Random thoughts - 1

I had the blues because I had no shoes,

until upon the street, I met a man who had no feet.

I've read this quote on Koushik's updates.

It really left me wondering for a while.I am so much pampered by my parents. A spoilt kid you can say. When I want something, its then and there that I want it and no second thoughts about that. I believe in leading life in my own terms.

Tomorrow I need to go to college after 1 week long break. I will have to get up at 6 early in the morning and catch a bus. I have been used to getting up at 12ó clock during the holidays. I begged dad to drop me in his car. But the driver was unavailable. I became pesky and started putting a tantrum that I needed the car no matter what.

Dad became angry and said that there are so many in the world who don't enjoy comforts and luxuries like I do. I am lazy to catch a bus to go to college. But there are poor students who walk miles on barefeet to reach college.

It's high time that I should realise my mistake. I thank god for giving me a wonderful and caring family who leave no stone unturned in granting my wants and needs.

Thank you, god. I realised my mistake.

And I will be a good girl and won't trouble dad.

I won't go to college tomorrow.

The Sonix

This

Little Jamie was chasing his pup in the thick woods, during his evening playtime.

“Faster pebble, faster! Let’s race and see who reaches that Rosewood tree first.”
“Pebble! What are you trying to nibble down? Spit it out!”
“Bow bow!!!”
“Hush now! What is this thing? Why, it is a watch!

That device Pebble found from under the tree looked like a hi-tech electronic watch. Jamie was immensely satisfied with the device he stumbled upon. Jamie kept the watch in his pocket, and along with Pebble, he strolled across the fields and along the pond, to his home.

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

Despite his protests his mother sent Jamie to bed at 9’0 clock. He didn’t feel sleepy yet. He slid his hand under the pillow and took out the hi-tech watch. He fastened the straps of the watch around his wrist. It looked very stylish. His eyes dazzled up with excitement. There was a sound of a click and then the radium digits lit up in the dark. The watch didn’t show the time or date. He tried to rotate the dial but couldn’t operate it. He stared at the ceiling for sometime. He closed his eyes and was about to drift to sleep. But he heard a voice inside his head. Someone was calling him…someone was trying to connect to him.

Hello! Are you awake?
Little Jamie was scared. He was sure ghosts were talking to him in his mind.

Hello! Don’t panic. I am your friend.

My name is Jamie. Who are you? Jamie asked this question to himself and was surprised to get an answer after a long pause.
I am a resident of the planet Rolatouix. We have identification numbers here and not names. You can call me Jojo though. Where are you from?

Springfields.
Is that the name of your planet?

No. Springfields in on the planet Earth. Where is Rolatouix?

Very, very far from Earth. Rolatouix is in the Megallamic cloud galaxy.

Oh! So you are an alien! I knew they existed though my friends didn’t agree with me.

Ah! Smart boy that you are Jamie.


Do you speak English in Rolatouix?

Ah, no Jamie. We don’t need a language. We are telepathic. I am able to communicate with you, as I’m able to establish a link with your mind. The Sonix is helping me to do this.


You mean, the watch?

Yes, it is not a watch though. Listen, don’t remove the Sonix even while you are bathing. It is waterproof. And don’t tell anyone about it.

Umm, okay. But why shouldn’t I ……


Jamie felt confused and restless after the day’s adventures. He couldn’t pay attention to the voice playing in his sub-conscious mind. He drifted to peaceful sleep.

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

The next day, morning, he had a vague reminiscence of the night’s sub-conscious conversation. It was like a distant dream and he couldn’t make out if he was answering himself or that it happened for real.

In the class, his teacher announced, “I hope you all studied for the class test today. Anyone who gets low marks will have to write imposition for 50 times.”

Jamie let out a soft cry, for he forgot about the class test completely. He cursed himself for being forgetful. The teacher distributed the question papers. He could only stare at he questions as everything appeared strange to him. He felt miserable inside.

Hi Jamie! What’s up? That was the voice of Jojo again. He was now convinced that Jojo really existed. He briefed up his plight to his new friend.

Ok, read the questions in your mind. I can tell you the answers.


But you are an alien! These questions are about history, which are totally related to Earth.

I will read your friend’s mind. I’m clairvoyant. Just look at any of your classmates and concentrate. I will reach your classmate’s mind through you.

Okay! Marian is our class topper. She is bound to know all the answers. I will look at her and you extract the answers from her mind.


Who quoted the following? --‘ Government of the people, by the people and for the people’

Jamie, Marian thinks the answer to that is Abraham Lincoln.


It went on so throughout the exam. Little Jamie got A+ with Jojo’s help. But he vowed he would never forget any other test again.
*********************

Jojo and Jamie became best friends. They would share their day’s events, jokes and stories. They would interrogate each other about the life in their planets. Whenever Jamie felt like communicating with Jojo, all he had to do was to call his name in his mind. And Jojo would reach out to him immediately.

**********************
One day –

Alpha to delta, alpha to delta, are you there?


Delta to alpha, Delta to alpha, I am here Jojo.

We Rolatouixies would like to extend our hand of friendship to all the beings on Earth. I heard there is a disussion going on in the Space Research Confederation for friendship of the two planets. I work for SRC. My job is to create Sonixes and communicate with other beings. Rolatouix has advanced technology, which surpasses what Earth has. We would be more than glad to exchange our technology and resources with you.

How did that Sonix reach here?


We teleported the Sonixes to random locations in the universe. We didn’t know that life existed elsewhere, until you switched on the Sonix.

What is teleporting?


It is the way Rolatouixies travel in space and time. The arrangement and conformations of the atoms of a body at one place can be replicated in another place by a teleporter device. The picture of the second location and time should be fed into the Sonix, which is a time machine. As a result you can travel both in time and space. Transcending locations in the universe is a matter of fraction of seconds with teleporting.

That sounds like fun. I can visit my Grandpa in Ohio, in just a few seconds.

That sounds cool! I’ve reported the SRC authorities about you finding a Sonix. And guess what? We might come to earth soon and see each other.


That sounds great. But I am not sure of all this. Why don’t you try sending radio waves to extra-terrestrial intelligence wing on Earth and communicate with our authorities? I am sure they would help you.

No, we are very far from Earth. There’s no way those signals can reach you. Megallanic clould galaxy is surrounded by strong gravitational and electro-magnetic fields, which can’t be penetrated by radio waves.


I’m really excited for you to come here. I’m sure all Rolatouixies are friendly like you. It’s been a month since I know you, and you have become my best buddy. I’m excited to see what you look like.

Well not yet. The project is still under discussion. We want to approach the Earth in a friendly way and don’t want the residents there to panic and misunderstand us. First, we will teleport to the Earth in small numbers, get in touch with your authorities, form a truce and assure that we are not invading your planet.

Yes, that seems like the right approach, Jojo. Otherwise we would think it is Martians who are trying to capture us.

Oh no! Rolatouixies are not like that. When the project is complete, I would like you to feed your present time and a picture of the Earth in the Sonix, so that, the teleporter identifies the location and takes us there. You are a very important person in this project, Jamie. Without your help, we can’t come to the Earth.

Sure, I will do that.
******************
After 3 days --

Jamie.

Jamie! Jamie!! Respond to me. Are you there? Why aren’t you replying?
Yes, Jojo. How was your day? Were you busy in the project or what? You didn’t connect to me though I called you many times.

Yes, been very busy. The project is completed. You have to synchronise the location and time of the Earth with our teleporter. Take a photo of the Earth, and feed the data chip in the extension slot of the Sonix. And feed the time in the Sonix according to your current time. Okay, after you do that we will teleport to your place. And I can’t connect to you while I teleport. So I’ll meet you directly on earth.

Okay. I will do that. Happy teleporting!


Jamie removed the Sonix from his wrist. He took out his geography textbook and his camera. He took a picture of the big ball, removed the memory card and inserted into the Sonix. He entered the current time according to Greenwich Median Time.

The Sonix read:

Location identified as: Sun,
Milky way galaxy.

Distance from Rolatouix: 9898985049 billion billion billion light-years.

Time: 2:30 P.M GMT, 26th January 2009 A.D

Confirm? Press Yes or No

With a deep breath Jamie pressed Yes.

Teleporter activated.

Destination will be reached in 20 seconds.

Over and out.


Little Jamie sighed, removed the Sonix and hurled it into the fireplace. He thought –

Jojo’s voice is much sweeter than this stranger who connected to me just now. A couple of aliens can’t fool me to mistake a cruel voice for that of Jojo’s.

Jojo! Jojo! Answer me. Why did you have to leave me? The other Rolatouixies are not like you. How could this alien think I won’t be able to recognize it is not you?
I will miss you Jojo. And I will remember you forever.
How could I forget that fateful night when you had to leave me?


Jamie was sleeping peacefully that night. He heard a squeaky feeble voice, which brought him to conscience and tried to connect to him.

Jamie! Listen! I overheard the plans of the authorities of the Space Research Confederation. They want to make the residents of the Earth their slaves and exploit your resources. I’ve been misinformed about their project. It is not a stance of friendship, instead they are trying to claim your independence! The authorities lied to me. I came to know about it, and tried to deactivate the teleporter. But, they caught me doing it. They have prisoned me in the heat chamber and they are subjecting me to an unbearable heat intensity of 1000 degrees. I am beginning to feel the heat. I feel weak.

Oh Jojo! I don’t want to lose you.

There’s nothing anyone can do about it Jamie. Just remember that I had no bad intentions. I am your friend. I thought I couldn’t connect to you from the heat chamber and convey this message to you. I had to concentrate and focus until I could establish a link with you. I am sorry about the danger the Earth has to face. If you didn’t find the Sonix, all this wouldn’t have happened. And…

Jojo! Yes Jojo. Say something Jojo! Please come back! Please!


Jojo’s voice began to fade and went mute. That silence brought tears to Jamie. Little Jamie wailed throughout the night.

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

A small column in the next day’s newspaper:
NASA scientists detect a small explosion on the face of sun with the help of Hubble telescope. They are at loss to explain the details. They assure that there is no danger though.
*************************

Alpha to delta, alpha to delta, are you there?

And though Little Jamie kept calling Jojo’s name every night and day, there would be no answer. Little Jamie was little but became big in his deeds. Though nobody knew about it, he saved the planet Earth from alien invasion.

She deserved that for what she did to me

On the morning of her birthday, I went to her home. She opened the door with a wide smile. She knew I would come. She knew I would wish her then. She was waiting. I didn't wish her. I didn't want to. I walked straight and sat on the sofa. She went into the kitchen to get 2 glasses of milkshake. I sent her again to the kitchen asking her to fetch a glass of water. Everything was going according to the master plan.

Wasting no second, I removed the pouch from my pocket, tore it open and mixed the contents in her milkshake. Yes, I wanted to drug her.

She returned and sat beside me with expectant eyes. Slowly she finished drinking the milkshake. Her eyes were drooping. Her head felt heavy. She fell on the sofa with a loud thud. There was a final smirk on my face as I left.




She deserved that for what she did to me. And for how she changed my life.
I was happy, before she came into my life.


************************************
The year before, on her birthday, I presented her sparkling diamond earrings. She wasn't looking good in them. Nothing suited her. A waste of money, I thought. She wasn't worth it. I returned the diamonds worth Rs.2 lacs each, to the D’dama’s shop.

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


On the same day, of the evening of her birthday, last year, I threw a grand birthday party, in my farmhouse. She didn’t witness such a wild night in her 19 years of life. I hosted the wildest party ever—with a disco night, famous DJs from all over the world, socialites and celebrity guest-list, never ending vodkas and martinis, worldwide cuisines on the platter, balloons and confetti, life-sized cake and wild celebration. The party went on for 8 hours straight. That was just for show-off to my friends and for making a style-quotient. In truth, I didn’t want any party for her. I usually loved parties but I didn’t like that one. I watched her from a distance, laughing and mingling with our friends.

It wasn’t what I wanted. I sighed. I wasn’t happy. I was lonely in the crowd. And was frustrated to the hilt.

****************************************
That was last year.

It would be 20th of June tomorrow—the day of her 20th birthday. There were just 5 minutes for the clock to tick 12. Her mobile would be flooding with calls from everyone. But I knew she would be waiting for my call. Waiting for me to wish her first. I didn’t want to. I switched off the light and went to bed.

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

I am rich, a billionaire. I loved money. I loved to flaunt money. Another thing I loved was to party. I just lose myself dancing in the parties for I was a hard-core party animal.

I was living my life in my own terms those days.

That was until she came along.

And changed it all.


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

Last year, during the party in the farmhouse, I hated it all.

It wasn’t what I wanted. I sighed. I wasn’t happy. I was lonely in the crowd. And was frustrated to the hilt.

I felt lonely and frustrated because, I didn’t get to spend more than a couple of minutes with her. We would enjoy intimate moments together but just then someone would interrupt us to wish her. Yes, I love parties, but that night I wanted to be alone with her. I wanted to stare at the night-sky and the moon, lay under the shade of the tree and talk. The usual senseless talk, but with her, everything in the world gets a newer meaning. I’m always at awe at her sensible and insightful perspective about life. I had to learn a lot from her.

And I did learn a lot from her.

******************************************
I was living my life in my own terms those days.

That was until she came along.

And changed it all.

I wasted 21 years of my life in ignorance. In ignorance that money was the foremost priority in life. I was in a mad rush and hurry to nowhere. Another thing I loved was to party. Partying with the people who never cared for you. I was living in a faked world, filled with people who didn’t have the right attitude toward life. I merely survived. I didn’t ‘live’.

She had the right attitude toward life. She taught me to ‘live’. And not just to survive and waste precious life.

I failed to appreciate,
the breeze and the flower’s scent.
I didn’t stop, to see the moon.
I believed, I was happy
But my joys were transient,
which were to be forgotten soon.

Until one day she came along.
She walked into my life and changed it all.
She taught me how to live.
And to always smile though I fall.


She taught me to stop by and appreciate the beauty of small things—like the fluttering butterflies, the chirping cuckoos, the glazing sun, the starry studded night-sky with the crescent shaped moon, the joy and the innocence of a child, and the vastness of ocean.

She gave me a whole new reason to live--to live with appreciation for nature.

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

The next day would be her 20th birthday. I wanted to choose a gift wisely. Not like the last time. The diamond earrings I got her on her last birthday didn’t suit her well.

She wasn’t looking good in them. Nothing suited her. A waste of money, I thought. She wasn’t worth it. I returned the diamonds worth Rs.2 lacs each, to the D’dama’s shop.

I mean she already had sparkling diamonds studded in her eyes, that my earrings felt lusterless on her. Whenever I get something, I want it to be the talk of the town. I wanted to make a style quotient among my friends. I wasn’t satisfied with the gift. The diamonds were not worth enough for her. She needed something more worthful…something priceless.

I needed to give her something she wouldn’t imagine in her wildest dreams. Then I got an idea. A master plan. A master plan to drug her.

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

She returned and sat beside me with expectant eyes. Slowly she finished drinking the milkshake. Her eyes were drooping. Her head felt heavy. She fell on the sofa with a loud thud. There was a final smirk on my face as I left.

She deserved that for what she did to me. And for how she changed my life.I was happy, before she came into my life.

But I didn’t realize my joys were transient and faked. They were not long- lasting. The joy I experience when I lead my life with the attitude she taught me, is long-lasting.

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

It was 5 minutes for 21st June. I lit 20 candles on the chocolate cake. She cut the cake and I sang the birthday song. The cuckoos and the sparrows joined the song by chirping. The green leaves swayed to the breeze in rhythm. The waves splashed and swished as they hit the shore. The moon and the stars were smiling down to us. I took out my guitar and played soft music. We hummed duets all night and the nature played the background music. It was a full moon night. Perfect. We lay on the sand at the beach and slept hugging each other.

She was more than happy with my gift.

My gift of a surprise trip to the Andaman Islands. She always wanted to go to the Andaman, for the nature there is unspoilt and unhampered.

And I made her dreams come true.

That’s why I drugged her. I wanted to surprise her. While she was unconscious, we flew in the chopper to the islands. When she opened her eyes, she was astonished to see the blue sky enveloping her. She was astonished to see the vast sea that stretched for miles in front of her. She was astonished to see me beside her. I wished her a happy birthday, just when there were 5 minutes remaining for that day to get over. She felt special.

There were tears in her eyes. The tears of joy. The joy in admiration for nature. The joy that I remembered her birthday even if it was late.

Yes, I was late. I didn’t want to be the first one to wish her. I wanted to be the last one to wish her. Because the last wish stays in the memory till the next year. Everyone wishes you at the first few hours of your birthday. But after some hours, the day becomes normal, as if it is not your birthday at all and what remains is the long wait of one whole year for your birthday to arrive. I always believed in last wishes. Just imagine…when just few seconds remain for your birthday to pass away, someone wishes you then and reminds you it is your birthday. It feels good to know that it is still your birthday. Yes, I like last wishes. They are more memorable than first wishes.

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

I chose wisely this time. The trip was a perfect gift to her. Close to nature. Close to me. We were all alone, with just the two of us and had all the time in the world.

She deserved that for what she did to me. And for how she changed my life.

In my search for you

Under the twilight, beyond the sun’s rays
In this world there’s not left a place.
Across the bridge and over the mountain
I’ve looked for you, but all in vain.

“Oh bird! Fly in the sky and look for him
At dawn or dusk, even if the light’s dim”
Thus, I requested a fluttering sparrow,
To fly and search for you, high and low.

“Oh moon! Shine down to wherever he is
Urge him to return, could you do that please?”
The shimmering moon and the glittery stars,
Promised to search, even if you’re on mars.

“Oh spring! Along your journey from hills to sea,
If he gulped you down his throat, notify me”
Thus, gushed from the earth the mountain spring,
But any message from you, it failed to bring.

“Oh rain! Dry my tear, form a cloud,fall on his cheek
Rain in deserts too for his whereabouts I can seek.
I asked the rainbow, the clouds and the fountain,
“Will he be receiving the same splattering rain?”

“Oh breeze! Transcending lands beyond I can see
Pervasive that you are, now listen to my plea--
Blow over to where he is, spread the same fragrance
Tell him I’m waiting to caress his hair so dense”

Beneath the deepest trench, beyond the farthest land,
In the ice or the forests or under the rocks or sand.
I’ll keep searching for you, and will never lose hope.
Nature joined in my search for you, so there’s scope.

It's like I am lost...I don't know this feeling

Day after day I think of you,
Of million thoughts I want to share with you!

M: Hey, what’s the matter with you? Why are you in such a contemplative state?

H: I am not feeling myself today. I feel so blue.

M: Oh dear! Pour out your heart to me. May be I’ll be of help. What’s wrong?

H: It’s him. No matter what I do, my thoughts shoot back to him. Every dawn I wake up to the morning light, the first thought that springs in my mind is his. I keep wondering what he is doing at this very moment. Eating..? Sleeping..? Laughing..? Will he be thinking of me..?

Whatever I see…
Whatever I do…
Whatever I hear…
I got me thinking of him.

M: What kind of thoughts?

H: Sweet, mushy thoughts of his. Late nights, when all the world is sleeping, I stay awake and keep thinking of him! I wish I was a star and could look down to him, sleeping cozily in his bed. I wish I was the breeze, and could swish past him and caress his silky hair.

Whenever I miss you, I just stare at the sky... I don't find you there but atleast I know we are under the same sky..!

M: Hmm…you got a problem there! Luckily, I know the solution. I will say it, it may or may not be right, but if it is, you have to accept it.

H: Yeah, okay, what’s it?

M: Is it a crush?

H: No! It’s much more than a silly crush. I can fight the world for him.

I will be there for him when the world stops turning.
I will be there for him when the sun stops shining.

See me! I’m talking in rhymes. His thoughts bring out the romantic poet out of me!

M: May be it is just a phase in life. You’ll get over with it in few months.

H: No, I felt like this from quite some time. This feeling got collected from so many years and is now gushing bountifully from my heart.

M: That sounds serious. Is it love?

H: Hmmm…may be…I am not sure of this feeling. I am in such a quandary. It’s a ticklish feeling pulsating from my innate heart. Does it feel like this when someone is in love?

M: Yes, you have got all those symptoms.

H: I can’t believe it! I thought love is something, which happens only in movies and fantasies. It seems so distant and strange! Oh, what do I do now?

M: You should go and propose him.

He loves me?..He loves me not?

H: I don’t have the courage. What if he doesn’t think of me that way? What if he rejected me and stopped talking to me after that cheap stance. I can’t afford losing him!

M: Then, he isn’t lucky enough to deserve your divine love. You might as well forget it all if he rejected you.

H: That shall never happen! I’ll still keep loving him even if he doesn’t love me back. He will be my man, in my fantasies. I will keep dreaming and in my dreams atleast, we’ll be together. I can lead my whole life just with his dreams. I've learnt that love is not always getting back. It is giving. Love is all about sacrifices. I don't want anything from him.

Worthy of nothing, counting the days still I wish to survive,
Hoping that one day he’ll care for me, for him I’ll strive.

M: What if he said he needs some time?

H: I’ll give him all the time in the world. I'm ready to wait all my life!

He could be far away from me for eons...I’ll still keep waiting
He could be at the other end of the universe...I’ll still keep waiting.

M: So when will you propose him?

H: Now that I am thinking about it, I don’t want to propose. This will be my little secret that I will carry to the grave. It’s better to secretly love him than be sad with a broken heart if he rejected my love.

M: I won’t advise you to do that. Be brave. Don’t waste a second to tell him what you feel. Don’t worry of the consequences. Atleast later in life you won’t retrospect and regret that it could have worked if you showed some courage.

H: Yes, you are right. I should be brave. I will propose him soon.

M: That’s a good decision. Go on now! Call up, fix a meeting and tell him you’ve fallen in love with him.

H: Oh no! I haven’t fallen in love with him. I have risen in love with him!

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

'M' is Mind and 'H' is Heart of a girl who is in love.