A walk to remember

This story was written for the Platinum Day of Love contest

 

“You cannot kill time without injuring eternity”, I tweeted. This was my 6^th tweet about time in the last 50 minutes. I was staring at the beach with a blank face. The waves came in search of something but returned without a trace. In a way, I am like those waves, sitting here doing nothing. I don’t like the beach or the waves. I feel irritated when I sit in the sand. But, I have no choice. I am waiting for her and she loves this particular spot in Bessie beach. “Same place, near the memorial. Bye”, her words echoed in my mind.

“What is so very special about Bessie?” I have asked her many times. “The water is the same, the sand is the same and the people are the same. Isn’t it? “She would smile innocently, roll her eyes and then nod in disagreement. “It’s a feel da”, she used to reply and giggle. Anything which is not tangible isn’t worthy according to me. But, I wouldn’t tell this and upset her.

It was close to 6.00 but the sun was not going to bow down for now. Chennai’s high temperature during its summer is not a secret but the hot air around the beach was beyond words. The heat and humidity was sapping and I was getting irritated to the core. I should be sitting in my air-conditioned cubicle in Siruseri now. Driving all the way from OMR to Besant Nagar was an arduous task in itself but sitting alone in the beach was even more annoying. Damn these IT companies, why don’t these guys follow the same holiday calendar. I have to work today and she is having a nice time with her family. Things were better when both of us were in the same office. Damn her orthodox family, I am not even supposed to call her, when she is at home.

“Oh! Sorry son. I am extremely sorry” a meek female voice disturbed me. Her voice was apologetic and only then did I realize that she had stepped on my legs. She was an elderly woman, probably in her 70s. She was wearing a red gown with a pink stockings and a brown shoe. She had short hair and curious eyes. The glossy handbag hanging on her left hand proclaimed her status. She was stout but looked weak because of her age. Her eyes were constantly looking out for something near the water. The way in which she spoke in Tamil to the kid who came running to her, made me realize that she was an Anglo-Indian.

“Did you see that son”, she asked the dark kid who came running to her.

“I did not see anything”, the boy replied and ran away without waiting for her reply. She tried to call him but the guy almost disappeared from the vicinity and joined his friends who were playing in the beach.

The old lady was murmuring something with a somber face. She must have missed something in the beach. Her sorrowful face was disheartening and I decided to help her.

“Hello Aunty. Are you looking for something?” I offered to help.

She held on to my hands and without even looking at me, she told “I think I missed it there, Can you walk me to that place?”

“Sure Aunty”. I held her hand and we started to walk.

I was holding her right arm with my left. I took small steps to help her walk comfortably. We quietly walked a couple of steps when she broke the silence.

“This place hasn’t changed much. The beach is youthful as ever, isn’t it, Son”, she said with a childlike enthusiasm. She continued without waiting for my reply, “I still remember the first time, we came to this beach. It was a full-moon day and the waves were really wild. Its wildness reminded me of his wildness on that day. He was just like this beach, sometimes wild, sometimes gentle but constantly seeking for something. Those were wonderful days”, her eyes were moist now.

I waited for her to complete. “You seem to be a resident of the city for quite some time Aunty” I replied.

“I was born here, a couple of days after our Independence.” there was a sense of pride in her voice. “He was unlucky he couldn’t enjoy the city as much as I did”, her tone changed immediately.

“You know, I first saw him near Taj Mahal. I still remember his round face, right next to the tomb. It was like a scene straight out of a romantic movie. I took my eyes off him only when my Dad called me”. She paused with a squeaky laugh. I waited for her to continue. I thought that the discussion was getting interesting. I love stories, specially the love stories of the past and this old lady seems to have one up her sleeve. Moreover, we had to walk for another 10 minutes in the old lady’s pace.

“It was just like a fairytale, son. It was a genuine coup de foudre or love at first sight as they call it here. His broad smile and hefty physique will make any one look at him again. His big eyes and the thin moustache compliment his huge build. But, I looked at him after hearing his jarring voice. He was fighting with a local seller who was trying to cheat an American. I smiled at him and he suddenly blushed. I still remember his face turning pink as he rushed away from our group.” The lady was animated and was talking without a pause. I continued to hold her hand and walked along. She was relentlessly talking about him but never stopped looking down. “I was looking for him from that moment, but never saw him in Agra again. I even had a couple of romantic dreams that night”, she blushed.

“The next day, we were at Jama Masjid and I turned around when I heard a familiar voice. It was him, smiling and chatting with the vendors. He gained some courage by then and approached our group. When he was near our group, I trembled and began to sweat. I don’t know why, but I was scared when he came near us. My heartbeats started to race when he was around. He walked up to my Dad and asked if he could help and started to explain the mosque’s history. His English was pretty good and he kept us engaged for the next 20 minutes. He gracefully denied the money which my Dad paid and winked at me, when he left. You can imagine how scared an 18 year girl would become when a man winks at her. But, I was not scared. I felt something nice and kept grinning. Ann was asking me the reason, but I couldn’t tell it out. I felt shy for no reason. “

Her voice was brimming with happiness when she spoke. I was engrossed in the story by now. “He casually asked about our hotel to Dad and came there in the evening. I was shocked to see him chatting with the Gol gappa seller outside our hotel. He was happy on seeing me and waved at me from the road. He gestured to come out of the hotel and I followed his advice like a toy operated with battery. He was waiting in the road and started to walk as soon as I neared him. I followed him like a sheep following its shepherd. I knew that I was behaving crazily but I was enjoying it. He walked to the next street and stopped. He turned back and smiled at me. I was in awe and did not smile. He had a charismatic face and his smile complimented it. He looked at my face and asked for my name. That is when I realized that we don’t even know each other’s names but were feeling as if we both were one. He spoke in length about his family and his life style. I was like a snake dancing to the tunes of the snake charmer and listened to every word of his. Suddenly, he excused himself and ran to the other side of the road, where a teenager was trying to carry a wooden gada* with much pain. He spoke something to him and came back and asked me to leave. “I will see you soon, Miss “he said and left without waiting for my response. I replied in a meek voice that I will leave Delhi tomorrow but he was on the other side of the road by then. He looked at me and winked when I looked back. I was back in the hotel and Ann was pestering me with questions again but I did not budge.

I was dejected to leave Delhi and my new love. The next few days were terrible and I realized how difficult the pain of love is. I was hoping and praying for a miracle. By then, I had started to pester my father for our next Delhi trip. He thought I was crazy and I felt he was right. Ann was the one who pulled me out of my somber mood and took me to the beach. I still remember that day like today. It was the Good Friday evening. We were lazing around after the mass and she wanted to go the beach. Father and Mother were not interested and I had no other option but to accompany my little sister. The miracle happened when we were right in front of the Schmidt Memorial, right over there”. She pointed towards the ruined memorial in the beach.  “I heard a hoarse voice telling Ann to move away. I was dumbstruck when I saw him smiling at me. Ann was perplexed by what she was seeing. She had seen him in Delhi but never got to know what happened beside the hotel. He introduced himself to Ann and said that he wanted to talk with me. Ann was mature enough and walked towards the sea when we sat near the monument. I fought with him for leaving me and running away in Delhi. He laughed loudly enough to gain attraction from the lovers who were seated beside us. He said that the teenager was the son of the person who helps him with his exercises and gets him the wooden gadas. He was going all philosophical about being grateful and so on. I was not interested in anything that he spoke but was just interested in looking at him. He kept me engaged in the conversation, though he was the only one speaking. Ann was growing restless and was looking at her watch now and then. I got the sign and asked him if we can leave. He was unhappy but said Ok and asked me to come the next day as well. I left with Ann as he walked us to the road and left us.

I told Ann that we have to come tomorrow as well. She did not have a problem with the Saturday but said that if I call her on Easter day, she would inform Father about this. “

“Ah!! Here it is. Thank you Jesus”, she exclaimed. I was confused to see the old lady happy. There was a glitter in her eyes. I looked near the beach and found nothing. She left my hand and walked towards the sea when a horse just passed near the water. She went and picked a scarf which was full of mud and water and smiled at it. “How will I miss you dear”, she spoke to the scarf. The color of the scarf was barely visible. It was full of mud and the horse had just stepped on it. She just brushed aside the sand and blew on it. She held it close to her chest and looked at it with a smile. She kissed it again and kept it near her cheeks. She was smiling continuously for the next two minutes. It was red color scarf which would easily date back a couple of decades. I waited patiently for her to complete and asked if we can leave. She nodded in agreement and continued her story.

“We went to the beach the next day and he was waiting for us. He winked at me from a distance and waved at us. His exuberance was catching up with me and I waved back. Ann was surprised to see her otherwise gloomy sister suddenly change colors. She made fun of me but I was engrossed with him and walked as quickly as possible and reached him. Ann exchanged pleasantries and walked towards the sea when we sat in the same place. I told him that I will not be able to come on Sunday. He looked at me and said that he would miss me. His exuberant face had traces of sadness and I tried to cheer him up by telling that we can meet on Monday. He looked at me and said that he had to leave to Pakistan and was not sure when he will be back. He looked into my eyes and told he will meet me in the beach on the Monday after his return. I started to cry and he was disturbed. He took the red scarf which was around his neck and asked me to wipe off the tears. He told me to be happy because he was going to help the nation. Though he looked a tad sad outside I knew that he was also happy to serve India. You must have read about the 1965 war, isn’t it son. He was part of the 3 JAT; her voice was brimming with pride when she told that. They captured Batapore town but he never returned after the war. She wiped the tears rolling down her cheek. I followed up with the Army but did not get any response. Even his friends in the regiment did not see him since Batapore. When 200 prisoners were released in 1971, I thought he will be back but he did not come. In 1999, we heard that some Indians are still in the Pakistan jail, but we could not find out anything about him. I believe he will be back some day and we will start new life.  I will be waiting for him, she told with a smile. I sincerely pray that he comes back soon. I know that he will be old and unhealthy after all these years in prison, but I know that his smile would never fade off.  I want to see that smile. I want to hear him laugh.” She was going on and on, but I froze and was not able to react after hearing her story.

We reached the road by then and I asked her if I should get her an Auto. She had her call taxi waiting and signaled the driver to come. She clasped my hand and said, “Thank you son. God bless you” and got into the car. She rolled down the window and waved good bye.

I was looking at the cab as it became smaller and smaller and finally disappeared among the plethora of vehicles. I was mesmerized by the conversation that I had with the old lady and was unaware of my phone ringing. It was my girlfriend. She was apologetic and repeated Sorry four or five times and told that she was near the beach. I asked her whereabouts and walked towards her. She was in her yellow color salwar kameez, the color that I detest the most. Her hair was all awry after driving in the maniac traffic. She looked tired from head to toe. She looked at me, smiled and continued to say Sorry. “That’s fine. No problem dear. Few minutes or hours don’t matter when I wait for a sweet-heart like you”, I replied. She stopped talking and looked deep into my eyes. There was a glitter in her eyes and they turned moist. She clutched my fingers tightly and rested her head on my shoulder. We continued to walk towards her favorite spot in the beach.

We sat in the sand and I was fondling her fingers. I suddenly realized that I haven’t written anything for the Platinum Day of Love contest. Never mind I told myself, I have learnt a bigger lesson today and would send this for the contest. If I win, I will gift the platinum jewelry to the old lady whose love started 48 years ago and will never end.

 

*Wooden Gada – Exercise equipment. Karla Kattai / Clubs

This story was written for the Platinum Day of Love contest

‘Vampire’ Venkatakrishnan

 I can't dance

Hmm... Well, I could always make you.

I'm not scared of you.

Well you really shouldn't have said that........

“Stella, do you mind talking with us. If you are going to watch this stupid movie for the 356^th time, you could have very well stayed in your hostel”, Roshni was yelling on top of her voice.

Stella was unperturbed and turned towards Roshni with a giggle and replied, “Ok Dear, I will switch it off. I will see it in my hostel. I am all yours”.

“Don’t you ever get bored of this movie?  Is this the first part“, Durga joined the conversation.

“Vampires are so cute dear. Just look at Edward’s eyes, his skin and his complexion. He is probably the smartest person alive”, Stella replied with a smile.

“He is cute alright, but in the movie he is a Vampire”, Roshni retorted.

“That’s the whole point dear. He is cute because he is a Vampire. Vampires are so very adorable”, Stella.

“Yuck, they are blood sucking monsters”, Roshni.

“But the Cullens don’t have human blood and moreover they are cute”, Stella persisted.

“Ok dear, cool down. But are these vampires for real?” Durga has always been the doubting Thomas in the bunch.

“I wish they are. They are so very cute and charming”, Stella.

“Go and marry a vampire”, Roshni got into her sarcastic best.

“I wish I could”

“Jesus Christ!!! Are you serious Stella?”

“I am damn serious. Marrying a Vampire is my goal, for the time being, I can date one”, Stella replied with a chuckle.

“You are sick. Cut the crap, when are you vacating the hostel and joining us”

“I believe the hostel is more comfortable dear. When I have plans to vacate, I will surely let you know” Stella was noncommittal as always.

“It is your wish madam. I believe it will be fun, if you stay with me and Durga” Roshni was not impressed.

“That’s Ok dear. It is getting late, I will leave now”

“Have dinner and leave Snowy”

“Thanks. But, I have yesterday’s leftover. I need to finish them”

Stella left the house and took the lonely walk back to her hostel. It was a 5 minute walk and all along the way, she was thinking of Bella and Edward from Twilight.

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

“Girls, I have breaking news. Guess who is back in town”, Roshni was talking on the top of her voice.

Stella joined them with her Mayo sandwich and was detached from the other girls as usual. The other girls were trying to guess the person but failed.

“Let me give a clue. He is 6 foot 2 inches tall, fair and handsome”, Roshni looked at the other girls and continued. “He was the winner of Mr. Indian Technologies for 3 consecutive years and is back in India after 2 years”

“You girls are dumb. Krish is back in town. He waved at me near the elevator” Roshni could not stop her enthusiasm and was all smiles.

Krish, originally named Mylapore Venkatakrishnan Seshadri was the smartest person in the company. He was a model and took great care of his looks. He was the dream-boy for most of the girls in the company. He was a Casanova and the darling of the masses. He was back from London and the girls who joined the company before 2 years were going gaga over his return.

There was commotion near their table when Krish walked up to meet Roshni.  Two girls were giggling and were signaling to Roshni to introduce them. Durga was ogling at Krish and the other girls were talking to him. Stella returned after placing her plates and saw Krish’s back from a distance. She had an unassuming look and walked towards the table. Roshni, who was smiling from ear to ear, looked at Stella and gestured to come quickly.

“Krish, this is our new friend, we call her Snow White but she prefers Stella”, she giggled.

“Hi Stella, Krish”, he said with a coarse voice and shook her hands. He looked deep into her eyes and smiled. Stella smiled back and looked away. Over the next 5 minutes, Stella looked at Krish secretly every now and then, but never uttered a word.

God, he is so damn cute, she thought but never told it out.

Krish was having a great time with the girls and the girls enjoyed every bit of the conversation.

“Girls, I am really running out of time. I want to go to the claims desk. Can someone help me?”

“I will take you Mr.Handsome”, Roshni replied and got up from her desk.

“I had a wonderful time girls, See you sometime later, Bye”, Krish left the table but turned back abruptly. He looked at Stella into her eyes, smiled and wore his Ray-Ban and left the place.

Stella was feeling nice, something about Krish was impressive. He was smart, witty and sparkly. She had never seen a guy like Krish and was looking forward to befriend him.

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

As days passed on, Krish got friendly with the girls and started to accompany them after having his breakfast at his desk. He would spend the time listening to all the gossips. Stella would look at him but would always limit her conversations. The girls would tease Stella and her love for Vampires but Krish would silently listen. Stella firmly believed there was a secret chemistry building between her and Krish. But, she would always ignore Krish and talk with the other girls. Krish was doing the same thing. He would not talk with Stella but the girls sitting beside her. He would secretly look at Stella and see if she was laughing for his jokes.

It was a Friday evening, when it all began.  Roshni was walking between Krish and Stella as they were planning to leave the office. Roshni was in her light blue jean with a red t-shirt. Stella was wearing a black Anarkali with prints all over it. Krish was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt. Stella was happy to see that both of them were in black. Stella got a call and continued to walk outside the office when she realized Roshni and Krish were not with her. She turned back and saw, Krish having an animated discussion with her. Stella was 100 meters away from them, when the unthinkable happened. A black color VW Polo was speeding towards Stella and was just a couple of meters away. She yelled at the top of her voice and closed her ears with her hands when someone pulled her by the waist. It took her a couple of minutes to get back to her senses and realize what had happened. Krish was behind her, holding her left hand with his left and had his right hand around her stomach. He had pulled her in the nick of time to save her life. He smiled and asked her to relax.

“We’ll get back to the Office and leave in 10 minutes”, he looked at her with a quizzical expression.

Stella was dumbstruck to react and listened to him and walked back to the office. What she could not understand was how Krish could cover 100 or 150 meters within seconds. He has miraculously appeared out of nowhere to save her life. She did not want to ask him and make a fool of herself but that question started to trouble her every now and then.

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

The company organized for a grand dinner at the Residency after a record breaking quarter. The senior officials were boozing and having fun. The younger lot was trying to reduce the company profits by having as much food as possible. Krish was sitting with the girls when he realized that Stella was missing. He looked around and found her near the lobby. He excused himself from the other girls and walked towards her.

“Hello Snow White”, he called into her ears.

“Hey… Why are you here? I thought you will be having the chicken legs and mutton kheema, but you are here? “

“I am fasting today. I will not have lunch and dinner on Fridays. What about you?”

“I am not well Krish; I get sick when I see so much food”

“We are pretty much similar”, he smiled at her and winked.

He gets a call from the VP and takes leave. Stella was surprised to see someone so religious. He must be a man of conviction to avoid food at such a big gathering she told herself.

Roshni came running towards Stella along with Durga. She was panting and took a couple of seconds to become normal and looked at Stella.

“Stella have you ever seen Krish have food?”

Stella was stunned by the question. Krish has always told them that he would have his breakfast at his desk and never had it with them. He goes home for lunch and today when they are out for dinner, he skips it. Stella was shocked but did not respond.

She was thinking about the Car incident and Krish’s eating habit or the lack of it. Something was missing here and she decided to solve this mystery.

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

Like all IT projects, Stella’s project was running out of time and money and she had to slog for long hours to complete her task. Her manager, a strict taskmaster was very particular about working long hours.

Stella was tired and bored to the core. The other members in the team were busy with their work while Stella had completed her initial task and was waiting for her teammates. She looked at her watch, 03:12.

She wanted to talk with someone to come out of this boredom. She had not met Roshni, Durga and Krish for the past 3 days. The long hours was taking a toll on her morale. She remembered something Krish had told her long back. “Your best friend is the one, who will pick your call at 2 am”. Let me try this on these girls. She called the girls and they did not pick her call. After a lot of hesitation, she decided to call Krish. She wanted to call him but was feeling uncomfortable for some strange reason. But, she decided to take the plunge and dialed his number. Even before the first ring was completed, he picked the call. Stella was surprised, happy and puzzled at one go. He gave a pep talk and shared some funny incidents which spurred her up. She was feeling blessed to find a friend like Krish but again these night calls increased her doubts. He works for 12 hours in the morning and is wide awake in the night. The night calls became a regular activity and Stella was looking forward for the night shift to call him. She was all by herself when she spoke with him. He was knowledgeable friend who was there for her always. She felt that she had found her perfect match. He was obviously not human and he isn’t accepting it.

Stella’s mind was full of questions. Her suspicion started to grow right from the Car incident. Over the past 6 months, she has never seen Krish eat or drink. He never sleeps and is always available. Her knowledge about Vampires tells that he is one. But, she doesn’t have the audacity to ask it straight on his face. But again, what is the need to ask, when she knows the answer?

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

Stella wants to tell it out but is scared of the outcome. She knows that he is also in love, but neither of them is ready to confess. Stella was confused as ever when her mobile rang. It was Krish.

“Hi Krish”

“Hey Snowy... I have good news and a bad news. Which one should I tell first?”

“You decide…” Stella knew what was coming.

“Ok. I will start with the bad news. I am travelling to the US in a week and will come back only after a year”

“That isn’t a bad thing. You always loved US. What is the good news?

“You sound very gloomy girl. The good news is that we are going out tonight. We are going to a wonderful place, which you will love. We are going alone and it is going to be legendary” he laughed like Barney.

“Hmmm. But, why are we going out suddenly?”

“There are certain things that I should tell you. I have been waiting for the right place and time.”

Stella was both happy and sad. She was happy because he has got the courage to tell it out and sad because he is going to leave her soon.

She called up the parlor and booked an appointment. She bunked office and picked her best outfit. She decided to wear black. The car incident was the one which incited this relationship and so, she wanted to wear the same color. She took her Avirate Black Pleated Fit & Flare Dress which fit her perfectly. It was slightly above her knees. She removed all her rings and wore a single black bracelet. She took her Steve Madden black wallet in her right hand. Her fair complexion and the black dress made her look absolutely stunning. She stood in front of the mirror and made every possible adjustment to make her look gorgeous.

At 7.00, black colored VW Polo, stopped in front of her hostel and Krish got out of the Car. He was wearing a black Armani suit and was looking equally impressive. She got into the car after exchanging pleasantries. The black color VW Polo was making her uncomfortable. He drove to Fisherman’s Cove and opened the door for her. He took her left hand in his right and directed her to the beach. She was stunned by the initial sight. There was a private table set near the beach and a bunch of musicians were playing the violin. They greeted her with a smile and were playing her favorite number. She was overwhelmed by the setup and leaned on his shoulder. He smiled at her and helped her with the chair. They sat very close to each other and she looked into his eyes. Those deep black eyes were full of love. He is the person of her dreams. He is now sitting right next to her and looking at her face with love.

He looked into her eyes and lifted her chin with his right hand. He took his face close to hers. She closed her eyes and moved towards him. He paused for a bit and said,

“I want to tell you something“

She whispered quietly, “Do you really want to tell it right now?” with her eyes still shut.

“Yes Honey that would make me feel nice”, he continued.

“Can we send the Orchestra then”, her eyes were still closed.

He gestured at them to leave and continued.

“I fell in love with you, when I saw you in the food court for the first time. You were stunningly beautiful but pretty hard to approach. I spent some time to learn about your likes and dislikes and Roshni told about your obsession towards twilight and vampires. I decided to take advantage of it and planned everything meticulously. The Car which was about to hit you was my friends car and I had purchased 2 black hooded sweatshirts in advance. I made a friend wear that and talk with Roshni when I moved near you and asked another friend to scare you with the Car. The party in Residency, the late night calls was all pre-planned. I just wanted to make you fall in love with me and stooped to such levels. I am not a Vampire but a mere mortal. I faked everything to make you love me, but my love is true. Forgive me, my dear. His tone was apologetic and his eyes were moist as he finished his confession.

He paused for a bit and looked at her face. Her eyes were still closed and he moved towards her. She opened her eyes, looked deep into his eyes and smiled gently. She took a deep breath and put her left hand around his shoulder and moved closer. She took her right hand and gently closed his eyes and lifted his chin. She moved closer and placed herself on his lap. Her face turned pale. Her eyes turned red and her teeth were protruding. She put her right hand on his hair and pulled it down. She placed her teeth on his neck and tasted his blood and said, “You are not a mere mortal anymore”.

The moral of the story is ………………

This entry is for the http://www.myhealthyspeak.co.in/ contest

“Dude, you look tired man. It is just 11.00 and you already look jaded”, Rahul quipped. Rahul was famous with his colleagues because of his friendly banter. He had many fans for his looks as well.

“I worked out in the gym today man” , replied Sanjay. Sanjay was a perfect Software Engineer. He was coy and lazy, loved watching movies and hated anything taxing.

“Ahh..Thats the reason for today’s drizzle. By the way, 10 minutes in the treadmill doesn’t fall under workout. It is called warm-up”, Rahul shot back.

“Chalo, Lets go for a smoke”, Rahul pushed Sanjay from his chair.

“This is the second break in 3 hours man. Certainly not something that we expect of a Casanova”, Sanjay frowned and left his cubicle.

-----------------------------

Rahul coughed instantly when he placed the third cigarette in his lips.

“It is high time that you quit smoking Rahul. It is more of an addiction than relaxation, I believe”, Sanjay.

“Stop your boring lectures, Mr. Saint. Let us talk about something interesting”, Rahul replied.

 Sanjay nodded in disagreement and started to tell something but Rahul stopped him and started to talk about the team-building activity in Ooty.

Super Computers Pvt Ltd, was taking its employees for a two day activity in the Sterling resorts, Ooty. All the employees were super excited with the trip which was scheduled in a couple of days.

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“Living in Ooty is bliss, Isn’t it” Sanjay was talking to Rahul as he looked out of the window. Rahul was brushing his teeth and Sanjay was just out of bed.

“Hmmm” , Rahul replied in mono-syllables with his mouth full of foam. Sanjay started to brush and instantly held his jaw. Aah he shouted in pain.

Rahul gargled and rushed near Sanjay.

“What happened man”, Rahul was worried.

“I have some pain, whenever I brush”, Sanjay replied and looked at Rahul’s teeth.

“Rahul, you are bleeding from your gums man”, Sanjay.

“That happens every now and then, if I gargle again, it goes away”, Rahul went to gargle again.

“Rahul, I am planning to visit a dentist as soon as we reach Chennai. Why don’t you come with me?”, Sanjay was concerned.

“Dude, Behave like a grown-up man. If you run to the dentist every now and then, you will have to pay your whole salary to the dentist”, Rahul joked.

“No Rahul, I believe both of us have some problem with our teeth, so it is better to get it checked. Don’t you know, Prevention is better than cure”, Sanjay replied.

“Abhey… Just leave it there man. I brush twice a day and am a body-builder too. My body is strong and so is my tooth. Bleeding is just part of growing up. If you are concerned about your teeth, you get it checked and pay the dentist, I am not going to come with you”, Rahul replied in a rude tone.

“Chill Dude, I was just trying to help you. Anyway, it is getting late, I will get ready in a jiffy”, Sanjay disappeared into the washroom.

They spent the next couple of days in the resort and had a great time.

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Sanjay visits a Dentist in Chennai and finds out that these were symptoms of Gingivitis [A mild gum disease]. He goes for regular treatment and also urges Rahul to join him. Rahul shunned the thought of meeting a Dentist despite Sanjay’s persistence. In a few weeks, Sanjay was cured of his Gingivitis.

“Dude, I need not rush to the dentist from today”, Sanjay was excited when he broke the news to Rahul.

“Congratulation School Boy, for making the dentist rich by a few grand” Rahul replied in a sarcastic tone.

Even if something goes wrong, I can get it corrected like Sanjay, Rahul told himself without realizing what was supposed to unfold in the future.

-----------------------------

Sanjay goes to Mumbai for a couple of months and comes back to the office. He is shocked to see Rahul. Rahul was talking with a colleague, but Sanjay was able to see that his teeth looked longer and his gums were shrunk.

After exchanging pleasantries, Sanjay felt a bit uncomfortable. He started to tell it out to Rahul.

“Rahul, I am sorry to tell this, but the bad breath from your mouth is disturbing”

“Hmmm. Yes Sanjay, I started to brush thrice a day and am using a mouthwash but this isn’t leaving me man”, Rahul told in a sad tone.

“I guess there is pus in your gums and your teeth looks bigger now” Sanjay was emptying all his thoughts.

“Yes man, I have to do something about this. I have a fashion-show selection next week. Once I am done with that, I want to meet your dentist”

“Finally, you have decided to do something. Congrats”, Sanjay replied and started to speak about Cricket as their manager came near Rahul’s desk.

-----------------------------

Sanjay approaches a visibly distressed Rahul.

“What happened man, How was the FS prelims?”

“This bad breath wouldn’t go away from me, I guess. This is killing me man. I was rejected because of that” Rahul was irked.

                                                                                                                                                                                  “Forget it man, we will see the dentist and do something about it. How about tomorrow?”

“Why tomorrow, why not today?”, replied Rahul.

“Ok buddy, I will check with the Dentist”, Sanjay picked his mobile and walked away.

-----------------------------

The Dentist finds out that Rahul has Periodontitis [A gum disease that spreads below the gums to damage the tissues and bone that support the teeth]. He was late by a couple of months. Rahul lost a couple of tooth, which were badly damaged. Rahul was stunned to hear the direct link between the heart diseases and the bacteria that cause gum disease.

Rahul feels really bad for ignoring the warning signs and thanked Sanjay for helping him. Rahul is now a happy man and wants to publicize the importance of warning signs. He is writing a story about this and participating in this contest. Wish him good luck!!!  Thanks for reading.. :-P

Reference :

http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/tc/gum-disease-topic-overview

Oxymoron

I must get back to my writing ways. I used to write some stories in
the past, but nowadays I do not have the urge to write stories. But,
when I see the topics in the INK IT contest, I feel like writing
something. To write a story, I need a title. Once I get a title, I can
weave a story around it. I am still trying to get a title based on
this week’s topic. Is there someone who could help me out?

Thomas Uncle!!! He is my savior. Whenever there is some problem, I
look-up to him and he helps me.

Thomas uncle is my neighbor from time immemorial. I have grown-up
seeing him. He is one of those rare human beings whom I respect. He
has an aura around him and in the past two decades I have never seen
him being sad. He is the most cheerful person I have ever met. Other
than being in the same street, there is nothing in common between us.
He is 62 and I am 26. He is smart and I am dumb. He is always cheerful
and I am always gloomy. But, everyone in the colony lookup to him for
his advises. He always shares his wisdom with us.

He explains about the 1965 India-Pakistan war and Pele’s debut
world-cup match with the same enthusiasm. He speaks about the release
of the Dev Anand starrer “Guide” with the same emotion as he speaks
about the Anti-Hindi riots. He also enjoys the IPL just as I do. He is
the walking encyclopedia of our colony. He is not a nerd but someone
who has the charisma of the Superstar and the talent of the Master
Blaster. There is never a dull moment when Thomas uncle is around.

He had invested in the Reliance IPO in the 70s and the Infosys IPO in
the 90s and has reaped the benefits. But, he is not one of those
filthy rich people who have all his money with themselves. He helps a
lot of people in the town and is even planning to adopt a village in
the future. He runs a gym in the neighborhood and earns a handsome
amount from that as well. He is really enjoying his life after
retirement.

As expected, he has a lot of friends. They come to his house and chat
with him for long hours. He spends the evening in the park sharing his
wits. I wish I could atleast become half as good as Thomas Uncle in
the future.

Amidst all this, there is one thing which pricks me the most about
him. I always wanted to ask about that to Uncle. I remember him
telling the “Sermon on the mount” by heart. Being a God fearing man,
he knows that God had told, “It is not good for man to be alone”. But,
he is alone for the whole of his life. For a smart and charismatic man
like him, getting married shouldn’t have been a problem. After all,
everyone in India gets married. I should ask him about this.
Goodness gracious me, Thomas uncle is sitting in the balcony all
alone. I must use this situation and ask him about his past.

“Uncle…”
“Ah!! Come on my boy… How are you doing?”
“I am fine uncle… Finished your evening walk?”
“Yes Beta…. You look quizzical. What is the story?” He giggled…
Man, this guy is awesome. He is finding out my thoughts just by my
looks. How I wish that my PM and parents were this smart…
“Nothing uncle…” I hesitated…
“Come On dear!!! I am sure that you want to ask me something!!! Go
ahead… Shoot your questions!!”, he laughed..
Though he is friendly, I am slightly worried about asking such
personal questions, but again what do I have to lose. Let me ask him
once…
“Uncle… Why are you single?” I gathered my courage and muttered
looking at the ground.
He looked at me with his piercing eyes but I desperately wanted to avoid
eye-contact.
“This is the first time in the last 15 years that someone is asking me
about this”
He paused for a bit and continued.
“It is a long story beta”
“I have all the time in the world uncle” I winked…
“I was very choosy when I was young and I rejected a lot of proposals
even before visiting those girls. After a couple of years of the bride
search, my parents took me to a girl’s house. The girl was really
pretty”
“When was this uncle?” I interrupted.
“It was in 1975 son... I liked the girl and told my parents that I
wanted to talk with her. They were furious on hearing this. But, they
did talk to her parents and allowed us to talk”. He had some water and
continued.
“I asked her if she was comfortable and told her that I wanted to ask
her a couple of questions”
“Ah...Interviewing the poor girl? This is too much Uncle...”
He gave a wary smile and continued.
“I asked her, who the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu was. She paused for
a bit and replied Indira Gandhi...”
I literally fell of the chair laughing, but controlled it to an extent
and sharpened my ears.
“Did you ask her the second question Uncle?”
“Hmm… I did. I asked her, If 2 people can dig a 2 meter deep well in 2
hours, how much time will it take for 4 people to do the same job” he
paused and had some water.
“She replied correctly?” I was very curious to know her response.
“She started to cry and her parents came running into the room. They
were looking at me as if I had abused their daughter. Even my parents
did not understand me. They started to scold me. I got fed-up and
walked out.”
“What happened after that uncle?”
“We had a big fight at home. My Dad was furious that I had bullied a
poor girl and was scolding me like anything. He asked me, if I had any
mental problem. I told him that all I need is a smart girl to marry.”
“What did your Dad reply, Uncle?”
“He said, he was fed-up of me and asked me to find my life-partner all
by myself. I replied that I will take care of my life. ” His tone had
suddenly subdued.
“All I wanted was a smart girl to marry, smart girl…but Alas…”
“Smart Girl” I repeated quietly. I will participate in this week’s INK
IT contest.

Jaded

There comes a hunk, never seen this guy in our pub, yelled Jane. Her voice wasn’t heard outside her friends contingent because of the loud music in that boisterous pub.

Look at his height, must be from Netherlands muttered Jenni.

Hell no, he sounds American but it is hard to find a 2 meter American nowadays.

The girls were ogling at the new kid in the bloke. The man walked in and got a Heineken and had it in a single gulp.

Julie would be interested in him, she is just out of a relationship.
Why are you girls drooling at a stranger, asked Julie sipping in the 4th vodka. She just looked aside and saw the smartest man on earth. She gasped as Jamie came and sat near her. Jamie was well over 6 feet and 5 inches and looked pretty much like Hugh Jackman. He would weigh around 200 pounds and was blonde. Julie wasn’t in a position to take her eyes of him. Jamie started the conversation, “Shall I buy, you a drink?”. His voice was so very masculine and deep that the other girls near Julie were envying Julie’s luck. That night started a relationship which will not end so soon.

Jamie had all that a girl would like to have. He was tall, well-built with a husky voice. More than his physical appearance he was a connoisseur. He had completed his masters at Harward. He had his own business inHawaii and had come here to spend his vacation. He was just 30 and was single. Julie is single yet again after a bitter second marriage.

They got along well, long drives and beach parties. They loved each other and Julie decided that she has met the man of her dreams. He was the perfect husband. But, she was afraid to make a decision quickly as she has already erred twice with the choice of her husband. But Jamie had it all. He spoke about anything and everything. He wrote love poems. He would discuss about Sri Lanka for a minute and would relate it with Chechnya within no time. He reads JK Rowling and would relate it with O Henry’s stories. He would explain the making of a jet and the next moment crack a joke with a flat face. He was an expert batter and a great athlete. He would rip apart Nolan’s movie with ease and expert comments. He was an art enthusiast and loved playing with Julie’s pug, Tyson. He was the best man on earth and Julie’s friends also liked him.

Julie’s first marriage failed because Jerome became far too serious and did not bother about Julie. Jerome was a Financial Accountant with one of the most reputed Accounting firms in the Country. She tried hard for 4 months to stick on with that relationship, but then she decided enough is enough and got her first divorce. Jack was a smart young man, who was a couple of years younger than Julie but was a brilliant stage actor. He had fans everywhere and Julie enjoyed her life with Jack for the first 6 months until the day she realized, that his IQ was no match to her. She sought divorce immediately and celebrated the day with a sumptuous dinner followed by a booze at the pub. That is where she met Jamie.

Julie got married to Jamie and they lived happily. Jamie would do anything and everything for Julie. He would caress her, when she feels low and would provide her advice ONLY when he is asked for one. He would always listen to Julie’s musing without uttering a single word of advice. He would come back from office and hug her from the back and would surprise her with gifts with every now and then.

He had a very high IQ which made even Julie, a member of Mensa envy him. He spoke in detail about the movies which Julie watched and was an expert in making cocktails. He was Julie’s pride. Until 2nd September 2009 when she had her first quarrel with him. It had been 11 months since their marriage and from that day, Jamie has done everything properly including the placing of the seat in the toilet.

Julie was bored of this Mr. Right. He was all that she needed. He seemed to act as if he perfectly knew what women want and had all the required stuff to satisfy her. But she was still unhappy. She felt that Jamie was probably much too perfect. They haven’t had a fight for the past 11 months and she did not like that.

“Get lost you moron. You do everything I need. Life is so boring. You know about everything under the sun and you are in the way I expect.I don’t like it at all. Life was better when I had those silly fights with my men. We become closer with every fight, but that is not the case with you”. Julie’s eyes were filled with tears and that is when Jamie was puzzled and was left wondering on what to do. He went to Julie and spoke about things which interest her, but she wouldn’t budge. All of a sudden, Jamie the hustler succumbed to pressure, he didn’t know what to do and started to behave like a jackass. Julie was bedazzled by this behavior and before she could think of her next course of action, entered Dr. Jose Watson.

Julie, hope you are having a great time with your new hubby?

He is no match, for me. He doesn’t suit me at all.

What? I guess he has all the characteristics which you expect of a man. He is probably the ideal man.

Yes, he is ideal, probably that’s why we lived together for 11 months and I don’t want to take this anymore.

Dr. Watson chuckled and called for Jane and Jenni who were waiting outside Julie’s house. They came in and removed Jamie’s shirt. Jenni kept her hand on Jamie’s spine and poked him. She then got a key from her pocket and inserted in the key-hole near Jamie’s spinal cord. They opened his back and stopped the super computer which was running.

Julie was shocked at the turn of events and looked at Dr.Watson with anguish. The Doctor continued, you wanted someone who would understand you better and needed a good companion. We wanted to help you and hence planted a chip in your head which will pick your thought process and send it to us. The chip would also recognize your voice and record the same. We analyzed all this for a period of 6 months. Only after this did we create this JAMIE (Just Another Man with Intelligent Emotion). We have feed a total of 2695 books and 3658 movies into his head along with many other details. 6 doctors and 14 engineers worked on him for 3 months and only after that we sent him here.

But Alas, even this lasted only for 11 months. Julie felt as if the whole world was coming down on her and fainted.