KIDNAPPED!!

It was 7 am and I was fast asleep. Usually Ma or Papa did the job of waking me up at 6 in the morning to be ready in time for the school bus. Today it wasn't so. Both of them were not at home. Instead, our labrador, Simon woke me up with his wet licks. He wanted his morning biscuits. I saw a note on my table which confirmed my guess about my parents' whereabouts.

"Sorry Arjun. I had to leave in the middle of the night as Ma had started getting the pains. I will collect you from school and then you would be able to see the baby too, if all goes well. All the best for your last paper. Do well, and then we would enjoy the summer vacation.

Love,

Papa

"

Thankfully my schoolbag had been packed the previous night. I hastily made myself a sandwich and gobbled it as fast as I could. The bus was to arrive in 15 minutes, so I decided to skip the bath and just washed my face.

I was just in time for the bus. It was the last paper of my final exams and my favorite subject, Maths. Pretty happy with the way I had written it, I exited the exam hall with a smile on my face, much to the envy of my classmate most of whom had very grim expressions. Now that the exams were over, I felt very light as I waited at the school gate where Papa would come to pick me up. I waited for half an hour, but he didn't arrive. Papa was never usually late. What would I do if he didn't come? Or even worse, forgot to come? An 8 year old boy couldn't walk for 5 kms and I had already missed the bus to wait here. Was the baby so beautiful that he had forgotten me totally? My friend Suresh had told me the other day that once a younger child is born, the parents tend to ignore the older one. Was this the beginning of the end?

Just then, a black Qualis stopped right in front of me and a man wearing dark glasses emerged from it. He had a thick moustache and broad shoulders.

"You must be Arjun Naik, right?" he asked me.

I nodded meekly. Ma always said that I must never talk to strangers or eat anything that they give.

"Your father sent me to pick you up. Come on, get into the car. He is waiting for you."

He seemed to be a friendly person. He even took my bag and placed it in the car. I climbed on to the rear seat. The windows were tinted and closed. The man sat on the driver seat, closed his door and pressed a button which locked all the doors. He took out his mobile and made a call.

"Yeah, I've got him. See you soon." Through the rear-view mirror, I could see him smile. I noticed that his teeth were stained dark.

"You don't mind me putting on some music, do you?"

I shook my head. He started the car and soon we were wading through the city traffic. The windows of the vehicle were tinted dark. My mind wandered off, and I just realised that nobody could see the inside of the car from outside, and I didn't even know who this man or what his name was.

Never take a lift from a stranger or take anything to eat from them unless I or Ma is around.  Papa had once told me. Had I committed a mistake by sitting in this car? But he said he knew Papa, right? I felt a chill inside me.

The man lit up a cigarette and began puffing smoke.

"You must be pretty hungry. I only have a bar of chocolate for you." He said.

My brain refused, but my rumbling stomach made my hand reach hout and take it from him. Here, I had broken another of Papa's rules. But how could I refuse chocolate? I ate in silence.

"You don't talk much." He said, puffing some more smoke. "It's a 1 hour drive and would be pretty boring in silence."

1 HOUR DRIVE!! But my house was hardly 5 kms away.

"Aren't we going home?" I asked him.

"Yes, we are." He chuckled, displaying those nicotine stained teeth. "We are going to my home, not yours."

"Who are you? I want to go to my home!" I was genuinely scared now.

"Now, now. We don't want to create a scene here, do we? You sit behind quietly there, and we can reach our destination peacefully." His tone was stern.

I looked around, trying to think of an escape. The windows were shut tight and they were tinted. The doors were locked.

C'mon, I urged myself. You've read almost the entire set of the Famous Five books. Act like Julian, be calm and think on your feet.

Very quietly, I reached out and unlocked my door. I pulled the lever that would open the door. Jumping out of a moving car would be preferable than being tortured in a dark room. I pulled the lever, but the door wouldn't open.

"Kid, you ever heard of something called child lock?" he laughed. I realised he had been watching all the time through the mirror.

Plan A unsuccessful.

"Don't you start thinking of an escape now. The repurcussions would be too hard for a child to bear. Sit quietly or I'll have to tie you up."

That left no scope for Plan B. O God! Why did Papa have to forget today, of all days?

After about fifteen minutes we turned into a narrow alley. There was garbage strewn on both sides of the road. At the end of it, there was a house. The man drove inside its compound and parked there. He opened my door and clasped my arm with his burly fingers and dragged me inside.

I wasn't going to give in easily. What would George, the bravest amongst the Five, have done? I bit his hand as hard as I could. He was taken by surprise and his grip loosened. I broke free and ran as fast as my legs could carry me. I didn't know where I would go, but I had to get away from him.

In my haste, I tripped over a wire lying on the ground and fell hard on the gravel. By the time I recovered, he was standing besides me.

"You are a tricky little prey. No more games now, I've had enough for today."

He held my collar and easily lifted me up in the air. I struggled with all my might, but all in vain. He took me dangling thus inside the house. It was dark, and darkness scared me. He opened a room. It was pitch black.

"You are going to stay here till my demands are met. You play any games,  the result would be far worse than skinned elbows."

He dropped me hard on the floor and went out closing the door behind him. Animals and insects never scared me a bit, but when it came to dark rooms, the fear of the unseen gripped me. Sweat broke out on my forehead and my heart was racing fast.

HOW CAN I ESCAPE??

Suddenly, the room was flooded with bright light which blinded me and people screamed. I shielded my eyes with my hands and was shocked to see the scene unfolding before me.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, Happy birthday dear Arjun, Happy birthday to you!!!!!"

Everybody was there. Ma, Papa, Kaka, everybody. I ran and hugged Papa, tears streaming from my eyes.

"Where were you? Why didn't you come? I thought I was kidnapped." I cried.

"My son cannot be kidnapped so easily." Papa said. "And I guess you must have met your Uncle Raghav, my cousin. He has a strange sense of humor, but he is alright. You'll like him once you know him better."

Raghav came inside the room carrying a cake.

"Sorry for the scare, little fella. Cut this cake and let's be friends." He smiled at me. Those stained teeth weren't so scary now.

Papa nudged me.

"Arjun, I want you to meet someone."

 He took me to where Ma was sitting on a chair, apparently weak and holding a little bundle, he face radiating with a smile.

I went and had the first look at my little sister.

May be life won't be so bad after all, I thought as Ma held me tight. Maybe I would even love to share things with her, now that I had managed to share my birthday.

Moments later, I went ahead and cut the cake, the first of the many more I would cut together with my sist

The Stranger in My Room

It was very comfortable. The bed, the pillow, the room. The air-conditioning was set at a comfortably cool level and the fan on the ceiling whirred slowly. Waking up from a really deep sleep, I opened my eyes slowly. The world was a blur around me. I could make out the white walls and assorted tables and chairs around me. I tried to reach out to the nearest table to locate my spectacles, but I could not move. My hands and feet felt tied down.

Where the hell was I?

This surely wasn’t my room. There never was an air conditioner in my room and my bed was never so soft. I looked around desperate for some semblance of familiarity, but my myopic eyes failed me as they usually did without my spectacles.

Why am I tied down to this bed? Who has held me captive?

All of a sudden I heard footsteps. Out of nowhere, a figure appeared close to me. Despite my myopia, I could make out outlines of objects, though the details were blurred, and this was definitely a male figure. He walked slowly towards me, his footsteps echoing in the room.

“So you woke up at last eh?” he said in a sinister voice.

“Who are you? What am I doing here?” I pleaded.

“Calm down. You will get all your answers in due time. How are you feeling now?”

His calm composure made me angry.

“Oh I am f**king great. What else do you expect? I love being tied down to the bed.”

“Tch tch. Still the same foul language. I thought the sleep would have improved you a bit.”

“Why have you tied me down?”

“Oh, did I tie you down?” He chuckled.

I summoned all the strength I could muster and struggled to break free my hands. They didn’t move even a millimetre. I was tied too tightly.

“You can struggle all you want. It’s of no use.” He told me, in a voice that was irritatingly calm.

He came and sat on the chair next to my bed.

“Now stop this silly struggle and let us have a chat.” He lit a cigarette and began blowing the smoke in circles.

“Mr. Sunil Sethi, son of a hotel baron, an MBA degree holder and now about to get married next month. Do I have my facts correct?”

The hell you do, I thought to myself. I nodded in response.

“This girl, your fiancée, Sonali right? Do you love her?”

“What does she have to do with all this? Or for that matter, what do I have to do with all that’s happening right now?”

“You will understand what is happening and what everyone has to do with it. For the time being, just answer my questions. So do you love her?” He said sternly.

“Yes I do.” I replied.

“In that case, I have some really bad news for you. She is with me now.” He smiled.

My blood was boiling now.

“You should look at yourself in the mirror.” He laughed. “But I’m serious. We are together in our own small world now, and there is nothing you can do about it.”

“What the f**k are you saying? And who the hell are you?” The suspense was killing me.

“Oh, sorry I forgot to introduce myself. I am Sanjay Kadam, clerk in the Post Office. Rather, I was a clerk. Not now, thanks to you!”

“So this is some kind of a revenge for you, is it? Lost your job for some screw up from your end, and now you blame me and kidnap me for ransom from my father. Is that what this is all about?”

He started laughing much to my bewilderment.

“Get down from your high pedestal, rich boy! I don’t want anything from your father or anybody for that matter. I can’t get back what has already been taken away from me. I just wanted to have a chat with you, that’s it. So, how do you feel now that your fiancée is no longer with you?”

“I don’t believe you. I don’t need to believe you. I know Sonali and she will never leave me. How do you know about her anyway?”

“To be honest, I didn’t know about her till yesterday night. How I wish that night had never come.”

“She was with me yesterday night. We had gone to the discotheque together. What are you talking about?” I asked.

“That’s right. Both of you were at the disco together. But what happened AFTER you came out? Don’t you remember anything?” He started blowing more smoke rings.

“We were dancing together, and she pleaded me to stop the booze. After much debate I reluctantly agreed and we came out and I drove her back. Where do you figure in all this?”

“Is this what really happened or is this what you think happened? Let me make it easier for you. Do you remember dropping her at her house?”

“Listen mister. I was high with all that alcohol. I remember driving back with her, nothing else. And you are saying that she has left me for a post office clerk? Dream on!” A tiny headache was creeping up in my head.

“So you think all this is a joke eh? I’m not laughing and you won’t too very soon. This ego of yours is not funny. Getting drunk that night and making a fool of yourself was not funny. Driving a car in that condition was not funny. Killing me and my entire family was not f**king funny!!”

He got up from the chair and moved towards the window. My headache peaked as the memory streamed in.

“Drive slow Sunil, please. You’ll hit somebody.” Sonali was saying.

“Don’t worry baby. That bloody Merc driver thinks he can outrun me. Just want to teach him a lesson.” I said as my foot pressed harder on the accelerator.

“Just forget him okay. Please slow down.” She pleaded.

I looked at her. She was looking all flushed.

“Okay sweetheart. For you I will slow down. See, I am taking my foot off the accelerator and placing it on the ............................. “

The conversation was interrupted by a bang. The headache now threatened to split my head. My heart was working extra hard and I could feel my pulse rising.

“Remembered something eh?” he said. “I remember everything. I remember lying down on the road unable to move in the pool of blood. I remember my son calling out to me for help and not being able to respond to him. And I remember watching my wife breathing her last before I did so myself.”

“Sonali...” I stuttered. “You said.............”

“Yes, I stand by what I said. She’s in my world now.”

Realization dawned on me. I wished I was seeing a bad dream. I wanted to pinch myself, but my hands were unable to move.

“I think our chat is over now.” He said. “Goodbye, and I sincerely hope you would live this life of regret. Thankfully, I don’t think you would ever be able to drive a car again or kill someone else.”

He placed my spectacles on my face and his outline vanished in thin air. There was nobody in the room. Only the beeping sounds of assorted machines around me. I looked at my arms and legs.

They weren’t tied up, but however much I tried, I would never be able to move them again.

Sunrise at Dusk

Hi fellas,

This time it's a poetic update for the blog. Not that I'm all that great at poems, but this one was an attempt I made during a long and boring train journey. Hopefully you'll like it. :)

Walking on the beach, his feet pressing the sand,

The gentle breeze stroking his hair, brushing his hand

So much of loss, his life at stake,

Lonely by tomorrow, to live for his own sake

He steps into the water, waves splash his feet,

Wasn't this the place, where her did he first meet

So long ago, the time seems so far,

But now it didn't matter, he would be on par

Life seemed perfect then, but why didn't it last,

They were looking for a future, but now it was all past

When amongst the love, did rise the hate,

Why did she leave him, when he was her soul mate

The water rises to his knees, he wants no more,

Of this life, the false dreams, that left him all sore

The ocean called him, it's arms wide spread,

Nothing was on his side, not even the dread

He turns around for the one last time

And sees a beauty, much in her prime

Her hair on her face, kissing her cheeks,

Hiding the smile charming, which any man seeks

The tide's unsafe, she calls out to him,

It would take you away, even though you swim

As though a magnet, he retreats to her,

Her concern a magic, his heart feeling lighter

Each talks to the other, falling to the attraction

Understanding each other, listening with attention

The coffee is over, a new bond is struck,

He looks in her eyes, maybe life won't suck

The sun sets down, as they again walk the sand,

Beckoning a new future, together hand-in-hand

To give another try, to the vows unfulfilled,

The house full of dreams, again they would build

Cheers, and hopefully I would be back with a proper story the next time :-)

15 Minutes into The Spirit of Mumbai

So here I am, back after a pretty long hiatus. I think I even saw some fungus developing over this blog when I saw it today. So, what do I have to offer this time? Some more gory fiction? No, not today. The fiction would be coming soon as I am in the process of completing a story I began ages ago. Today, I take you on a journey I took a few days back, which gave me an insight into a totally different kind of people, what the spirit of a city really is.

It was a regular morning in Mumbai and I had come only for that particular day. It was a journey I had to take to Andheri on Friday and to cut short any prospective delays, I decided to take the local train.

"You are crazy." My brother told me. "Just spend some bucks and hire a taxi. Why the hell do you want to get into those insane crowds?"

"What if the taxi gets stuck in a traffic jam?" I argued.

Nevertheless, I had decided that local train it was going to be. As I approached the Churchgate railway station, it was a sight to behold. I was standing across the road facing the station entrance, and the scene in front of me looked like one of those Hindi movies (I later came to know that many movies were actually shot at this particular location.). There were two crowds, both equally crazy. One was desperate to get into the station and another rushing to get out. It was quite an illustration of the condition of our bowels during a case of acute diarrhoea, or in short, total chaos. 

Struggling with my bag, I somehow managed to squeeze in along with the crowd into the station and inside it was an army that would give the Rajnikanth army in 'Robot' a run for their money. They were all different people of varying age, cultures, language, sizes. But an invisible force bound everybody together and there was to an extent a monotony in their actions. To a person not used to crowds, it would have seemed like a riot. Waiting in the queue to get the return tickets, it felt like I was in a movie that was being played fast forward. No person waited more that 5 seconds before taking their ticket and zooming off to catch their respective train. Suddenly I also realised, that sub-consciously I was also doing the same. My feet were moving faster and my mind was in a hurry. For what? I fail to understand even today.

Well, I boarded the next train that would take me to my destination. What I didn't know that this journey would completely change my impression of Mumbai and especially the trains of Mumbai. Entering the train, I couldn't help feeling apprehensive since this very mode of transport has been the target of so many terror activities. Luckily I managed to get a seat (never expected that in the crowd) next to the window. Within seconds of arriving at the station, the train took off with people taking their regular positions inside. There is some kind of magnet near the doors that always attracts a majority of the people. Even if the seats are empty, the people there always love to cling on to the doors, maybe more than clinging on to their wives.

These very people were only recently at the receiving end of mindless fanaticism and Government apathy. Despite being wounded so many times, the city just clicks. Within a couple of days after any attack, the people are back to their feet and go about their daily routine. Many people in and outside the country label this as the "Spirit of Mumbai". Some even go ahead and state that the people here have now learnt to "adjust" and move on. Some say that the Mumbaikaar does not care.

I saw a labourer board the train at Dadar loaded with his tools. The poor man looked to be a daily wage worker. Maybe he was present when the recent blasts happened in Dadar market. Maybe he had lost someone in the carnage. What should he have done? Stop going to work in protest? Move to the streets shouting slogans against the failure of the Government and security agencies to safeguard their people? If he does, who is going to earn money for him and the remainder of his family to survive? 

And it is mostly the same case with the common man in this city. It is not easy to live in a city like Mumbai. It may have its positives, but I for one find it very difficult to warm up to it despite being culturally close to it. For those who label these people as un-caring, do they really have a choice? The common man cannot afford to protest at the cost of his daily earnings. He does not have a father who has left him riches so that he can shun work and protest. So what does he do? He can only thank God that he lived through and pray that no more such incidents occur. With no guarantee that he would live another day, the common man of Mumbai carries on.

At another station I see a hoard of people waiting to board the train as it entered the platform. An equal number was waiting by the door (in addition to the usual door lovers) to alight. The train normally stops for around 10 seconds at a single station. As if programmed, the people de-board the train within a couple of seconds, and the ones on the platform climb inside with amazing efficiency. There isn't much pushing around or the chaos that I normally witnessed in the Delhi Metro, especially at the Rajiv Chowk station.

Some time back, a world-wide survey labelled Mumbai as one of the rudest cities. True, that people usually don't talk much with strangers. It is also true that they may not say "Please" or "Thank you" all that often. But there is one thing for sure, whenever any tragedy hits the city, these very people are the first ones to help each other out before even the police or rescue teams reach the venue. It does not matter whether the perpetrators of the crime are Muslims or Hindus or Christians. What matters is that  victims are always human beings, the very people with whom they travel daily in the trains, buses without speaking a word. And that, I  feel is the real "Spirit" if you feel the need to label it.

As I descended from the train at Andheri, my mindset was changed. This was my first ever proper journey in a local train in this city. May be I don't like it as much as I like my hometown of Goa. Maybe I would never warm up to the city in my entire life. But one thing was sure. This is one city that needs no definition. It doesn't require that the people be only Marathi. It doesn't require that everybody follow only one religion. The common man who lives here drives the city to what it is, an economic hot-spot. The common man, with whom the people who rule us have lost touch with.

For Those Who Made My Trip

Yes, I'm back writing on this blog after around 3 months. But this time its not fiction, nor is it a political rant. This post is dedicated to some people who are really special to me and have been an integral part of my journey into the corporate world. Today was my last working day in MakeMyTrip (India) and now I know what a "heavy heart" really means. 

Though I was given an opportunity to speak today, I didn't, not because I didn't want to. But because I knew I wouldn't be able to express myself by talking. I can convey my feelings better by writing. So here's a message of thanks for some very special people

1) Amlesh Sinha

My reporting manager, my mentor, my guide and a father figure for me. I can proudly say that I could not have a better mentor to begin my career with. You held my hand and guided me through the various facets of my professional life. You patted me on my successes and helped me correct my blunders, both always making me grow in the positive direction. I really cannot thank you enough for all the guidance and especially the patience that you showed.

2) Virender Bisht

The person who removed my notion that senior people are usually "khadoos" and are not bothered with the junior guys. A cool customer with an ever smiling face and quick decision maker, you are really the pillar of strength of the entire team. Thank you especially for all the encouragement you gave me.

3) Ashish Srivastava

Hamaare apne Balia ke "Aasees" sir. The troubleshooter of our team. One of the best programmers I have seen and a real expert debugger. A real jovial fellow who can give witty one-liners and special "interpretations". It was sheer pleasure working with someone so dedicated to his work.

4) Shreesh Kaushik

One of the best persons I've ever known. A true all-rounder in its perfect sense. This good looking guy can excel in any sport, awesome sense of humor, real fun to be with and at the same time can whip up some very good software code from his kitty. Thanks a ton for teaching me Foosball and making me about as good as you in it. Also thanks a lot for answering my never-ending questions all the time and being there for me. I just have one regret with you that I could never play TT with you (the tragedy is well known.. :P).

5) Rehman Danish

The 'Bhai'. Though being a senior from my college, he never came across as one. This guy can light up any situation however serious it may be with his spontaneous jokes and perfect timing. He is THE person who inspired me to try my hand at poetry (he is a very gud one himself). I can't forget especially how he pestered me into writing the "Bad-ass" poem. Would miss your jokes and especially the never-ending "tips".

6) Pratik Pahuja

A devil with a saintly face. This tall guy thinks a lot. But looks are misleading and he really sets the flow when in the mood. One can discuss anything with him and I for one, found a really good friend in this man. Thanks for all the help and especially the entertaining cafeteria discussions. :)

7) Abhijeet Srivastav

This guy has only two expressions. A blank one. and a smiling one. Never seen him angry or frustrated at anything. Talks less, but when he does, I don't need to say anything more (:P). I would really miss those grilled sandwiches with you in the mornings. SOA zindabaad.... :D

8) Manish Ranjan

Baby-faced, this kiddo-looking fella entered the scene with a bang with lights-on issue fixing. Recently famous for samosas and quietly stealing other's mobiles and I-cards to get treats. This entertainer goes about his work quietly and of-course a good foosball defender.

9) Junaid Karim

Initially I thought he is a very serious type of a person but turned out totally opposite once I got to know him better. I have never seen anybody so principled and honest with his work and he easily blends with the "bachchas" of the team despite being very senior.

10) Ashish Jain

The one person I have worked maximum with. He has tested all my projects and "bugged" me. My perfect foosball partner and we've beaten the best players of the company together, also winning by a record margin once. A charming persona and a person you can talk to anytime. It was natural bonding with him, more so because we share a common interest in photography. Thanks for all the awesome time dude.

11) Ankur Khera

Passion is one word that can define him. You taught me to be frank and honest despite the odds. A great friend, a person I can trust with my life and someone I respect naturally. Its no joke being good at your work and pursuing an MTech from an IIT at the same time. Would really miss the "Thodi der aur achcha khelna hai" and "Good shot man!!!!!" ... :)

12) Anirudh Bharadwaj

The best trait in this person is his ability to make friends with any human being. The most popular face in the company who can talk non-stop nonsense. A foosball rival who also brought me into the cricket playing group, this person is fully responsible for introducing me to different people and he can literally go a big way for his friends. Never lose this quality in you dude, not everyone is lucky to have it in them.

I might have missed out on some people in this really long list, but that doesn't make them any less important for me. Though now I have decided to have a full-on go at the post-graduate entrance tests, this one year of corporate experience has been something to be cherished forever. As I wrote in my farewell email, the first love is always the on which is closest to your heart, same way MMT has been my first tryst with corporate life and it would always remain special to me.

Thanks to everyone for the wonderful farewell you gave me and also for the movie outing. Would really miss the good times in MMT and as our tag-line goes, I would be taking with me "Memories Unlimited". Love you guys

Radha's Child

Disclaimer: 

All characters, incidents and places mentioned in this write-up is fictional and any similarity with any person or incident is purely co-incidental.

The fire was crackling, it was the only sound other than the priest's chants. The smoke rose from the pyre in puffs and stood in stark contrast with the orange evening sky. A handful of villagers were present at the funeral, but there were no tears being shed. Nobody really cared. Only Shankar's close neighbors were present at his funeral.

Radha sat quietly on the ground as the pyre slowly turned into ashes. She was holding her 5-month old daughter in her arms, the child fast asleep in her mother's grasp. The people around looked at her as if she were a piece of trash even as she silently watched her father being cremated. After all, who would respect a village girl who gave birth to a child, that too a girl at the age of 16 without getting married, and which self-respecting man would marry such a girl. It was rumored that the father of the child was the 20 year old Kishan who was friendly with her.

Keshav, Shankar's brother and Radha's uncle had performed the final rites of his brother. He was the only blood relative Radha had left in the world. He bent down in front of the listless figure of Radha sitting on the ground and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Shall we go dear?" he asked her affectionately.

She got up silently, carefully not to disturb the sleeping baby, pulled her sari over he head and followed her uncle with her small bundle of clothes, which was all she had left with her as her belongings. They walked the path to Keshav's house with Radha following him, her head bowed down, trying to hide her tears which were slowly trickling down her cheeks. As they reached their destination, she saw Kishan sitting on a bench at a distance across the street, a glass of tea in his hand. Uncle also noticed that she had noticed him.

"That moron is still here. I had fired him today morning itself." he snapped.

"Let him be, Uncle. He won't bother you." Radha said quietly.

"You don't need to come to his support for every damn thing. He is good for nothing, and we all know it. Now go inside and unpack your stuff. Your aunt will show you your place and your responsibilities in the household from today."

***

It was pitch dark outside. Slowly, trying to make as minimal noise as possible, Radha opened the door of the house and tip-toed outside. Kishan was waiting for her across the street.

"Are you crazy?" she asked him. "Do you understand what I face if I am caught with you here in the middle of the night?"

"You just refuse to meet me in daytime. What am I supposed to do?" he replied calmly.

"We are not children anymore, Kishan. The fun and games in life are over. It's better we don't meet again ever."

"I just don't get it why you can't come with me. Lets get out of this god-forsaken village. What's there for both of us here? Lets run away and get married. In that way I can give my name to the child too."

"You know that I want your name itself to be attached to the child's. But running away is not the solution. Chachaji is far worse than my father was where these things are concerned. He killed his own daughter to protect the family honor when she ran away. I am just his niece."

"I don't understand what makes you stay with him even though he scares the life out of you. My offer would be always open, whenever you change your mind."

"You won't understand it. You are not a girl, that too not a unmarried mother. You know what that means right?"

***

The night was dark, and one could hear the insects chirping outside. 15 year old Radha was lying on the ground trying very hard to sleep, but totally failing in the attempt. It was about 10 O'clock at night and her father had still not returned home. That could only mean he was getting drunk and that was the part she dreaded the most. She heard a sound at the door and lifted her head to see Shankar's silhouette in the doorway. He stumbled towards her and sat besides her.

"Aren't I happy to see my beautiful young daughter grow up so fast?" he mumbled, and put his hand on her arm. Instinctively she retracted her hand back and all muscles in her body contracted.

"You were such a little girl when your mother left us, and now look at you. You have become even more lovelier than she ever was."

The hand was sliding up her knee now, and all she could do was contract herself tightly. She knew what was coming and that she would never be able to fight him off. Her body was shivering.

"I love you, my baby, a lot!" he said bringing his face over hers. The smell of alcohol in his breath stung her senses and a wail came out of her mouth.

"Shh....don't you get worried now. It would be done fast and you will enjoy it too. Every woman has to go through it." Saying thus he put his mouth over her pursed lips as she stifled her cry.


Radha woke up suddenly, her body drenched in sweat and shivering. The memory of that fateful night had come back to haunt her again. In her sudden motion, she had woken up her child who has started crying loudly. She held her in her arms trying hard to console her but in vain.

"Will you please shut up that bastard child of yours? I am unable to sleep in all that wailing." Keshav yelled from the adjoining room.

"I am trying Chachaji." she replied. "She seems to be hungry, I'll try feeding her. And please don't call her that."

"Do whatever you need to do. And don't you dare speak to me like that. I will call her whatever I please. That piece of shit deserves no place in the world, let alone my house. I am doing a favor on you both by letting you stay here and I expect a bit of gratitude in return."

"The child is mine, and I will stand up for her, come what may. I am thankful for you letting us stay here, but I will not have anybody call my child that."

An angry Keshav stormed into the room and grabbed Radha by her hair.

"Say that again?" he threatened her. "You are a woman and you'd better know your status well. I hope you understand very well what I can do to you if you don't listen to me."

"Kill me? Sure, go ahead. I am living dead anyway."

"Kill? No, that would not be a punishment for insolence." His hand went to her throat. "Killing you would be too easy." The hand slid down to her chest. "There are things far worse and more enjoyable for a man to do with a whore like you."

In an instant, Radha's hand went to her waist pouch and the knife came out and was pierced in Keshav's chest.

"You will not harm me or my daughter, ever." she was wild. She drew back the knife and stabbed him again in the heart. The blood was splattering all over the place, but she did not stop stabbing until the body became motionless.

"There goes, my second murder, or would it be rescue?" she said over Keshav's listless body.

Radha quietly picked up her child and ran out of the house.

**********

Everything I do, I do it for You!!

The entire restaurant was full that day. All the tables were filled with the guests enjoying their Saturday evening, but not one sound came from any of them. Neither the usual chatter nor the clanging of the plates and spoons. Even the waiters were standing on the side with ready dishes in a tray, but not moving to serve them. The only sound emitted in the hall was that of David's and that of his piano. His fingers moving elegantly over the keys, his every motion producing a melody that totally enthralled each and every human being in the hall. No sooner than he finished his last track for the evening, the entire hall echoed with claps and cheers for a repeat performance.

Acknowledging the crowd, David bowed down before them and politely got off the dais. As he passed through the crowd, there were a flurry of compliments from the various guests, a few handshakes and some promises to give him a chance to perform at big concerts by some of the big-shots in the room. He accepted all of them with a smile. He knew that most of the people would not remember his name, let alone his face the next day. The manager greeted him with a smile and took him aside. 

"The boss wants you to play one more song tonight." he told David.

"If I am not mistaken, I get paid only to perform till 10 p.m.. Extra work would cost more than the meagre stipend you guys give me." David replied curtly. It was true. Those promises by the regular guests to give him the opportunities of a lifetime never took form, and he just about managed to live with his paltry earnings, what with the alimony he had to pay to his wife as a part of their divorce settlement.

"The boss knows it, David. He is offering you the same amount that you get for the 2 hour performance for just one extra song. Your earnings for today would be double the usual. He has left this note for you." saying this, the manager slipped a piece of paper in David's hand and went away. One song for twice the amount. Not bad, thought David.

At that very moment, David saw his boss enter the restaurant. Anil Mehta, young, smart and an aggressive businessman who had set up the restaurant chain and tasted success at a very early age entered his territory accompanied by a lady who looked to be in her late 20's. As they came closer, David could see both more clearly, and what he saw made his heart skip a beat. It had been 8 long years since he had last seen or met Shirley, and there she was, as beautiful as she had been then and even more graceful now. 

His mind wandered to the last time he had been alone with her at the lake. It was when he had told her that his family would be moving to Delhi from Kolkata. He was 23 then when his father made that decision. There was nothing left for them in Kolkata, their company had been bankrupt and all the property seized by the banks in lieu of mortgage. His maternal uncle had managed to find his father a job in Delhi, and so they were about to move in a week.

"I'll miss you terribly." he told her.

Shirley just looked down at the ripples her feet made on the surface of the water, silent, as if she was sitting all alone. A tear drop ran down her cheek and fell into the water.

"Don't give me this silent treatment. Please say something." he begged of her.

"Is there anything left to say?" she asked him back. "You won't stay back even if I want you to. You will go to Delhi, make some new friends and carry on with your life. I'll try and do the same with mine."

"Promise that you'll write to me. You have been my best friend all this time."

Shirley got up and started walking. David stood in her way.

"I'm sorry Shirley. But this isn't really in my hands now."

She looked up at him, her eyes red and filled with tears. Their gazes waited upon each other for several moments. At last she broke eye contact and gave him a quick hug before running away.

David was woken from his reverie when a waiter nudged him and pointed towards the table where Anil was sitting with Shirley. Anil winked at him and David signaled with a thumbs-up sign to show that he was ready with the song. Just then, Anil received a phone call and he left the table to attend to it, apparently from a guy he was doing business with. Shirley motioned David to come to the table.

"Long time eh?" she said softly. "I thought I would never get to see you again."

"Yeah, and look at you." he said. "You seem to have done really well for yourself."

"I guess so. What about you? Where have you been all these years? There is so much to catch up on."

"I'm just somehow managing to survive. This divorce has turned out to be pretty expensive for me."

"Oh. I'm sorry." 

"It's alright. I am getting used to it now."

"You never wrote back to me..........." 

"I couldn't. Life had gone all topsy turvy for me. There wasn't one good thing I could write to you about. And when the time came to get married, I could not break the news to you either."

"You too?" Both he hands were clasped on her mouth. "You could have said something that day at the lake."

"I was too scared. Just too scared of losing you. You didn't say anything either."

Both looked at each other, filled with thoughts of what might have been if.........if only!!!!!

Anil arrived back after finishing his call and arrived back at the table a mike in his hand. David was back on his piano playing a very familiar tune.

"Ladies and Gentlemen." Anil announced. "It's a very special day today for me. It has been exactly 3 years since I met this lovely lady sitting right in front of me for the first time, And haven't those 3 years been great. Right here, right now, I want to post a question to her, with all of you as witness. Dear Shirley, would you like to make the rest of my life as amazing as the last 3 years?" 

Anil was down on his knees. Shirley was thunderstruck with tears of joy rolling down her cheeks. Unable to speak she silently nodded yes and both of them hugged while the audience was thundering with applause.

David was quiet, he could just see his piano. He couldn't dare look at the centre of attention for fear of breaking down. He was just playing the song that had been requested by his boss to be played at that very moment, the words striking a chord with every human being present in the hall that night.

Look into my eyes - you will see
What you mean to me
Search your heart - search your soul
And when you find me there you'll search no more

Don't tell me it's not worth trying for
You can't tell me it's not worth dying for
You know it's true
Everything I do - I do it for you 

Later that night, as he was having his 4th beer in his cramped apartment he received a message on his cell phone.

"David , I know that things haven't really worked out the way we wanted them to. But I would like to give it another try. What do you say? Do you feel we can give our marriage another chance? -- Love, Clara."

He laid back on the sofa, his eyes closed. Maybe life wasn't so bad either, he thought and gulped down what would be his last drink for that day.

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

You can view the original song sung by Brian Adams @http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGoWtY_h4xo