Chapter - I
"Oh no! You booked second a/c? I hate the a/c class in the train."
"What? I thought you liked train rides." said my younger brother.
"Yeah, I do.. but the people in the a/c class are just too pretentious. They don't let you be and chatter away to glory."
"People are like that everywhere. You have a problem."
" 'I did my engineering in IIT..', 'You know whats wrong with the American economy..', 'Here is my visiting card..', these kind of look-how-successful-im topics never comes up in the sleeper class. I don't have a problem, these people are so phony."
"You sound like a protagonist from a JD Salinger novel. But I think you are just intimidated shitless. Now willya hurry up... you only got ten more minutes."
I smiled at his remark knowing he was right and followed him into the station. As I was searching for the platform number he suddenly jerked me and said, "You believe in coincidence? You see that girl? She was standing next to me in the reservation queue when I was booking your ticket. She is gorgeous, isn't she?"
"Yeah, she is..."

Chapter - II
"... my daughter." said the father.
"Here's my visiting card. Wonder the other passenger is boarding or not?" he continued.
I almost rolled my eyes when I took his visiting card and gave it a customary glance. "You are a doctor.", I said wondering was I supposed to add an rhetorical adjective like 'how wonderful?'.
"Yes", replied the doctor before I'd time to add anything. "I practice in the US. We settled there after I finished my medicine in India. In fact this is my daughter's first trip to India."
That explains the branded jeans, t-shirt and the petite figure I thought. And why she looked generally annoyed by the surroundings. It was a genuine first-time-in-India-ABCD look.
A tall well-built man entered our compartment followed by another stocky guy carrying the luggages. The later placed the bags under the seat and stood to attention. "Sir, the train will reach the destination at 0545 tomorrow. I'll be here by 0530 sir.", he said. Then he gave a proper military style salute and left.
The intimidation factor of the compartment just went sky high. A successful doctor and a high-ranking military officer.

Chapter - III
".. you lucky bastard. She is traveling in the same compartment as you." interjected my brother while trying to get a better glimpse of her standing in the platform.
"If I were lucky she'll be traveling alone. I'm sure that old man with her is her father and he is traveling along." I said.
"Get her phone number ok?" remarked my overly optimistic brother ignoring me.
"Yeah right. Anything else?"
"You think this is a mere coincidence? The hand of fate has made you and her be in the same train on the same compartment on the same day. Don't blow this."
"If fate went to all that trouble for me then why should it matter what I do? If it was meant to be it'll be. The simpler explanation is that everything is a coincidence."
"Coincidence or fate this sort of thing never happens to me."
"You do realize that it can only be one of them." I said, wanting to change the topic.
"What are you talking about?" asked my brother taking the bait.
"Coincidence or fate. They are mutually exclusive. The world cannot both be chaos and ordered at the same time. You either have free will or not." I answered.


Chapter - IV
"Are you going to be father?" asked the doctor to the Major. "I see you are reading a book on toddler care."
Actually I did't know or care whether he was Major or a General or a Sergent. No sooner than the formalities of introductions were over I took my upper berth opposite the doctor's daughter and began eavesdropping on their conversation.
"Yes, my wife and I are expecting our first child any day now." said the Major.
"Congratulations!"
"Thank you doctor. I'm very excited."
"You know when I was a kid I wanted to join the military. I wanted to be an officer like you for the longest time. I don't know why I studied medicine." confessed the doctor.
The major let out a small laugh and said, "Really? Guess the grass is always greener on the other side."
"Really. I liked the discipline and the respect that goes with the military. Even after all these years when the other soldier gave you a salute I got goosebumps."
They both fell silent for a while, probably because of the doctor's candid revelations before the doctor spoke up again.
"So, do you know whether it is a boy or a girl?"
"No, we don't know. But I'm hoping it is a girl."
"Haan... of course!" said the doctor matter of fact.
"Its interesting isn't it. The father always wants a daughter and the mother insists that it would be a boy. Why do you think that is?" asked the major.
The doctor was silent for a while and then I heard some incoherent whispers. He was telling the major the answer to his question but he didn't want me or his daughter to hear it. I began to wonder what could possibly be so secretive about this.

Chapter - V
"Haven't you heard of chaos theory?" asked my brother. As any self respecting engineer would agree, I had succeeded in getting his mind off a girl with physics.
"Yeah, are you saying events of the world only appear to be random? A butterfly wing flap is the cause of a tornado."
"Yeah, thats what I'm saying. Destiny."
"I don't believe in destiny... I think everything is just a coincidence."
"You don't believe in destiny?"
"Nope. Its a crackpot idea."
"For a guy who likes train rides it is pretty strange that you don't believe in destiny."
"What? What do you mean by that?" It was my turn to be bemused.
"Oops! there goes the green light..."

Chapter - VI
"Couldn't sleep?" asked a voice from behind me.
I was standing outside my compartment in the corridor staring at the moon through the window. It was well past midnight and owing to my insomnia I was thinking about the riddle my brother made before boarding .
I turned around and saw the daughter strode to a stop near me.
"Yeah. I'm nocturnal." I said. "Looks like you are still adjusting to jet lag." I suggested noticing how fresh her eyes looked.
"Yes. I'm supposed to be fighting to urge to be awake... but I couldn't. Hope I'm not disturbing you."
"Absolutely not. I appreciate your company. I was just watching the moon. I love train rides because I can come out and watch the moon in the night. So how do you like India so far?" I asked.
She was silent for a while preparing her answer I presumed.
"I guess it is ok. This is my first time here and want to like it."
"But you haven't found out yet why people like it so much?" I asked.
"I want to like India, don't take me wrong.. but I don't have a good reason yet. My dad, for instance has nostalgia. He talks as if it is his destiny to come back to India."
I smilied at her comment and liked that she needed a reason to like. "Destiny! I don't believe in destiny."
"You like train rides and you don't believe in destiny. Odd combination, ain't it?" she said.
"What did you just say?"

Chapter - VII
"Hey bro, I got the answer. Ifound out what you meant by train ride and destiny." I said into the phone.
"You must have got off the train just now. Did you not sleep?" my brother said sleepily.
"I also got her phone number."
"You are kidding me! Really?" I could imagine him spring up from lying down.
"And it was her who told me the connection."
"She did? What did she say?"

Chapter - IX
"You are smiling rather lively. Whats the matter?" asked the doctor to his daughter.
We were all disembarking from the train at the destination and I was within earshot range to hear them talk.
"I think I'm beginning to like India." she answered.
"Wow! Thats great. Seems like this morning is a good start. You remember the soldier who was carrying the bags for the other person in our compartment."
"Yeah"
"Well, he woke me up instead of him and gave me a salute this morning. I almost felt like a military officer." he said, smiling heartily himself.
Right then the major walked past us and greeted the doctor. "Good morning doctor. Pleasure to have met you."
"Likewise." he said. He then crossed his fingers and added, "Daughter!"
The major smiled and replied, "Daughter!"

Chapter - X
"People like train journey because they are assured of the destination. The tracks of railway line is the key. People feel comfortable knowing that there is a system in place that'll guide them to the destination no matter what. It is same as the belief in destiny." I said paraphrasing the conversation I had with the daughter.
My brother was silent for a while, most probably wide-eyed amazed by the answer, and then continued, "The more disorderly the chaos the simpler the explanation."


Disclaimer: Although I traveled with a NRI father & daughter pair and a military officer in the a/c coach some years ago nothing else in the story is true. As much as I would like this to be an inspiration by Kamal's movie Dasaavatharam, it is not.
It took only four years for this story to make the distance from cerebrum to paper. But finally I got the confident to have five characters and break the word limit I set myself.. I'm happy with how it turned out. And I almost forgot the dedication... this one goes to all my Pune friends.

Labels: Short Story

10 owls

Ali:knock knock neo!
Neo:how r u doing that? my comp is not even connected to the internet... how can u chat with me? and my name is not neo
Ali:yeah i know, i just wanted you to feel comfortable. u have a big decision to make today.
Neo:how big?
Ali:"save the world" kinda big
Neo:im dreaming this, arent i?
Ali:no, listen to me
Neo:i know i was narcissistic, but this has gone far enough.. i need to wake up now
Ali:ok, let me start at the beginning
Neo:yeah right.. like that is going to do me any good
Ali:im not human. im an other species from a different galaxy on a mission to earth
Neo:stop flattering urself.. and im no jack bauer
Ali:ok, just let ur cynicism hang for a bit and listen to me.. i cant stress enough on how important this is
Neo:alright, u got my attention.. for now. what say u?
Ali:i say, you have to answer me one question and on that answer rests the fate of the world
Neo:wow! talk about pressure! go on, shoot
Ali:is what you want to be in life, so different from your ancestors?
Neo:WTF! i dont even understand ur question
Ali:what i mean is, do u think humans are you ready to take the next step in evolution?
Neo:why do u want to know? and how is it going to save the world?
Ali:i want to know bcos that is my mission. i have to ask u this question and based on ur answer i take my action
Neo:tell me all ur possible actions
Ali:if u say u do believe in humanity then i help u.. if not, i terminate myself and let u be.
Neo:why me? why now?
Ali:u were the chosen one bcos of ur personality and understanding of the human mind. you qualification as a doctor and a researcher were the main factors
Neo:oh i see. u didnt answer, why now?
Ali:it is the right time now bcos we predicted that humans will not be able to handle the technical adolescent. u'll destroy each other before u get past that stage.
Neo:hmmm.. and u r asking me bcos one voice of support is enough for humanity?
Ali:and u believe in free will
Neo:yeah.. sure.. an advanced alien creature predicted the future on earth and came to ask me whether i believe i'll save humanity or not.. IN A DREAM I'VE CREATED IN MY HEAD.. yeah! i believe in free will!
Ali:btw - last time we were here, we gave the apes "curiosity".. and practically set evolution on human in motion.. u better believe that too
Neo:wow! so what r u going to do this time, if i answer yes?
Ali:what do u think?
Neo:how the heck should i know? u r the advanced species.. who apparently survived the adolescence.. tell me what u do?
Ali:i know what i have to do.. i have my orders.. first, i would like to hear what u think
Neo:so many things have to change at so many levels.. the answer might be simple but it is definitely not easy
Ali:ok, fair enough.. just give me a yes or no..
Neo:i keep thinking what if u r wrong?
Ali:wrong abt our predictions of the world?
Neo:no, not that.. im sure we'll kill each other. what if, what u think might fix this world doesnt actually fix the world? and who put u incharge?
Ali:lol.. excellent question! i guess if u trust me then u place all hope on me.
Neo:and i dont even know u.. how can i trust u and hope thing will work out?
Ali:but thats the interesting thing abt hope. u have to lose hope to lose all inhibitions.
Neo:what do u mean?
Ali:fear cannot be without hope nor hope without fear. if u trust me completely u'll become fearless.
Neo:ok, im with u so far.. but there is one more thing nagging me from that start
Ali:what is it?
Neo:i think this is just a dream. im hallucinating or something. and if im then what i do isnt real and dont have any meaning. r u in my head? am i imagining u to boast my ego?
Ali:what if there is a way to find out whether this is a dream or not? will u do it?
Neo:yeah sure.. i already pinched myself... tried opening my eyes.. but it seems im stuck here with u in this chat window. tell me how to confirm.
Ali:its really simple. can u do multiply big numbers in ur head?
Neo:no i cant.. whats ur point?
Ali:well u r on a computer.. open the calculator and punch in some big numbers!
Neo:of course...


No-Kids-Cry Phenomenon!
LA Times June 9
More than 100 cases are now reported to CDC and officials about what's now dubbed as the No-Kids-Cry phenomenon. This unusual behavior among newborns was first reported yesterday in Los Angeles maternity wards. First it was believed to be an epidemic contained in the hospital, but apparently several cases has now been reported from New York and as far as Europe and Asia.
Kids affected by this syndrome albeit appear perfectly healthy are unable to cry at all. It is a rather large implication since the only way a baby communicates anything is by crying. At first scientists believed it to be a vocal cord paralysis of some sort brought on by a parasite or infection. On further diagnosis they were not able to find anything and now the only explanation left is a neurological problem with all the new-born.
Dr. Foreman, a neurologist from NY, commented, "the brain images on these kids suggest that the fear center of their brain is unresponsive. we are yet to determine what caused this, and it is too early to confirm."
Whether this is a freak of nature or the hand of God and whether this can be contained remains to be seen...

Labels: Dreams, Short Story

7 owls

Final Chapter
"You said you'll catch me next year but never returned!" said Swati spotting a sheepishly grinning Sathya, who looked very amused about something.
He recollected himself to answer, "Yes, that would my dad's doing. I really would have liked to meet you the next term. Believe me! That would have been eventful, to say the least."
"Eventful? You mean, you didn't have enough competition in your new school?"
"Yeah, something like that. It was never most fun without you and me battling it out."
"Hmmmm, I felt the same... So tell me what have you been upto, after you left town?"
"With no one to challenge me at the top, I completed higher secondary and got into a good college. Wherein, I studied engineering apart from doing other assorted activites! And im soon going to rediscovery myself in a software company. Your turn now."
"Does 'assorted activites' involve any girl?"
"Girl? You mean 'girls', don't you?"
"haha... don't flatter yourself. Although, Congrats on the job!"
"Thanks. So tell me, what useful role did you play in the past 6 years?"
"I did the same as you, actually. School, College, Fun, Friends. Exactly the same."
"What about personal life? Doesn't your boyfriend like to accompany you to the temple?"
"sheesh.. shutup willya?"
"A girl as good as you...surely has a boyfriend. It is the First Law of Thermodynamics...they taught me well in engineering!"
"Stop teasing already. And FYI, I don't have one. You studied engineering from out-of-date books, I assume."
Sathya smiled to himself in light of this new evidence(She-is-Single) as he made a mental note that he should stop teasing her now.
A comfortable silence streched itself out between them.
Swati said, "Come lets talk walking."
"You mean, inside the temple itself? Like, go around the temple a couple of times?"
"Yeah!" said Swati and they started walking.
Sathya continued, "You know, its luck that I blocked your way near the door."
"Otherwise we won't have met?"
"Yeah, exactly." said Sathya. Suddenly he remembered the first time he met her in school and said, "Do you remember your first day at school here?"
"Vaguely."
"Ok, I will tell you. You couldn't take your eyes off my 1st Rank badge. I thought I made a big impression on you, get strange stares from you and all, but only later I realised that your affection stopped at the badge." said Sathya, and conveniently forgot that he could not take the eyes off her that day.
"C'mon you are exaggerating! I did not stare at you or your badge."
"Really ya, believe me... I've a memory for these kind of things. I remember this one to the tiny details."
"Ok, if you insist."
"Yes, I insist."
Again there was a silence before anyone spoke. Sathya's pride wanted Swati to accept that he remembered tihngs right.
So he continued, "You surely remember the last revision test before the finals. We were neck-to-neck until the last paper was distributed?"
Swati looked at him quizzically.
Sathya continued, "It was english, I guess. I got a 93 and beat you by one mark? Don't you remember it?"
Swati still looked empty.
Sathya said, "I think I got a total of 460 and yours was 459?"
There was a beat before Swati slowly spoke up, "It was english alright. But you got 470 and not 460."
Sathya stopped on his tracks, suddenly remembering the lie and the foul up.
Swati continued, "And you did not get a 93... you got a 90."
Sathya turned and saw her in the eye. He asked, "*You* lied that day? Why did you do it?"
But before Swati could answer, he saw the answer in her eyes.
His ego got crushed, but he gained the crush.

Labels: Short Story

13 owls

Chapter VI
Time has a proven way of teaching man meekness: aging. As it passed, Swati became that-school-crush that Sathya had in childhood days. Mistake not, he never forgot her, he just learned to live without her.
Years passed and she stopped coming in his dreams too.
Sathya was in touch with Madhu and occasionally queried him about Swati but never learned anything more than the usual "She is fine".
In college, he was as cheerful as anyone and even had a few crushes. But none came as purposeful as he saw his need for Swati. So he passed out of college, a virgin, frankly speaking. He repeated his brilliance at school in college too and landed himself job offers while graduating.
He was enjoying a month's vacation before joining his (excuse the cliche) high-paying-software-job-in-yet-another-Indian-MNC, when his mom asked him to go back and visit his school friends. Sathya liked the idea. He could stay at Madhu's and possibly sight Swati as she lived near Madhu's home only. But he knew he had lost his chance with her, long ago. Adaptation: he was excited all the same.

Chapter VII
"Look at you, you have grown into a man!" exclaimed Madhu.
Sathya laughed and said, "What did you expect? That I would grow into an ape?"
"Good to have you dude. Im thrilled. We have so much to catch up on."
And catch up they did. They talked all day except when they were pushing food down the throat. Sathya brought Swati into the conversation and Madhu ellobrated, "You should see her now. Apparently she attracts half a dozen proposals every week in her college. From men and women alike."
"What? Is it? And does she have a boyfriend." Sathya was suddenly very interested.
"Nope, she rejects them by the dozen."
Sathya gulped and thought of the devastation he might have had if he proposed and she rejected. Disaster averted he thought and thanked God silently.
"She still lives in this neighbourhood right?" queried Sathya.
"Yep, if you want to catch her go to the Narasimhar temple around 5 in the evening."
The topic diverted into other things but Sathya mind was ringing "Evening-Temple-Swati, Evening-Temple-Swati, Evening-Temple-Swati..."
At the dot of 5 Sathya excused himself and headed towards the temple alone.

Chapter VIII
Sathya was not expecting Swati at the temple. He was convincing himself that he was there to say hello to God. Unconsciously though, he just wanted a glimpse of Swati and then he would go on lead his life happily.
He prayed his usual prayers and added an extra demand, "Narasimha, its not like you don't know what I desire. Just one last glimpse. Thats all I ask. Willya? Please. I'll wait a 5 minutes for her. Thank you very much."
And he waited for a good part of a hour, eyeing every girl, before giving up on Narasimha. He strolled back to the temple door cursing Madhu for making him do a futile trip to the temple. At the door he turned around for one last look.

Chapter IX
"Excuse me! You are blocking the door." came a voice from behind Sathya.
Sathya turned around and saw Swati. Slow motion shot, take 3.
She was even more beautiful -if that is possible- now.
"Sathya!"
"Swati!" both of them said at the same time.
No words were exchanged for a while.
So naturally Sathya lied, "Out of all the people on planet earth, I would have never expected to meet you here."
"Now that is a lie, if I ever hear one."
Sathya managed a nervous smile.
Swati rallied back, "So you are still scared of me!"
"I was never scared of you. What gave you that idea?" said Sathya but wished that she stoped reading his mind.
"Remember our battles for the 1st rank? Are you up for another round? I bet I can beat you hands tied down!"
"I didn't come all the way from my city to start another battle. ok?"
"Hey, you were just leaving right? Why dont you wait here while I go inside and come back. I got loads to share with you."
"Yeah why not. I'll wait here."
And so he waited, thanking Narasimha and taking back the curses he sent towards Madhu.

...to be concluded

Author's confession: Thanks to Vani for the names and pushing me into rewriting this story. The 35 pages original that me wrote in the middle of 2002 was forever lost in a parking lot.

Labels: Short Story

3 owls

Chapter I
Sathya, 9th standard, B section, was the first rank holder. He was not mere intelligent but quite an established stud of the school. His trouble started when Swati's family moved into town. If you had guessed "love at first sight", help yourself some brownie points.
"Hello class! Please welcome our new girl at school." announced the teacher without context. An unsuspecting Sathya turned his head towards the mentioned target and then everything went in slow motion. His visions tunneled at the prettiest face he would ever see. His heart skipped a reasonable amount of beats. She walked very slowly -or at least she seemed to, for him- towards the blackboard and started speaking.
Obviously, Sathya could not hear any of what she was saying. He was still in a trance when his friend Madhu, sitting next to him gave him a nudge and said, "Stop staring at her, HotBlood."
Sathya returned to earth and caught her say, in the most innocent voice he would ever hear, that she was Swati. When she was walking back to her chair, Sathya caught her stare at the "1st Rank" badge he was wearing. He was never more proud than that moment.

Chapter II
"Excuse me! You are blocking the door." came a voice from behind Sathya.
Sathya turned around and saw Swati. Slow motion shot, take 2.
She was even more beautiful -if that is possible- up close. He was still staring at her lips when she reminded him that he was still blocking her way. He caught on this time and moved away. As she crossed him, she shot one sharp look at the "1st Rank" badge he was wearing. The look was almost amorous.
Sathya thought he will do anything to retain that badge. No problem, he told himself, for he had never got anything other than Rank 1.

In the next monthly test Swati came first. Sathya came in 2nd.
The "1st Rank" badge changed hands. Only now he understood the meaning behind that lecherous looks Swati gave that badge.

Chapter III
All that year, the school saw the most battled our "War of the 1st rank", for years to come. The badge saw an owner in either of Swati or Sathya, every monthly test. In the process, both had come to respect each other and became good friends.
His infatuation had now grown into a full-blown affection. Sathya still hid his feelings and did not talk about it even with his best friends. He always thought that a moment would present itself to tell her, but in truth he was afraid of rejection.
The battle of the ranks served well to distract his mind and keep it on books instead. Maybe if he proved good enough to get 1st rank all round the year, she might start liking him. Childish thoughts, but what can one expect.
Suddenly, Sathya saw it very clearly. All he had to do is get straight 1st ranks and everything will fall in place. He was a man on a mission, blinded by love, possessed by pride, and he took to books.
He didn't relinquish the badge after that.

Chapter IV
10th grade: 1st rank was to stay with Sathya. Swati came ever so close but Sathya proved a very tough opponent. After all, he was doing it for her.
She had almost given up hope of getting her hands on the badge when the in the last revision test before the final board exams...
"What happened? Which of your ships sunk?" asked Madhu.
"It is worse than that. Me and Swati's total were leveled at 377, with only the English marks left to be out. Well, the English papers were just distributed, I got 91 and she got 92. She beat me by one mark to the 1st rank!"
"Hey, it is not the end of the world alright. You have lost it just this once.. you were One all this year. Cheer up man."
"You don't understand..." said Sathya but could not bring himself to explain it to Madhu.
"Listen, put on a non-sad face for right now, because Swati is coming towards us."

"Hey guys, I need your English marks for the registers."
Madhu said, "I got 85."
"How much did you get Sathya?"
"hmmm..what?..yeah..i got.." fumbled Sathya.
"You got 93 right? I glimpsed it when you took it from the teacher."
"Err.." was what Sathya could manage.
Madhu was quick to grasp the situation. Obviously, She was mistaken his marks.
"Yeah, he got a 93, I just saw his paper. How much did you get Swati?", said Madhu, and placed a hand on Sathya's lap, conveying that he was going to handle the situation.
"I got 92.... shoot, which means Sathya beats me by one mark: 470 to 469. Congrats Sathya!"
"huh? yeah..Thanks."
After Swati left Madhu said, "They you go man, I got you your beloved number one spot."
"But we lied." judged Sathya.
"Blame the lie on me if she finds out, just give me a treat ok?"
But no one ever found out.

Chapter V
As expected Sathya topped the school in the board exams and Swati stood second. On the day the class assembled to get their official mark sheets, Sathya was going to tell Swati that he loved her. She will accept, he thought. She has to, he reasoned.
"Congrats Sathya! You topped as expected.", said Swati walking up to him after the ceremony.
"Congrats you too..But I should be thanking you only for this. I won't have done it without you."
"Me? Why? You did it on your own."
"You gave a tough fight. You literally pushed me into one."
"ha-ha.. interesting way of looking at it, but if it wasn't me pushing you then it would have been someone else? Won't it? Someone has to come in second right?"
"No, you don't understand..." he said. All reason told him that this was the moment he should profess his feelings for her, but he simply could not. Words dissolved and sentences disintegrated inside his mind.
"Well, if you don't have anything to say, I should be leaving now." continued Swati.
"Ok, I'll catch you later. I mean, next year, in class.", said Sathya. He told himself that he would perfect the way he was going to propose in the holidays and tell her on the first day of next term.
That was the last Sathya saw of Swati because his father got a transfer and they had to move to a different city for his higher secondary.

...to be continued

Labels: Short Story

4 owls

"hey lover boy, what's up?"
"listen, i had this weirdest dream!.. i died and i went to heaven"
"heaven? you sure? bcos people who wake someone up in the middle of the night to talk about their dreams.. usually end up in hell."
"im sure it wasn't hell. now, cut out the sarcasm and listen to me."
"ok, im sorry, go on.. did you meet God?"
"you bet i did. and i even got to ask him some questions."
"interesting.. so, what did you ask Him?"
"i asked Him a lot of questions and got all the usual, expected answers."
"like?"
"well, i asked him what was His purpose to create everything.. life, world, sun, universe, humans? and He said that He was experimenting and wanted to create an ultimate species -us humans- that would be His epitome of creativity."
"what about the rest? sun, universe and stuff?"
"..the rest were put in just for fun, i was told."
"ok, wow, so He was experimenting huh?"
"yeah, totally... and you know what? He also said that the entire world is being run by a huge computer. a giant server hosting everyone. and millions and millions of programs running.."
"that sounds very close to the version of that movie Matrix. your dream has been already made into a movie.."
"wait, there is more. i haven't told you that final question, for which i got a completely unpercedented answer."
"what is it?"
"i asked Him what was He thinking when He created love?..."
"and?"
"He said He didn't create it. He said it is a known bug!"
"a B-U-G?"
"yeah a bug in the software that is running the big server thingy. He was going to fix it up with a patch, but since everyone seemed to love "love" so much, He decided to leave it there!"
"haha... love "love"... kind of a recurssion in the code eh?"
"so that was it. i woke up after that and called you immediately."



"...love is a bug?? you sure?"
"YOU ARE QUESTIONING ME? YOU DO REALISE THAT I AM GOD."
"yeah, im sorry, my bad. now that you mention that it is a bug, it makes a lot of sense. even explains a lot of things..."
"GO FIGURE. AND SINCE EVERYONE LOVED "LOVE" SO MUCH, I DECIDED TO LEAVE IT AS IT IS."
"wow! Thank God for that. i mean.. thank you, God."
"BUT THERE IS A PATCH ONE COULD APPLY TO FIX THAT BUG. IT IS REALLY SIMPLE ACTUALLY. ONE SHOULD.......



".......and called you immediately."
"is there anything else interesting i should know?"
"no, but there is something i like to forget about this dream, because i found you!"

Labels: Dreams, Short Story

13 owls

"Good morning! Did i wake you up?"
"Hi kiddo.. and yes, you did."
"ha ha.. i feel good. Having done my one-good-deed-a-day already!"
"Hardly, i'm going back to sleep after i hang-up. I picked the phone up because i don't want to be the boyfriend who disappoints his girlfriend this early on a sunday morning."
"Early? Do you know what time is it? It is 9:30!"
"Its a sunday morning and unless i smell my mom's steaming idia-apam, im used to getting up around 11."
"What dish is that? Never heard of it."
"What kind of a south-indian-girl are you who don't know idia-apam? I pity the guy who is going to marry you!"
"That would be you, my dear. You better start learn how to cook all those stuff, because i'm not going to serve you steaming idia-apam and all."
"Girls these days are useless i tell you. They can't cook, they can't wear a saree, they have forgetten how to feel shy and above all they have an attitude that reads shouldn't-it-be-the-males-turn-to-give-birth?"
"you.. you.. thats not true. We are not like that. At least i'm not like that. But you have insulted me."
"Hey.. hey.. i was just kidding.. don't be mad at me. I'll make it up to you."
"You better. I'm hanging up. humph!"
"Don't! don't!..... damn, she hung up. When will i ever learn not to get carried away and speak the truth?"


"Hello Mom! What's cooking?"
"Dosa, sambar and coconut chutney."
"Aaaaaha! I'm drooling already... but mom, can you teach me how to make idia-apam?"
"Why the sudden interest in cooking?"
"Lets just say, i have some making-up to do..."

Labels: Short Story

0 owls

"Hey darling sister!"
"Anna!! So nice to hear your voice. You didn't call for more than a week now. Busy huh? I didn't do my Maths paper that well.. was trying to call you and curse the prof who set the paper, but you weren't available... How are you?"
"I'm ok kid. Work keeps me busy."
"You are so boring da. Get a life.. for the love of God."
"What do you expect? Girlfriend?"
"Yeah now that you mention it.. that would be great. And don't forget to give me her number, so i can chat with my anni when you are busy."
"You'll be the first to know, don't worry. How would you like a NRI or an American to be your anni?"
"Get out of here!! You are going onsite again? US? For how long?!"
"Yeah! And this time i'm not even sure how long. Might be for a couple of years."
".....hmmm..ok. When are you leaving? What did mom say?"
"In three weeks. Mom wants me to settle there!...hey, i gotto go now. Call you later, ok?"
"Ok, bye"



"Good morning! Pyramid DVDs. How can i help you?"
"uh..hello, do you sell DVDs? I'm looking for a title to gift my brother."
"Yes ma'am, we certainly do. What are you looking for exactly?"
"Swades?"

Labels: Short Story

0 owls

"Hi my dear psycho brother... what are you upto?"
"Hi big brother, im upto no good, as usual... but pleasantly surprised to get your call."
"Shut up willya, or i won't call you anymore... then, how is final year engineering treating you?"
"Forget about my studies... what are you getting me for Diwali? Im sure you want to know my preference, right?"
"Yeah, go on... hit me!"
"I want a shoe! A sports shoe... very jazzy and all... in fact if you can manage a shining red color that would be great!"
"Ok, what is your shoe size?"
"Hmmmm... i dont know... let me check."
"Check the sole, there usually is a number..."
"I can't find any number on my sole, must be inside the shoe, will tell you once i get home. Alright?"
"Ok, i'll be expecting. "


"Hey brother, its me."
"Hmmm... so whats your size?"
"I have sent you a mail."
"Why do you need to send a mail? Just tell me the number now."
"Check my mail. The size is there."
"Tell me now."
"Ok, i couldn't arrive at any particular number after seeing all my shoes... so..."
"So what did you do?"
"I have scanned my foot and sent you."
"??!!!"

Labels: Short Story

0 owls

"Hi Mom, whats up? Why you calling me?"
"Son, i got this snail mail today & thought you should know about it immediately."
"Im in a meeting mom... make it fast."
"Its a wedding invitation, i think the bride is your collegemate. I remember you introducing her to me when i came to your college."
"Oh yeah, i know she is getting married. So where is the marriage?"
"Are you ok son? I always thought you had a crush on this girl. Even i thought she was a very nice girl."
"Im ok mom...really, its nothing. It was just a crush and it was a long time ago. Now i dont even remember how she looks."
"hmmmm...ok, you are going to the marriage? It on the 10th of next month in Bangalore."
"No mom, i think i'll pass. Anyways i wont get a leave with the project release due next month."
"I still worried. You sound a bit dull after hearing about the wedding....... "
"No mom, its not like what you think."
"Ok, at least send her some wedding present. Or should i send some gift-cheque to the address on the invitation? Say rupees five hundred?"
A little Rs. 500 would not express what i felt for her mom.
"Mom, better make that a 1000."

Labels: Short Story

0 owls

Chapter I - "A wedding and a funeral"

Dad entered the hall, where me and mom were playing Scrabble and said "Can i get a cold coffee?".
An eerie silence followed. For, this only meant one thing.. that he had lost a patient.
Yes, as weird as it seems, my father, the Doctor, has this habit of having a cold coffee to ease him down.
Mom knew that he liked it with no ice and toned milk. She prepared it in a jiffy and went to the bedroom.
I never understood this "cold coffee" concept fully myself, but i'm not surprised, because i also am just a six year old who dont know where babies come from.

"Hey, are you alright? Is it a patient?", asked mom.
"mmmmm...yeah, i'll be alright. yes, it was the kid. The funeral is tomorrow... i need to go.", said the doctor thoughtfully.
"Tomorrow is that wedding, we RSVP-ed.. you go to that wedding.. i'll attend the funeral."
"Who's wedding?"
"Our son's class teacher's. Remember, we met her in the PTA meeting. The very cute looking lady of the lot?"
"Yeah i remember. Ok, i'll take him and go to the wedding."


Chapter II - "A tour and a where"

"Dad, our class is going on a tour.. i need your signature on this permission slip."
"hmm... let me see... its a overnight trip! Ask mom, if she says ok, then i'll let you go."
"Mom said ok. She is fine until our class teacher also comes with us."
"Settled then!", said the doctor and signed the slip.
"Dad, one more thing.", and without missing a beat, he asked, "Where do babies come from?"

My son is always on this unquenchable obsessive enquiry impulse. How much should i tell a six year old? Should i tell the truth... nahh...he won't even begin to understand.
"Well kiddo, let me give you a simple answer because im in a hurry...alright?" and without waiting for a reponse from the kid he continued, "First, one needs to get married -like the marriage of your teacher we went to a few months back- and then comes the... sleeping together. The woman gets pregnant and a few months later the baby comes out of mommy."
"Ok.", and he left without another word.
Oooffh..that went well.. and he walks away like he is ready to become a father!

Chapter III = "A complaint and a remedy"

These school teachers are useless i tell you. My husband is a doctor and she tells me about children psychology.
"Listen to this, our son's class teacher complained about him today.", said the mother.
"What happened? What did he do?"
"It seems he had been fighting with the other guys on that tour night and she had to seperate him from the dorm... Obviously, he couldn't be put in the girls' dorm... so he had to spend the night in her room."
"Dont worry, i'll talk to him later."
"Im not worried, its just that she told me our son did not sleep the entire night... and she was very spiteful about it..the teacher is anyways going on a long vacation it seems and she is not expected to come back to school."
Suddenly the kid entered the room and asked, "Why wont she be coming to school mom?"
"Because she is going to have a baby. She is pregnant..."
An eerie silence followed.
"Mom, can i get a cold coffee?"

Dedication: The one, who is pregnant.

Labels: Short Story

0 owls

Chapter I - "The library"

November 12th, 1999, was an unusually thunderous dark night. The occassional blinding lightning bolts revealed the darkness of the swirling clouds: threats of a heavy rain evident.

10:04 PM
Bala unaware of all these turmoils going on outside was comfortably sitting all alone in the college library with a dozen books spread in front of him. With rapt attention as if every neuron of his were firing, he jolted down quick sentences and equations onto his diary, not noticing the librarian walk up behind him.
"Listen Bala... i'm afraid i have to ask you to leave. You are the only one here. I gotto close the library and you better hurry to the hostel before it starts raining.", said the librarian.
Bala turned around, "Yes Sir, i will. Just give me a minute."
He turned towards his diary and stared at the last sentence he had written and added the words...
...alternate future ?
followed by a big question mark to the sentence and closed the diary.

Chapter II - "The man"
Outside the library, the man waited for Bala in the shadows. He was wearing a black jumpsuit with a hood and was well camouflaged. He saw the watch and muttered under his breath, "..three, two, one.. now!" and looked up. He smiled.

10:08 PM
Bala came outside the library with a couple of books in his arms. He took a look at his watch before continuing to walk in the direction of the hostel.
Bala strolled like a keyed toy, obviously very familiar with the path, careless of the deserted dark road, pre-occupied with his own thoughts and oblivion of the man who followed him in the shadows.
Bala wanted to be alone with his thoughts. He assured himself that he very close to finding the answer he was looking for, for the past six months. All he needed now was a clear mind, a cup of coffee, and his notes in the diary that he had been collecting all along.
A dry stick snapped with a soft but a loud enough sound that gave Bala a fright.
Bala turned around and saw no one. He asked, "Is anyone there?".
There was no answer but he had a weird feeling that he wasn't alone. He waited for the next lightening to illuminate the blackness. He saw nothing and started running towards the hostel.


Chapter III - "The friend"
Kannan was waiting for his roommate Bala in the lounge when he saw him enter the hostel.
"Hey Bala, i know you'll be back when the library closes. Lets go for dinner before the rain starts.", said Kannan.
"I'm not hungry. Moreover i need to complete this thing i had been working on. Im close to finishing it!", answered Bala.
"Oofu, You and your research! What is it this time?"
"You wont believe it if i told you."
"Try me." replied Kannan.
"Ok... here goes... Einstein suggested a concept called `worm-holes` in the space-time continum. It is shaped like a hourglass with two different time on both it end. I think i found a way to create a worm."
"That was all greek to me. Do you mind translating that in English?"
"Well, essentially it is the `Time machine`."
"What? Are you kidding me? You are building a time machine? Damn! What do you want to do with it?"
"Kanna, i havent thought about what i would do with it. Now that you mention it... i would propably come back to this day and watch myself explain these things to you from outside."

10:15 PM
The man hiding outside the hostel smiled cheerfully hearing Bala & Kannan talk. He opened a diary, got to the page dated November 12th and wrote "Yes" to the last question on the page.
If the subject were to disturb any of the happenings, won't it create a fork in the timeline... thus creating an alternate future ?

Labels: Short Story

0 owls

Note: Only after writing it completely i realised the point of view could have been better and the structure was also mediocre. You all know how lazy me is :D

Shankar, aged 10, standard 5, rank 3, was a unique little boy. He lost both his mom and dad to a road accident a couple of years ago and lived with his grandparents in his quiet, native village. The boy greaved, but recovered because of the love and affection of his grandparents. His grandfather became his mentor, his hero and his companion.
The old man understood very well what the boy was going through. He knew that the young boy looked up to him and he took over the role of a father.
Three months after the tragic incident, during a regular visit to the nearby temple, Shankar told his grandfather, "Sir, I have no faith in god. I refuse to kneel and pray before a god who took my parents away from me. I won't come inside." The old man had no answer and the fact that Shankar knew, his parents met with the accident while they were going to a temple didn't help either. He let the boy stand outside the temple while he went inside.
From then, Shankar never went to the temple or prayed to God. He refused to say prayers in the school assembly. The only time he ever joined his hands for prayer were during the pooja done for his parents every new moon day. He was happy that his grandpa respected his decision and never spoke about his lost faith again.
It changed one sunny afternoon.
Shankar was watching the other kids play, waiting for the lunch reccess to end when he saw his grandfather. It must be new moon day today and time for the pooja, he thought.
The old man said, "Lets go home, kid! I told ur teacher."
Shankar replied, "I'll get my bag, sir." and ran into his classroom.
He got the bag and informed the teacher, "Ma'am, my grandfather..."
"Yes, i heard. You can go home.", she said.

Shankar came out and started walking the five-minutes-walk towards his home with his grandfather. He liked walking with his grandfather since it brought back cheerful memories of walking with him, holding his hand, to the market and eating colorful candies when he was young.
"Grandpa, do you remember, we used to go together to the market. You would buy me those candies and chocolates from the sweet store."
"Yes kid, i remember. I actually got you some sweet. Ladoo... prasad from the temple.", said the old man and offered Shankar some.
Shankar kept walking like he didn't hear his grandfather. He never accepted any offering from the temple and his grandfather knew this.
The old man smiled and said, "Shankar, you should not go on like this. Fear of God is neccessary even though you dont believe in God."
Shankar reasoned in an almost serene voice, "Sir, i have fear in my elders. I respect them. I believe in what i see and refuse to believe in something that i have not seen or heard. How is that wrong?"
"It is nothing to do with right or wrong. It is a way of living. You are all the proof that i ever existed and you symbolise each and every one of your elders and your ancestors. I ask you to think again, without the anger, about your decision."
Shankar walked quietly for a while before he nodded yes, almost as if not wanting to disappoint his grandpa.
The old man smiled cheerfully seeing the nod from his grandson and continued, "You have learned the Gita, which says God has a purpose for His every action. One shouldn't stop believing when His actions are different from one's desire."
"But even in the bible, nobody believed Jesus until he resurrected Lazarus from the dead. Let god do a miracle. Then i would believe in him. A miracle, nothing less!", retorted Shankar.
He waited for a reply but his grandfather never did. He turned and searched but saw no one around. As his home was just around the corner he continued walking and noticed a small crowd outside his home. He walked slowly towards the mob when he saw his neighbour and asked him about the crowd.
"O dear Kid, i don't know how to tell you... but your grandfather... died this morning."

Dedication: To my grandfather, Pichamuthu, after whom me named this blog, Pichuva. Afterall... he gave me mine, Mathi.

Labels: Short Story

0 owls

He asked the prostitute, "How much for an hour?"

His mother asked the bride's parents, "How much dowry?"

He said, "I only got 500 rupees. Good enough for half hour?"

They said, "We'll leave you two alone. Talk, say, for half hour?"

In her bedroom, she asked, "Is this your first time? I don't have all day, get going!"

He didn't know what to talk to his "would be wife". Neither did she. He finally managed, "So this is your bedroom huh? Nice."

She was furious, "What do you mean you don't have a condom?... you get a half a dozen for Rs.5... there must be a few on that drawer, take one."

She answered, "Yeah, i made it. But it wasn't filter coffee... its Bru. Rs 5 for six cups."

"What do you think, sleeping with men is my hobby? Get out of here!"

The most interesting question he could manage within the time was, "so...whats your hobby?"

P.S: Guys, this is just one perspective. Don't turn the heat on me... please :)

Labels: Short Story

0 owls

Warning: Folks, inspired by my accident, i wrote this story thinking so many stuff. The first draft was twice as long and felt like a science lecture. So please feel free to remind me that i suck at creating fantasy.

Chapter-I "Blue colored sheet"

The last thing i remember was staring into the headlights of that truck. The next thing i remember is waking up in a hospital. I knew it was a hospital because of the smell. I tried to get up when my friend standing next to the bed said, "Relax hero, lie down. You are still in shock from the accident."
"Oh.. i hit that truck is it? How bad is my bike?"
"Blummer.. you stupid.. we were worried about you. and idiot you are worried about.. your bike? You were in a coma for almost fourteen hours now, you know that?"
"No it wasn't coma." said a female voice entering the room, which belonged to a young lady with a sthescope around her neck.
"Hi, i'm Dr. Sneha. I've been taking care of you."
"Hello doctor."
"Hello doctor. Why do you say it wasn't a coma?", asked Aamir.
"Because coma is dreamless and you were dreaming last night. I saw REM. Rapid Eye Movement."
"Oh i see. So what are my damages? My friend here won't even let me get up."
"So far we have seen, from your CAT scan, X-ray & other reports, you are perfectly normal. Not a scratch."
"So why was i out cold for the entire night." i asked.
She took time to see both of us in the eye before she continued, "You received a heavy blow to your skull which made you unconsicious. Although you weren't hurt physically because of your helmet, there is a small chance that the blow might have affected your memory in some way. What i am saying is there is a possibility that you might have forgotten something..."
"Forgotten? Like my passwords?", i asked slightly alarmed.
Aamir added, "Yeah, i know a friend who forgot his handwriting after an accident. He couldn't even sign his name as he used to."
The doctor continued, "So dont be scared if you dont remember something. It is not abnormal especially after an accident. Its my duty to inform you that... and now im taking your leave. You can go home anytime you want."
"Thank you doctor"
"Thank you doctor"
"Just sign the blue colored discharge sheet with the nurse before you leave. Thank you." said Sneha and was about to leave the room when suddenly i realised what i have forgotten.
"Shit!!"
"What happened? You don't remember your signature?", asked Aamir.
"No i remember that. But i dont know see colors...everything is black & white!!"
"What!! You mean you don't see colors after the accident?", asked Sneha.
"Yes"
"Oh my God!", exclaimed Aamir.


Chapter-II "Common sense"

"I feel like a color TV with bad reception. Its like the chip that processes color in my brain is smashed or something. Is there anyway i can get my colored vision back doctor?"
"hmmm... this is a very specific problem. I believe, similar to all other senses like smell or touch... colors are also coded in your genes."
"coded?" asked Aamir.
"Yeah.. you see nobody has to teach a kid that a smell is bad or good. Or the sense of taste and touch is already present in you when you are born."
"So what are you saying? My gene got altered because of the accident and i forgot colors?"
"No, you are the same before and after the accident. But something is missing.....wait a minute..the `Weaver bird` experiment!"
"Yeah i know that experiment. What about it?", i said.
"Wweaver birds breeded in captivity were denied twigs and coir to build their nest and they never saw their parents do it either. But when the fourth generation birds were provided the twigs they built a perfect nest."
"Because...?", asked Aamir.
"Because the nest building skill was already in their genes. Nobody had to teach them. Twigs were the missing entry. Your case is similar to this."
"So you mean... i know all the colors, i can see all the colors, but someone/something is denying me that?"
"Yeah something like that."
Aamir noted, "Thank God, that you haven't forgotten your common sense. That would have been more difficult."
Sneha said, "Yeah it would have been so much simple if common sense, whats good & whats bad, religious faith are also coded in one's gene. But they are the qualities we learn by experience and treat it as more important."
"Thats all very interesting but will i get my sight back?", i asked getting a bit impatient in a black and white world.
A long silence followed.
I was worried.
Aamir seemed Mr. Head on shoulder.
Sneha was thoughtful for a moment and lighted up like she found the answer. She was very excited when she said, "Its a dream. It makes sense. You knew about Weaver birds. Dreams are colorless."
Aamir smiled like he understood what she said.
"What are you talking about? Dream?"
"Yeah, open your eyes." said Aamir.

Chapter-III "Deja vu"

I opened my eyes. I was in a bed and could smell the hospital. I turned around and saw my wife Sneha and my friend Aamir besides the bed.
Sneha said, "Thank God! You woke up. I was so worried."
"Oh.. i hit that truck is it? How bad is my bike?"
Aamir said, "you stupid.. we were worried about you. and idiot you are worried about.. your bike? You were in a coma for almost fourteen hours now, you know that?"
"No, it wasn't a coma. Coma is dreamless, but i was dreaming. A very wierd dream... which i'll tell you. But first... this room is painted green right?"

Dedication: To my helmet. If you didnt like the story blame it on the helmet, that i lost my creativity in the accident. :D

Labels: Dreams, Short Story

2 owls

Note: Hey guys, i'm back. This time i'm doing a monologue of a girl. Please forgive my ignorance on the subject, but what matters is... that i tried. So here u go...

I love chocolate. Which girl doesnt huh? There are only two other things that I love the same way as chocolate. My brother. Although he was six years elder to me -which would make him twenty six years old- we were always like classmate friends. He made up for my dad, who died when i was young. He was very sweet and the greatest brother any sister can get. And the other thing is, I love the kiss from my boyfriend. The intoxicating sensation you feel when you are kissing the guy you love. Those are the three things I love, not in any specific order, mind you.
I invited my boyfriend over for dinner at my place with my family and then we were supposed to go to a movie together, but actually we were going back his place and a movie was the last thing on my mind. Nevertheless, I was a bit nervous since it was the first time I invited him over and I so wanted them to like him. I cooked the food myself with some help from my mom and brother.
Half way through the cooking when mom was out of earshot my brother out of the blue asked me,
"So kid, you love this guy?"
".....", i was blank. But after the initial shock i managed a, "I think im anna. No let me rephrase that..I know i'm in love."
"Ok, he seems a pretty good guy."
"When did you meet him?"
"No i didnt meet him kid. I saw you that day with him at the mall. So i made a few checks myself. And what do you know, he checked out fine." he said, gave me a pat on my back, pinched my cheeks, and went out of the kitchen.
You never seize to amaze me. Love you anna. mmuuaaahhh.
I almost finished the cooking when I heard my boyfriend arrive lead into the house by my brother. After the pleasantries and some drilling question from my mom -none from my brother bcos he already knew about him- we sat down for dinner. Everybody enjoyed the food i thought. We cited the movie timing and made a move out. Mom called out to drive safe and reach safely.
The moment we were out of the door, he said, "Shit! I did a stupid thing in there."
"What did you do? Stop freaking me out!"
"Damn, you know you were sitting right across me at the dining table. And I thought it would be fun to play, you know, toe-toe...so i started touching your toes with my legs..."
"What? But.."
"Yeah i know...only after a few seconds i realised it was your brother's leg i was on, who was sitting next to you at the table.", he stopped and added, "I felt your brother up! I'm sure he is going to kill me."
Damnit! You would have scored if only you havent done the most stupidest thing. That too, my brother.. lets run away from here.
"Lets run away from here! Start the bike fast!!", i said as i turned around to look at the door and realised we were just twenty meters away it. Horrors of horror, my brother opened the door and came running towards us and called, "Stop!".
Me and him just froze at the spot. I was so sure that a streak of unspeakable words, loaded with enough dosage of advice is coming.
"Hey k... sis, you forgot your dessert. I brought you chocolate....and this time it comes with a supplement.", he said and thrusted something into my hands, turned and left.
I waited for him to get back into the house before I opened my hands. Along with my favorite bar of chocolate there was a sachet that read *durex*.

Dedication: To my friends, Parag and Niket, who helped me think like a girl :D

Labels: Short Story

1 owls

Note: This short story is my first love letter to my-techie-self. I know i was supposed to post another story titled "Shot through the heart" -which is a drama- but that story had to be postponed due to some production issues!(The heroine of the story was not willing to wear the dress i chose for the item number.) So here u go... a techie one.

Nobody missed Professor Riya's lectures. Not only because she was most attractive looking lady in the entire campus but really because she taught Computers like no one else. She was one of the rare gem who sported both beauty and intelligence, the deadly duo. Aptly the students named her Alpha Juliet. Ram, a sophomore, had a huge crush on her. Well, in fact he was just one of the many guys who thought that she was the love of their life. The most interesting part of all her lectures was the question and answer session at the end of it, when she would answer any of the questions the students have with such panache and passion that it invariably made all the students like her even more. Ram, was an unsuspecting poor soul.

Ram woke up with a start, realising that he had just five minutes to run to the most interesting class... Artificial Intelligence, lecture by no other than Prof. Riya herself. He can't afford to miss her lectures. Moreso because Ram loved the Q&A part. He never did ask any question, but the only question he was dying to ask her was... How she manages to look that drop dead gorgeous? He told himself one day he will find the courage to ask her that question, maybe not in the classroom but in private. But today he would just have to get ready and make a beeline to the lecture hall.

Fifty minutes later...
"...so thats in a nutshell.", said Riya to an packed but alert spectators of about a hundred students.
"We still have ten more minutes..any questions?"
Almost everyone in the class raised their hands.
"Well, well... we have many Hermiones here it seems.... you go first", she said pointing to a girl in the first row.
"Professor, do you think an AI would become hostile and start dominating human species once it realises it has superior knowledge than humans? Like it happens in the movies!"
Riya smiled cheerfully,"You guys are all spoiled by the movies. I totally disagree with the concept of hostile AI. I'm willing to bet my money that it would understand the value of life far better than humans do..... like in the movie Terminator 2, if that makes it clear for you."
"Ma'am, how long do you think will it take to create an agent with Artificial Intelligence? Considering the current rate of growth in the field of computers.", asked another student.
"In short i believe it doesn't depend on anything... because I reckon that an AI would really be a product a programmer might stumble upon, rather than a result of an extensive research by a big company. AI would be an accident, like the discovery of pencilin."
"Discovery? Don't you mean AI would be an invention?", retorted the student.
"Yes i said discovery and not invention. AI would be a discovery, since it would be a singular consciousness that makes the agent to question itself and although it would be some code written by a human, the code is not going to be something unreal or spectacular or something that we dont know already. In fact, it might just be a single line of code."
She waited for the message to sink in. And apparently the students caught on.
"So what do you think it would do, if not hostile?"
"I guess, it would probably take up a profession like any normal people and live in harmony with humans."
"Are you saying that it could be that simple? I dont believe it.", said a student from the infamous last bench.
Riya smiled to herself, gave a shrug, "We'll see one day whether i'm right or wrong? Until then....any other questions?"
The class was silent this time, propably baffled by how simple she made it sound.
"C'mon, i thought you guys would do better than that... ask me anything? we still have five minutes!", exclaimed Riya.
"What is your age ma'am?", asked a male voice from somewhere in the class, followed by a giggle from the entire class.
"Ohh, anything means *anything*..is it? Since someone asked, i'll answer... i'm six years old.", she paused and continued, "A silly answer to a silly question." and gave a im-game-you-guys smile.
"What is love ma'am?", came another student's voice from the back. This time no body giggled but turned around to see where the sound came from. Ram became furious.
Riya seemed calm as ever and continued, "well well well.... what do we have here? The million dollar question. I can't answer it fellows, not only because it is out of syllabus, but also because I really dont know the answer. But i will tell you one thing. Love is the most important aspect of life. It is the single most important factor in the civilisation of man. How? You see the homo sapiens were just a bunch of wild people living in caves. But once a caveman said, `She is mine and she is mine alone.`, and made sure he lived by that, which is considered the starting of civilized life on earth."
Right then, the clock on the chimed signalling the end of the hour.
"Ok guys, lets wind up for the day. Thank you for your attention." said Riya and sat down in a chair and watched all the students go out, except for one.

Ram gathered his courage and walked up to where Riya was sitting and said,
"Ma'am, do you realise that you look sinfully beautiful?"
"Do you know thats the third time this semester that you are telling me that? Well my answer remains the same... with all the intellectual powers that the an AI agent possess, the first device she will build would be the one that manipulate human memory."
With that she took out a odd looking silver pen, pointed at a completely baffled Ram and... *flash*

Labels: Short Story

3 owls

Caution: Short story ahead! I resorted to a monologue script for lack of better way.

My name is Raj. I am twelve years old. Well, not any more. Today is my birthday and i turn thirteen! I know that turning teen is a big thing: after all, the western culture allows for dating after one turns teen. But i hope i get the Play Station or the Desktop as my b'day gift from my parents. Or both..yayyy! Because mom said she has a surprise for me when i was leaving for school in the morning. Being the only child helps in these matters. You get all the attention and you dont have to share your gifts with your siblings. My dad might pop into my room any moment now and give me my present.

"Hey Kiddo! Happy Birthday!!"
Whats with the out stretched arms dad? A hug? Handshake is more appropriate, thank you. Hugs are so over dad.
"Well, thanks dad...and stop calling me kiddo. Im not a kid anymore.", for good measures.
"Ok ok, i wont. My dad used to call me kiddo all the time...anyways, i have your present for the day, but before that i need to talk to you about something. Sit down."
Oh no! Not the sit-down-talk. Anything but the talk.
"Actually, i just want to tell a story. It's kind of a moral story that i have been waiting to tell you."
"oookay...", Moral lines? You have always been the jolly fun dad. Why change now?
"Right. You have always been getting what you want son. I have never said `no` to anything you have asked for. But it is not always going to be like that in your life. Thats why i want you to listen to this story and i want you to think about it. Okay?"
"OK" Some thing is really up with my dad.
"hmmmm...here goes...Some time ago there was a very poor man who lived with his wife and four children. He was a woodcutter and to support his big family he worked really hard."
oh no, is he going through the "woodcutter and the golden axe" story and ask for the moral?
"He cut wood all day and since it didnt pay very well he was barely making ends meet. He sent his children to the public school because he knew that education would give them a better chance. It also worked out to his advantage since the public school served lunches, which meant he had four less mouths to feed in the afternoon."
"mmm hmmm", okay! i can forget about the golden axe and its moral.
"His daily wage was 12 rupees and even if he managed to cut with all his might he only got as much as 13 rupees. He came home with that money everyday and gave it to his eldest son. His son would then set out to the grocery store that was a few miles away and would get all the rice he could get for Rs.12 . Only then it was enough to feed the entire family. They cannot afford to buy any vegetables, so they grew some on their backyard."
Dad please dont ask me for a moral of the story.
"The mother then cooked the rice and served it to everybody. She also saved some rice for breakfast the next morning. Nobody knew how much she saved but they knew that they would get some in the morning."
I have no clue where my father is going with this sad story!
"One day, the father returned and like always his son set out with the Rs.12 to get the rice. But when he got to the store and reached into his pockets, the money wasnt there. He lost it on his way. He got really panicky and started frantically going over the footpath in search of the money. He searched and searched for he forgot all sense of time."
Now, he is just freaking me out...
"Only when it began to get dark he realised that his family was waiting and the truth stared at him. He was not going find that money and his family has to go to sleep starving that night. He returned home empty handed. And when he told his father about the money, he got so furious that he started beating his son."
Why is dad getting all emotional, and is that a drop of tear i see in his eyes?
"After all, it was all his day's work."
........thats it? thats the end of the story? Not a fairy tale ending..
"Not a fairy tale ending huh? But that how it is son."
"Yeah, It was a sad story."
"Well, you think about it....Your present is waiting in the hall."
i dont have to tell you how glad im for the story to end and to hear them magic words. Into the hall and the three big letter `DELL` on the box seems so beautiful, Mom standing next to it with a huge smile.
"Thanks dad, and thanks mom"
Dinner with my favorite sweet(rashagulla!) and soon its time to bed. Everybody off to sleep while i try to unpack the computer. Mom comes to my room to say good night.
"Raj, you can complete assembling it tomorrow. Go to sleep now."
"Ok mom, i'll in two minutes."
"Alright."
"Mom wait, I have a question for you....Dad today told me a story and i didnt understand why he was was so emotional about it."
"What story?"
"A poor woodcutter's story."
"Your grandfather was a woodcutter. Maybe thats why. Now, off to sleep. Good night!"

I switched the lights off and waited for a good ten-fifteen minutes. I went to my dad's room.
He was sleeping, but i gave him a hug anyway.

Dedication: To my cute little twin, Danny, who helped me write this story.

Labels: Short Story

9 owls

Caution: Another short story. Dont ask me why four sentences make a chapter. I always wanted to write in chapters. You are entitled to your opinion, but i hate the opinion. :D

Chapter - I
Kalpana was a smart woman. She always knew what to do given a tough situation. Right now she nodded at herself for concluding righteously what to do. All her teammates agreed with her. She flicked a switch on and started talking.

Chapter - II
"So what is the answer?", cried Mr. Sarathy. "What a pity... 9th standard is supposed to be the building block of your education... and here you all are without even knowing this". Apparently he had asked a question to the students and stood them up one by one for the answer and no one knew it. Fourty five sets of legs standing and fourty five sets of shameful eyes were staring down... except one. Mr. Sarathy knew very well that Bala would know the answer. He moved his eye to the only boy still sitting in the entire class.
"Answer?", he said.
"11.2 Kilometers per second.", came the reply.
"Excellent."

Chapter - III
".... you are breaking up. You see what outside your window?", came the crisp female voice over the PA.
Kalpana continued, "We have a dog. I repeat. We have a dog outside the window......"

Chapter - IV
"Man, this is crazy. My parents would be worried sick, you know that? Its already 8:30 PM." said Kannan.
"Hey, listen, this is very important to me. I need that thing for the project. I have got everything ready except this one. So tonight is the last drill. We are going to steal that and we are going to complete the project. ok? So please stay with me."
Kannan nodded but he smelt trouble. They were near an huge metal scrapyard at the edge of the city after school hours. A fourteen year old could not have smelt more trouble in his life. But he trusted Bala, his best friend since childhood. "What is that we are stealing again?".
"We are going to steal a huge spring. I would have done it myself but it was too heavy. Come lets go in, i think the guy just left.", said Bala and ambled into the shadows.

Chapter - V
"We saw it went past the window and got itself stuck in the system. We accessed the damage. It seems irrepairable.", said Kalpana.
"What! Please hold i'll get Failsafe team immediately.", said the voice. The panic in the voice was unmistakable.

Chapter - VI
Kannan and Bala walked into the night carrying the payload. Bala turned the knob and opened an old cabin which stood quite outside his home with a sign that read "Dexter's lab. Do not enter!". Kannan expected the cabin to be dingy and ran down from its looks outside. But he was in for a surprise. The cabin was nothing like he had expected. It was single room, well lit by a 100 watt Philips bulb. The shelf was covered with many books, too big and advanced for an ordinary 14 year old at least.
"Hey, i will run into the house, tell my parents that im studying here with you and come back immediately. Just give me two minutes.", said Bala to Kannnan. As an after thought he added, "...and dont touch anything".
Kannan was left alone and he felt like he shouldnt be here. Maybe thats why even though Bala was his best friend he had never shown him this place. The room gave him the creeps. It had nothing that looked normal. There was a fireplace with coal and some blacksmith's tools. There was a huge metal pipe as wide as a two feets standing in the middle of the room that seems to have grown out of the roof. Not to mention the books that had no earthly business with a 14 year old kid. At least the books didn't scare Kannan. So he walked near the shelf and skimmed through the titles. Understandable, "Smelting techniques", "Brief history of Time", "The Colt Revolver", "The Fist of God", "Elasticity", "Modern Periodic table" and such titles did not ring any bell. And then he saw it. A shining metal mould half covered with a cloth. His eyes became wide. It was so glittering that at first Kannan thought that it was silver. He moved his hands tentatively to feel it. Right then, Bala came bursting into the room and startled Kannan.
"Hey, what is this? Is this silver or something.", Kannan asked pointing at the mould.
"No, its not silver. Its an alloy. Mostly tungsten.", said Bala as a matter of fact.
"I know, the metal in the light-bulb filament. So thats why you have been asking our friends to get you that strip of thing everytime some light fused out. To make this?", enquired Kannan, showing that he also knows his physics.
Bala gave a bingo-thats-why-you-are-my-friend-smile and replied, "Yeah, exactly. And you know what Tungsten's melting point is 3410 degree Celcius?"
"No i did not know that."
A dog barked outside the cabin which made both Bala and Kannan to turn towards the door.
"Oh shoot! That must be Bluto, our neighbour's dog. They unleash it everynight and it barks the nerves out of everyone in the neighbourhood. You would never believe how much sound comes out of something that small. Or for that matter how much shit! I hate that dog."
"If it is a small dog then why are you worried. Go out and give the dog a piece of your mind.", suggested Kannan.
Bala stood up like some kind of lightning stuck him. Then he said something really weird...
"You know, that dog is so small that it would fit into that tungsten-capsule just fine."
"What?", Kannan quizzed.
"Bluto is going to Pluto at an escape velocity of 11.21 Kilometers per second."

Chapter - VII
"Go ahead Columbia. This is Mission Control." came in a male voice through the speakers.
"Houston, we have a problem...", continued Kalpana.

Author's Note: If you are one of those people who come to my site, read everything and leave without clicking on [Comments], there is an embedded virus in this that sends all your temporary internet files and images to all the girls in your address book, your HR manager and your parents. You have been warned.
Me dedicate this to my good friend Sudhakar. I know, at least one comment assured.

Labels: Short Story

11 owls

Note: This is my first attempt at pure fiction. So please excuse me for being naive..i was pressed for time!

Scene 1: Busstand, Busy Monday morning...8:30 AM

A 20-something-college-going-guy-with-a-knapsack -baggy jeans and crumpled shirt- on his cell phone. Talks briefly into the device - disconnects - looks up to the bus standing near him.

He looks inside the bus...not very crowded bus...a good-looking girl sitting near the window seat and reading something. She straightens up.. looks outside the window... and sees our guy put his cell phone into his pocket and walk away. Right then another pretty looking girl steps onto the bus.. smiles at girl#1 and sits next to her.

they start talking.... we move in after 45 seconds...

.......
girl#1: i could never understand your obsession....
girl#2: why shweta? wouldnt it help to know how any steps i have to take from my home to the bus stand?
Shw: that i understand...what i dont understand is..why would anyone want to know how many windows are in this bus...how many in the right side? or how many in the left? u r crazy, Lavanya, i tell u.
Lav: me not crazy... its just a time pass... keeps me busy and thinking
Shw: yeah.. thats right. did u count how many people were using cell phones on ur way over here today?
Lav: no, as a matter of fact, i did not.
Shw: sure..whatever..
Lav: if u r not bored yet with my obsessions..can i tell u one more? please ya.. im dying to tell u
Shw: [smiles] ok sure..u r allowed one petty wish per day
Lav: ok, im the only person in this bus who is wearing blue!!
Shw: [gives an other whatever-smile] what does that make u? special?
Lav: yeah sure it does!!
Shw: [shakes her head and looks at the door] ....... im sorry kiddo..but ur special something was just ruined! look at that guy u just walked into the bus. he is wearing blue!
Lav: [looks up at the guy] *their eyes meet, a tiny smile from the guy as if he knows whats going on* damn it!
Shw: i like that guy for that .....

8:37 Bus starts and pulls out of the stand.

Scene 2: Tuesday 8:30 AM

Shweta looks outside the bus window from her window seat. Her next seat is empty. The same guy-with-knapsack walks past putting his cell phone away into his jeans pocket. She also sees Lavanya walk inside the bus...

Lav: hey Shweta! morning!!
Shw: Morning Lavs! So u are wearing white today huh? lets see....
[both scans the bus for any white dress]
Lav: yayyyy!! no one!!!
Shw: looks like u r *today's special* after all!
Lav: i know
3 minutes 41 seconds later...
Shw: hahaha.. here comes my saviour! in *white* [point to the same guy who was in blue the day before walk inside the bus]
Lav: *eyes meet, tiny smile* damn that guy!

8:37 Bus starts and leaves the stand.

Scene 3: Wednesday 8:30 AM

As usual, Shweta is waiting for Lavanya with a saved seat. As she walks inside, she sees the same guy-with-knapsack walk away.

Lav: morning!
Shw: i think u have suceeded into getting me involved in ur little obsession...
Lav: why? what happened?
Shw: nothing huge like urs... i just see this guy everyday in the bus stand!
Lav: that is not anything.. people wait in bus stand everyday at the same time
Shw: i know.. but he talks into the cell phone also everyday..
Lav: So?
Shw: the catch is, he doesnt get onto any bus... he just leaves.
Lav: ok... now we are talking... welcome to the club mate!
Shw: whatever.. this *is* kind of weird..
Lav: ok..coming to my world..lets see who else is wearing my color today..yellow.
[both scans the bus for any yellow dress]
Lav: no one... thats great!
Shw: dont celebrate too soon.. our *guy* is yet to come [looks outside the window] ...and here he comes..and then there were two people in *yellow*
Lav: *eyes, smile* this is unbelievable.. im beginning to like this guy!
Shw: [laughs out] me too..
Lav: hmmmm... i think i need to throw a curve ball here
Shw: what do u mean?
Lav: this guy manages everything... but i doubt he has a shirt in Pink color! No self-respecting guy would wear pink!!
Shw: so?
Lav: Im wearing pink tomorrow!

8:37 Bus starts and leaves the stand.

Scene 4: Next day 8:30 AM

Lavanya walks inside the bus, in her pretty pink dress!

Shw: look! that is the guy.. the one who is putting his cellphone inside the pocket, he is the one who waits and walks away from a bus-stand everyday.
Lav: oh i see..
Shw: so u wore pink..huh?
Lav: so lets see how *ur guy* manages this one!
Shw: lets see...
[2 minutes pass by in silence...both keep a vigil for *our guy*... peeping out the window every 2 seconds... tension mounting]
Shw: i think i see him... yes it is him...
Lav: where is he? what color is he wearing?
Shw: shoot...its *red*.. look there
[our guy walks into the busstand casually wearing a red colored T-shirt]
Lav: yeah it is *red*... haha.. i won this round! didnt i?
Shw: I'll be damned!! Look at the message on his T-shirt!!

The T-shirt reads: "Red is the new pink!"

[both girls are wide-eyed now in disbelief]
Before they could recover, our guy walks inside the bus ... *smiles at Lavanya*... sits 2 rows in front of the girls.

8:37 Bus starts and pulls out of the stand. Our guy takes out his cellphone.. touches few keys to get to the last received calls.. and presses `Call`...

guy#1: thanks dude! she sure was surprised to see the message
guy#2: no problemo buddy.. just remember, we double date..u get Lavanya, i get Shweta! over and out!



Author's note: I swear this is fiction. Please don't spam/pester me! And if u didnt like it, dont bother clicking on [Comments] either :P

Labels: Short Story

12 owls