another morning,
It was the day of my mourning.

Baby,You are the One

The weather was cool outside and Anand could sense it sitting at his office. He wanted to go out and feel the pleasant atmosphere and appreciate the surroundings. Working on the final draft of his presentation he said “Aargh!!” thinking about the work that made him stay inside this sullen atmosphere. He finally decided hell with the work and thought “I can complete this later” and stepped outside the office building. He could feel the soft breeze hitting on his face and that instant decided it was perfect for a long drive on the newly bought bike he bought last week.


He rushed to his room changed his attire and drove off to his favorite and uninhabited destination a place nearby to catch the Sun “Set”, one of the few things he loved to watch.


With the cool breeze around, he raced his bike at 100 km per hour and thought “This is life” just for a moment though. Looking back at the vacant place in his pillion, he really wished he had some company now while riding the bike. He wished for that someone who would hug him from his back and urge him ride faster or someone who would hit him on his head now for driving dangerously, that someone with whom he could share the good and bad, that someone who could read his mind now and give him a kiss on his cheek. He did have a few flings in past but they were nothing more than casual affairs. As they say in the books or movies “girl of his dreams” is the one whom he was yearning for right now. He thought, I miss the most essential spice in life “ROMANCE”.


Thinking about these stuff, he reached the place on the top of hill from one can have a perfect view of the sun which would call retire for the day. As he was parking the bike he sensed someone was already there. This made him uncomfortable rather angry. He murmured “Lost another place to this so called civilized world”, thinking now many people would discover his favorite spot, he saw “HER”.


She was on the edge on cliff with her hair let loose and sitting oblivious of the surroundings. He stood there stoned watching her. Her face was so fair and was shining as the sun rays fell on her and the sun’s illuminous light made her hair golden. “She resembled a mermaid” he thought. He could sense something intense happening inside him similar to the sky around that started to colour itself with intense orange and red hues.


He walked casually towards her and just stood there. Looking at him with her grey coloured eyes, she said “sit down” and again went into oblivion. They both just sat there watching the fireball disappear but anand could sense the fire burning somewhere deep inside at his left part of the chest. He didn’t know how to describe it. All he knew was she was the responsible for it she alone can dowse it. As he was busy admiring her, without looking at him she asked “isn’t this beautiful?” “Definitely not beautiful as you as you are”, he wanted to say but managed to squeak “Yea, one of the most beautiful…”

And again they fell silent.


He wanted to ask her many questions like who are you? What is your name? etc, and suddenly his face turned to colour of green pastures that were on hill thinking about what if she is already committed or something like that. He prayed “ man hope she isn’t” and many wild and irrational thoughts came across his mind.

“I am VIDYA”, she said. “Now’s the best part”, he replied pointing at the sky and “I am Anand”. The sun’s brightness was slowly diminishing unlike the feelings now he has for her. With a big smile on her face and extending her hand, “that was lovely” thanks for the company, she said. Looking at her sparkling grey eyes, he said “Anytime” feeling her warm and soft hands.

She: You come often here right?
He: Yea…
She: Alone… Eh?? So sad… (With a grin on her face)
He: Hmm… what to do it is difficult to find one who shares a common taste…
She: Well… Not anymore right?
He: I guess… (Winking at her)

Hitting him on his hand, she said “How rude is that?” . Winking at her He asked, “I wouldn’t be rude if you agree for a cup of coffee now and let ourselves to know about each other a little? What say?”

“Well that would depend on how good the coffee tastes and how good the conversation is?” she said smiling. He felt so relieved and couldn’t believe that she was single and most importantly she was interested.

“There is a shop nearby and I guess we can walk down a little or would you prefer a ride. Anything is fine with me.” He asked her vaguely. “Let’s walk and don’t spoil the nice time we had just now by having a bad coffee” she said. Laughing at what she said, “You are threatening me eh? You wouldn’t be disappointed I can say that”

“Better not”, she said and they started walking down the hill to the coffee shop nearby.


He was in a dilemma how to start and engage her in a conversation. He thought about his feelings for her. He could make out she was smart, friendly and of course superlatively beautiful but, “what made him crazy about her and what made her say yes for a cup of coffee to a stranger like me whom she has met just a few minutes ago” he questioned himself.

She interrupted his thoughts asking him “what made you think that I would say ‘yes’ when you asked me join you for a cup of coffee”. Anand was stunned; “she was actually reading his thoughts” he thought and answered “you know what I was thinking the same”.


Both reached the coffee shop.

Holding the cup with both hands, she said “It smells good”. “Try it, tastes even better” he told. She had that one real fast and asked “Can I have another?” “Sure but first answer did I make your evening pleasant” he quipped.

She said “I would answer it if I have another one” raising one of her brows at him.

Grabbing the second cup, “Hmm…” she quipped, “I guess I made your evening which would have been ordinary if not for me”, And started smiling. The cup he was holding almost fell. He didn’t see that coming. “You read my mind” he blurted.

They started walking back to the place where he parked his bike. He noted that she fell silent. He understood, she knew what he felt about her and thought he has to speak up now.

“Vidya” calling her name for the first time, he said “You are right! You made my evening”. She was silent.
Holding her hand smoothly now, He continued “I no more wish for lonely evenings… and would you share such evenings with me hereafter” She was still silent.

Looking at him she smiled and replied “Sure… but only, if you promise to buy me another cup of coffee for me now…”

One Night Stand

Shankar cringed as she came near him. Placing her hand him, she moved a little closer started to dance. Looking at Ashok, he gave a weak smile as he could feel his scotch filled glass is shaking in his hand.

Noticing this,
Ashok: it happens to everyone when you come to a dance bar for the first time.
Shankar: I guess I need more scotch (the weak smile still on his face)…
What’s her name? (Pointing to girl who just danced near him)

Ashok: Hmm… Interested eh?
Shankar: Nope…. Curiosity sake…. You know her?
Ashok: Yea… they call her kavita

******************

(At some local railway station)

Woman: (at her daughter and son) Move fast inside the train… It has more people… so Zyaada paise milenge

Obeying their mother, the girl and the boy got into train and the woman sat amongst the crowd. While the girl moved a little inside the compartment and placed a big circle shaped ring in front of her. As the little one placed the ring the lady started to play on dhol. A welcome somersault performed by the girl’s brother gained the attention of the crowd and then the girl started to dance using the ring for few minutes. After the act, the sister brother duo approached the audience to find whether their act paid off.

All this while, a gentleman from the crowd was watching this act performed by the family.
As the girl approached this gentleman…
Gentleman: (giving a 10 rupee note) What is your name?
Girl: Pinky (happy that her act was a hit)

The gentleman approached the lady …

Gentleman: Don’t your kids study?
Woman: you know sahib, we don’t have enough money to send them to school
Gentleman: Ok! I will make arrangements to send them to school and you needn’t pay money for it….. if you are ok with it…
Woman: Ok sahib I guess that would be good for them
Gentleman: Ok I will pick the kids tomorrow from the same station in the evening.

***********************

(Next day at the bar)

Shankar: (at the waiter)
I would like to meet the girl in pink dress (Pointing at kavita)

Waiter: Give me a moment sir….

Waiter went to kavita and told her something showing Shankar. She gave him a smile seeing Shankar.

(After some time)

Kavita: So where to go?

Shankar: this is the first time for me… so can we go outside have dinner and come back.

Kavita: Ok… Ok…sure but that would cost you more… fine?

Shankar: yea no problem……

*********************

(Next day at the station)

Gentleman: ok... I have got a car outside... let’s go…
Woman: Ok sahib…
(Hailing a taxi)
Gentleman: Driver The ashram at M.G. Road…
Driver: Ok sir…. (Adjusting the meter)

They drove to the address given by that gentleman

****************

At some restaurant,
Shankar: My name is Shankar….. and I work with…..

Kavita: (intruding in the middle)
I am not interested in where you work as long you have enough cash to pay me for the work I do...

Shankar: ok… No need of being apathetic… was just being friendly…
Kavita: (sardonically) yea right… I am not interested…

Shankar: I can see that… but can’t understand why? You have a problem being friendly..
Kavita: Yea I do… Do you care? For whom should I care? You?

Shankar : (Slowly his temper flaring up) forget being friendly… you are not even polite
Kavita: (calmly) No need to get excited Mr. White Collar… you want your work to get done… so you pay me… just a trade here nothing else... so I don’t see a necessity for being polite or friendly…

Shankar: (offended) what… Blue collared eh… you have something against us, the people who earn their money working hard in a fair way…?

Kavita : Before we start arguing about this would care to place an order for your one night stand here…. I am starving dear (winking at Shankar)

(Shankar places order)

************
(Somewhere in the city)

Pinky was shivering with fear. The gentleman who had promised her mother that he would take them to school has been bought to some big house so far away from the place she knew. She saw many girls of her age there. The gentleman was standing at far end of the room talking to some other people.

After the discussion, the gentleman came near her and said “listen to what they say”. Nodding at what he said pinky innocently asked “where is my mother and when will she come?” He replied “she has been taken care of” and went away.

While she was trying to figure out what he meant, a big man called her name and she went away.

****************

(Sipping the drink she had ordered)
Kavita: You were talking something about fair and unfair?
Shankar: (Sneer look on his face) you tell me we earn money in fair means not… (paused)

Kavita: yea... finish what you were supposed to say… temm one thing Mr. White Collar Don’t we work hard? Since you had brushed this topic… We don’t have the masks that you so called Upper class people have…

Shankar: Huh!!! We…? Every rupee you earn is by flashing that stupid plastic smile of yours to every guy you see… Don’t you?

Kavita: Spot on!!! No denial… But, my dear we work so that we can fend ourselves…

Shankar: Even we work to fend ourselves and our families… but not like you
Kavita: Ok… But we don’t get into these trades voluntarily Mr. White collar and what are you doing to make we people improve our lives

Shankar: Huh!! Aren’t the NGO’s doing their bit by pressurizing the government by legalizing your so called profession and helping you improve your lives.

Kavita: oh yea… Legalizing our profession… It’s a boon but, that isn’t going solve the problems we face…

Shankar: Oh.. what problems do you face… it is we face problems because of you people

Kavita: Please help the poor kids whom the so called gentlemen of your high profile society exploit and push those little ones into flesh trade… and

Shankar: That is where NGO’s are playing the part

Kavita: (On a higher tone) Please save them from those so called NGO’s who in the name of helping the destitute collect the funds and use it for their personal purposes…
Many girls are pushed into this trade promising them of getting them education and not what…
So Mr. White collar… Please don’t give that shit that you people do something good to society…

Shankar: yea… there are people who exploit... but that doesn’t mean no one does good.

Kavita: there is no free lunch in this world… sir… you know that pretty well… and some good happens to conceal the bad that is happening and that’s gonna happen..

Shankar: But, We…

Stopping him….
Kavita: you and me sitting here arguing about this is of no use… as even while we are talking some kid is being exploited over there…
(Winking at shankar) But, you can do yourself a great deal of good if you give me the money you promised to….

(Saying this she grabbed his hand and disappeared into the crowd)