In response to Sunday Scribbles on May 22 2008.
Anu was happy with where she was in her life. She had worked hard for this and had never quit in the trying times. The phrase that her mom used to tell her in younger days was etched in her mind "Winner don't quit and losers don't win". But things seem to have changed lately. Her encouragement and suggestions was taken as intervention. Her aggressiveness and eagerness was translated to desperation. It dawned on her that people who always looked upon her, have grown up and can take care of themselves. She realized the feeling, the one her friends had been talking, which she ignored - a feeling of unwanted-ness. On closer look, it seemed like a feeling to liberation - to go ahead and live life in her terms and let the world take care of itself. She understood a greater message of life - "Winners know when to quit, losers don't".
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Impulse
In response to the prompt on Writer's Island on May 15 2008.
Mac generally used to like this stretch of the road, which had one lane. For some reasons, it used to remind him of the small town he grew up. It had been 20 years since he left his town, trying to make a career in the city. In many ways he was successful but he lacked the aggressiveness that would have taken him three rungs up the corporate ladder than where he is today. He glanced in his rear mirror and saw a car tailgating him, desperately trying to make him drive faster. It always happened at this time when he and people from his neighborhood are driving back home. These things never used to bother him much. As soon as the road became little wider with one more lane, the car behind overtook him. He sensed the desperation in the eyes of his young neighbor who was driving the speeding car. In the next 3 minutes, 5 cars overtook him, glaring at him before they passed. In an impulse, he pressed the accelerator pedal hard and raced ahead of all the six cars that over took him. While doing so, he glanced at each one of them and saw the surprised look of the drivers. The neighbors for the first time in their life had seen Mac speak.
Mac generally used to like this stretch of the road, which had one lane. For some reasons, it used to remind him of the small town he grew up. It had been 20 years since he left his town, trying to make a career in the city. In many ways he was successful but he lacked the aggressiveness that would have taken him three rungs up the corporate ladder than where he is today. He glanced in his rear mirror and saw a car tailgating him, desperately trying to make him drive faster. It always happened at this time when he and people from his neighborhood are driving back home. These things never used to bother him much. As soon as the road became little wider with one more lane, the car behind overtook him. He sensed the desperation in the eyes of his young neighbor who was driving the speeding car. In the next 3 minutes, 5 cars overtook him, glaring at him before they passed. In an impulse, he pressed the accelerator pedal hard and raced ahead of all the six cars that over took him. While doing so, he glanced at each one of them and saw the surprised look of the drivers. The neighbors for the first time in their life had seen Mac speak.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Soar
In response to the prompt on Sunday Scribbles on Thursday, May 15, 2008.
He was just 2 years old. He understood the world as good as his mom and dad but could not make them understand. One day his dad got a nice remote control plane to fly. He and his equally excited dad went outside to try it out. The weather was perfect - sunny, bright and the wind in just the right direction to make the plane go up high. His dad tried couple of times but the plane would launch and swirl down almost immediately. He was trying to tell his dad to position the plane little higher and press the button with a pressure towards down. But all his dad heard was his squeaks and shrills. His dad tried to calm him down saying he needed to concentrate on the plane fly but finally giving in to the little boy's persistent squeaks. He stood in the little chair that his dad got for him and tilted the plane and pressed the button just right. Together, they saw the plane soar up 20 feet high in the air, do a triple summersault before landing in the ground.
He was just 2 years old. He understood the world as good as his mom and dad but could not make them understand. One day his dad got a nice remote control plane to fly. He and his equally excited dad went outside to try it out. The weather was perfect - sunny, bright and the wind in just the right direction to make the plane go up high. His dad tried couple of times but the plane would launch and swirl down almost immediately. He was trying to tell his dad to position the plane little higher and press the button with a pressure towards down. But all his dad heard was his squeaks and shrills. His dad tried to calm him down saying he needed to concentrate on the plane fly but finally giving in to the little boy's persistent squeaks. He stood in the little chair that his dad got for him and tilted the plane and pressed the button just right. Together, they saw the plane soar up 20 feet high in the air, do a triple summersault before landing in the ground.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Faithful
In response to the prompt on Writer's Island on May 8 2008.
He placed the phone receiver back in its cradle. Now there was no turning back. She wished if he could think again, just one last time before parting ways. She enjoyed being with him and that was all she ever wished for. But with time, he has changed. She remembered her earlier days with him, when he could take very good care of her. He would lavishly spend money on her to ensure she was comfortable and looking bright and shiny. His friends too adored her. She had accompanied them to their various excursions and loved being a part of their group.
But his marriage changed everything. At their very first meeting, his wife disliked her. It was clear that she had to go away. She knew she was growing old and could not compete anymore. Once she was beautiful and widely admired but now, there others that people ogled. But still, she could not help feeling bad. She was faithful to him and had never caused any trouble. She wondered if he felt the same way or had he forgotten all the memories they had shared together. Finally the door bell rang. A young college student entered and smiled at her before taking the car keys from him and driving her off.
He placed the phone receiver back in its cradle. Now there was no turning back. She wished if he could think again, just one last time before parting ways. She enjoyed being with him and that was all she ever wished for. But with time, he has changed. She remembered her earlier days with him, when he could take very good care of her. He would lavishly spend money on her to ensure she was comfortable and looking bright and shiny. His friends too adored her. She had accompanied them to their various excursions and loved being a part of their group.
But his marriage changed everything. At their very first meeting, his wife disliked her. It was clear that she had to go away. She knew she was growing old and could not compete anymore. Once she was beautiful and widely admired but now, there others that people ogled. But still, she could not help feeling bad. She was faithful to him and had never caused any trouble. She wondered if he felt the same way or had he forgotten all the memories they had shared together. Finally the door bell rang. A young college student entered and smiled at her before taking the car keys from him and driving her off.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Torrential rain
In response to the prompt on Weekend Wordsmith on May 2 2008.
The ground is cracked
People and animals are baked
The breeze is warm
Too much heat can do much harm
Not a cloud in sight
Whether it is black or white
People dance, Animal dance
They all do the rain dance
Doesn't matter what one believes in
All people want is rain to pour in
Suddenly the sky turns black
Seems like clouds are about to crack
Joy spreads amongst all
As they cheer, hug, dance and fall
They vow to save precious water
Incase a need arises, they can use it for later
Down it poured and poured
The torrential rain
Not stopping at all
For days together
People are in flux again
Did they do too much of rain dance
What sort of joke is nature playing?
From draught to flood, the times are trying.
The ground is cracked
People and animals are baked
The breeze is warm
Too much heat can do much harm
Not a cloud in sight
Whether it is black or white
People dance, Animal dance
They all do the rain dance
Doesn't matter what one believes in
All people want is rain to pour in
Suddenly the sky turns black
Seems like clouds are about to crack
Joy spreads amongst all
As they cheer, hug, dance and fall
They vow to save precious water
Incase a need arises, they can use it for later
Down it poured and poured
The torrential rain
Not stopping at all
For days together
People are in flux again
Did they do too much of rain dance
What sort of joke is nature playing?
From draught to flood, the times are trying.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Carrying a grudge
In response to the prompt on Weekend Wordsmith on April 25 2008.
Eli knew it was time to talk to Leo. She would not have been able to do so if her mom was around. Both families have been carrying grudges for years ever since Eli's grandfather was killed by Leo's grandfather. Those were different times, when they had more power, freedom and land. Now times had changed and they were dependent on others. She hated getting orders and acting upon them. She had observed Leo too had humbled in the last couple of years. Time has a way of leveling power, anger and hatred. He seemed to be longing for freedom, just like her. After the show, she went to him and they acted quickly, broke the bars and ran away to the nearby wilderness, which held their lives, their freedom. News flashed quickly into CNN and other news media that Eli the elephant and Leo the lion were missing from the Royal Circus. The media cautioned people to take necessary precautions to protect themselves. Little did they know that Eli and Leo had run away from them to the nearest jungle, far away from human habitat, never to return back.
Eli knew it was time to talk to Leo. She would not have been able to do so if her mom was around. Both families have been carrying grudges for years ever since Eli's grandfather was killed by Leo's grandfather. Those were different times, when they had more power, freedom and land. Now times had changed and they were dependent on others. She hated getting orders and acting upon them. She had observed Leo too had humbled in the last couple of years. Time has a way of leveling power, anger and hatred. He seemed to be longing for freedom, just like her. After the show, she went to him and they acted quickly, broke the bars and ran away to the nearby wilderness, which held their lives, their freedom. News flashed quickly into CNN and other news media that Eli the elephant and Leo the lion were missing from the Royal Circus. The media cautioned people to take necessary precautions to protect themselves. Little did they know that Eli and Leo had run away from them to the nearest jungle, far away from human habitat, never to return back.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Outrageous
In response to the prompt on Writer's Island on April 24 2008.
She was tired, exhausted but stilll pretty excited. The ground was hot and the breeze, being warm, did not help in feeling refreshed. Though she was a foreigner here, this place gave her some peace and serenity. In the 10 days that she spent here, there is some calmness in the whole chaos of life. She has read and heard that sometimes one’s own land does not give the peace that one is looking for. That's the reason, places are explored and discovered.
Today she was flying back to her country and she wanted to buy some souvenirs for herself and her dear ones. Even before coming here, she had spent lot of time knowing the local language and culture. She knew exactly what the locals eat, what they wear, what they celebrate, how much the local stuff cost.
She entered a shop, where the two shopkeepers immediately started luring her into buying the stuff what was displayed in the store. There was couple of things she wanted to buy and asked them for the price. They, thinking she is a foreigner and not knowing any local knowledge, quoted prices 10 times higher. She felt outrageous. She realized irrespective of how much she accepts the place, the locals will always try to take advantage of her because of her face. Gaining herself, she spoke to them calmly in their local language, that she was planning to buy lots of stuff but now she feels cheated even without buying anything. The shopkeepers were stunned hearing her speak their language so flawlessly. They stood speechless as they watched her walk away.
She was tired, exhausted but stilll pretty excited. The ground was hot and the breeze, being warm, did not help in feeling refreshed. Though she was a foreigner here, this place gave her some peace and serenity. In the 10 days that she spent here, there is some calmness in the whole chaos of life. She has read and heard that sometimes one’s own land does not give the peace that one is looking for. That's the reason, places are explored and discovered.
Today she was flying back to her country and she wanted to buy some souvenirs for herself and her dear ones. Even before coming here, she had spent lot of time knowing the local language and culture. She knew exactly what the locals eat, what they wear, what they celebrate, how much the local stuff cost.
She entered a shop, where the two shopkeepers immediately started luring her into buying the stuff what was displayed in the store. There was couple of things she wanted to buy and asked them for the price. They, thinking she is a foreigner and not knowing any local knowledge, quoted prices 10 times higher. She felt outrageous. She realized irrespective of how much she accepts the place, the locals will always try to take advantage of her because of her face. Gaining herself, she spoke to them calmly in their local language, that she was planning to buy lots of stuff but now she feels cheated even without buying anything. The shopkeepers were stunned hearing her speak their language so flawlessly. They stood speechless as they watched her walk away.
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