when words dwindle thoughts

Dreams Sold Here

rahulsreekumar@gmail.com (rahul s nair) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:28:00 PST

Brown suit,

Hefty voice,

Subduing charm.

'Dreams Sold Here!,

Pick one if you may', he told.

It is an unfinished post. I couldn't finish it. Anyway Somethings better than nothing. Its been some time, I know. I was getting adjusted to one of those dreams that I bought. Life in a different city is exciting with lots of places to see, different people, different climate, different culture. But when you weigh all these differences ,there is always the one which makes the weighing machine go beserk. I think you got it right.

Sheesh.. Why don't dreams come free!!

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The Dumb Rag Picker

rahulsreekumar@gmail.com (rahul s nair) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 03:26:14 PDT

This stunning image is from aussiegall's photostream on flickr

The cocoa garden behind our rented little house was my favorite haunt. I spent my time climbing the small trees and chasing the brownish orange hens that were always pecking around in our backyard. When the evenings caught up with time, I would run back to the vicinity of the Grampoo tree near the kitchen. The cocoa trees were scary after dark. They seemed to be stripped of all friendly essence that they showed to me all morning. It was during such evenings that she appeared in the empty plot nearby gathering wood.

I would still be playing unwary of her presence till the moment she called out 'Appi...'.It would be the best imitation of the word she could make taking into consideration her impairment. The syllables would send a chill down my spine which would make me run into my house or better if my mother was outside, behind the end of her Saree .When I had reached my safe destination, then only would I even gather courage to stare back at the voice that called me. She would be standing there leaning against the wall smiling at me. Red lips perched on a dark face. A smile which I always never understood. She used to stand there and chew on betel leaves. Her long nose was adorned with a nose ring. These for enough for me to classify her as a child snatcher who would kidnap me, take out my eyes and make me sit in front of unknown places begging for money.My Mom would start talking to her, laughing at the awkward run I made back to her. She would respond back in sign hand signals and incomprehensible sounds. Mom listened intently to it trying to make out what the rag picker was saying. But my mom didn't know what I knew. The very thing that the woman over there would kidnap me once and take me away from my family.

School had left early that day. I had a whole afternoon to play. Infact I had a mission to accomplish today. Hari had bragged that he climbed up a very big Guava tree and about how he had plucked the ripe Guavas from the topmost branch. Tomorrow I was going to say so about my Cocoa tree. Not some cheap Guava tree. I flung my shoes here and there and ran to the backyard only to have my Mom pick me up by the ears and make me put my things in place before going out.

It stood there in the middle of the whole plantation. Tall and unwelcoming. I scrutinized the size and shape for a moment, planning my route towards the top. Step by step I made my way up. I was half way up when i noticed an unforeseen glitch in the operation. The next branch was two steps up. But a soldier never stops even in the most adverse of situations. I gave a lurch for the branch , hands and legs flying in the air. For a moment I thought I was superman. But the hard fall to the ground brought back reality. A painful cry echoed in the plantation. I tried to get up and successfully failed at the attempt. I heard the sound of rustling leaves behind me. Nothing more could go wrong. The rag picker had seen me. She knew I was helpless. Soon I was going to lose my sight. As she came nearer by fast strides, my efforts could only move me inches. I closed my eyes and prayed to God.

I felt hands picking me up. I closed my eyes tightly, I would give a fight till I last. I could stand upright now as blood started flowing normally through my legs. I started to fight back pulling her towards the house.Then came the painful sting on my ears which made my eyes pop out. I saw my Mom standing there in her Kali avatar. There was never a happier sight for me. Mom... I looked back, the rag picker stood a few feet back with the same mysterious smile on her face. She said something to Mom and went back to the heap of wood she had collected.

I got scolded all the way back to the house. It never sounded sweeter. Only I knew of the narrow escape I had. As for the cocoa plantation , never again. Danger lurks even there.

THIS IS A PARTIAL WORK OF FICTION

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Change

rahulsreekumar@gmail.com (rahul s nair) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 06:27:35 PDT

photo by h.koppdelaney on Flickr

I wanted to stay till everyone left.

To see everyone off,

To wish a very good bye,

Before I start on this journey of mine.
But life isn't that way, Is it? Always bereft.

Every single laugh

Canceled out by a cry,

Negating all positives with the pass of time.

It is never easy, being Change's subject.

The heaviness of loss,

The ebbing of joy,
Desperate attempts to foil Fate's design.

Now my name is on the rolls,

And I hear him knocking at my door.....

Its a reflection back on my life.. Change has come many at times and I have been forced to move on... So heres my thoughts on that in words...

Status : Missing friends  back at Bangalore....

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elle rêvait d'amour

rahulsreekumar@gmail.com (rahul s nair) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:13:50 PDT

By pincel3d on deviant art

An empty reflection in the mirror,

Of Twenty and hundred pounds.

I, the worthless wayside whore,

Had her dreams for a day crowned.

That moment was Chance's child,
Whom Fate did father wrong.
A day to spend,a night to dine,
Nothing more - a request queerly odd.

A day we spent in eternal bliss,
A day together, forever remembered.
Helios' chariots gave way for Selene's grace,
He bid his fare and in the shadows retreated.

Never made love in a way as such,
Hearts embraced and flesh withdrawn.
Never made love in a way as such,
In Passion's triumph, lust overthrown.

I know its strange

And the feeling stranger.

But I can't explain how I felt

When I made love with the stranger.

An empty reflection in the mirror,

Of Twenty and hundred pounds.

I, the worthless wayside whore,

Had her dreams for a day crowned.

[ I tried my best to capture a story i had in my mind as a short poem. I hope you guys got the story... :) .

The title is in french - elle rêvait d'amour, which means - She dreamed of love.

Penkodi is taking french lessons, that inspired me to keep the title in french.

For the record, google translate is my tutor. ;) :)) ]

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I forgot to say , Thank You!

rahulsreekumar@gmail.com (rahul s nair) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 03:59:08 PDT

Photo By h-k-d

The night was new. I walked out of the air conditioned hotel lobby. A blast of hot air caught my face.The air was annoyingly warm. I ran a hand through my hair as I waited admist the shimmering lights of Chennai's traffic for an auto. Chennai - the city where you get ripped by the autowallah's, fried by the sun and interrogated by foriegners. But I was happy. The interrogation was a success and I had been granted a Visa to the USA.

I paid the auto wallah 80 rupees for a 50 Rs. ride and finally arrived at the train station. I found him at the station waiting for me. We had a lot of laughs and shared the latest gossip of old batch mates from college.The clock tower at the station seemed not amused at our happiness. It didn't even bother to stop time for us. We parted again, sure that the next meeting was a long time to come.At the stroke of 10 the train started moving. Just half an hour late of schedule.

I located my berth in the three tier AC compartment. God was Cruel. No girls, again !!

I shared space with two guys and an elderly couple. One of the guys was a software engineer, I guessed as I saw the laptop bag. The other guy started a conversation with me. He was a soldier going to Bangalore for NSG commando training. We had a small talk going till he got a call from home. I couldn't help but eavesdrop on the conversation. It was about how thin he had gotten for his pants, how tall his sister had got and about the dinner they were having. I dusted up old memories off cobwebs and laid them before me. Nowadays I run out of topics to talk to mom, the only topic is how much my pant size had increased owing to the software belly.

I noticed the old lady in front of me smiling as well. What would she have been thinking? The calls from her son who is a soul lost software engineer in Bangalore now? I don't know. I didn't ask. I just know we were both glad to have eavesdropped on the conversation.

I don't know what could have made me pay attention to the two uninteresting old people before me. It was some kind of a strong passion they had that made me look up with curiosity. A few minutes of watching them and I felt I had seen magic. That was the most grateful moment I had that day, this year or may be in years to come. It made me change my perspective. I watched the old man as he gently prepared the bed for his wife, folding the blanket at the edges so that she wouldn't feel the cold. He took out her medicines and gave her water. He took out her sandals from beneath the berth. He did everything for her and she didn't even need to utter a word during the course of that very long 10 minutes. I was amazed. I wanted to feel what it would feel like to be the old man. How it would feel to grow old together. To experience the happiness and affection he is enjoying. It made me want to live that long; one thought I had dismissed long ago. I used to think I wouldn't want to see myself old. That 10 minutes had changed everything.

The night had grown old. A blast of cold air struck me from the vent above as I lay down to sleep. Some moments which made me smile. Some, I won't forget for a long time.

link : read about kittu's experience on train. some people have all the luck.

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Status :been doing a lot of travel lately- weddings, treks, outings..
Went on an awesome trek to saurkundi pass. the photos page is updated with pics.

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The Sound Of Rain

rahulsreekumar@gmail.com (rahul s nair) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 23:34:25 PDT

[Cafe Writing March April Project : http://www.cafewriting.com/2009/03/marchapril-2009-project-in-the-garden/

Option One : Poetry

Weather means more when you have a garden. There’s nothing like listening to a shower and thinking how it is soaking in around your green beans.

~Marcelene Cox

Using the quotation above as your inspiration, write a poem (any form is fine) about weather meaning more.]

[Photo By : wGGta on Flickr]

Splattery Splat Splattery Spalt,

The rain drops drummed on the window pane.

The sun and clouds in mortal fight,

No Longer scorched the soil remains.

Croakery Croak Croakery Croak,

the big green frog in my garden cries.

Pussycat dear from his noon nap woke,

the time is here to mince more mice.

Rickety Rock Rickety rock,

Under my burden the wooden chair grunts.

And a mug of cream and coffee thick,

Would you wish or anymore want?

Screakery Squeak Screakery Squeak,

I hear the hinge on the farmhouse door.

A howling wind unabated seeks

To devour the silent summer whole.

Hootery Hoot Hootery Hoot,

the brown old barn owl chides.

Oh!! Now I remember I have to glue,

The leak in the barn where he hides.

Splat,Croak,Rock ,Squeak and hoot,

together they play a lovely band,

A tune which soothes

A tune with life
A tune of joy with hope unbound.

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Pic of the Month - March 2009

rahulsreekumar@gmail.com (rahul s nair) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 23:34:25 PDT

This was taken in Bylekuppe [WIKI]

It is the second largest Tibetan settlement outside Tibet.

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Wish Upon A Falling Star

rahulsreekumar@gmail.com (rahul s nair) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 23:34:25 PDT

[This lovely piece of art is by Julianne . See it on Flickr]

I wish i could see her every night,

Every day in every sight.
So stare, and stare would I,
Eyes fixed on a cloudless sky.

I wish that she would dance,

She would fly in a graceful stance.

A silky gown she would wear,

And give the sky a shiny scar to bear.

I wish i could hold her hands,

Hold her close and hold her tight,

Embrace her into a lovely waltz,

Which would even the heavens exalt.

I wish I could survive,

Could dream and could stay alive,

In hope of the day I would unite

With my ever eluding woman of light.

*****

[

I am sure most of you haven't any clue as to what i am rhyming about.

The story goes like this. I have never seen a falling star in my life (so uncool, i KNOW!!). This attempt at a poem is for the lady of my life whoever she might be and wherever she might be, because I haven't seen her either. So I thought it might be appropriate to compare her with a falling star, neither of whom have met in my life. And I wish upon a falling star (some star ought to be falling at some place!! :) ) that I the day I see a falling star, its a sign that I meet my lady as well. So, please do pray that I do see a falling star. I am in no hurry, so you can take your time to include it in the list of things that you will be asking God.

]

[see this awesome pic by Sandeep.]

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Finally Revealing : My Secret Identity

rahulsreekumar@gmail.com (rahul s nair) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 23:34:25 PDT

Dark Forces and Evil Creatures..
BEWARE
(that "beware" goes to the moral police as well)

Here he comes to scratch your back..
Your Friendly Neighborhood
Mysterious Splintery Splinter..

[Enjoyed a lot making myself a hero. Try for yourself @ The Hero Factory ]

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All I Wanted To Know !

rahulsreekumar@gmail.com (rahul s nair) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 23:34:25 PDT

[Photo By : Midiman]

Being an inquisitive 9 year old, I was always confused about the concept of heaven and hell. If both existed why couldn't we see it? How will I know in advance where I will go? And can we come back to earth if we want to sometimes, like Mahabali does once in a year Or is that only for privileged persons and VVIPs? I knew a person who had the answer for it all, Ammoomma. She knew everything. She knew how Vamanan had killed Mahabali. So logically she ought to know how it was at hell and heaven. So I decided to ask the knowledgeable one.

Ammomma was sitting on the portico singing her bhajans as she always does in the evening. There was a light breeze outside. The hibiscus leaves rustled. Its flowers had just been sacrificed in the puja room.The light jasmine fragrance of burning incense floated in the air. I went and laid my head on Ammoomma's lap.

'Ammomme... Ammmomme... Ee swargavum narakvum evideya?' (where is heaven and hell?) 'Where will I go when I die?'

'So Appumon, wants to hear about heaven and hell. Let me tell you a story',

And she started telling a fable about the man who lived without hurting a living thing in his life. But he was not admitted in heaven because of his arrogance and bad boy attitude. She told me that the heavens where in the sky very far away from what our eyes could see and that hell was deep underground.

'Wow!! like I didn't know that before', I thought. Just wasted my time asking her. I should find out myself.

Finally after hours of thinking. I came upon a great plan. I will die and then I will know where I will go. Then I will enter into a pact with the Gatekeeper and get a parole to earth every now and then. So firmly focusing on the idea. I decided to die.The hard part was how to die. I didn't want it to be painful.

Lorry - unchecked (no body left if I want to come back on parole),

hanging - unchecked (won't look good when photo comes),

Vein Cutting- No (Out of fashion);

Yes, that's it! I will drown myself. I will be taking a bath and dying at the same time. And drinking water has not been painful so far and thus I will have a great death.

So I decided to die when father was bathing, mom was cleaning the kitchen and ammomma was snoring. And the place where I drown, will be our fish pond. I has fallen into it accidentally three years back and had almost drowned and my Dad had saved me. I was still afraid of the place that I never used to go near it.

The time at last dawned when father was bathing, mom was cleaning the kitchen and amoomma was snoring. I made way quietly outside. I made sure I walked out of the lights so that nobody saw me (thank god for spy movies). I reached the edge of the pond. Only eerie silence accompanied me.

Suddenly a sound came from behind. My heart jumped into my mouth. I was convinced that it was a aathma of some poor chap who had drowned her earlier. I turned back. A big mean frog was sitting there watching me with mean, evil eyes. I took a stone and threw at it with the accuracy of Agarkar's attempt at the wickets. The stone bounced off the ground, leaving the frog unhurt and more importantly he was mad.

The frog jumped towards me and sat on my leg...

'AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH', CROACK.. CROACK... SPLASH... BLUM...

I expected the gloominess to settle soon. That's when I realized I could breathe under water. I opened my eyes and saw that I was standing with the water till my chest. Sure I had grown fast in three years and I had not considered my rate of growth over time. Darn .. I was always bad at maths.

I could see the damn frog swimming to the shore. @##$@#$%$% FROG

I climbed out of the pond and decide to end my expeditions for the night. I limped to the house, as I had hurt my leg on a rock while falling. I entered the nice clean house with white flooring, drenched in water , mud on my feet and lilies on my head.

At first sight Mom got afraid on seeing me and let out a faint scream. After my reassurance she sat down. By the time Dad had come down and Ammomma was standing there in shock.

Dad finally asked me what had happened after a few moments of deadly silence. I opened my mouth to say that I had gone to die, when my super intelligent brain interrupted the conversation considering all the factors and deciding that I would be grounded for life if I said so.

The tongue automatically twisted the other way and said, 'I got afraid when a frog jumped at me and I fell into the pond'. My Face put on the crying, innocent expression.

The expression didn't have any effect on Mom. She pinched me hard on my arm. 'Aaaaaaaaa...', I went on like a broken CD player. The house was filled with my song and Mom had gone all guns blazing as to who told me to go to the pond at this time.

It was good that Dad thought I have had enough for one day and broke the connection between my Moms fingers and my throbbing arm. Mom didn't allow me into the room. I had to take bath in the tap outside the house in the cold, with a twitching arm and an injured leg.

Next morning I woke up with a cold. The good thing was that I didn't have to go to school and I got enough time to think over the dying thing. Dying was never a bright idea, I finally decided. I would never be able to taste these pazhampori's (banana bajji) that Mom makes if I die. I had got my reason. And the confusion over heaven and hell can wait for another 80 years or so. :)

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How to wield Success at the GATE

rahulsreekumar@gmail.com (rahul s nair) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 23:34:25 PDT

[Image Courtesy: http://www.istockphoto.com]

This post was written by me successfully during the GATE exam 2009.

Three hours of peace from the noisy life of Bangalore, just for a cost of Rs.1000/-.Apply now!!!

Waking up early on a Sunday morning is a bad sign. Waking up on a Sunday morning after a party with friends the previous night to write an exam -- the worst sign. The alarm played the perfect part of the dream destroyer that morning as well. After one hour of relentless ringing I had to give up to the irritating power of Evanescence's wake me up inside ...

I had got ready to leave home but I had one more task to complete before I could be there for the exam. I had to find the way to the exam center. I was able to reach the holy place, a well 1 hour 15 minutes before time, with lot of help from blore's own Auto bhaiyyas. I thought i would be the one to reach there first. But i was greeted by the faces of those guys who were going to have more beautiful wives and cars than me; the guys with the thick glasses and the greasy hair- the geeks. It was like walking into the sets of Attack of the Nerds. Amidst the ruckus created by the geeks and other semi interested students and engineers, I made my way to the small shop on the other side for my breakfast. Finally after a long time of a guy came and commanded the throng of people to go in and be seated inside.

It was a truly nostalgic feeling. Like a blast from the past. Memories of ye old University exams.. Haha.. Many of them were prepared or at least looked like they were. I knew that the only things I was going to answer were the questions on the right side. These questions were like, name, roll number and a number of such tough questions. But they didn't mention anywhere about how much marks each of those questions carried.

Anyway i went about answering all those questions when I saw a guy come in with a big bottle of water. Oh!! man.. prepared like anything. I should have brought pop corn. But I wasn't sure whether eatables were allowed in the exam hall. :( The technical questions were pretty easy. I could answer at least 7 of them correctly. which is a big achievement ( applause). I answered a total of 48/60. I didn't want to get the negative marks of the next 12 questions as well ,so, I stopped guessing the answers. The questions were generally categorized into two : those that I knew and those i didn't. But the latter category contained more questions and I am planning to write to the Chairman about the quantity of questions in Category 2.

In the meantime the guy who had come with the water had almost finished his bottle and from his face I could notice that he seriously needed to take a leak. Poor Guy..

I finished the exam in record time. But the Hall ticket said I could not leave before the completion time. So I cross-checked my brilliant answers and waited for one and a half hours before I asked the invigilator(a typical college lecturer) whether i could gracefully take my leave. I think he was invigilating an exam for the first time and the pride could be seen on his face. With the same gracefulness he told me that I would have to wait till the completion of 3 hours. And to think I never even sat through the whole time of any university exam.. OMG!! I was trapped in some other strange time space continuum.

This was the time, in the course of the whole exam, that I had a major dilemma. What will I do for one more hour? I didn't waste time to find the perfect solution. I found the desk a very good place to get the rest of the Sunday morning sleep. And sleep I did for half an hour. A delightful slumber. I woke up fast in fear, lest I should talk in my sleep and give away those brilliant answers that I had given.

Then I saw the desk. Aha! Nothing more interesting than to read the comments on the, long deprived of paint ,desk. And that too the back bench. :D

The guy who sat at my place was a rap fan (snoop dog and shaggy were the decorators of that place). At one time he had been a Shakira fan but he had developed a certain disliking for her. He name was scratched upon with dividers and correction ink so many times, that I had hard time reading that.

'Does love hurt ?' [some body was planning on loving someone]

The aswers were " Love hurts!!!' [he shouldn't have been so outright]

"I dunno. Please find out" [ i liked this one :)]

Then a series of four letter words.

Another guy had professed his love on the wood :

Mental Chandan*** loves Sharmila... *** [confessions of a self proclaimed crack or the work of his best friends . :)]

The other things were lots of Swastika symbols and random questions and answers.

Soon losing interest in them, I waited for the final fifteen minutes to go by. It was pure torture. I never thought 15 minutes would be so long. And finally the hammer struck the gong and I was free again. I walked out of the college gate passing the excited and nervous faces of the geeks and other unimportant people. That was the only gate i think i could have passed with so much of preparation.

Atlast an end to the trauma of whether I should go for higher studies or not. Then there is always next year... ;)

*** Original names cannot be given out due to security risks to the author. And Chandan; Yes, I took revenge on you for taking my name in vain.

Dad : If you are reading this; This is not my story but of some guy who went to a Gate exam without studying. How can he do that?

Status : Checking my GATE answers... who knows.. may be I got all 48 right. ;) and will be on my way to an IIT before you know it.

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The 30 Questions (Tag)

rahulsreekumar@gmail.com (rahul s nair) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 23:34:25 PDT

[Photo Coutesy : jamuraa]

I got this tag this Maverrick who got it from Sailor who got it from Sneha.

[I hope the tag is not an Evil plan by some Evil Warlord to get information about me so that he can overpower me and take over the world].

Here goes..

1)What is your occupation?

I am a central goverment employee*.

*Conditions Apply

( Psst. I heard there is no value in the marriage market for ~~Software engineers~~. We are a depreciating asset now.)

2)What colour are your socks now?

Never ask a bachelor about his socks >:-

3)What are you listening to now?

I'm hearing Bhumika's voice on the phone persuading me to go to innovative film city this weekend.

4)What was the last thing you ate?

Lemme see:

Wheat flour, (UN)cooked on a flat or slightly concave iron griddle and

Dark yellow colour potato, tomato and onion paste sprinkled with garlic seasoning..

For those illiterate guys, lets say : Roti and aloo curry from the cafeteria.

5)Can you drive a stick shift?

Sorry,I do not know golf. ;)

[searches on Wiki what a stick shift is..]

hmph!!! a vehicle with manual transmission.

Why cant the question be :

Can you drive a vehicle where you have to change the gear manually?

[You don't know to how much extent my wild imagination went to derive the meaning of a STICK SHIFT]

Answer : I can drive and I am a pretty cool driver, but expensive. Last time I drove it cost me around 10,000 bucks.

The back of a stick shift bus came and hit the front of my stick shift car. Not my mistake. Why was the back of the bus parked there?

Indians should be more aware and careful while driving stick shifts . I mean who gave these bus drivers liscence to drive a stick shift.

6)Last person you spoke to on phone?

Salma..

You know.. Salma Hayek..

See I knew you wouldn't believe.

I have an alternate answer ready for those who didn't believe that : the Airtel Broadband Service Guy!

7)Do you like the person who sent you this?

I know Chandan sent this so that he could make me say I like him.

Not the type you think I am, man. aaargh...

8)How old are you today?

Old enough (and 6 years extra) to legally do the FOUR LETTER WORD.. V.O.T.E.

9)What is your favourite sport to watch on TV?

Womens Lawn Tennis. ;)

10)What are your favourite drinks?

Tender Coconut Water :)

11)Have you ever dyed your hair ?

How old do you think I am, 60?

12)Favourite food?

Choru ( kerala rice ) with theeyal (super taty curry from kerala) and fish fry , fish curry and a little chicken and a little bit of prawns and a bit of squids and..

13)Last movie watched?

Why did u have to put such a question in when I am trying to forget the last movie

I watched? BTW its Revolutionary Road.. ( strong sense of sleepiness takes over!!!)

14)Favourite day of the year?

Salary Day.. :)

15)How do you vent out your anger?

I once told my dad I wanted a missile launcher for my birthday. I wanted to try it on the School's official Bully. My dad being a spoil sport didn't get me one.

So my only source of comfort has been my innocent pillow which gets beaten up when I really feel like beating the shit out of someone.

16)Favourite toy as a child?

The neighbour's dog. [ Evil grin on face now ]

17)Favourite season?

The Monsoon. Being a Keralite you will never love any other season.

Esp. when there is a road block and we didnt need to go to school. :)

But there is something special in the air during monsoon in Kerala.

[and its not smell of the sewage overflowing... grr]

18)Do you want your friends to email you?

Yes. Esp. those which say - if you dont forward you will be cursed with constipation for 7 years,7 months and 7 days. In my humble opinion the recession has been caused by people who haven't forwarded such mails and have got the curse of the Email-Server-Gods over our Software Fraternity.

19)When was the last time you cried?

When Diana ,my doggy, the love of my life, died :'(

20)What is on the floor of your closet?

My old underwears, from the time I was in eigth grade, till now.

aaah.. Memories...

21)Who is the friend you have had the longest?

Abhijit : around 13 years now and he still hasn't killed me.

A great achievement, Abhijit.
The Association of Men with Friends who are Unbearable(AMEN. F.U.) bestows the life time achievement award upon you.

22)What did you do last night?

Lemme see now...

Surya,Shanthi,Anushka, bed....

ok...I got it.. I got it..

I went home and tested our new cable connection. Watched Surya Tv (one of the most viewed

malayalam channels). Then I went to Shanthi Sagar for dinner. Then I came back and

saw Anushka's dance class on MTV. Then I went to bed.

23)What are you most afraid of?

Me ? Afraid?

You got to be kidding?

Well...Except if you are not kidding about them slimy,long, reptiles called snakes.

24)Plain,cheese or spicy hamburger?

Cheese.

25)Favourite dog breed?

Dachshund

(Brut,Buddy... I miss you.. Snifff...Sniff.. Chettan (bro) will come back home in a couple of months..)

26)Favorite day of the week?

Yesterday. I always wait for it to come fast.

27)How many states have you lived in?

Two K's:

Kerala and Karnataka.

[But east or west Kerala is the best]

28)Diamond or pearl?

Niether. I am broke, more broke than a church mouse.

29)What is your wish for this new year?

I hope I will be able to go Onsite and clear all my credit card bills.

Amen.

30)New year resolutions?

- Go to office early

- Continue writing Diary

- Read all the books I have bought before buying another one.

- Never follow my Dad's advice on what kind of haircut I should get.

- Call Mom every other day.

I think I am supposed to tag some one else. I tag Clueless and Tony. So Clueless and Tony, if you happen to read this post then there is a tag waiting for you. Any one else who reads this post can also take up the tag.

I am looking forward to reading your 30 Q&As :)

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From Olympics To Obama.

rahulsreekumar@gmail.com (rahul s nair) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 23:34:25 PDT

[Photo by : aloshbennett ]

The year 2008 was a year for news about Olympics ,Mumbai and Obama. In Olympics it was of course a great year for India. And there was a good reason for the papers to celebrate the crowning of the three young men at the Beijing Olympics. But Beijing was also a photographers paradise. The most hyped and most ceremonious Olympic meet yet, there were enough photos available to the papers to fill all their pages.
But with in a months time Olympics lost its charm in the papers, even though Bindraji gets a mention here and there and in TV Ads.

Teacher: Who won the bronze In Olympic wrestling for India?
Appu : mmmm... i know... iknow.. i know... The Great Khali

Now that Olympics is over and none of the athletes are making news, the best knowledge people would have of wrestling would be of unusually tall men with loads of meat on their body shaped like bricks.

Then came the Mumbai tragedy. Which was a jolt to India, Indian politics, Media, and the security forces. Many heroes were made and many innocents slain. Two months have passed and still nothing is happening. Pakistan is still playing Tom,Dick and Harry. Lets hope everything goes well and we get the bastards!!

2008 was also the time for Obama to do his thing. Every little kid on the block was chanting Obama mantras. The papers had nothing but how Obama dressed ,how Obama ate and how Obama bathed!!! Michelle Obama also got a couple of headlines when the papers didn't know what else to write about Obama.

Teacher : Who is the President Of India?
Appu : Oh Boy! Oh Boy! I know this too .. Obama!!
[Teacher Frowns]
Appu : Oh!! He is then the president of the world, is he?

Indians who had never seen an oath taking of the Prime Minister Of India or the President would have been swarming in front of the T.V. to see the latest news sensation, Barack Obama. Three days of non stop entertainment and celebration by the TV channels ; OBAMA LIVE!!!!.
Our PM's and Prez's should also think of having those IPL girls around during their swearing in. I mean, it makes things more colourful and of course interesting.

Obama even had a comic book released. He is reeling in supporters by such publicity. Why can't Manmohan Singh get a comic? If Obama was a side kick to spider man our PM sould be the hero.

Jokes apart. Let us pray for Mr. Manmohan Singh's speedy recovery.

I can't predict for how long the papers will continue the Obama saga. They are writing everything that falls from his mouth, even the sneezes(I am sure that at least TOI publishes that). Till then lets wait for his swimsuit calender to come out. If all this can happen then why not a calender.

Hoping that the media in 2009 get reasons to share only good stuff. No terrorists, No hurricanes,No wars and India Rising!!!

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A Final Good-Bye

rahulsreekumar@gmail.com (rahul s nair) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 23:34:25 PDT

The rain had passed. The air was filled with sweet music. The music of water drops falling into puddles. It was on such a day 4 years back that I had lost Sophie. If only she was here with me. My heart began filling with heaviness. My eyes blurred. The heaviness was a sleep inducer. I would soon become tired and fall asleep. My ears received the sounds of outside as though it was a healer. It was like nature was sympathizing with me.

I felt a palm on my hands. A gentle voice called me. 'Appacha..'. I could be dreaming. I opened my eyes and saw my son looking at me with gentle eyes. The tears came back. Tears, a companion all along the way, in your sorrows and joys.

'My Son, I thought you wouldn't come this year. I didn't see any letters, i thought...'
'Appacha, how can I forget. You know how hard it is for me to leave you alone here'.
I was so happy, the heaviness i felt before was gone.
'Where are the kids?', i asked
'They are not coming...', he said with a tinge of sadness in his words.' I came to take you with me appacha.. Whatever you say i am not going to leave you alone here...'
I was tired, I was missing my family. May be it is time for me to stop being lonely and go with my son. He loves me a lot. I shouldn't let him down.
'Who told I am going to ask a excuse? I am coming with you.' , I said my heart filling with all those nice feelings you get when you are happy and excited.
' I will come back tomorrow morning Appacha... I have some more things to sort out before we leave here.'

He hugged me as he had never before. I hugged him as though it was the first day that I had laid my eyes on him. I looked back as he left. I didn't feel the heaviness anymore. It was like I was free from all burden. I waited for the next day in anticipation. I packed all those things I thought was important.I couldn't sleep well that night. I got up early and waited for him.

He came as promised. We visited Sophie's resting place. I made of cup of tea for him. Then I lighted a candle in front of Virgin Mary's Idol as we waited to leave.

A new day dawned on the little village. The rain still remained to give the nostalgic effect of the yesteryears. The green paddy fields and the occasional flock of birds flying for shelter. The air filled with the smell of the soil. Everything was perfect except for the news entrusted with James and Annamma. They walked under a single umbrella holding each other. Neither of them were able to accept it till now. Their childhood friend John had met with an accident in the United States and had lost the battle for his life after one day.They were among the few people who had been close to John and his family. They had to deliver the bad news.

They approached the house where John's father led a lonely life. He had been stubborn with John on this matter. He couldn't even think of leaving his house and his village where all his memories resided. James and Anaamma used to come and give him company in some of the evenings. But today they carried a bad news. They were not sure how to break it to him.They stood on the steps and looked at each other. James nodded firmly, took hold of Annamma's hand and knocked on the door.

'Appacha...', they called. They all called him Appacha. The door was open. They went in. They saw a candle flickering before the idol of the Virgin. Two cups of tea on the teapoy and appachan reclining peacefully on the arm chair. James didn't want to break the peace in the room.

' Appacha..', He gently called. 'Appacha..', he called more firmily. Still he didnt get any reponse.. Annamma was about to break into tears.

I woke up hearing my name called. It was Jameskutty. Johnny's friend.
'He came to take me..'.
' Who Appacha.. ?' asked James
'Johnny, who else? you didn't see him? He was here. I must have dozed off. Don't tell me he hasn't come to meet you. He wouldn't have got time. He was running around with all the work to take me with him.'
Annamma started crying. James couldn't control her.
' Is something wrong Jameskutty? '.
James was silent for a moment. It seemed like he was mustering up all his courage to tell me something.
'Appacha.. There is some really bad news. John had an accident and succumbed to his wounds today morning.'
I didn't believe one bit of what James said. Making fun of me like this.
' I know you planned this with Johnnykutty.. you brats... same as old days eh.. Still childish..'
'No Appacha.. You have to believe us.' James told me.

It was not possible for him to die. He hadn't taken me with him. He will come back.
'Appacha.. Susie and the children will arrive tomorrow with the body. We will do all arrangements for the funeral.'

'So you are not joking... you are not joking... How could he leave me alone?'

I was lonely again. As i had been before. Sophie and Johnny gone. My grandchildren the only reason i can give for my existence. I will go back to my lonely life again. No more letters. No more yearning of what good news he has to say.

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Happy New Year!!

rahulsreekumar@gmail.com (rahul s nair) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 23:34:25 PDT

Happy New Year to all of you guys out there. I know its way too "early" to wish you a happy new year but i was a bit indisposed to write blog posts. I hope all of you are holding on tight to your resolutions. As for my resolutions I am thinking of Bidding them a final Good bye. But I have followed them till today. Its pretty hard having a list of resolutions. A list whose beginning you forget by the time you reach the end.

As for blogging in the new year. I hope to continue blogging. And as recession sets in i think may be I have a chance to be a full time blogger. :)

All the best to you. May God Bless you.

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House No.5, Palace Gardens

rahulsreekumar@gmail.com (rahul s nair) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 23:34:25 PDT

7th October 2008, A Suburb in Kerala

'Chechi, you should be really careful. The stars don't favor those who live in this house.', Saraswati said as she escorted Anita through the garden.
'What do you do, Chechi?'
' I am a writer, Saraswati.'
' Do you write news in the newspapers?'
' No, I write books, novels..'
'You write stories,Chechi?', Saraswati asked with amazement.
'Yes I do Sarasu'
' then someday if you are free, can you come home and tell munna some stories. He always complains that i do not know any stories. How would I know? I haven't even gone to school..'
'Sure sarasu, one day for sure.', Anita said as Saraswati opened the door.

'how long are you going to stay here ?'
'I wanted a place to write my next novel. After it is complete I might leave.'
'Are you married?'
'You sure do have a lot of questions. Let me sit down for a while and settle down in this house. Then I will answer all the questions you have.' , Anita said suppressing a laugh.

Anita stood at the balcony, Saraswati's question still ringing in her ears. 'Are you married?'.... It has been just over three months since her divorce from Naren. An arranged marriage. A perfect couple - according to her parents. Everything was fine for two years. Suddenly things started to take a bad shape between them. Naren started accusing her of being mad. Depressed, yes. But mad! He was taking things overboard. She had been having a bad run with her writing, with the newspaper turning down her column , her last book being a total failure and critics accusing her of using a copied idea. The perfect couple could not hold on much longer. Sooner than she thought , Naren moved for divorce. She looked at the wedding ring which she still used to wear. Tears formed in her eyes. But she was not going to break down. The tears vanished as they had come. Her eyes transformed from a sad set to that of determination.

Her career was in a bad state and her life even worse. That was when she got hold of a story from a casual talk she had with a friend. It happened to a friend of a friend in a suburb in Thiruvanathapuram. She and her family had been staying there for over a couple of years, when one day the worst tragedy occurred to them. Her husband fell into a hole dug up for a well. The soil on the sides collapsed burying him underneath. Since then rumours of the haunted house had spread. It seemed the previous two inhabitants had also died in strange circumstances. One of them had drowned in a swimming pool and the other who was in the air force, had died in a plane crash during a routine test flight.

The rumour was that a Sadhu had once come to the house when the owner was residing there. Overwhelmed by the owner’s hospitality he had given a warning to him for his good. He had predicted that the house had a curse on it and that the people staying in the house would die by the five elements. The owner being a pious man, took the advice and changed his house. He then gave it out for rent. According to the Sadhu's prediction, only two elements remained now : fire and space.

Anita sensed a story there. She had everything, even a ending, which she got the instant she heard the story. Only the gaps and details in the story remained. And here she was at House No. 5, Palace Gardens, in search of her story. She had hired the same maid who was there previously, Saraswati. She would be able to throw more light and of course she had a part to play in the story.

Anita's next few weeks were spent with the locals. In the evenings she used to go to the beach to view the sunset. It gave her immense pleasure, relief, and confidence. In the nights she would collect together all the information she gathered and put together her story.

She hadn't found anything unusual about the house herself. It was a splendid house. She had began to like it. But she couldn't stay there for long; her novel was approaching its end. Only one person's account was remaining, Chadran , the owner. After that she could mail the script to her publisher. Finally the last sunday of November was near.

December 8th 2008

“Her book is due release today and has blown away all records according to the publishers.
The police are confirming that it is an accident. Sources have also confirmed that the cause of the explosion was a leakage in cooking gas. Although nothing much of a body could be recovered,her wedding ring and other jewellery were recovered from the site. Police are investigating the missing of the maid, Sarawati. Chandran the owner of the house had testified earlier that Anita had been at his house last Sunday and that she was very concerned about Saraswati's mental health. Ramachandran was told by Anita that Saraswati had started mumblings strange things and did not seem herself during most of the time. The Police had made a statement yesterday that they had got no link connecting Sarawati to the event.... " , the TV blared in the hotel suite .

"Goood... But not a perfect ending as in my book!! '
"I wouldn't be getting any royalties but I bet my book will be a hit. That should silence those critics...", Anita felt relief. It had been months since she had the feeling of relief and contentment.
'Forgive me Sarawati, but I had to do it.'

August 20th, 2009

'I am a scientist, I don't believe in such superstitions.'
'Just a good word to be careful around here sir.’ said the taxi driver as he drove away leaving Rajeev at the gates. Rajeev settled in quickly. He loved the house. He had bought the house for cheap for a superstitious owner who was desperate to sell it off.

After a week Rajeev became acquainted to the less than brave comments of his friends and neighbors. He was a scientist after all and he didn’t care. He stood at the balcony feeling the light breeze hitting his face. He had taken couple of weeks off. A much needed vacation after the long tiring work on Chandrayaan, India's first moon mission. The phone's ring broke the peace in the house. Rajeev picked it up.
'Hello, Rajeev'
'Yes'
'This is George here..'
'Yes sir'
'There is great news. You have been selected for India's first man mission for the moon....'

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Malayalees Must hear : Russian song

rahulsreekumar@gmail.com (rahul s nair) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 23:34:25 PDT

ഒരു രക്ഷയുമില്ല... മുട്ടന്‍...

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Appachan : Episode 1

rahulsreekumar@gmail.com (rahul s nair) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 23:34:25 PDT

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The Green Route : Sakleshpur - Yedukumeri Trek

rahulsreekumar@gmail.com (rahul s nair) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 23:34:25 PDT

I thought I will write about this wonderful journey that we had, before I forget the details. The details may fade but the fun we had and the sights our eyes beheld will never ever fade away.

It was on the third weekend of November 2008 that we finally went for the trek, the Sakleshpur - Yedakumari Train route. We had been wanting to go for this from the first time we heard about it. But then there were a certain number of uncertainties. Goods train had started plying on this route and there was one passenger train also. Apart from it being risky , we were unsure whether the railway authorities will agree for trekking. Finally everything turned out to be like nothing we had thought about.

We were a group of 9 . We started late on a Friday night from Bangalore, reached Donigal very early in the morning. We had breakfast from Surabhi hotel just before Donigal and got fresh as well. Our starting point was a gate of Sethna Estate around a kilometer from Donigal on the right side of the road. The trek started at 8:00 A.M. .We walked for a few minutes through the estate and there we were staring at the infinite lines of rails. It did not take long for us to hear the first long bellowing siren of an approaching train. .

We had started at distance marker 47/100 . ( We didn't know what 47/500 meant of course. We had innovative interpretations as to what it can be. The 47th curve out of 500.The gradient of the curve. But we were proved wrong when we reached 47/600 and there was no curve at all. Finally we got to know it is 47km and 500m).We had to reach 67/300. That means twenty kilometers of walk. That should be easy. But with tents and food weighing on our back it was not as easy as I thought.

We came to the first bridge in short time. We were like a bunch of excited kids. Cameras clicking away all those moments. Then we reached the Donigal station. An inquiry there told us we had 20 odd kilometers to go to reach Yedukumeri.

The first tunnel was exciting but equally exciting were the rest of them. The tunnels ran a length of 50 m to half a kilometer. In a pretty long tunnel we were accompanied by a train as well. There is enough space in the tunnels to stand by as the train goes. And we were also armed with torches to show us the way in those creepy tunnels.

We had lunch at a place where there was a small waterfall. The lunch - Chappathi, butter and jam... Yummmy, YUMMMY...

As if the train in the tunnel was not enough we hear the long bellow again when we were mid way on a bridge. The bridges had intermediate places to stand by. But we did not trust the strength of the footing to hold all of us. After a moment of blankness. Somebody shouted run from the front. The people in the front ran towards the train , those at the back ran back. Manja (Manjunath RG) had full confidence in the footing and he was not failed.
A few seconds passed and all of us were safe on either sides of the bridge. We saw the engine pilot smiling at us. Imagine,SMILING...

We continued after a brief rest. There were many sights on the way the beauty of which cannot not be described (can be translated as too lazy to write). The trek didn't seem to end for a while. We had gotten really tired. It was around 5:00 P.M when the big yellow board announcing "Yedakumari" appeared. That was my favorite sight from the previous one hour.

We camped on the platform there. Played anthakshari, slept and woke up, to summarize things. Morning came, and we had cup of black tea to rev up our engines. Then we had cup o noodles , we packed up our tents and started to Kempehole. What was supposed to be a 3 hour trek turned out to be a 5 hour one, inclusive of a jeep ride.

After trekking downhill through a path through formidable vegetation, we came to a stream and had our bath. We relished every second of the one hour we were down there.
We left there and would you believe me, we took a wrong path. instead of going downhill we went uphill. We walked up hill for 5kms. Then reached back to a point on the railway track declaring that we had just walked 3 kms . We went a little further in search of hope. And then a little more further. We found civilization, which were a bunch of guys working on the rails. And to out great relief they had a jeep. They agreed to drop us at Kempehole for a fairly large amount for 6 kilometers. We were so worn out that we had to agree. The jeep carried around 11 people + luggage, thats all!!!. We reached Kempehole finally. We had to cross a stream. Stones had been placed across the river so that people could walk across. Crossing the stream brought us to the main road and we saw our tempo traveler.

Yippeeee!!! Hurraahh!!! we had done it at last. We had hoped to reach Kempehole by 11:30 and here was the watch showing us it was 1:30. We went to Sakleshpur had a sumptous lunch . The trek had not taken the full energy out of us of course. We had an entertaining bus ride with a long round of Dumb Charades till most of us , except Varsha , Indu and poor Binu, fell asleep. And we reached Banglore by 9:00 P.M.

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A Test Of Humanity

rahulsreekumar@gmail.com (rahul s nair) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 23:34:25 PDT

'WALK', the traffic signal blinked. Harvey made way across the road amidst a large group of pedestrians. He still hadn't found a prospect. He observed everyone whom he was to pass from a distance. Any chance of a coat bulging a little more than it should and he had found his customer. The city was his hunting ground. Especially near the big malls. He found an unsuspecting shopper every once in a while to keep at bay his hunger for a few months. He certainly was talented. He had an uncanny knack of getting the right person. But he could not pull it off three months back with the old man. That guy had been too alert. He did not even get a chance to make a run for it. Caught red handed and sent to prison for three months for petty theft, it had just been two days since he started sleeping in his own bed. A relief from the stench of the prison cell.

He noticed the eyes following him. But he kept his cool. He was way too experienced. Harvey knew how to avoid the questioning eyes of the uniformed men he came across. But still, he couldn't pull the last one off.

It was not long before Harvey found his customer. The man was coming out of the Frazer, a favorite shopping arena of the high middle class. He stopped at the steps leading down to the road as if unable to arrive at where he should go next. A middle aged man. He sported a two day long beard. He was very tall. At least a good two inches taller than Harvey who stood at 6 feet. The man seemed disturbed, deep in thought. He wore a brown hat and a long brown coat. Harvey's eyes changed focus from his face to his bulging coat pocket. 'That should last a month or two.'

Harvey made his way through the thick rush of shoppers and college students. The man in the brown coat also started moving; towards Harvey. The distance between them was reducing. Harvey could smell the money.

It was in front of the Coffee shop that Michael bumped into the black man. His hat fell off onto the pavement.

'Oh! I am so sorry ', the black man expressed his apology as he picked up Michael's Hat, brushed it and handed it back to him. Michael had far more things to worry about. He gave a quick nod and carried on towards the end of the street.

If one looked at Harvey now, he could see the gleam in his eyes of a job well done. The look of a salesman who sold his product after months of disappointments. Harvey was happy but not without fear. He feared he might not get away this time too. He forced a look down the road to see if the man in brown coat had noticed. He hadn't. He was walking to the end of the street with no idea whatsoever as to what happened. It didn't take much time for Harvey to find a deserted place in the alley between the coffee shop and the Frazer.

He opened the bag, hands shivering in anticipation and excitement. The bag was heavier than he thought.

It revealed two bundles of crispy green notes. He let out a silent whistle, looking at the treasure in his hands.

He took out the cash and was about to discard the bag when a note fell out of it. Out of curiosity he picked it put and read it. It was a medical prescription for a Mrs. Scholes. It contained many things in illegible handwriting, obviously from a doctor at the city hospital. A pang of guilt came over him.

What if, the man in the brown coat was looking around for Drug stores? There were a couple of them in the Frazer. What if all these drugs cost a lot of money ? What if he couldn't buy the medicines in time?

It was a test of humanity . Harvey was certainly not going to put a poor woman's life at risk because of his selfishness. He looked down the street. He found the man in the brown coat without much difficulty. He was walking in the direction of the Officer. Had he found out? Harvey decided to leave the bag there and disappear, should the man talk to the Officer. But he didn't approach the cop instead he took a sharp right into the supermarket at the end of the street. He wasn't still aware.

'Mr.Scholes ', Harvey called. The man in the brown coat was standing at the counter.
Harvey went near him and called again. This time he turned. He recognized the bag that Harvey was holding.
'It fell off when we bumped into each other.', Harvey told.
'Thank you so much. Any other person wouldn't have given it back, seeing the amount of money in it.
Thank you so much Mr....'
'Harvey, that's the name'
'Thank you so much Harvey'
'Not a problem. Be more careful in the future.', Harvey called out and left the supermarket.
Harvey was on the street now. The same place where he started. But this time he was a much more happy man. Time to find another customer.

Michael looked out of the supermarket window. It was time to leave now. He couldn't believe he had lost that money. Anyway now he had it back. He came out of the shop and took a road which led him away from the rush of the city. Another Two miles of brisk walking brought Michael to a Shabby old apartment building. He knocked on the door of Apartment D6. The door was opened by a young guy who looked like he was high up on booze and drugs.
'Mike you are back. How was the day? Any luck ?'.
'Loads of luck Joey, Loads...'
Michael threw the bag to Joey who had found a place on the couch as he walked to the bar to fix a drink. Joey eyes nearly came out of their sockets when he saw the money.
'Where did you pull this shit off?'
'Some guy in the Frazer. And would you believe I lost the money and got it back all because of Officer Smith.'
'Smith? How did that sleazy cop help you!!!?', Joey asked bewildered

' In the Frazer , i thought I had been caught, so i was moving quickly until some dumb Black guy bumped into me. I thought I had made it when i Saw Officer Smith standing at the end of the street. There was no way he would see me and not guess something was going on'.
'So i went into Mason's till he left. It was then the black guy came in and returned the bag saying I had dropped it. I waited till Officer Smith left and here I am, a rich guy.'

'But I don't understand one thing. The black guy kept calling me Mr. Scholes. I wouldn't have known he was calling me unless I saw that bag in his hand.'

'No wonder he called you Mr.Scholes, take a look at this,' Joey exclaimed and pushed the medical prescription to Mike.
'Well, that explains it, I think.'
Mike sipped the brandy and cherished the sensation it brought on his body. He was beaming at his success.

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The Fast Life

rahulsreekumar@gmail.com (rahul s nair) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 23:34:25 PDT

[a view from the terrace of my house]

Ever since I came to Bangalore, I have been a slave to the fast life.
Never felt as fresh as I did 2 years back.

The occasional outings help a lot. Gets me unconnected from the world for at least sometime.Also, I stay away from all technology for an hour a day, when I reach home. Feels really good.One more way I found out is by cooking. But I have to eat what I cook, which makes the whole exercise meaningless :) .

What do you guys do to loosen up?

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Chaiyya Chaiyya - Inside Man

rahulsreekumar@gmail.com (rahul s nair) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 23:34:25 PDT

You've got to see this movie- Inside Man. Its a pretty good one. And one more reason to watch it - it has Rahman's Chaiyya Chiayya as the opening and ending track.

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Shades

rahulsreekumar@gmail.com (rahul s nair) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 23:34:25 PDT

Never a tinge of colour in life,

Forever etched in black and white.

Ever obeying the master's bid,

To follow him till death decides.

Caged in cold and stony walls,

But still an ally through love and war.

Not a sound, not a word,

Not a drop of tear to shed.

Dark, a fiend;

Light, a friend;

A man at dawn,

A child at noon,

And again a man,

At sundown.

What is there in such a life,

To be the slave of another man?

I do wonder so,

About the life of my Shadow.

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A Fatal Sin

rahulsreekumar@gmail.com (rahul s nair) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 23:34:25 PDT

The heart stops at moments like these. Words fail to form.

It was a magical moment , when the only thing he had waited for so long came upon him. He knew, she was the one for him. She would decide his fate and she would be with him till death. He had a fear of what was about to happen but also a relief knowing what would become of him after. They had but one thing in common. Both of them had a destination to reach and both were running out of time.

He watched as she came closer clad in blue and white. She approached quickly yet gracefully. He could feel the rhythm of her steps. He could hear her singing from the distance.A lullaby which would put him to sleep. He lie there; waiting in anticipation; butterflies in his stomach.

The time had come. He closed his eyes and let her take him.

They say, at moments like these your entire past flashes before you. May be it did for him. Did he feel remorse? We will never know.

As for her, she had none. She had seen many a person before her wanting her to take their lives. Something which was not in her control. She still had to reach her destination and she was running out of time. She kept on moving on the iron rails, past hills, lakes, plains and rivers , puffing and tooting....

Tigers Vs. Eagles

rahulsreekumar@gmail.com (rahul s nair) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 23:34:25 PDT

[Post removed because I felt bad ]

[Sorry Visitors]

A totally sad condition. I hope everything gets over soon enough.

This crude drawing here marks the start of the great cartoonist in Rahul. Don't blame my drawing now. You can't even imagine how i managed to draw this. Now I understand why I shouldn't have bunked arts classes in school.

Just wanted to try out how a cartoon would come out... Am I pleased wid myself!!!! :)

Status: Tired after a long weekend. Cant get sleep so i thought i will blog.