Happy New Year, Folks!

Well, this is a I-am-here-I-have-always-been-here-even-though-it-did-not-seem-I-was-here post. Nothing interesting , just BS.

Why the need ? Because I missed writing on this space. Because I was always here, scribble something in my drafts and left this place assuring I will be back to add some stories, some thoughts to this dream-space of mine.

So why now? Now, when you have nothing to write? Because its almost the end of the year and I haven't contributed anything this year.

Is this because nothing worthwhile happened this entire year? No, definitely not. As a matter of fact, its the opposite. A lot of things happened. And most of them for good. To family, to friends, to near and dear ones, to the far and not-so-dear ones & to me as well. Yet, I have not been screaming here, one bit.

So why today? 30th December? Because its the saddest day of my life on the calendar. The day I wish would have never happened. But 31st comes along and I see people cheerful and full of enthusiasm celebrating the end of the year wishing that a beautiful year comes out of its cocoon to spread joy and color to their lives.

And So, as we move to this new beginning, I wish you all a very Happy New Year!!

Going back in time

Its hard to be nostalgic when you can hardly remember a thing.
Believe me, its not easy for me to not forget a thing.
How many times have you come across moments during your mundane routines that remind you of little things from past. Little kids playing under the scorching sun reminds you of your summer vacation afternoons spent on the cricket field. A group of friends laughing around a coffee table in CCD reminds you of your days with your friends.
And then there are some others.

Like this drowsy much-maligned Monday Morning. With closed eyes, I was listening to this song on my i-pod while on my way to work. And for the briefest of moments, I found myself in my school classroom standing for the daily morning prayers and the sweetest voice singing the same song on the PAS (Public Announcement System) . It was the most meaningful song I had heard so far, then. And it is one of them, still. The beautiful voice had convinced me that this was always meant to be a prayer. Until later on, I realized it was a song composed by arguably the first international pop star people of my generation must have heard of.
Thank you MJ for the song.
Thank you MJ for a few memories.
Thank you MJ for the words that would mean a lot yesterday, today and forever.

Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

Like this time, when I came across a picture in a certain leading newspaper, a picture that had tainted a 11-year young kid's mind forever !

When was the last time you had such a moment ?

In Greed We Trust !

Scott Adams gets it right, A(I)GAIN.

Fear leads to flight; Anger leads to fight.

...and Anger leads to a friend.

I used to take the school bus in the first few years of my school. As everyone who has been in it at least once would know the school bus is the worst place to be in.It was messy, it was dirty and it was filled with school-going litters howling, screaming and yelling till their vocal chords strained. And this one was no different either. The back seats of the bus was actually a mini fight-club. You settled your scores with people, grudges that were picked up in school.
I was introduced to this club in the first few months of my school itself. I was this young skinny guy back then,short tempered and foolish.(Today, I am old, skinny and still foolish.) Foolish enough to challenge a pig-sized chubby kid for a fight.
If I were to bet, I would have put all my stakes in his favor, even now.
But, back then I was foolish, remember.
So after a lot of name-calling and pulling at each other's shirt, we traded blows (and some bites from him as well). A left, a right, a jab, an undercut, another left followed by a right-handed punch - I got the lion's share of the blows that day. Somehow, by sheer fluke, one of my very few punches landed on his jaws and he started bleeding. Perhaps he could not stand the sight of blood.Or perhaps he could not stand the sight of my battered face. And he fainted. There was only one man standing. Barely standing.
I realized that day the winner takes all, even the punishment that followed the next day at school.After being reprimanded by the headmistress, I pleaded her to forgive me with all the innocence a seven year old could muster. I made friends with Berlin, the chubby guy with a more chubby left cheek that day.

That's how I got my first best buddy in school.

A lot can happen over coffee

- says Cafe Coffee Day. Thanks, but No Thanks. I would prefer the coffee table, if not the bed. Imagine the mess, and dare you order the coffee hot!! Ouch!!

Thankfully this was not over coffee.

Here I was with this gorgeous thing alone in my apartment. This was to be The Night. She was dressed in her seam-ripping, figure-hugging, black leather outfit and looked the sexiest beauty anyone would ever come across. The first time I saw her, I was left speechless. It has been the same ever since. When silence speaks a thousand words, words hold no meaning and like today, lust ceases to be a sin. I walked across to her and pushed her to the couch. As I traced her body with my fingers, I could feel her shiver in excitement. My fingers,as if having a mind of their own, unzipped the only piece of modesty that she had. There she lay in front of me, the Goddess, in a way she was meant to be. She was black, she was beautiful, she had the right curves. Every touch would make her moan & music flowed from her sighs. This was it. I could not hold back any longer. I laid her across myself and holding her in my arms, fingered her to an orgasmic frenzy. My guitar never sounded better. ;)

My Favourite Animal

Sloth is ...
...the nth power of Slow.

...when you are going through the pain of watching Paheli on television because the remote control is 10 cms away from your reach.

...when you are too lazy to hold a grudge.

...the coolest character from the Ice Age.


...when I wouldn't budge out of my mom's cosy womb for more than 9 days of the due date. My mom didn't speak to me for the next few days & my dad wanted to name me after a species of sloths but being an animal lover he felt they were far better looking and it would not be fair to them.

FINALLY...
...when it takes 395 days to write a new post after the last one.

If you could come up with more, there is space in the comments. Dirty it...I m not going to wash it anyways !

I AM LEGEND

CIRCA 2018 A.D.

As the Cargo Ship rumbled past me at the Ferry Wharf, my ham radio blared its message,
"My name is RKL. I am a survivor living in Mumbai. I am broadcasting on all AM frequencies. I will be at the Bhaucha Dhakka everyday at mid-day, when the sun is highest in the sky. If you are out there... if anyone is out there... I can provide Sambar that doesn't taste like Aamti,I can provide the last few forms for the MIB, I can provide security from the Masters of Maharashtra. If there's anybody out there... anybody... please. You are not alone. "

My 5 year-old kid pulled me to a nearby restaurant to show me the breaking news of the day on TV."The President of the State of Maharashtra,Shri BT, has just passed a bill for Radha-Krishna Day.Also in a recent development, the Ambassador of Bengal called upon the Prime Minister, Shri RT, for signing the deal for exports of Vada Pav to Kolkata." Well,these are the legendary protectors of the Marathi Manoos, the Masters of Maharashtra.The S&M government (you pervs!! its the Sena-Maharashtra Navnirman Aliance),that a decade ago,fought to protect the great culture of Maharashtra and drove away all those who didn't follow the "eat-tambaku-n-spit-everywhere" policy or work as efficiently as the BMC.The few survivors were given the MIB-MAHARASHTRA IDENTIFICATION BILLA which was to be tied to the neck at all times - even while you attend nature's call at public places.

So back to my son who comes up with his own breaking news.
"Baba, you know what?? That Pritamrao Patil chya Dhaba(Pritam da Dhaba), it has been banned for serving sarson da saag n makki di roti.And apna Just Parathas, they were lai shana, they changed to Fakta Puranpoli overnite."
"Son, I don't care. I m already confused where you would study - Jijamata Vidyalaya, Sambhaji MahaVidyalaya or the Shivaji Paathshala."
"But Baba, am I not going to the convent school that you did?"
"Na beta,we are supposed to go to Marathi schools only."
"But Shri RT's son goes to the same school that you went.".Annoyed and Angry.
And all of a sudden a mini-riot broke out between the CKPs and KOBRA for insulting each other's culture.
Thank god for these riots, It saved me from my son so far.

As we made our way to the hospital, I over-heard two cricket-crazy Sachin Bhakt speaking," Chya Mayla, those Madrasis they want to send a security delegation to see if the tour can go on...yeu de tyana, lungi kadhun takeen" Well, for the ill-informed, Karnataka were to tour Mumbai for a 3 tests 5 one-dayers & 10 T20s BalaT-DeveG Trophy.But these riots have put the tour in jeopardy.

Dodging my son's questions and the rioting public, I reach the hospital to find the nurse engrossed in the entertainment section of Mumbai-Aarsha and the headlines screamed "KC Bokadia che chingari, a tribute to RGV ki Aag,was the undisputed hit abroad, especially in Jharkhand."
And there my poor wife lay in the labour-room writhing in pain, having just delivered my cute li'l baby.
"Sorry honey, I can't be with you right now, I got to file for the MIB with the BMC before they get our newborn arrested for being an illegal resident!"
Run Bala Run, b-bye!!

Just another discussion...

...which involved an English Guy who was head of a certain department and an Indian who was just another team member.

Overheard a nice peaceful talk between them.

Accompanied by a damsel in distress, the English guy (EG) approaches the Indian guy (IG).

EG: Hey help the lady with her task and make sure the lady doesn't have any trouble, else... I will make your life not worth living here.

Indian guy smiles at him of which the lady assumes is the submissive attitude of people in my trade, the ones who accept every unreasonable demand of clients without batting an eyelid.Not that this one was.
Taking copies of some related documents, he approaches the English guy with the lady in tow.

IG (to the lady) : Here you go, this will help you in ur task.
IG (to the EG) : Here J, this will be useful in helping the lady in case she is in trouble.
EG : Why what happened to you??
IG : You can help her incase I m not available.
EG : What do you mean "not available"?
IG : I may be sick & may not come to office.
EG : Yes or maybe you might be hit by a cab and you won't come to office.
IG : Yep... so you can be my BACKUP then.
EG (a bit stunned) : BACKUP ?!?!?!?!
IG : yes, my BACKUP when I may be hit by a cab and i can't make it to office.

Wonder who had the last laugh but all I could see was the Indian guy smiling (as we always do in victory or defeat) and the apple-red colour on the white face of the English guy which was a stark contrast to his shining bald head.

The Hunter and A Free Bird

The first one are some amazing thoughts I came across,the attitude this cut-throat competition in today's lives demands.

Wrapped in silence
The forest looks still
Do not be fooled
Life lurks within

Everything that lives in it
Is a predator or a prey
Be the sly agile hunter
And you live another day

Eat or be eaten
The laws here say
Bloodshed isn’t uncommon
A small price to pay

Ravish the warm blood
Success has a sweet taste
No ethics or guilt here
It’s your survival at stake

So sharpen your senses
And live for the day
Have no regrets
Slay or be slayed.

_____________________________________

Even though I could agree with it no less, the free spirit in me thinks otherwise.
These are my personal thoughts.

The world I roam
It’s a crab culture,
For every prey,
There is a vulture.

Tough is the world
But I care not.
Live n let live…
Even if it’s hot

Spew some blood around
To win at any cost?
Nah!! Even if I lose
I have not lost

As sweet as the success,
Is the fun on the way,
Friends galore I meet,
With each I dance n sway.

Am I the strongest?
I care a damn
Happy-go-lucky,
Is what I am…

In this brutal war,
I may be slayed,
I would have no regrets,
For I lived my day!

The walk back home....

Tokyo is a very nice place.It has been the best place I have ever been to in my short life span.Its better than the place where I took my first breath,the same place where I hope to take my last.No doubt,Tokyo has been good to me so far.But my world is some place else.The world that I don't wanna share with anybody.
This is dedicated to my family and my buddies who mean the world to me.


The dawn of the dusk and I trudged to my place,
Bemused slow steps set the soul to race,
These steps looked so far and forlorn,
As far as my heart that stayed at home.

Each step it sounds familiar and heard,
even if they were unseen unspoken unheard,
These old steps that each day woke my sleep,
& stopped by me as each night would creep.

(Walking down this alien road...)
Lost in my thoughts, I had a fumble,
Hold me dear friend, before I crumble,
You were the one who was seldom harsh,
Trust you blind, you are never a farce.

(Walking down this alien road...)
Lost in thoughts,I bumped into Mr. John,
The look in his eyes were full of scorn,
In my land,they would care a damn,
even if you were run over by a tram.

(As I walked to my door...)
For the keys in the bag,my fingers slid,
The soul was lost in the chirp of a kid
The smile that took my gloom in its stride...
Sigh!! but a Dark silence awaits me inside.
The cold of the door knob, it sometimes killed,
The warmth had long died,my place served chilled.

The world here is aplenty and sauve,
But nothing for me to be in awe,
Not that was I born with a silver spoon,
(the one that fed this kid,)
It shines no less, though its a humble spoon.

When I hit the bed, the soul felt,
the ice could wait before it melt,
tears could freeze,even if its a crime,
for there is some more time till its time.


As an afterthought...

when friends say distance breaks many a heart,
And strains of time stretch the STRINGS apart,
these STRINGS that bind my heart as one,
the ones these strains could never sway,
are the ones that drive these strains away.

Stuck in a Jam

I am in a block.I have to write something.

I started atleast 5 things and they all have failed to reach termination-point. A river that flowed with energy, all of a sudden seems to have dried up before it could reach the seas.This could be frustrating.
To start things and then leave them in between because something holds you back and try as you might, it doesn't seem to end.Reason???.A place, a person, a thing, a situation, a conflict, a blank mind, a confused mind or a lazy mind that just refuses to think further.
This, from personal experiences I say, can happen in various facets of life.All the steps that you took seem to end just short of zenith.
You are in your job and suddenly you realise you are going nowhere, never mind if, from the fence, it seems you are on course, going with the flow. A wandering nomad who might just go all around the world just because its in his nature but everything appears same and he awaits a lifetime for his nirvana.A budding partenership may stall in the middle before it could grow fruitful.A relation might dry up before it could rest in bliss and peaceful harmony.
So what do you do then? Trace back your steps? Leave those unfinished business?Put down your shovel and decide "I will take a new path"? Or put down your foot and say, "No matter what it takes, no matter how long it takes, I am gonna complete it"?
I have decided to take the last option.It will give me a satisfaction that what I had started has reached its fruition. I would like to see my ideas grow and shape up the way I want them to.Just like parents see their babies grow into something that they could be proud of.It will also prove, not to the people I call my world, but to me, that I have taken some decisions that I am convinced about and I can never go wrong with them.That I have made some choices and I will stand by these choices to prove they were the best that was there.
Right now, I am in a block.It won't last for long.

A Tribute to the Best of My Generation

"Commit all your crimes when Sachin is batting. They will go unnoticed because even the Lord is watching."
A placard at the SCG when Sachin Tendulkar was on his way to a magnificent century

-- Courtesy Cricinfo

A man, A mountain.

This is for the lovely people I know who have paid a heavy price for being the sweet-hearts they are & in a manner that would make us shed tears--smiling and laughing.



There is a mountain in my village,
For ages dealt with floods and storms,
It stood alone to the test of times,
Failed it did but very few times.


A fortunate soul who lost his way,
He built his home to live and stay,
The mountain gave him all it can
It gave the best it possibly can.


It seemed such a beautiful sight,
When the place glowed in saffron light,
The sound at dawn of the bird chirping,
& the chilly breeze would pass by flirting.


It blossomed with flowers in the springs of madness,
Drenched in tears in the rain of his sadness,
Autumn came as their bond grew twofold,
Tender felt the winter as you saw love unfold.


When all looks rosy and colors bloom,
It creeps in quietly like a pale gloom
He sought glory to be a suitable groom
Setting their union on the path of doom.


For greener pastures and a content life,
For servants plenty and a beautiful wife,
Leaving me alone is not a crime,
I am your friend till your time.


The rocky monster was left in shock,
Bereft of a companion,its the smiling rock.
It stood alone, it stood tall,
The mountain in my village will never fall.

Lost Something ?!?!

Quite a few things around me have been lost these days. And of course the sadness and grief that accompanied all these things have been the same.

There is a friend who lost his cellphone. Another who lost his car.
One lost her precious safety pin while someone else lost his bank PIN.
One lost her CYCLE (the vehicle) while another, her boyfriend.
Someone called me up to tell me that she lost her virginity.
I lost my entire source-code.
I lost my prospective wife. I lost my prospective girlfriend too.
I lost my pair of socks as well.

People call me ABSENT-MINDED. Is there a relation?

I have lost my mind.

Overheard.

A guy and a gal in the coffee shop.

Gal: You know whenever a gal asks a guy out for coffee, the guy feels the gal is there to be taken.That she is a slut.

Guy: Definitely Not.I don't think every gal who does not ask me for coffee is not a SLUT.

Thank you V.

"If you have trouble finding a solution, ask GOOGLE.If you can't find it there, come to me."

Speechless.

The hand that rocks the cradle...

As I lay fallen on the tarred road,
Not one came across from the passing horde,
As tears kissed my lips,I wish you were there for me
And I lay wincing in pain over a scrapped red knee.

I realised there is a child in me,
Whenever it’s hurt, it cries "Mummy!!"

Of baby steps and mindless cribbing,
Naive demands and tantrums eating
Gave into my every wish,every plea
Keeping an eye,you set me free.

Even though you scolded the child in me,
You knew always that I would be naughty.

With friends I played hide n seek,
Darkness turned me from lion to meek,
Your touch, your hug, your kiss, your care,
Your lovely fingers would ruffle my hair.

You knew about the little child in me,
In your bosom,I felt no demon was scary.

Dad was there with a stern hand,
Bro and Sis made life look grand,
With the darling lady who gave me birth,
I have seen the twain,heaven and earth.

You have been all to the child in me,
You are the only form of GOD I see.

In devilish grins and cruel smirks,
I have seen worldly ways, it sure irks,
The innocent smile that came in glee,
With each passing time I have felt it flee

I still hold on to your dear child in me,
When the devil's advocate asks for a fee.

Your stories, your sayings, your energy for life,
To glow in your eyes, I would always strive,
But when the moment came,when it mattered,
My world tore apart, it left me shattered.

Rocked and broken this child in me,
Cruel and harsh has been his destiny.

There is a child in me, it cries alone,
It misses the most when it lets a moan,
Mom you mean the world to me,
Come back for the sake of the child in me.

Learning on the Road

There is this road in Tokyo that sells some of the weirdest stuff you'll ever find.The items sold are actually fascinating and has a certain mystery to it, an inexplicable aura.The first time I happened to be there, I felt like a little kid in a big toy shop craving for every toy visible.And I bought something to satisfy my craving.Of late, I have been wandering those streets frequently, but couldn't make up my mind on my next possession.And I have returned empty handed.Again.

Ever happened to you? You did a thing once and then you wanted to do it again, but for some reason, you hold back.Perhaps its the fear of meeting the same fate like it happened the first time.The frustration of not being successful the first time (Never been that fortunate.).The initial enthusiasm overshadowed by an unknown unseen force holding you back.Its all around you.The budding actor whose first act was torn down by the critics. The guy who lost heavily in the stock market.The Romeo who lost his first true love.Who knows maybe a gifted genius Brian Lara was forced into exile feeling the desperation of not living upto expectations, not of the hugely sentimental and emotional West Indian public, but his own high expectations.
And then there are the mortals of the blog world who stop writing for whatever reason, a dearth of ideas, paucity of imagination or maybe plain laziness.

So there I resume my scribbling, terminating the "Intermination of the Fantasist" and finding themes to scream about.

Oh Lord Brian Lara, bless me to re-invent myself like you did.Not to set the stage on fire like you did, but to atleast prove myself that I can persevere with what I start.

Its not as difficult as it was for you.Or as it would be for the actor to be applauded by all.Or for the guy to have the guts to bet in stocks again.Or for that matter,as difficult to make Romeo believe that love would one day pass by him again.

The next time I walk past that street, I will definitely buy something and that would be more precious than the first one.

You are on Camera!!

This one has been a long time coming. Its like one of those Vidhu Vinod Chopra movies whose trailers are released two years before the actual release as if its that one-of-a-kind movie that you would kill to catch a glimpse of... and the best part is you almost kill (yourself) when its finally released. Hopefully this one doesn't turn up like one. This blog that is.
So we are talking about my debut video out here. To start with, my buddies DeboNair B, Chatty V, BraveHeart A, Dr.R and others feel I am the best Camera-Man to Inhabit Planet Earth. No sarcasm here, right friends?
This admiration society was formed on our trip to Revdanda, a beautiful silent coastal village near Alibag. Well as is my style (an anti-JOHN WOO-slow-mo images), visuals are captured fast (there is so much to cover and so little time), shakily and hard to understand. There were videos of trees, leaves and the air as well. Obviously, nature can't be sacrificed... so what if there were hardly any pictures of Debonair, Chatty, BraveHeart and Dr. Of course they got their share of limelight when they would jump in front of the camera hoping they would get a celebrity status soon.The best part was when we found a dead snake on the beach and Smarty Debonair - oh, we all know he is good in mimicking and vocab - thought he can pull off a Steve Irwin. So there he was, with his "Crikey" comments, running up to the dead snake and howling into the camera. And he thought he would become the next Steve Irwin of our generation. For all my respect for Steve Irwin and love for his big, curvy, loaded...ahem...beautiful wife, I cannot see anybody replace him. And of course the sand between the snake and Debonair was much more attractive so it had to be caught on camera. THERE IS ALWAYS REASON BEHIND EVERYTHING I CAPTURE. But these guys will never understand and i pay the price of their ignorance. So they had my future "bread n butter" parted from me and Dr. - as is the wont of their species to practice on everyone else except themselves - decided to practice his hands on it.Ummmmm,his work was pretty simple, easy on the eyes and even more easily understood. The Dr. needs some help, guys. But that's another story.
As usual, after every great work, appreciations and bouquets follow.My work never faces any criticism or brickbats even though half of the critics, including those who found mention here, didn't understand the work and the effort put into making such a marvelous piece of work. Here i would like to make special mention of one of my very close buddies Mr.US. He feels what I already know. That I could make it big in the Big H and my debut video can easily be nominated as the most difficult piece of work (Obviously it was, being surrounded by all those loonies). It will be a piece of cheese for me to win the Razzies - the first Indian, not only to be nominated but actually go on and win it. Oh what an achievement.

Mr.Fantasist, take a bow!!!

P.S.---B,V, A, R and others, i know you all will be overcome with gratitude for being mentioned here and apologies for exposing your ignorance to the world.

Can we , TOMORROW?

That guy won the race...wanna win tomorrow.
Wanna set the pace...to lead tomorrow!!
Today's to deal with these nerds...not tomorrow.
Have to write heartfelt words...surely tomorrow.
Wanna pen that thought...maybe tomorrow!!
Say sorry to the friend i fought...perhaps tomorrow!!
Hey dad,me busy today...will u meet me...tomorrow?
Hi Lady,not today but we can have a tea...surely tomorrow?
Can i kiss those curls...on a joyful morrow?
And paint a dream for a loving tomorrow
Will u be with me...in joy & in sorrow?
but she's gone today...where's tomorrow?


'Tomorrow' came today it went
My guilt piles up when do i repent?
Those folks i love
they may be hurt,they may be sore.
If i didn't meet them today
they might think i m a lore.
Wanna call each one of them
& say "Hi Hello Good day!!
Can u meet me, O dear friend,
sometime TODAY??"