You see the flag on that hill?'Saurav's father said'That there is the tallest flag in the world' He had little Saurav in his arms as they looked out of the window.Through the sleet of the torrential rains that painted the world outside in a depressing white,they could see the tall flag up on the hill waving wildly in the gusty wind.
'What will happen to the flag now, dad?'Saurav asked.
'Nothing son.If this flag tears off there will be others to replace it'his father assured him.
'Is it always like that with big flags?'Saurav said'They are replaced when something bad happens'
'It is son.But the important thing is that the flag must keep flying' 'Will it keep flying even after a hundred years, dad?' 'That will depend on you, your children and your grandchildren' Saurav's father said with a smile.
The five year old Saurav didn't understand his father but watched the flag on the hill flailing violently in the storm.
'You two come and have breakfast right now.I can't serve you breakfast the whole day'Saurav's mother's voice could be heard from the kitchen.Both father and son rushed to have their breakfast.It would be a shame to stay on an empty stomach on Republic Day.-
The Old Lovers
The cafe was crowded and the middle aged couple got a table after a long time.
'A coffee for me and a hot chocolate for the lady please',the man told the waiter and turned to the woman,'You aren't diabetic now, are you?'
The woman shook her head and smiled.-
A Brave Child
'Here is a child who fought with life and never gave up his smile even when he lost'
Derek Malcolm Jr,1999-2002-
The Artist and the Couple
The artist was sketching a portrait of a couple on the bridge. When he was half way done, the man and woman walked away in different directions.He put in the other details from memory.-
A butterfly swims across the room,
Catching the setting sun,
On its old and withering wings.
Its scales fall on the ground
Like drops of gold
On each tick of the wall clock.
The butterfly tries to get out
But bumps into the glass window each time,
every day.
But tries again the next day.
-
As you travelled underneath the bridge on M.D. street, you couldn't miss the community of homeless people who had sheltered themselves around the columns of the bridge.Men,women and children lived there comfortably as one would be in their own homes.When the traffic light would turn red,these people would move about the halted vehicles asking for change.Young mothers with children on her arms were the most striking of the lot.I would often wonder during my passage below the bridge what might have been their stories and what circumstances brought them here.It was like a city within a city,covered in the shadow of the bridge.
A few days ago,when I passed under the bridge I noticed that the homeless people were no longer there.The dirty walls of the columns were freshly painted and two women were kneeling on the ground scrubbing the raised floor around one of the columns as if their life depended on it.A bespectacled middle aged man stood some distance away instructing his workers to complete the renovation works today.
The Prime Minister would be coming to the city tomorrow along with foreign dignitaries to attend the G20 conference.-
Two friends sat quietly in a bar,without talking.The waiter came at regular intervals to take away the empty glasses and replace them with new drinks.It was nearing ten o' clock at night.They didn't talk much except a little about India exiting the world cup in such poor style.
'Its good you didn't go to the wedding,the food was horrible'one of the friends said finally.
The other friend smiled.'She wasn't big on eating' he said and emptied his glass.He motioned with his hands to the waiter.
The waiter came back with a tray.
'Final drink sir,the bar has closed'He said politely.
'Its good.You have a nice place here'he said.He tipped the waiter handsomely and paid the bill.
When they exited the bar,the man turned to his friend and said'You know last night I dreamed of her again.'
'You should forget her now'his friend said.
'Yes'he said and lit a cigarette.
His gaze roamed to a pub across the street.'That place still seems open.'
His friend looked at his watch.Before he looked up the man had started ambling towards the pub.He promptly followed,carefully looking on either side of the street for any speeding vehicles.Tonight more than ever he needed to be with his friend.-
“For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”
-Nelson Mandela-