Tuesday, August 19, 2008

THE OTHER END OF A CIGARETTE

This would be my 50th post! Thank you for making LIGHTER SIDE possible! I wrote this story on 7/3/2008, to be precise. Yet, I wanted this story to be a special one, for it is my most favorite post after RAJANIGANDHA. Though the story didn't win me any prize for the creative writing contest for which it was actually written, I don't know why- this story remained to be my favorite!


Saket. A dream, a hope- a friend. He was life. I met him on the first day of our college. I was new and friendless- a castaway. He was then, a hand over my shoulder. A cigarette that we shared then, had bonded us for life.

A life lived, shown itself on those lines across face. A face that had once been handsome- charming. Spread on the couch- in an easy, lazy way, with one leg on the couch and other hanging outside it- his shoulders looked as though they could bear not, any more weight.

Saket knew a person by their eyes. He knew almost everything about everyone. May be that was why people adored him, for he never said anything to anyone what they did not want to hear. Everyone needed him and he was there for everyone.

“Can you get some water for me, Shabd”? It was weak- not the one that I was used to- his voice. It was tired.. No, not tired. It sounded fresh. As though it had not come out for years- not that it wanted to, either.

The cafeteria could never be complete without Saket inside. He always had his place reserved or rather the place had itself reserved for him. He would either be treating or be a part of it, himself. Some other time, when crowd is less, you can even find him with some girl or two. Now, he wouldn’t like me to tell you that!

He always drank his water, chilled. But today, he poured some on his face, his body- his mind! And when he let go of the bottle, he looked as though he had never relaxed that way- not for many, many years.

He hardly attended any of his classes. So it wasn’t a surprise when he didn’t attend any of his classes that day. But then, it was odd. He never attended his classes thereafter. We tried contacting him- that day, the next and the next. We tried calling his home. But it was as though his life had had a wash out- a trail on sand, washed away by water!

Saket opened his eyes. Eyes that could once make anyone yearn to see them all their lives- it had lost its soul. Lifeless, he looked at me and smiled. It was a smile that had been locked away in a cocoon, yet bursting to get out after a long exile. And I smiled back; a smile, too true to be expressed in words. How I had longed to see him do it, and it had been worth it!

“Can you light up a cigarette for me”? I did as he asked me to do. He smoked. Saket was born again from its ashes. He passed it to me. And when the other end of the cigarette touched my lips, I knew- Saket would never leave, again. For he, was alive- again!

Friday, August 15, 2008

A TAG AGAIN!

Thank you, My inner world and River soul!

These are the rules to follow-

1. Link the person who tagged you.
2. Mention the rules on your blog.
3. Tell 6 unspectacular quirks of yours.
4. Tag 6 following bloggers by linking them.
5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger's blogs, letting them know that they have been tagged.

This, will be me:

1. When I'm nervous, I tend to check, re-check and re-re- re- check everything! The result is never "perfect"! I am very careless. But, this re-checking, keeps me assured- "At least, I've done my part"! :)

2. When I am trying to avoid seeing someone or avoid seeing someone else see me- I start staring at my watch! In other words, I cannot live without my watch!

3. I'll spend hours arranging my room. But the more I try to keep it clean, the messier it gets! I just can't work, when my place is- "all arranged". I find it easier to retrieve my things from a pile of junk, than when my room is all "neat and clean"!

4. I am "extremely" lazy. Sometimes, all I do is- sit and keep staring at the wall clock!

5. I am a fantastic "bathrom singer"!

6. I just can't throw away things. I even have my 3rd std notebooks, my imposition papers, my control systems answer sheet, assignment papers, a pencil about 2cm long (guess I used it in my 4th std.!) etc. Not that I try, but I just couldn't bring myself to throw them off! They are my memories, after all!

I now tag:

Vanilla Sky
Arvind
Padma Priya
Suchitra
Ranjhani
Asha

Saturday, August 9, 2008

A TAG!!


Phew! I am finally doing this tag! Sorry and thank you, Vinay!

8 THINGS I AM MOST PASSIONATE ABOUT:

BOOKS: I can't really imagine what I'd do without them!
MUSIC: Magic, beyond all magic!
MY BLOG/ WRITING (in general): Writing had always been there. But My Blog helped me grow!
MY DIARY: Not a personal diary. It's the one in which I scribble down my stories. It has seen me as a kiddish- no good thing, and also as some one whom even I do not recegnise!
PEN: I love collecting pens. Fountain, ball-point, anything. I love them.
RAVI VARMA's PAINTINGS: They live on canvas!
HARRY POTTER BOOKS: Need I say more?
( only 7!)

8 THINGS I WANNA DO BEFORE I DIE:

Die?! I think it's too strong! I'd want to do many things- it all depends on one's age. I had mentioned that in some other tag too. So, not 8 things. But these are a few:

Publish one book, at least!
Meet J.K. Rowling and bow before her!
Meet Adnan Sami/ Kareena Kapoor and enquire them about their dietitian( I am serious guys! Can't you see that I'd already mentioned that in some other tag?!)

There are actually many other things. But, I think, I'd do them first and then, write about them!

8 THINGS I SAY OFTEN:

"Whatever"
"Sorry"
"Thank You"
"I'll do it later"
"I'm bored"
"I'm too bored"
"I'm so vetti" (That again means- "I am so bored"!)

8 BOOKS I LAST READ:

False Impression
Veronika decides to die
Gone with the wind
A Romantic Manifesto
Games people play

List is too long, as I normally never pause..

8 SONGS THAT I LISTEN TO OVER AND OVER AGAIN:

All the A.R. Rehman songs (Roja to Jane tu/ Ada)
Jaiye aap kahan jayenge (Mere Sanam)
Aap ki nazron ne samjha (Anpadh)
Malare Mounama (Karna- Tamil)
In the End (Linkin Park)
Private Emotion (Ricky Martin)
Engu ninnu vannu (Calcutta News- Malayalam)
Peeli yezhum.. (Poovinu.. I don't remember the movie- Malayalam- Beautiful song by Yesudas ji and Chitra ji)

8 FRIENDS I NOW TAG:

Karthik
Amber Light
Padma Priya
Priya
Rajesh

3 more? Who ever likes this tag, can do it! No restrictions! :)