Call It Whatever you wish!

I don't know whether this qualifies as a poem or not. But I wanted to write it. The simple thoughts I had when I was traveling to my office today.

Had fallen for a girl's sweet words.......

Had been mesmerized by the two and half hour movies.....

Had been taken to dreamy worlds by romantic songs.....

Had been taken over by self pride in thinking as a good writer.......

Now realized my folly.... and have surrendered myself to you, O Almighty......

Here I am .... Falling at your feet ..... Falling now!

Whats in a name?

Seema always liked to read the newspaper on the breakfast table. She was not bothered about the headlines. She for the most time read Page 3, The day's predictions and also TV highlights. But that day waiting for her at the breakfast table was her sweet adorable young twelve year old neighbor Riya.
Riya had a story to tell. She wanted to match Seema in the latter's story telling skills. Seema was enjoying her cup of coffee and waiting for the breakfast to be served by her dear husband Preetham. So till then, she had ample amount of time for a small story

Riya started her story with a quote from Shakespeare, " 'Whats in a name' said Shakespeare. The heroine of the story thought the same. But some events in her life made her think otherwise. In this world, there are couples who seem to be same or alike in some way or the other. Either in their thinking or Either in their tastes or in some other manner. But very rarely you would find them same or alike in their names. Yes! The protagonist of my tale shared her name with the man in her life. Both went with the name Kiran!"
Seema kept her papers down and was now full ears, "Nice begining! Captured my attention!"

The young girl became more enthusiastic, "Kiran didn't realize that it was a problem, until she had sent some personal e-mail invitations to her dear friends, 'I cordially invite you on the occassion of my marriage with Kiran on the fourth of September at.......' One of her friends replied back, 'In this modern world, I had seen a guy marry another guy, a girl becoming interested in another girl. But you have crossed the limit. I understand you love yourself very much. But to the extent of marrying yourself...."
Seema couldn't control laughing at the young girl's imagination.
Riya continued, "She then changed the inivtation to the tradional style and rewrote the bridegroom's name as Chiranjivi Mr Kiran, BE, MS, Son Of and so on and so on"

Riya raised her voice so that Preetham could hear her story from the Kitchen, "They got married and went to the registrar to get the marriage certificate. The officer there congratulated them and was about to hand over the certificate. Then something caught his attention and he suddenly started apologizing to the couple, 'Extremely Sorry! The typist has grown old. We can't remove him. Try to understand. This is not like a private organisation.' The couple hardly understood what the officer was saying. When the typist came inside the chamber, the officer scolded him, 'What a costly mistake you had made, Old Man! You have typed the same name for the young bride as well as her bridegroom! I can remove you for this one!'.
Kiran... err the female Kiran came to the rescue of the old man and explained the situation to the officer The officer conrtolled his laughter and handed over the certificate to the lady and commented, 'Kiran... From now on you are Kiran Kiran'...."
Seema had to comment, "The single Kiran now becomes Kiran Sqaure"

Riya took the story still further, "The couple got married and had a baby boy some years later. The boy grew up and it was his first day at school. The mother was very excited. But her excitement was shattered as the boy came home with tears in his eyes. Mother was upset on hearing the embarassement that the young boy had to bear. The child gave a recap of the day's events at school,
--- 'In the school, teacher asked me 'What's your fathers name' and I said, 'Kiran' and then she asked me 'What's your mothers name' and I said, 'Kiran' The whole class laughed and teacher went on to explain me the difference between father and mother'
Riya came to the conclusion of the tale, "That's when Kiran decided she had to change the name. She couldn't subject her son to more embarrassments."

Preetham who was ready with the breakfast, came out of the kitchen, "At last she took the right decission. It was high time she changed her name. So what did she change her name to?"
But Riya's story had a twist as she explained it, "No!... No!....No! She didn't change her name.... She made her husband change his...."
Seema had a hearty laughter and loved the ending very much and also the expression on her husband's face on hearing the conclusion, "My Dear Hubby! Even your coffee lacks this kick da....."

Gita in the Exam Hall!

Preetham was at his wife's place for the weekend. He thought his pregnant wife would have been feeling quite lonely without him. But his wife had found a new friend... her new neighbor, a twelve old girl Riya. And his wife was narrating one of her tall tales to the short girl. Preetham sat along with the young girl Riya to listen to his wife's tales.

The story teller Seema began thus "It was the D-Day! I was sitting in the Examination Hall and the question paper for the MBA Entrance was distributed. I read all the questions once and then re read them again just to find out if there was at least one question for which I had the correct answer. But I was disappointed. For the next thirty minutes, I just sat there completely blank looking here and there. The girl in front of me seemed to have all the answers and was not giving any rest to her poor pen. I looked at my new Parker Pen with disappointment. With the disgusted feel, like that great warrior Arjun who laid down his bow Gandeevi in the Kurukshethra war field, I too put down my weapon my Parker Pen on the table...."
Preetham wanted to applaude his wife's ability to conjure such wondeful tales and lies. But he didn't want to attract her wrath upon him.

Seema continued, "Thats when I heard the divine voice, 'Karmanye Vadikarasthe Ma Phaleshu Kadachana'. I lifted my head away from the bloody question paper and saw Lord Krishna standing there in front of me. He was there - in the present day Kurukshethra - the exam hall. Like it happened in the original Mahabharatha, here too he had pressed the freeze button. The time had come to a full stop and all others in the exam hall had become inanimate and it was only me and Lord Krishna. Lord uttered again the golden words.' Do the Actions. Don't expect the results..... Write the answers. Don't expect the marks.....' I was totally confused by his suggestions. So I made myself clear to the Almighty, 'It doesn't matter if I get zero for the wrong answers. But the questions carry negative marks! I don't want to end up with negative marks, Lord Krishna!'
Preetham just hinted his wife to look towards the Pooja room as if to tell that Lord Krishna is also in the audience.

But Seema was not bothered, "Lord Krishna smiled as he continued his advices, 'You have to toil for what you achieve in life. It takes ages to master a disciple. Everything can't be learnt in one night... that too.... one night before the exams!' I thought the Lord was not understanding the intricacies of the modern day student's life and I briefed him up,'Oh God! Life as a student has changed... Earlier Gurukul was a one stop solution for the students and the curriculum was also simple, I believe. But now, its not the case. Now in the first week we have exams for the prestigious Chartered Accountancy course and in the third week, there is the entrance exams for the big business schools. I am trying to exit one course successfully and at the same trying to enter another course. Tell me God! How can I plan when I sit for so many exams'. "
Preetham feared that the way story was going, it was sure to corrupt the young girl who was listening with full ears.

Seema was making it more and more interesting, "Lord Krishna laughed at my remarks, 'First week CA exams and Third week CAT. But wasn't it you and your friends that I saw at the first day first show of your favorite star SRK's movie where he danced with dozen heroines.... And I presume that was in the second week of the month...' I was embarrased and Lord continued his preaching, 'In every sphere of life, planning is important. Like you planned for that movie very much in advance, whats the harm in planning for your studies well before time.'
I took the courage to answer him back, 'Planning! I don't believe in it. My other Lord Shah Rukh Khan had told me, 'Har pal yahaa jee bhar jiyo.... jo hei sama KAL HO NA HO.... So I just make the most of the moment available to me. ' It seems that the Lord had enough of me and he took my leave 'Hmm... Kal Yug.... I don't want to bore you further with my lectures. Otherwise you will give me a nickname like you gave to that lecturer from the coaching institution. When time comes, you will understand the worth of my words....."
Preetham proceeded to the kitchen to make some lemon juice for his sweet wife who was getting a bit tired from the storytelling..

Seema concluded,"'Saying so.... the lord vanished and the classroom was back into action.. The exams were over and I never did make it to the top business schools...."
Handing over the glass of lemon juice to his wife, Preetham gave the finishing touch to the story, " I think you acted a bit stupid. A wise man speaks less and acts more. When the time stood still and when the classroom was freezed, you should have snatched the answer paper of that brilliant girl in front of you and copied the answers. You failed to recognize the opportunity when it knocked on the door.... err.... I mean the table...."

Love at the times of Swine Flu!

Seema was enjoying the drive, not because she was in control of the wheels. The reason was the ecstasy and the excitement on the face of the fellow passenger - her cousin Deepa. Deepa had got married last year to Ajay and immediately after the marriage had to bid her husband goodbye. He had a pending on-shore project to complete before his visa expired and thus was sent back to US of A. Now he is returning back to India and they were on their way to pick him up from the airport

At the airport lounge, she looked at each passenger's face as they came out with their baggages. All passengers had checked out but her husband was missing. On enquiring, a responsible officer told them, "He has been detained for a H1N1 check..."
Deepa was ignorant of the news that was making the headlines. She was not bothered about what was going on in the world and innocently asked, "H1N1? I have heard of H1B Visa.... What is this new visa H1N1...."
Seema dragged Deepa to the side and updated her of the new viral fever that had stuck terror in India. Suddenly fear gripped Deepa and she sat in one corner eagerly waiting for the results.

The officer returned sometime later with the news that Ajay need to be sent to a medical facility for more tests. Before Seema and Deepa could meet him, Ajay was already being moved to a medical facility nearby by the airport authority without informing his wife and Seema. The officer asked for forgiveness and accompanied them to the medical facility. On the way,the officer couldn't just sit tight lipped and had to make some comments, "I remember Nobel Laureate Josh Lederberg's quote, 'The microbe that felled one child in a distant continent yesterday can reach yours today and seed a global pandemic tomorrow.' But no one at the central hardly heed to any warning. They are not bothered whether we are attacked by deadly terrorists or deadly viruses"
Seema felt that the comment was a strong one but coming at a inopportune time. She was observing the nervous face of Deepa who hardly spoke a word since their departure from the airport. She answered the officer, "It would be better if you could save such comments for the press!"

They reached the medical facility and rushed towards the room where Ajay was being subjected to more tests. But the officer once again stopped them and told them it would be better if they wore some face masks.
Deepa looked at the face mask and angrily answered the officer, "You are making me feel as If I am visiting a mortuary!"
Seema was confused at the behavior of the officer. She felt that he was gripped with fear and nothing more. She didn't say anything but just put her arm across Deepa and slowly they moved ahead.

A doctor who was diagnosing Ajay had happy news for them, "Don't worry! Your husband's case was only a suspected case. Now the doubts are cleared. He is absolutely fine. You can take him with you!"
Deepa just rushed inside and embraced her husband in front of everyone, "I had been waiting for your return for a year. But the last two hours was like two decades for me."
When Ajay was silently erasing the tears from her eyes with his both hands, the officer expressed his fears, "Don't take me wrongly! These doctors have made some mistakes in their diagnosis earlier. Its better to take a second opinion!"
Seema gave him the face mask, "Its time you put on the mask and be silent!". Though she had silenced the officer, Seema too had her fears and she prayed to the God to make the officer's words not true.

Story Of A Crush

Preetham was discussing of ambitions during the lunch break, "As a kid, I had the ambition to climb the steepest of the mountains. Now... I am trying to climb up the hierarchy in this corporate world... Hmm... How about you, Manya? What was your ambition as a kid?"

Manya went to a dream like state, "Hmm... Had many.. I wanted to be a Miss India... But after seeing Mr India, dropped the idea... If I become invisible who will come to know about my beauty.... Then I went on to dream of becoming a Air hostess and giving those cutest smiles.. Even practiced those smiles in front of the mirror... After 9/11 I could not get those smiles back and so dropped the idea.... Then I also wanted to be a doctor too....I still remember of how I was captivated by this ambition at the tender age of fifteen"
Preetham was admiring her, " You must have witnessed the suffering people, young and old... Like the great king Ashoka, you too got influenced... But in your case it was short lived... Am I rite?"

Manya smiled at her senior's guess, "No-where near!... It all happened in a train... It was around 10.30 PM in the night and my parents had gone to sleep. But something kept me awake. May be the cool romantic winds blowing onto my face. Then I heard a bike's sound breaking the wind. When I peeped out, I saw a bike approaching the moving train. The train was a bit slow as it had just left a station and hence the young man in the back of the bike got down and as I kept looking, he just came running and jumped onto the train."
Preetham was impressed with the introduction, "Must be a dacoit! Looks like a scene from the movie Sholay! Except there it was a horse and not a bike....Continue Basanthi!"

Manya, "Hmm... Yeah! In a a way he is a dacoit.... A Stealer of Hearts! By the way he was studying medicine and was on his way to his college after the vacations. He was around 21 and I was fifteen. I looked at him earnestly and he looked me back curiously and said that something was very wrong with me and volunteered to check. I said very honestly, 'I am not well.... But I don't want to wake up my parents'. I prayed they didn't woke up at this opportune moment"
Preetham couldn't believe his ears, "Gosh! Your a big liar! I need to once again go through your profile and the references!"

Manya smiled back, ".... And then as he took my hand to check the pulse, My heart started beating in a more rapid fashion. The doctor replied coolly 'Seems you have a light fever'. I wanted to shout at him, 'If you hold that hand for some more time, the temperature would definitely rise and I would swoon and fall on the ground'. At the moment, as if to spoil the fun, the coffeewallah entered and doctor said, 'A cup of coffee would do better for your health' and I accepted it with happiness and quoted what my mother used to say, 'always listen to doctors' though her actual warning that I remembered was something different, 'Stay away from strangers' '"
Preetham just shook his head "I always thought you as a quite simple girl. Hmm...You turned out to be something else."

Manya was reliving that day, "And from one cup... I went to have five cups... I came to know more about him. When he told me about the surgical procedures, I felt as if He was reciting a nice romantic poem to me. The cups of coffee increased to fifteen as the dawn approached. I felt that the Sun was very jealous of me and so it had come too early. But the time for departure had come as the doctor's station was next. When departing he gave me a nice friendly hug and said, 'Lets hope we will meet again'...."
Preetham concluded the sad part, "And you never meet him again? rite!...."
Manya finished her story, "Never! But that's how I got the ambition of becoming a doctor. So that I would meet him again somewhere someplace... But I don't know when, why and how, that ambition slowly vanished into thin air... These teenage crushes!!! "