Wake Up, Prads!

A living story is born when living wisdom incarnates in the subtle matter of a human consciousness - Robert Svoboda
One such living story is of Hanuman and Jambavan. When one expedition of Vanar Sena who were searching for Sita came across the wide sea, they got filled with despair and lost hope as to how to cross this sea. Only one man... err... monkey was capable of this task. That was Hanuman. But the great Hanuman though having the capacity lacked the confidence of doing this task. And that confidence was filled by the senior member of the expedition team, a bear... Mr Jambavan..

This was the story that was being narrated by a Grandpa to his Grandson in a Public Transportation System moving from the coastal town to the nearby temple city. The story was also heard by the teen Swasthee or Swats who was seated in the adjacent seat. But her dear friend Pradyumn or Prads who was keeping his promise of showing a new place each week in and around his coastal town to Swats, was lost in some song that was being played on his Ipod. Swats just took the Ipod and listened to the song played of The Smiths, "There's a place for anyone who has the will to chase one...I think I found mine... Yes I do think I have found mine..."

Swats remembered of how her old friend's heart beats for some girl living in a far off big bad city, "Thinking is not enough. You should take the leap to that big bad city where the girl resides and show your heart, like Hanumantha took the leap to Lanka and showed the ring to Sita. Then she will get confidence in you..."
The kid who was listening to his grandpa's story had his head swayed towards Swats. The old man got his attention back, "Jambavan, the wise bear encouraged Hanuman, 'When young, you had swallowed the sun from a distance of 16000 miles considering it to be a sweet fruit'"

Swats took the cue from the old man's words and started her own sermon, "Remember Prads! You may be reaching middle age, but remember the confidence you had as a teenager when it came to opening your heart to a girl. Bring those years back!" A smile landed on Prads face as he recollected his High School days, "In the exam hall that day, I saw this junior of me terrified by the Mathematics question paper. Don't remember what took over me. RAW, the Indian Intelligence Agency would have recruited me had they seen me at work then. Forgetting my Kannada paper, I helped the cute girl pass her maths paper. Though I got just pass marks in my Kannada Paper, its the only exam day I remember till now... "

The young kid whose concentration was on Swats laughed a little and the old man felt that the young man was laughing at his story, "You shouldn't laugh like that. A man should laugh in such a way that he himself shouldn't be able to hear his voice. Learn some nice manners." Boy got confused and advised his grandpa, "I am not a man. I am a small kid. Stick to the story, Grandpa. "
The old man continued with further encouraging words of Jambavanth, "'O Valiant One! You were unhurt even after being hit with the thunderbolt by Lord Indra. All it was capable was damaging your left cheek bone earning you a great name HANUMAN."
Swats got some more material for motivating Prads, "See even in the path of love, there would be some inevitable blows. But it shouldn't break him down from expressing his love. I don't know what's pulling you back from expressing yourself"

Prads put forth his apprehensions, "But I don't know whether she feels in the same way as I feel for her.... How can I..."
Swats had a great line for him, "If that's the case, then with a guitar in your hand, croon to her like elvis presley did 'If You love me, let me know. If not, please gently let me go'"
Seeing that it didn't made much impact, Swats continued with some quote she remembered, "Time goes by so fast, people go in and out of your life.You must never miss the opportunity to tell these people how much they mean to you. What are you waiting for. Wake Up and Arise and Tell her how you feel." That really filled with enthusiasm and he immediately got up from his seat. Swats warned him, "Wow! Now don't try to get down from the moving bus. Wait for the bus to Stop." But nothing can stop him as he took his Cell phone and got a ticket to the big bad city booked.
Swats was really filled with happiness, "Hmm... If that girl sees you now, she would say 'You have the confidence like that of Hanuman' and that would be a victory."

At the same time, the old man had finished his story and looked at his grandson for his feedback. But his grandson concentration was elsewhere and he was hissing into Swats ears, "I hope she doesn't add, 'and also you look like Hanuman' that would be a tragedy...."