Wonder!

I have known her for a lifetime,though I am not overly aged,it has still been good many years.
She has always been very unorganized.Almost every morning,she turned up in a pair of unmatched socks at school.Always forgetful and very callous about keeping her things in order.
As she grew,I read her as equally messy in social skills.
She was always a brilliant student and a person with a large kind heart.Though that is hard for strangers to discover,from her demeanour.
I remember many years ago,she came home very sad on a friday.Sad,because a boy in her class,she hardly even knew, had received a thrashing from his class teacher,for stealing a game.'Why beat him in front of everyone else?Why such cruelty over a small thing!'.Despite all our efforts,we couldnt get her over that incident all weekend.
Nowadays corporal punishment is looked down upon,and quite rightly.But even a decade ago,in some schools here,it was commonplace for children to occasionally receive a smack on the cheek for little things like doing a sum wrong.
Anyway,lets get back to her account again.
When she didnt like something or someone,she could be very curt,almost scary.Though within her,she carried a soft large sensitive little girl.Yes,she was too emotional and had never learnt to hide it.Sometimes when she acted like a grown up, matured girl,I invariably made fun of her.Most of those times we ended up madly pulling each other's hair.Grownups had to intervene to stop our fights.
I often had doubts whether she would be able to take care of herself if she were alone.More than once,I told her this.
So,when she moved to a city far away,I pictured her living in a dirty house and sleeping in a bedroom which resembled a pigsty more than a room.Many times I had seriously planned to go and arrange her things for her.
Finally after a year,I could go for a short visit.
That was when,for the first time,my 'little silly' sprang many surprises on me.
Firstly,she drove quite well from the airport to her house.No roadrages,no overtakes.
Then,I entered a speckless house.Every little thing was in its place.
I inspected the remotest corners of the house,but couldnt find a spot of dust anywhere.
There hung many beautiful framed pictures on the stairway.All of which had been taken by her!
The interiors were beautifully done,the decor was perfect.I was amazed at such taste and sense of aesthetics.
She had even cooked so well!
For the next few days ,I watched her.
She is so disciplined now,so well coordinated.She wears a suit to work,talks and walks like a lady.
I didnt see her get hysteric or hyper or too excited or laugh out too loud even once during my stay.She seemed so composed,in full control of her emotions!
Good to see how that little girl has grown now.She has matured so much in just a year!
But did I feel a bit disappointed,that I didnt even have to arrange her closet?Did I miss my messy,forgetful,emotional,quarreling sister?

Touch Not Screen

In recent times,I cannot recall a single occasion when I walked up to the television set and pressed the button on,myself.
When I join the rest of the house at the dinner table,the t.v is already chirping.That is the only time I watch it awhile.
The old familiar pressing urgency to be at home at a particular hour,for a T.V show has quietly left me,over time.
Only a few years back,things were so different.
As a child,I remember my family owned a black and white T.V that came in a wooden box with a shutter.
If,any day,the wind blew too hard,the antenna on the rooftop rotated while the picture trembled onscreen.We (the kids in the house)dashed up the stairs, struggled on with the rod,and bully the antenna back to its proper position.
When I was a little older,I remember one day parents brought home a colour T.V.
It was a Videocon 21 inch set.Few weeks later we even got a video cassette recorder.
Back in those days,only a few families owned a colour T.V,fewer still had a video player.
The VCR,in particular,brought us instant stardom in our neighbourhood.
Whenever dad got any children's movie,all the kids who lived closeby,were invited to watch.
Those evenings were so special.
All my friends finished their homework early and came over to my house to watch a 'Sonar Kella' or a 'Sound Of Music' or a 'Born Free'.
Next day and for a few more days to come,all we spoke of,on our way back from school was ,that movie we saw.
Gradually,T.V ,video players,cable channels ,private satellite television invaded into many more households.
Initially those were exciting too.Movies round the clock,sports channels,famous television shows dubbed in regional languages.
It was overwhelming.Overnight,my preference changed from some old 'doordarshan' show to a 3D animation picture.
I nearly knew all the show timings by heart.
Then,there were even more animations,more movies,more channels.
My attention grew shorter with every new show,till,there came a time when after 5 mins of flipping channels,I thought best to turn the set off.
Parents changed the old Videocon for a brand new BPL Sanyo.A few years later they got a Sony LCD installed in the living room.
In these years,the kids grew up,parents got even more busy with their lives.
Interestingly,the number of television sets ,in our house ,grew too.
We now have a TV in each of the bedrooms and at one big LCD in the living room.
But we are too squeezed for time to watch.
I spot a bright light here.I may not have a real date for days,no worries - I just have to remember how the channel companies are fighting over me,a slice of my time?
Keeping me in good humor,means everything to them.

Come again another day

That week ended too soon.As a routine,each day,a few hours were devoted to endless squabbling.Then there were the tantrums at the shopping malls,crankiness about not hiring a cab,fuss about the much needed haircut.
Then came the days when we just lazily lay down and gazed at the sky..tired with everything..Then followed the humming in my ears - lets go somewhere for a day atleast (read: 'Take a day off from work').Finally,we did go for a short trip on a sunday.
At last,we were beginning to warm up to each other , the squabbles reduced to weary shrugs,tantrums downsized to sighs and the fuss became 'okay,but just because you insist' smile.Even the overcooked food seemed tolerable.We were just beginning to have some fun when he received the marching orders..
Alas,the fun didnt even get a good start.Waiting again for the sun to shine brightly in my sky,the stars to pop up at night..

When he knows too much French.

After constantly walking for 6 long hours and baking in the sun on an empty stomach,I put my foot down.
I had spotted a shop yet again,and this time I had made up my mind to eat,whether the kid did or not (yes,I still variously call him kid or boy ,much to his indignation).When i pointed the shop,he agreed to come after a little persuasion.
On our way in,he said - Order in French.Here,they'll understand.
Okay so I fell for this silly trap.I walked up nervously to the smiling girl at the counter and said 'Vendez-vous des brownies?' (I meant 'Do you sell brownies?')
I am sure what I said wasnt incomprehensible - but the girl gave a quizzical expression first to me and then to him..I noticed this mocking smile on his lips and on the spur of the moment, explaining brownies to this girl became a matter of prestige.So I took another shot - 'francais brownies' (I think that did it)..Both she and the kid chuckled ,and, ofcourse, as could be expected,he took the masterly step forward ,and ordered the food..(in English)..
I was too hungry and thirsty to fight him then.But just on stepping out ,I made sure he got the hardest pinch ever..

Removed the last post -Iti Tomar(in bengali).

Priyojon er kothamoto - tar ichha shirodharjo koriya ager lekha ti (Iti Tomar )shorailam.

Damned Diplomacy

Panda diplomacy is inscrutably Chinese.
Back in 2001,Donald Rumsfeld, the then defence secretary to President Bush had advised his boss to elevate China to the status of global enemy number one.China was perceived as the principal threat to American global dominance.
But much to the surprise of everyone,USA's decision to turn more of its guns and missiles towards China was returned with a proverbial 'turning the other cheek'.China generously forgave its capital friend.
Not only did China forgive and hug them,but, also presented them with precious Pandas.
But, they were not the only lucky ones,some others too got this premier China-friends club membership - Australia,Taiwan,Japan,Hongkong.
Though we heard some chatter about the Taiwanese president Shen Chui Bian daring to refuse the gift..How impolite!
Well,in 2009,Chen Shui Bian has been convicted of criminal charges along with his beloved wife..
Our reaction? ...May be it is unlucky to refuse Pandas,perhaps that disturbs the planetary positions in your astrological birth charts!
Recently,USA did something to invite the ire of its bosom buddy.How did we know?Because China called back its pandas from the US.
It took quite some amount of brainstorming to figure out what could have angered the Chinese,people resorted to all kinds of wild guesses till it was officially made known that - as President Obama and Dalai Lama shook hands - China's heart was shattered,burnt and devastated..
Really,how could the Americans do this - even with the Pandas on their conscience!
Our reaction?They may forgive you if u train your missiles and guns on them,but they will never again see you in the eye if u talk to a certain monk...Hmmm...this is beyond astrology too,as byzantine as feng shui.

Cupid's Coffee

Nowadays Cupid doesnt hit arrows anymore.Nor darts either.
After all,a chubby infant cannot shoulder the blame of creating nuisance for an already overburdened healthcare system.Such and other practical considerations have forced him to change his methods.
Plus,this is the era of upgrading to smart,new techniques.Why should the little god stay behind?
Coming to our story now.
A princess from the hills met a prince from the great plains, in a faraway city, at a neat little coffee shop.
A bit of spilt coffee,a stain on a white shirt,a clumsy apology,and a few warm smiles and words that passed between them, made them friends that day.
Since then ,every single evening they met at a little table inside that shop, at the strike of 11.30,almost like a ritual.
Their table was lit by a 40 watt bulb under a dark lampshade and on the wall opposite them,hung a framed poster of a famous Cupid painting.Sitting there,immersed in each other's words,they went on for hours about stories of the past and the present, their growing up years, mom,dad,friends, family,other people,other lands,other kingdoms,their beliefs,their hopes,their dreams...while steadily,the clock ticked past.
The coffee shop remained open all through the night,but hardly a few customers came by,so nothing ever disturbed their peace.
When every night turned into day,they left for their separate worlds with a promise to meet again.
One day ,suddenly,our prince announced to the princess,he was going to the land of fairies."We wont meet from tomorrow.But you take care of yourself,ok"
"Going away?"She thought."Where is he going?And why?To seek what?"So many questions stormed her from within.This news was too sudden.
But she composed herself quickly,and confined the storm to a deep private chamber inside herself.Outwards,she smiled at him."Is it?Thats great news.You take care too"
They went back early that evening.The prince was was short of time,he had a long way to travel.

And so they shook hands,wished each other well and parted ways.But they forgot their hearts on that two-seater coffee table,under Cupid's shadow.

(..To be continued..)