Hey! It's Me Anita.............

                                                                     

Anita was all but sixteen, sweet sixteen as they say. She had celebrated her birthday a month ago in the beautiful month of April. Anita was a carefree cherubic character, fearless too, slightly tomboyish. She wasn't in the least concerned that it was a boy she was talking to or her girlfriends; and as her Mom had told her, beware the boys, maintain your distance with them. Don't mingle around too much with them or antagonize them.

This irked her the most. What did her Mom mean when she said don't 'antagonize' the boys? Hope she didn't mean 'give in' to their demands? Anita was equally confused with these kind of conflicting messages which her near and dear ones were giving her.

Right now she was on her way for her dance classes in South Extension in South Delhi and was in no mood to think about anything else much less losing out to 'sissy' boys. Her mood was defiant and her walk to the dance classes which was but half a kilometer away from her home showed her intent. She almost cut through the air as she walked forward taking strong giant steps full of confidence and zeal.

To a boy watching her walk with her hips swaying it would appear to be a walk which could be best described as sexy and alluring, but to her it was simply a march of conquest, oozing with confidence, nonchalant in nature.

She had barely crossed half the distance to the dance academy, when she heard a catcall from somewhere on her left side. She paid no attention but the catcalls continued and finally she had to glance that way. She could make out two boys in their teens, riding on a bike who were hell bent on spoiling her morning. She continued to ignore them but her glance at them seemed to encourage them and they took it as some kind of signal from her to carry on their nefarious activity.

As she became more aware of them she quickened her pace to her dance classes, slightly flustered but not scared.

Suddenly these two scoundrels who were following her came right in front of Anita and tried to block her way. This it seemed was the last straw.
 'How dare you block my way, you rascals ?' she shrieked at them. Her sudden outburst seemed to unnerve the two Romeos and the romantics took to their heels and disappeared from the scene.

She continued on with her onward march and within no time she was at the dance academy.
Once inside she put all her soul and energy into the performance picking up three new steps. So much so that her dance instructors were extremely pleased with her that day and said so.

'Hey Anita, it seems you've found a new energy level today. You're brimming with confidence today and I've never seen you so pepped up. Keep it up. Proud of you' the instructor praised her.
Anita was flattered too. She acknowledged the praise but she knew it was due to the new found confidence she had gained today. Her handling of the whole situation had made her overcome her biggest dilemma and perhaps fear.

After her class was over she went back the same way she had come, marching and swaying her hips the way she had earlier done. Only this time there was a hint of smile on her face and a glint in her eyes.

She knew she had conquered her biggest fear, the puzzle of facing and standing up to the world.
Move over world;
Anita had arrived.

thoughts......all random

If 'Life' be an open book; be gracious enough to 'read' it.


Today the doorbell rang early. Confused and sleepy eyed, I opened the door to find the man who takes my garbage, standing at the door, with a mobile and charger in his hand. For a moment I was perplexed, then I looked at the time, it was 6.30 in the morning.
'Saab(Sir), can you please put my mobile phone on charging in your home?' he blurted out before I could say anything.
I had slept slightly late, and was feeling a bit groggy at being woken up early. I looked at him, at the time and then called him in and asked him to plug in the mobile......just in time to see the smile light up his face stretching right up to his eyes.
'Go back to sleep saab(sir), sorry I woke you up.' he smiled as he made his hasty exit.
Yet for me, the morning had well begun.....and sleep had left for the day.....

                                                                   


New def of a credit card; hunt for pleasure, repent at leisure.

Salim - Sulaiman in Concert

                                                               

                                                                             
                                                                              

Shades........

The Gift ....A short story ......

                                                                           

                                                                         

Bindiya was a happy girl today. She was wearing a shimmering new dress given to her by her godmother. It had beads; small mirrors stitched onto it, and had been bought from the roadside vendor who sits in the main bazaar. To top it all it was a gift of her own choice. Her godmother Rashmi had taken her in her car to the bazaar and said, 'Ok Bindiya, choose. Whatever dresses you like just go ahead and pick it up.'

She had ransacked the whole shop, looking for something attractive and suitable. Actually she liked everything, but she was faced with a choice. It was the first time she had been asked to choose something she wanted. It had never been like this before.

She remembered her childhood. She was the third child in the family of  five children. Her mother was a poor laborer who worked at the nearby construction site along with her father. She was very tiny and had to be carried to the site and was made to lie down in a pile of clothes near the manager's chair.

Her mother and father both used to toil hard in the hot  blazing sun from morning to evening carrying bricks and mortar from one place to another. Bindiya would keep lying in a corner staring up at the sky, kicking her weak and frail legs in the air and wondering when her mother would come to her and feed her some milk.

She remembered one day how her mother was working and this kind lady Rashmi who was passing by in her car just stopped her limousine near the construction site and simply stood gazing down at her. Something transpired between them. An unseen bond developed between the two and Rashmi immediately sent for some milk for Bindiya.

After that day everyday without fail the limousine would draw up in the evening and Rashmi would bring in some milk and other goodies for her.

Her mother moved on from one construction site to another and Rashmi too moved with them. Her behavior towards all of them was like family. Bindiya too now looked forward to Rashmi's visits as she was extremely kind and supportive. She told her stories which she had never heard before and always brought her some gift or the other.

Time flew by, and Bindiya turned five. It was then that Rashmi suggested schooling for her. Her mother was reluctant in the beginning.
'Where will we get the money to educate her Ma'am, we barely have enough to feed the family?' she pleaded with Rashmi. But Rashmi was having none of that. She prevailed upon her parents' to allow Bindiya to join school.

'You don't have to worry about her expenses. I'll pay for everything. You just let her join. Give her the permission. As parents you have to sign on the admission form' she cajoled them.

Finally the parents gave in and Bindiya was in school. She was a bright student and slowly but steadily climbed up the ladder of her school education and before long she was in her 10th grade. Her exams were held and believe it or not Bindiya topped the class results. Rashmi was ecstatic and wanted to reward her for the hard work she had put in.

However she wanted a proper surprise party for her where her parents, her friends, everybody could come and join in to celebrate her success. Then only her success story could really be celebrated.

The dress was a precursor for this grand event. She tried it on and ultimately selected this shimmering dress which gave her an angelic look. She was now truly ready for her success party.

Just then the doorbell rang and her parents were standing there.

'Oh Bindiya you look so beautiful darling' gushed her mother. Who could have thought that Bindiya's life would change so dramatically with the entry of Rashmi in her life. God had indeed been kind to her, she thought. From being a poor laborer's daughter she could now stand up on her two feet and tell the whole world proudly that she had achieved something in life. She could educate her whole family she felt.

The doorbell rang again and her class friends started trooping in slowly one by one with gifts in their hands.

Bindiya was truly happy now. She acknowledged the greetings of her class friends and introduced her parents to all of them. She was not ashamed of her life or her parents, or of who they were. She was neither hesitant to tell her friends of her simple humble background. She was just proud that God had given her the opportunity in life to rise, to prove herself.

She sat around with her friends to celebrate her new found success while her parents watched all this from a distance and felt happy for her, their daughter Bindiya. Their faces kept glowing seeing her chatter away with her friends confidently. Their was a new found respect for her in their eyes as well as satisfaction.

There was one more person who watched all of this from a distance and felt happy and satisfied; that was Rashmi. As she watched all this, she immediately knew this was the biggest gift God could have given her. Her single most effort had borne fruit.

Rashmi could only smile, sit back and reflect happily on her foresight and initiative.

This was 'God's Gift' to her


.......................................End of story 'The Gift'......................

Let me chirp, is all I ask of you.....

Can you let me chirp, is all I ask of you.
Happy World Sparrow Day. Celebrate it everyday, and don't forget I come to you as I like being close to your home, and make it blessed.
Keep some space for me. Keep it Green......

Speak Out .......

You've had your say,
now let me speak,
for if I don't, I lose my tongue,
that I'm sure will not be good,
for either of us, nor for me,nor for you;
So let me be, let me speak, my friend,
Let me speak my mind,
for if I don't, I lose myself,
and that will surely kill.

A woman - she's a mother, wife, daughter, a home maker,
a career woman, a fountain of love;
treat her right, and she treats you right,
A woman- is mostly misunderstood,
treat her right, and she treats you right.

A woman scorned is rightly angry,
do nothing to scare her creativity,
A woman is God's answer, to man's vile and wily ways,
she maintains the balance, and 'makes' man a man,
treat her right, and she treats you right.

A woman - is the opposite of a man;
yet without each other, both are kinda incomplete;
It's nature's fatal attraction which man has for a woman;
treat her right, and she treats you right;
A woman- is the princess of a man's heart,
just treat her right, and she treats you right.