So many of my blogger friends (especially RJ and Reems)* left me on blogger and shifted to WP. I didn't have choice, so came here after them... :)
Keep visiting me there! :)
My url is http://laghukatha0shortstories.wordpress.com/
I don’t know why but that day I was missing Shuchi a lot. It was almost three years since I last saw her or talked to her.
I went back three and half years back in my thoughts when I had received a call from my sister. She wanted me to find a suitable job for Shuchi as she had already completed her post graduation. I was more than happy to help my beloved niece. She was the “Jaan” of our family. Very intelligent, helpful, polite and always smiling. She was the apple of everyone’s eye. Shuchi was warm heartedly welcomed in our home. Within a short period she got a good job in a prestigious company. (Everybody thinks that I helped her, but she never needed any help. She was bright enough to get through on her own.)
Time passed and she got settled in her new job. Because of her good nature she became favourite with her colleagues, too! Her mother was now after me to find a suitable boy for Shuchi. When I told her this, she shyly mentioned about Ishwar.
Somehow, Ishwar gave not-so-good vibes!
Against our wishes, she got married to Ishwar (not one trait of his was anywhere near to his name!). She was so happy about the marriage that we all kept our doubts aside but still kept our fingers crossed. Suddenly after one month of the marriage, she called one day and told me that I should not keep any contact with her! She said this and “thuk” the line went dead. She never tried to contact us and I couldn’t as her number was no longer available. I got her news from my sister time to time. I tried to get her contact number or address from my sister but mysteriously she always denied stating that was what shuchi wanted. My sister was also worried but never told anything (I am not sure whether she knew anything herself!).
This was three years back. I never knew what happened to Shuchi or why she never kept contact, nothing!
That night I couldn’t sleep properly. Shuchi occupied my thoughts for no apparent reason.
At 6 in the morning the bell rang. I was sure it was Shuchi (don’t ask why, I myself don’t know!). I almost ran to open the door. As I opened the door, I got rooted. I was shocked to see Shuchi. I couldn’t recognize her. Her once beautiful face was scarred; she was so thin that even toothpick would look healthy! I asked her to come inside, almost as an after thought. She limped inside!
“I am not going to that hell again!” she said without any emotion.
I wanted to kill that bastard who did what I saw to my beloved child.
There were so many questions in my mind. What actually happened? Why did she keep up to this brutality for so long? When did all these start? Why she never informed any of these to us? Why she never ran away before?
But looking at her, I did not have heart to ask her anything. I slowly inched towards her and gave a hug. She started crying. Slowly initially, and then copiously, relentlessly! I let her cry...
She needed medical attention immediately for her physical as well as psychological trauma.
As weeks passed she started showing some colour on her face.
Today I am very happy. Shuchi gave her first smile today! Ah, that lovely smile!
I wanted to know many things which are still unanswered, but I am in no hurry.
P.S. Have not told Shuchi that I and her mother have filed a case against her husband. He is in police custody and the case is in the court. The court has agreed to call Shuchi as a witness only when her condition stabilizes.
I'd been tagged to do this meme by Reema sometime back. I am quite new to this meme thing and still I have been tagged three times is last fortnight. I am honoured! But am not sure whether will be able to do justice to your expectations!
Here I go...
I am: a laid back person.
I think: too much! Sometime too much for my own good!
I know: and believe that whatever happens, happens for the best.
I want: to do so much before I die... I am sure I have enough time!
I have: everything that a person needs to survive. Still I want more... (Does it sound familiar?)
I wish: people around the world would respect nature. Everything else will fall into place by itself.
I hate: numbers except on my pay slip and bank balance!
I miss: carefree days of childhood.
I fear: natural calamities.
I feel: great!
I hear: it’s going to rain in Ahmedabad.
I smell: a rat when somebody goes out of the way to please me!
I crave: for chocolates. hmmmmmmm..... yummmmmmmmmmy!
I search: for inner peace.
I wonder: about the ability of my kid to smile at me even when I have just scolded her for her misbehaviour.
I regret: after I have lost temper on a trivial matter which was not so important in the first place.
I love: life.
I ache: when I see suffering around me (which I have seen enough in hospitals).
I care: to care for others.
I always: get freaked when somebody lies.
I am not: Miss Universe nor am I Mother Teresa! But I am loved for what I am. :)
I believe: in this, “In a relationship, either you can win or be happy” ... and I prefer to be happy! [Well, most of the time ;)]
I dance: during “Navaratri”
I sing: when I am happy [and make others unhappy! :)]
I cry: when I am hurt or when I am very angry but can’t to anything to change the situation (impotent anger).
I don’t always: get what I want.
I fight: tears during an emotional scene on screen. Though I keep munching popcorns...
I write: on Laghukatha and Craftyvillage
I win: hearts not arguments.
I lose: patience easily.
I never: watch “saas bahu serials”.
I confuse: others when I don’t react the way they want me to.
I listen: to my heart when there is a tie between brain and heart.
I can usually be found: chirpy.
I am scared: of Almighty.
I need: oxygen to survive :)
I am happy about: my life in general.
I think everybody else is already tagged so not passing this on.
*Shivering and clicking the Publish button* [Reems, tere se yeh chori kiya hai, kyun ki, I feel the same! :)]
Was tagged by RJ, "I tag my blog fellas to mention one item they did that bought a smile on their face. "
The other day I came out of the restaurant after having a good dinner. A young man of around 30 years came to me to sell some shell wall-hangings. When I asked how much did it cost he said he wanted some cooking oil and some flour to make rotis for his children. "I have some green chillies at home to eat with rotis," he added. My heart skipped a beat and my eyes started brimming with tears as I envisioned his kids eating rotis and chillies. I bought those wall-hangings for 1 kg mangoes, 5 kgs flour, 1 kg salt, 2 litres cooking oil, 1 kg potatoes, 1 kg onions.
I hope his kids had a full meal for at least a couple of days.
:) :) :)
This meme I took from Sandeep and Nova.
Please thoughtfully consider the following, and choose one item for each of the categories below. (Be sure to describe your reasons for choosing)
I tag Anubha, Xylene and Canopenner
When I was an intern doctor, I was posted in a rural region (rural internship is a must if you want an internship completion certificate!!!). I was posted under a Medical officer there. He was quite reputed in this village and was serving for quite some years. Since I had joined in the morning only, he was asking questions (relevant as well as irrelevant!) and talking and checking patients simultaneously.
“So, you cleared with first attempt?” Asking me, he gestured to the compounder to send another patient.
“Yes, sir.” I answered meekly, wondering “did I look like a chronic to him?”
“Hun… what are your parents doing?” Now, what has that to do with my internship? But that’s the way conversation progress in India, I guess!
At that particular time a very thin lady entered with a child of say, 1-1 ½ years entered the cabin. The doctor gestured her to sit. His bombardment of questions was still on and directed towards me.
In between he asked the lady what the problem was and she murmured something, which I perceived as fever.
“Bhar re…” he shouted in the direction of the compounder, asking him to fill up the syringe with the usual medicine.
As the compounder handed over the syringe, doctor gave the shot. The lady screamed with pain.
“Why are you screaming?” he asked
“Dacter sa’ab, bukhar humka naahi hai, bachua ka hai,” she complained.
(Sir, the boy has got the fever, not me!)
(The dumb doctor had given the medicine to the mother instead of the child! Shit!)
But the doctor was unflinched. Without batting an eyelid he asked her sternly,
“Doctor kaun hai, mein ya tum?”
(Who is the doctor here, me or you?)
“Aap, Sa’ab”
(You sir!)
“To davaai kaun dega?”
(Then who will decide the treatment)
“Aap, Sa’ab”
(You sir!)
“Yeh tera dudh pita hai ki nahi?”
(Is this child on your milk?)
“Pita hai Sa’ab”
(Yes sir!)
“To davaai tujhe hi pehle deni padegi na!’
(Then, of course, you will be treated first, isn’t it?)
“Bhar re....” he shouted at compounder to fill another syringe of the medicine, which he then gave to the child.
“****”
I was in middle of a meeting when the phone rang. It was my mother informing me about demise of an uncle.
Since I am a medical person I am always expected to “rush” whenever there is any health related issues in our family. Being a paediatrician, what will I do in a case of fracture? You have to take the patient to an orthopedician. But no, I have to go. But that’s beside the point. Let us get back to our earlier conversation. My uncle’s death.
So, you see, I had no choice but to rush to the uncle’s house (It is beyond my comprehension how “rushing” now will help when he has already passed away!). And anyways I was never fond of this particular uncle. I had my reasons.
I remembered the day when the family had gone on an excursion to a religious place. As we reached “Palitana” we settled in different rooms in a “dharmashala”. We had turned in early as all of us were tired due to bumpy journey and a long walk was planned the next day. Suddenly at middle of the night we heard somebody crying for help. My parents and other family members ran from rooms. My aunt was writhing with pain as my uncle was furious over some matter and was hitting her relentlessly. I had never, ever seen a domestic feud of this intensity. I was so horrified that in shock I couldn't even cry. I was just of five years then. He was never my favourite uncle, but after this incidence my dislike turned to fear. And as I grew up, over the years with more such incidents, my dislike and fear turned to hostility and loathing.
So when I heard about his demise I felt happy for my aunt. She was now free (I never understood how she sustained all the violence and why my family members never encouraged her to take a divorce or filed a complaint against my uncle).
I didn’t want to “rush” but I knew my mom will blow her fuse if I didn’t. And, anyways, she is always at loggerheads with me for my unconventional and socially unacceptable (according to her!) views. I didn’t want another row with her. So I reached my uncle’s place as soon as I could.
I didn’t expect my aunt to be jubilant over her husband’s demise, but I was in for a shock. She was crying her heart out over uncle’s body. She was so distraught that her 50 something, very beautiful face (even at this age) suddenly looked 10 years older. I have seen her crying when she couldn’t bear assault levied upon her body and today she was crying because her heart couldn’t take assault of her husband’s final journey. The same husband who made her life hell!
How was this possible? How can you cry for a person who has hurt you through out your life?
Was it love? I doubt!
Probably it was due to the thought of loneliness or social security or just out of habit! Probably she suddenly felt bereft. Probably….
Whatever it was, I couldn’t fathom what I witnessed.
A six-year-old boy told his father he wanted to marry the little girl across the street. The father, being modern and well-schooled in handling children, hid his smile behind his hand.
"That's a serious step," he said. "Have you thought it out completely?"
"Yes," his young son answered. "We can spend one week in my room and the next in hers. It's right across the street, so I can run home if I get scared of the dark."
"How about transportation?" the father asked.
"I have my wagon, and we both have our tricycles," the little boy answered.
The boy had an answer to every question the father raised.
Finally, his dad asked, "What about babies? When you're married, you're liable to have babies, you know."
"We've thought about that, too," the little boy replied.
"And we're not going to have babies. Every time she lays an egg, I'm going to step on it!"
It was so difficult to curtail her feelings! It showed on her face, with all the blush which made her already beautiful face more endearing. Rhea was meeting Animesh after six months. She was away for her postgraduation. Suddenly she saw him, waving and jumping among the people who had come to pick up their dear ones at airport. She almost ran to him and they hugged eachother as if there was no tomorrow. They had missed each other a lot. They used to mail and message everyday but technology, however advance, couldn't provide warmth! They went home chattering about.
Today they had decided to go to "Lothal", a site of ancient ruins. They packed the lunch and in their station wagon headed towards their destination. What a sight was it! They enjoyed it immensely. They walked around hand in hand as if they were married just yesterday. In fact they had been married now for 3 years. But suddenly Rhea's foot slipped and she could feel her hand slipping out of Animesh's hand and felt herself falling...and falling...and falling! And with a great thud she fell on the ground!
And with that thud, she suddenly woke up! she had been dreaming again...She started crying, again! It was as if she was drowned in tears since last 15 days, since Animesh left her suddenly. With a single stroke of destiny her life crashed, along with Animesh's motorbike!
નદીની રેતમાં રમતું નગર મળે ન મળે,
ફરી આ દ્રશ્ય સ્મૃતિપટ ઉપર મળે ન મળે...
ભરી લો શ્વાસમાં એની સુગંધનો દરિયો,
પરિચેતોને ધરાઈને જોઈ લેવા દો,
ભરી લો આંખમાં રસ્તાઓ, બારીઓ, ભીંતો,
રડી લો આજ સંબંધોને વીંટળાઈ અહીં,
વળાવા આવ્યા છે એ ચ્હેરા ફરશે આંખોમાં,
A popular Motivational speaker was entertaining his audience. He said: "The best years of my life were spent in the arms of a woman who wasn't my wife!"
The audience was in silence and shock.
The speaker added: "And that woman was my mother!"
Laughter and applause continued!
A week later, a top manager trained by the motivational speaker tried to crack this very effective joke at home.
He was a bit foggy after a drink.
He said loudly, "The greatest years of my life were spent in the arms of a woman who was not my wife!"
The wife went wan with shock and rage.
Standing there for 20 seconds trying to recall the second half of the joke, the manager finally blurted out "... and I can't remember who she was!"
Moral of the story:
Don't copy if you can't paste!
David Bissonette
When a man steals your wife, there is no better revenge than to let him keep her.
Sacha Guitry
After marriage, husband and wife become two sides of a coin; they just can't face each other, but still they stay together.
Socrates
By all means marry. If you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.
Anonymous
Woman inspires us to great things, and prevents us from achieving them.
Dumas
The great question... which I have not been able to answer... is, "What does a woman want?
Sigmund Freud
I had some words with my wife, and she had some paragraphs with me.
Anonymous
"Some people ask the secret of our long marriage. We take time to go to a restaurant two times a week. A little candlelight, dinner, soft music and dancing. She goes Tuesdays, I go Fridays."
Sam Kinison
"There's a way of transferring funds that is even faster than electronic banking. It's called marriage."
James Holt McGavran
"I've had bad luck with both my wives. The first one left me, and the second one didn't."
Patrick Murray
Two secrets to keep your marriage brimming
1. Whenever you're wrong, admit it,
2. Whenever you're right, shut up.
Nash
The most effective way to remember your wife's birthday is to forget it once...
Anonymous
You know what I did before I married? Anything I wanted to.
Henny Youngman
My wife and I were happy for twenty years. Then we met.
Rodney Dangerfield
A good wife always forgives her husband when she's wrong.
Anonymous
A man inserted an 'ad' in the classifieds: "Wife wanted". Next day he received a hundred letters. They all said the same thing: "You can have mine."
Anonymous
First Guy (proudly): "My wife's an angel!"
Second Guy: "You're lucky, mine's still alive."
A man came home from work late, tired and irritated, to find his 5-year old son waiting for him at the door.
SON: "Daddy, may I ask you a question?"
DAD: "Yeah sure, what is it?" replied the man.
SON: "Daddy, how much do you make an hour?"
DAD: "That's none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?" the man said angrily.
SON: "I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?"
DAD: "If you must know, I make Rs.100 an hour."
SON: "Oh," the little boy replied, with his head down.
SON: "Daddy, may I please borrow Rs.50?"
The father was furious, "If the only reason you asked that is so you can borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you are being so selfish. I work hard everyday for such this childish behavior."
The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door.
The man sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy's questions. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money?
After about an hour or so, the man had calmed down and started to think: Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that Rs.50 and he really didn't ask for money very often. The man went to the door of the little boy's room and opened the door.
"Are you asleep, son?" He asked.
"No daddy, I'm awake," replied the boy.
"I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier" said the man.
"It's been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you. Here's the Rs.50 you asked for."
The little boy sat straight up, smiling. "Oh, thank you daddy!" He yelled.
Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills.
The man saw that the boy already had money, started to get angry again. The little boy slowly counted out his money, and then looked up at his father.
"Why do you want more money if you already have some?" the father grumbled.
"Because I didn't have enough, but now I do," the little boy replied.
"Daddy, I have Rs. 100 now. Can I buy an hour of your time?
Please come home early tomorrow I would like to have dinner with you"
(Not my creation, but worth reading and learning a lot from it!)
My daughter was very excited that day.She got up early on her own and woke me up too (wish this would occur everyday when she has to go to school!). We were taking her to "Mahudi", a religious place for Jains. She is just six, so for her it more of an outing rather than anything else. She was very chirpy and settled in car with her eyes wide open to take everything in. The morning was crisp and clean. As the car went on, we transited from the buildings and cars to trees and carts! Suddenly my daughter asked me, "what are these fields for?" "We get food from these fields," I replied simply for her to understand. "But we get food from the supermarket!," she said. (How simple!) With a smile on my face I explained her about grains, fruits and vegetables; how they are grown and how they reach the super markets and stores. She sat there taking it all in and probably comtemplating everything in her young mind. I felt proud about the way I explained everything to her. After some time she asked, "Mamma, what happen when all these fields will be gone?" "Were would all these fields go, sweet heart?" "No, mamma, when we build houses and malls all over the place, how will we get food?" She asked sadly. I tried to reason with her and put her at ease by telling her that such thing will never occur and we will always get food. She was satisfied with my answer. But I sat there thinking, she was right...where will we get food if we go on building our concrete jungles?
'Cookie' had a cherubic face with two pig tails. She looked absolutely adourable. But she was very sad. Why? Because her parents were always busy with work and there was nobody to play with her. Then one day her mother brought Mrs. Dime to take care of her. She liked her at once. Mrs. Dime had the softest eyes Annaa had seen. Mrs. Dime also liked Annaa at once. As time passed Annaa and Mrs. Dime became best friends. Mrs. Dime always called her 'chocolate cookie' as Annaa was a sweet girl with brown eyes. As soon as 'Cookie' came from the school, she would fly in the waiting arms of Mrs. Dime. They would talk about her school, what she did at school and would do homework together. They became inseperable.
One day as 'Cookie' came from school, she didn't find Mrs. Dime on the front porch waiting for her. As she went inside the house she found her mother there. She was even more surprised as her mother never came so early from work. Then her mother told her that Mrs. Dime was ill and was taken to the hospital. 'Cookie's' heart sank. She started crying. Her mother soothed her and promised to take her to the hospital the next day. But 'Cookie' was inconsolable. She did not have dinner and every now and then her eyes would brim with tears. She was missing her nanny very much. As she went to sleep she started wishing that somehow if she would just fly to her nanny. And with that thought she fell asleep.
Suddenly she felt that somebody was calling her, as she opened her eyes she saw a beautiful fairy standing in front of her. She looked sooooooo beautiful. Fairy asked 'Cookie' why she was so sad. 'Cookie' told her about her nanny and her wish to visit her. When fairy heard this she granted her a boon that if 'Cookie' would close her eyes and pray to God with full faith she would be taken to her nanny's room but she would have to come back within an hour. If she fails to do that she will be stuck there and will not be able to come back on her on. This boon will work for as many days as her nanny is in the hospital. After that the boon will loose its effect. And she can go there only once in a day after school. With that the fairy flew off. 'Cookie' started rubbing her eyes thinking she had just seen a dream. Nonetheless, she closed her eyes and prayed to God to take her to her nanny as she was missing her tooooo much.
And what happened? "Poof" she was transported to her nanny's room. She saw that her nanny was fast asleep. She slowly went to her and kissed her lightly on her forhead, sat with her for an hour and came back. She promised herself to come here again the next day when her nanny would be awake. Now back at her home she slept peacefully. She could not wait for the next day. As soon as she came from the school the next day she prayed to God and "Poof" she was in the hospital with her nanny. Mrs. Dime was so surprised to see her beloved 'coockie' here. 'Cookie' told her everything and they both sat there holding hand and chatting. 'Cookie' went to the hospital eveyday till her nanny came back home.
Today, 'Cookie' was happy again as she saw her nanny waiting for her at the front porch.
At night they both knelt in front of the God and thank Him. Also they did not tell this to anybody as it was their little secret. Shhhhhhhhh!
One of my friends shifted to US recently with his 5 year old son. Everything was different for the kid. With bone chilling cold he couldn't go out to play also. His dad (my friend) had to visit India for some reason. He asked the boy what he wanted from India.
He replied, "Please dad, get me my friends!"
वह गांधीनगर का highway - जहाँ पे जाते हैं long drive पे
जब wheel हो एक हाथ में और दुसरे में ठंडा
वह सुविधा की पानी पूरी, वह पंचवटी की चाट,
वह CTF का ice-cream, वाह उसमे थी कुछ बात
वह रसरंजन की मिठाई, वह स्वागत का डोसा,
वह Honest की पाव भाजी और मानेक चोव्क का समोसा
वह रिक्शा का 'suffer', वह कांकरिया की हवा,
वह Law garden के कांटे और Market का समां
वह December की ज़रा सी सर्दी, वह बारिशों के महीने,
वह गर्मी की छुट्टियाँ, जब छूटते थे पसीने
वह होली की मस्ती, वह नवरात्रि का गरबा,
वह दीवाली के पटाखे और गणपति का शोर शराबा
वह C.G.रोड का माहोल, वह विजय की लहरें,
वह डूबते सूरज का नज़ारा, वाह उसके क्या केहेने
वह Bakers के puff, वह मेहता की चाय,
वह ओसवाल की जलेबी, वह रायपुर का "उन्धयु और दल्वाडा"
वह बचपन की यादें, वह गोटियों का खेल,
वह अटिरा के झाडियाँ, जहा होते थे मेल
वह राजश्री की Movies और Drive-in में Weekend,
वह CEPT का नज़ारा और साकार buildings
वह L.D. , Xavier's जैसी Colleges,
वह GLS, C.N. Nirma जैसी Schoolsवह City Pulse सिनेमा की queue, वह black की pink ticket,
वह Karnavati club का मैदान, जहाँ बच्चे प्रक्टिस करते हैं cricket
यह तो media ने किया हैं नाम बदनाम
वरना यह सुकून, शांति और सलामती और कहाँ
इतनी चीज़ें केहेने के बाद,
और कितनी करूं में बात,
यह शहर हैं मेरा अपना,
जिसका नाम है अमदावाद!!!
(I can't take credit for this, but don't know who has authored this so can't honour his/her name)
The other day, I was talking to my friend and we were discussing about the corporate culture and how self centered people are! And he said that probably he might understand it more once he starts his private practice.
"Probably not, since you will be your own boss then," I said. To which he replied, "I can never be my own boss. I AM STILL MARRIED."
