Monday, October 27, 2008

Wink

Long hair, an earring in his left ear, lanky, somewhat handsome, loads of attitude and stoned beyond his senses. Arjun sat in the canteen of his Film School, yet again not attending classes.

What could the old teacher teach him that his 'God' Kurt Cobain couldn't?
He had his own rave going in the canteen. I need another fix, he thought. He thought of the secluded street right behind the school. His very own 'heaven'.

Getting back to the canteen, he felt a lot happier, lighter, chirpier. He wanted to talk, dance, jump, shout, sing, do the twist, all at once.

His teacher walked into the canteen for a much needed cup of tea. He saw Arjun and shook his head sadly. Poor boy! he thought. He used to be such a delightful young man. I remember him when he came to the college for the first day accompanied by his mother. He was clean, his eyes bright, his walk straight, his clothes smart. His walk is what his teacher remembered most vividly. The confident walk of a man who has nothing to hide. He walked creepy now, he stayed in the shadows now, he dressed like someone who should have been slinking away in the corner in the dark room, thought the teacher.

Arjun wasn't innocent but his teacher still couldn't get himself to completely dislike the boy. He used to be good. He still was good when he was sober. He still smiled sometimes but most of the time Arjun just looked mad.

Right then, while the teacher drank his tea, Arjun snapped and started dancing and singing loudly to the Marlyn Manson song which was now playing on his laptop.

As Arjun, reached the peak of his franticism, his singing turned to an animal like howling. Not a happy howling but a sad, desperate sort of cry and then he broke down in front of his music blaring laptop. 'I miss you, mum' sobbed Arjun. He had lost her in a traumatic road accident. The same accident in which he lost his soul.

The image of his mum, dying in his arms in the middle of the road while he went from pillar to post to get an auto, a car, a mo-bike, a rickshaw, anyone to take his mum to the hospital flashed before his eyes. She died on the road leading to his college. The road he traveled every single day. He saw it all play out in his head every single day. Strange how he didn't see his mum lying there but only the face of auto driver, looking on like it was a film shoot. How ironic? A wry smile crossed Arjun's face.

Marlyn Manson is right! There is no good in the world only evil. Just varying degrees of evil. Satan is the only thing that is real.

Just then Arjun heard the sound of pure, uninhibited laughter. It sounded like nothing he had heard before but he didn't want it to stop. He turned to look at the source of the enchanting, exhilarating, tinkling sound. It was a bunch of new girl students. All dreamy eyed and excited about being in Film School.

He remembered the excitement he felt when he had set foot in the prestigious film school the very first day with his mum. It had truly felt good... then.

One of the girls from the group came up to Arjun, "Are you OK?" , she asked smiling sweetly, her eyes anxious looking at his trembling body.

'I am cool' said Arjun, winking at the girl. She stepped back slightly taken aback by the evil glint in his eye which contradicted the innocent smile on his face.

'Baby, do you wanna be cool?" asked Arjun running his trembling hand through his long black hair.

She walked away. No angels, only varying degrees of the devil, thought Arjun looking at the pretty girl in the pink top walk away stunned.

Black Diamond

A crowded Costa Coffee, a lady with graying hair and eyes that once must have shone like black diamonds ... now only simmering coals remained.
Radha looked anxiously at her son seated across the table from her. His eyes were sunken, bloodshot, his hair disheveled, she felt he smelt of liquor and it was only 10 a.m. she thought.

She thought back to the day she dropped him off at the railway station to go to Noida. He had told her he had a job interview. She had been so naive to believe him. He had left with a hundred thousand of rupees. He had said he needed them for deposit on his rented accommodation.

Now here he sat, asking for more money, with no job, and no real plans of doing one.

Had he even showered? she thought. His stare was glassy and he looked like the devil. 'How can a child be so different from his father?' Radha thought. She remembered Arun's dad... immaculately dressed, honest, a tea totaler. What did I do so wrong? a panicky voice in her asked.

Her son was brooding and demanding some money and food. She glared at him to at least go and pick up the order. He almost trampled a kid on his way to the counter, looking back only to shout a profanity at the now terribly worried mother of the little kid.

Radha wished the earth would open up and swallow her that very moment. She smiled apologetically at the lady as Arun returned with the coffee almost slamming the tray on the table.

Just then Radha, noticed a very skimpily dressed girl with very red lipstick, high heeled boots and glassy eyes resembling her son's eyes walk up to the coffee counter.
She seemed slightly off balance. She saw Arun and waved at him. How a wave of the hand could look so dirty, Radha just couldn't comprehend.

Arun winked back at the girl and then demanded his mum give him another Rs. 50,ooo for the month. He threatened her with dire consequences if she didn't. He played the guilt card too by blaming her for his state in life and for his father's death.

Radha got up, left the envelop with the money on the table, payed the cheque and left with a silent prayer and a solitary tear.

A job well done

2 cappuccinos, a crowded Costa Coffee , a beaming mum and her all grown up son.

He has become such a fine young man thought Radha. Was it really only 6 months back when he moved to Noida, a hesitant, lanky, nervous 26 year old to join his very first job. His very first job in a city he had never been to.

She remembered him leaving Karnal with his bags and an apprehensive smile.

She remembered praying desperately that he like his new life and really become successful at his job as an engineer in an automobile company.

She also remembered his frantic calls sometimes when he felt lost and lonely in his new city and life... they were more frequent in the initial weeks she remembered. He is a quick learner my she thought proudly looking at the handsome young man seated across the table wearing a smart pair of denims and a lilac shirt.

My son always had fashion sense, look how handsome he looks! I Guess all the girls in office have a crush on him. That's what kids these days call finding someone attractive.. 'crushing!' imagine that! He looks so like his father. Radha smiled.

He has his father's walk too she thought when he went up to order a sandwich for her. He stopped to let the pretty lady order first, I taught him well. He learnt well. Well! He is a gentleman she thought.

'Ok! Lets see this girl you've been raving about' she said to him when he returned with her sandwich.'

'Sure mum, you'll love her. She really is looking forward to meeting you.' he said placing his hand over his mother's.

'Let me just call to check she's O.K.'He said reaching for his swanky new Apple i phone.

And just when he was dialing her, Radha noticed her son's eyes light up looking at this lovely girl. The formal pants and shirt gave her away that she had come straight from office even though she looked as fresh as ever.

She looked slightly nervous Radha noticed. Arun walked up to his lady love and she seemed to gain strength from his reassuring smile. She bent to touch Radha's feet and just then it hit Radha that she was old! 'What an odd thought!, said a little voice in her head as she quickly hugged her pretty-soon-daughter-in-law-to-be.

Two lattes and a couple of hours later, Radha called for the cheque. Arun promptly reached for it. 'Mum, it's on me' he said showing his perfect set of teeth and the gorgeous dimples.

Radha sighed, smiled and thought Arun really had grown up. A job well done she told herself.
 
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