Honesty Anyone?

To reach my office, I generally take a train to Kurla and then catch an auto rickshaw (auto or rick in local lingo). People think I’m rich but the fact is I’m too lazy and impatient to wait for a bus and then sit inside it for an hour and a half and then walk for 15 minutes to reach my office especially when I’m already running late (I’m always running late by the way). A rick takes me there faster and right at the gate too! (could be made into good ad copy for the Autorickshaw union..)

Anyways, a few days back, in the usual morning rush I jumped into the first rick I saw (not bothering to stand in the long line at the stand...I told you I’m impatient). Well, just as the driver started the vehicle, a traffic cop appeared. It seems the auto driver should have gone to the stand instead of parking somewhere else and taking a passenger.

So, this cop asks the driver to hand over his license and papers. The boy ( he couldn't have been older than 20) tried talking his way out to no avail. The cop kept asking for the papers. The boy asked him “Kya karoge”, and the cop replied “100 ka fine lagegaa. Chal tu pavti dikha..” And what does the guy do? He takes out…not the documents the cop asked for…but a 20 rupee note. I cant say I was shocked…from the time the cop stopped the vehicle I was sure the guy will have to pay him...but the cool way in which the driver flashed the note before even showing the cop his papers sort of set me thinking where we are headed as a nation. I mean we don’t even think before handing out bribes. Won’t it be better if we pay the fine to the govt. instead of the officials? I mean out of the 100, even if 50 makes it way back to some kind of development any where in the city, state, or country, isn’t that better than paying off an unscrupulous govt. official?

Maybe I’m being crazy to think that way, but c’mon, you’ve broken a rule and the best way to make amends is to help someone needy…not the “friendly” cop who is anyway supposed to be doing his job and gets paid for it! You want to save money? Don’t break the traffic (or whatever) rules in the first place! You save 100 instead of 80.

Well that’s the way I think.. I know it won’t help eradicate corruption or anything.

Coming back to the incident, what surprised me a little was that the cop refused to take the money and instead on seeing the paper he was asking for! I mean I don’t know if that was because he was an honest guy (wow..that would be something!), he didn’t want to take the money coz I was still in the rick (everyone’s scared of sting ops), or maybe 20 wasn’t enough! Your guess is as good as mine…I didn’t stay long enough to find out.

Happiness?

This is something I've started but am not yet sure where it will lead...there are so many paths and I'll have to chose one! Oh the vagaries of trying to write fiction...

It’s Friday. It’s my birthday. My friends are happy. I am not. They will party for free. I will have to pay.

What is the big deal with birthdays anyway? It just marks the day I was born. I am not happy that I’m alive. Why should I be happy that I was born? But, my friends want a party. It will make them happy. Maybe if I see other people happy, I will feel happy.

What’s happiness anyways? Is it a smile, a hug, a song? Can I record it and play it again and again when I feel I need it? They say they’ve made a drug for happiness. Will it give me real happiness or an illusion of happiness? I don’t want an illusion. I want reality. But, my reality is not very pretty. Maybe I should live in an illusion. I’ve heard illusions can be very pretty.

I think I should go now. My friends want to go. They have decided where to go. I should just go with them. I want to stay here. But they’ll need my wallet. And they’ll need someone to cut the cake before they can eat it. They are nice people, my friends. They think they can cheer me up. That’s what friends are for they say.

Who are friends anyways? People talking, laughing, and crying together? But what if one person does not have anything to talk, laugh, or cry about? It can happen you know…it happens to me.

Did you just say family? Ha…what family? I don’t have any family…lots of relatives but no family. No no…don’t say sorry…my parents are alive and so are my so called siblings…but they’re not my family.

What is a family anyway? A group of people who live for each other, fight for each other, cry for each other? Well...if that’s true then I don’t have any family…I lost them when I lost my…

My First Story: Part 2

Thanks to Everyone who like the first part and wrote such beautiful comments. Thanks also to those who read it but said nothing...I'll assume you liked it ;)

And for those who haven't read the first part...go and read it!! Please don't read this without reading the first! :)

Here's the rest of the story and I'll wait for your critiques...

And then the unexpected happened.

“I think you should go Kaveri.” Saket called out.

Kaveri and Vikas turned towards him, surprise and bewilderment written large on their faces.
“What?!!” They cried in unison.

“Yes, you should go with Vikas. I know you really want to be with him. You need him as much as he needs you. You are holding yourself back only because of me. But, I don’t mind…I really don’t. I only want to see you happy. I think its time we put all our demons of guilt and insecurities at rest. All of us need to start afresh. Vikas has taken the first step by coming here today, and we should do the same. I know it will be difficult but we’ll always be in touch and visit each other often.”
Saket’s voice heavy and emotional but it was also determined. Kaveri knew he meant what he was saying. She was now completely confused. The two men were tearing her apart once again.

Just then the little girl woke up and started crying. Vikas couldn’t seem to comfort her, so Kaveri took her into her arms. The kid fell silent almost as soon as Kaveri picked her up.

“See…she’s already fond of you. She isn’t comfortable with strangers, but she has warmed up to you so easily,” Vikas coaxed Kaveri.

“You haven’t told us her name yet,” Kaveri said in an effort to stall for time as she decided what to do.

“Kavya – her name is Kavya. I named her after the woman I love, admire, and respect the most in my life – you.” Vikas answered quietly. “I want my daughter to grow up to be like you – caring, unselfish, loving, understanding, independent, and strong. I want her to imbibe all the qualities I failed to imbibe from
you.”

His words touched her immensely and Kaveri hugged him warmly. Vikas pulled back from the embrace and walked up to Saket.

“My Dad passed away when I was very young. Mom would always tell me that he was one of the most understanding and compassionate persons she had known. And today, I know he must’ve been just like you. I now know what I lost when I left you all. But I don’t want it to happen to my daughter. I want you also to come with us.
We can live as one big happy family. Will you come?” Vikas implored in an
emotionally charged voice.

“Calm down Vikas! This is not a decision we can make so easily. There are too many things to be thought about. We have others...my kids to think about. I’m not sure we’ll be able to come there and live with you permanently. But, I assure you we will always be one big happy family. In a family where you live, how close or how far, is not important, but how you live is important. Even if we have to live apart, we’ll always be in close touch with each other. We’ll all be there for you and Kavya…always. Won’t that be enough?”

“Yes…yes...it is much more than what I had wished for. I had come here for Mom and now I have you too! I’m more happy than I could ever be!” Vikas replied, relief and joy filling his voice.

“But, there is one more thing I want to ask from you…” Vikas ventured, nervously.

At Saket’s gentle, encouraging glance, Vikas asked him haltingly, “Can I…can I call you Dad?”

Saket could only hug him for an answer.

Kaveri felt her heart overflowing with joy and love. She had received all the happiness she had wanted all at once. Her husband and her son were finally at peace with each other and she was at peace with herself. She had been torn with grief a few minutes ago and now she had everything she had asked for – her life was finally complete now.

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I hope I have sufficiently shocked and surprised you people...in a nice way of course! :)