A Valentine's Tale

 

It is Valentine’s Day and Jonu is excited. For, it has been almost two years that he has known Sheena and finally he has mustered the courage to profess his love to her. He has placed a fresh red rose in his jacket pocket and all ready to go to the university.  

On reaching the campus, his eyes gazes at Sheena who has worn a beautiful green dress and is looking prettier as ever. Jonu takes a deep breath and heads towards Sheena, when he sees Lobu bent on his knees and holding a rose in front of her. On seeing this, Jonu runs away in disgust. He sprints through the campus until he reaches that secluded place where he and Sheena used to meet often.

He looks up at the sky and lets out a scream while tears flow from his eyes. All these years, he had waited for this moment to arrive where he could express his love to his beloved and all he faces now is sheer disappointment. Anguish soon turns into anger as he begins to question his existence. The feeling of ending it all preys on his mind. He starts walking towards the bridge, when a hand grabs his shoulder from behind.

 

Jonu looks back and cannot believe his eyes. It is Sheena. With her fingers she wipes away Jonu’s tears. She kneels down in front of him and holds a red rose in her hand saying, “Jonu, will you be my Valentine?” Jonu comes forward, gently grabs her shoulder and gives Sheena a warm hug and while looking at the sky, he murmurs, “Sorry for the despair and Thank you for this happiness”

A Shadow Of A Doubt

Amar has been waiting for this day since the last six months. He had committed a crime of killing a man while driving under the influence and today was his day of freedom. But as he steps outside, he finds no one to greet him. Surprised, he rushes to his house to meet his wife Neha, only to find the house locked. He walks across the street hoping that his friend Suresh would be around but hears that he died two months back.

He then hurriedly goes to his area police station to enquire about his wife. The officer tells him that she had met with an accident and was hospitalized for a few days. However, he has no information of her whereabouts after her discharge. Amar reckons that she could be at her ancestral villa.

He arrives in front of a dilapidated villa located at the far end of the city besides the highway. He approaches a lady sitting by the porch and asks about Neha. She guides him to a room where Neha is lying on a bed. She smiles but Amar gives her a wry look.

Amar: So you survived? But I am sorry that your lover is no more.

Neha: What are you talking about?

Amar: I am talking about you and Suresh. When I was in prison, I kept on thinking of the accident. I was convinced I didn’t drink as much to lose my senses. I knew something was wrong but couldn’t put my finger on it. 

Then I suddenly realized of your closeness to Suresh since college days. A doubt arose in my mind and I had to clear it. To my help came Ranjith, a prison mate who brought me photographs of you and Suresh looking so happy with each other. I was consumed with anger and decided to have you both killed.

Neha (with tears in her eyes): What made you commit this heinous act? A low-life criminal who only wanted quick cash convinced you to do this? Was your anger and doubt so strong that it broke our bond of love and trust? 

Suresh was like a brother who took care of me when you were away. You not only murdered him but also killed a child. Our child. I was pregnant at the time of the accident.

Amar: No. This can’t be. You are lying. You are lying.

Neha (yelling): Get out of here, you devil

Amar leaves the house in a state of shock. Tears falling from his face uncontrollably, as he walks. He is unable to see clearly the truck coming towards him at full speed. He glances at his right and BANG!

A shadow of a doubt ended it all…. 

A Tale of Greed

“Why are you always late?” shouts Madam Evelyn at Elias, the house driver. “Don’t you know I have an appointment to get to?” Elias bows his head and says nothing. Salome, the housemaid, comes to Elias and asks “You were just 5 minutes late and she shouted at you so badly. This has happened twice this week. Why don’t you say something”. Elias says “Patience is better for me. I will wait my turn.”

A white pick-up enters the compound and Salome rushes towards it. Two men descend and face Salome. “We have come for the painting job” says Jonu, the work foreman. Salome directs them to the house. The painter starts his work while Jonu and Salome start chatting in a rather flirtatious tone. Jonu tells her that he will call her in the evening and come back tomorrow morning as well. He tries to hug Salome while leaving but stops mid-way as he sees Elias in the background.

The next morning, they sneak in the empty bedroom and resume where they left off the previous day. After a while, the conversation takes a serious note.

Salome: Madam Evelyn and her family are going out of the country for a few days and I have a plan in my mind. I will go to my sister’s place in town but I will keep the bathroom window open and cut off the wires of the CCTV. You can come and grab all the valuables and then we can share the loot among ourselves.

Jonu hesitates at first but after much deliberation agrees.

Two days later, Salome is brought to the police station for interrogation.

Police Officer: Where have you stashed all the cash and the jewellery?

Salome: I don’t know what you are talking about. I was in my sister’s place. I have nothing to do with the theft.

Police Officer: Really. So who do you think did it?

Salome: I don’t know. May be it is Elias, the driver. He was always upset that with Madam and he vowed he will take revenge one day.

Police Officer: May be it is Elias along with Jonu.

Salome: Jonu? Who is he? I don’t know him.

Police Officer:  Don’t act innocent. Jonu already confessed to the crime and he said you were the mastermind.

Salome: I just had one small fling with him. That’s it.

Police Officer: Your one small fling costs you your life. Your game is over.

Salome starts crying profusely.

Police Officer: I will tell you what happened. Elias already saw you cutting the wires of the CCTV. He immediately called us along with the CCTV repair technician. When your darling came to steal, we were right there waiting for him.

Salome: That bloody Elias!!

Salome and Jonu get arrested and are sent to jail.

Later, Madam Evelyn comes to Elias and apologizes for her rude behavior. Elias just smiles away, again saying nothing.

The Big Show

Man loves to flaunt and is always ready to show off his possessions in front of others. This quality of exhibitionism sometimes prods on the extreme and can appear funny at times. It is really amusing how a person carries himself at the so-called special occasions just to make his presence felt. 

In the olden era, marriage was considered as a simple practice of joining of two souls where food was distributed to the poor to gain blessings. But now it is nothing but a festival of pomp and show where the poor is not even mentioned in the conversation let alone in the celebration. Of all the days of one’s lives, the bride and the groom feel that marriage is the only day where they feel important and so behave in such an abnormal manner that sometimes it’s difficult to identify whether they are the same people or strangers.

Unfortunately in today’s times, people are more impressed by the outward appearance than their internal talents. People don their best costumes for a job interview; as if the attire will compensate for what one has inside their brain.

It is quiet fascinating how the travelers wear their finest clothes at the airport and it is more amusing how their companions put on ordinary clothing just to make the passenger feel like a celebrity.

Times have changed so drastically that even places of worship are being treated as fashion houses with disciples parading their latest material acquisitions and God being nothing but a back bencher.

In the past, clothes served the purpose of covering the body from heat and cold but now the mantra is: less clothes; more prestige.

One has to realize that simplicity is the essence of life and showiness may not always result in success. Even prolific leaders like Gandhi, Mandela, Martin Luther etc professed the idea of simple living and high thinking. It is only through knowledge and perseverance that men can have their names etched in the annals of history and definitely not through external gaudiness.

Will Survive

They may call me weak 
Not strong enough to achieve
Success may not greet me much
May not be able to please the world
Or surpass numerous expectations

But will certainly not despair 
About transitory possessions
As this world is not valuable
Though my life is truly of worth 

Blemishes may make me unpleasing
Don’t conform to the demands of superficiality
But I know I am divine from within
And will live with my beautiful imperfections

For I couldn’t care less about what they feel
As long as I am happy with myself
No need to be someone I am not
Just be satisfied with what I have got

Though there is no place for the meek
I will survive in all circumstance

A Boy Named Harris

There was boy named Harris, 

Who use to do all things opposite

His father was reading 

While the sun was setting

He told Harris to switch on the lights

But instead his papers started flying

His father yelled, ‘Harris, why do you do all things opposite.’

One day his mother was cooking 

For the guests in the evening

She asked Harris to pass the sugar 

But he gave her the salt

The guests were waiting for the blueberry pie

But they were treated to a portion of saline

His mother shouted, ‘Harris, why do you do all things opposite.’

He went to school where the teacher held a mathematics test

In which Harris wasn’t too well

He wrote the test using all his wits

But the teacher found out that all the answers were of science.

His teacher screamed, ‘Harris, why do you do all things opposite.’

That was a story of a boy named Harris who tried his best

But somehow managed to do all things opposite

The Shadow Monster

It was way past midnight and the streets barred a silent look. I was keen on taking a cab but thought a walk and some fresh air would do me good. As I was whistling my favorite tune, I heard a soft rattle behind me. I looked back and found a shadow. 

I paused for a moment as I had heard about the legend of the shadow monster. A creature lurking in the dark and preying upon innocent souls. But I reassured myself that the tale was just a myth. With full composure, I walked along continuing with my tune but my doubts grew stronger.

I tilted my head to the right and saw a shadow reflect on the building. Fear engulfed me as I knew that the shadow was not mine. I turned slowly to catch a glimpse and saw a horrifying face with eyes protruding with rage. As I looked straight at it, it raised its hands to grab me. I shrieked aloud and ran in blind panic.

As my steps grew faster, the relentless shadow was getting bigger. I knocked at all doors as I ran; desperately hoping that someone would help me in vanquishing this evil terror. But all doors remained closed.

I thought if I pleaded for mercy, the monster would spare me but its wrath grew even more. Suddenly, it howled a loud screech which pounded my ears. The resulted uproar deafened me.

I thought of a place where the devil didn’t dare to enter and I knew it wasn’t so far away. If only I could somehow reach there. But my strength was diminishing as the demon was getting closer.

Its ferocious hands gripped my face. One mighty scratch and I felt my face ripped apart. I tried to open my eyes but couldn’t. It was all too dark yet my face felt warm. And then I knew that the monster had taken my eyes.

I stumbled upon something and fell down. I lay on the ground succumbing to my fate; for this ordeal was finally over and the devil had won.

Numbness took over my body though I could hear my heart. I touched my face and felt my eyes at its place. I opened them and saw the dawn bright and sunny. I instantly stood up to smell the misty air and hear the birds chirping. It felt so good that life was same as before. I smiled and forgot all about last night though a question remained.

Was the shadow monster real or just a dream?