The Petrichor

I received the phone which was crying for the attention. A voice from other side said, "Is your hotel free next to next weekend?" I replied positively. The voice said, "Well then, we want to reserve it for the college reunion." I said OK, and noted down his details. But, the very next moment I hung up, I felt as if I know this person.

I watched almost 40 summers in my life. Up to age of 26-27, everything was smooth. Living with parents & a younger brother in Bangalore, with a job in business firm. But, I lost my whole family in an accident. Everything in my life went dark. I felt I have no reason to live. Soon, I got rid of all responsibilities. I resigned job, gave whatever I had & earned. Even I wanted to end the responsibility of myself, but I felt it's too cowardly act. I cut all connections with that life and moved to Mumbai with Rs.10,000 in pocket. After much ups and downs, now I'm a receptionist in a hotel. I don't know whether my friends & relatives tried to search me.

Coming back, I typed his name in social network site [where I had only 10 friends], soon I recognized him. He was my classmate in college. Oh god, it's ridiculous. My friends are coming for reunion, that too in my hotel. Bloody hopeless coincidence. I checked his wall and discovered that there was more than a cent likes for the reunion post. Shit is happening. After many years a ghost began to lurk in my mind.

I'm not sure whether to attend or not. A conflict between hiding and flying, or its Batman vs. Superman within. I didn't know which act will be coercion & which other could be signed up……

If I go there, my friends will surely recognize me and take me to my native, which makes me to return to the former life. If I don't go, then it's differently different. Both have same effect on me. I had to make my decision. Because it is either or neither. No intermediate decision.

As days passed, eventually the thought of "attending party" got settled in heart and "not attending the party" got resided in mind. What started as conflict of thoughts has desolately turned into a quarrel between mind & heart. Hopefully not a war. Still couldn’t break the deadlock. Reunion day was getting nearer.

Finally the day has arrived. I took leave that day. The party was at 7 evening. Now it's 5pm. Still, the confusion baltering between my mind & heart. Either I have to go to the party, otherwise the usual weekend beach visit. Everything is blurring. I sat on my bike. My hand was wet as well as trembling due to nervousness  while inserting key. I kick started the bike and started to drive. I drove and drove, not knowing where to go, to be precise, I did not know to where I was driving. Just riding.

"Difference between mind and heart; your mind tells you the smart thing to do, while your heart tells you what you're going to do anyway,"

                                                                               -Unknown

EVERYTHING IS YOURS......

Lamp is yours, wind is also yours, hope this light not go away
Sea is yours, ship is yours, hope this life does not sink......

Mountain is yours, field is yours, let love spread and smile
let your shade and sunlight is uniform.....

A lightening over there, sky over here, to decorate you
a bird over there, a flower bud over here, are prayers to you

Sea is yours, ship is yours, hope this life does not sink....

A war slogan over there, sound of veena here, are both your echo

That great epic, this thoughtful poem, are both your voices...

Lamp is yours, wind is yours, hope this light does not go away

Sea is yours, ship is yours, hope this life does not sink....

                         -translation of a Kannada song 'Deepavu ninnade'

S/o Cop

Ammer polis, appe teechar, mage kaluve…

                                                               - A Tulu Proverb

It's almost half past 12 pm. I was on the road, walking towards Seth's house. He is my friend of friend. It's month of December, too cold, so I was wearing gloves, black sweater and a monkey cap. Being Batman movie fan I always loved darkness. World somehow understood light, but not darkness. It's beautiful. It helps me to conceal from the society. Though I am optimally thin, my father being cop installed immense courage within me. I'm not afraid of many things (not everything). He also taught me science of deduction, criminal case solving etc. But my moral backbone is my mother, a psychology professor. She always used to say "Do whatever you feel right, but don't do whatever you think is right". She also taught general things of psychology.

Pardon, coming back. Only things I had are my Smartphone and mother's couple of hairpins. Finally I reached Seth's house. Nobody was there inside. The house was empty and locked with a lock named KAS metals.  So I took out the hairpins out pocket and unlocked it. Slowly I peaked in. I switched on the flashlight and somehow reached the bedroom. Nothing seemed so important around. I opened his cupboard. There was a compartment with password driven locking system. That locking system was usual one in this part of the city. It's only two attempts driven. If second attempt dooms, the siren cries tynoonoo….. On the screen it was written ITS _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ LOCK (9 letters). Without thinking much, I typed KASMETALS as it was name of company of lock which was there on main door. To my shock, it failed. So if next attempt fails I'll be in prison. I looked around. Nothing, except a photo, seemed so peculiar. WWE Undertaker vs. John Cena photo in bedroom. Abnormal, isn't it? So it may be JOHNCENAS lock or Undertakers HELLSGATE or GOGOPLATA. Using my mobile uploaded it to Google images. I came to know that it's vengeance match of 2003, July 27, where Undertaker defeated John Cena. So anything related Cena can be ignored, it's evident that Seth is Undertaker fan. While keenly going through Wikipedia, I saw there were only 2 successful submission locks performed by Undertaker in that match. One was choke slam and other one was The Last Ride. So I was confirmed that it's CHOKESLAM, as Last Ride had only eight letters. I typed ITS CHOKESLAM LOCK. It opened. As usual I took 80% of the money.

After 2 days Seth, who returned from tour, told me with sunken face that his house got robbed. I suggested him to register a complaint. But he refused to do so. I knew he would refuse because that money had no documents. He is a government officer who engulfed too much money.

Of course I'm a thief, who nearly robbed 5-6 houses of people like Seth. I liked Batman movies, not Batman; I loved the agent of chaos more. Darkness helps me to hide from people of housing societies. Next, robbery from subjects like Seth…….. I always felt right about it, not only thought it is right. Because, as Tom Hiddleston said "Every villain is a hero in his own mind". Now, don't ask me what I do with that money, its Robin Hood secret.

Father is a police, mother is a teacher, but son is thief.

                                         (Translation of top Tulu proverb)

Open Book by Mikey McCleary

I guess my life's open book
Anyone can take a look
No secrets here to hide this is just me

Holidays, they come and go
Feelings change, people grow
And all I know is I like being free
Da da da.. I'll be fine
This is me now
But I could change, anytime

I guess my life's open book
Everything I gave and took
Is written on my face for all to see

Even when I'm grey and old
Promise me you'll always know
That I carry you around somewhere in me
Da da da.. I'll be fine
This is me now
But I could change, anytime

But oh, how people come and go
Life is just a show
We may all get up as we go
There is no script just let it flow

And oh how nothing seems to last
Days go superfast
Well atleast we had a blast
We really had a blast

Da da da.. I'll be fine
I'll see you again
Another place, another time
When how people come and go
Life is just a show
We may all get up as we go
There is no script just let it flow

And oh how nothing seems to last
Days go superfast
Well atleast we had a blast
Didn't we have a blast