First time for everything - 3

“I am telling you! Pongal at Tifanys is not worth it. I have only ten minutes left for the next class and I really don’t want to miss it. You can have your breakfast later, can’t you? I repeat; Pongal is not that tasty there. When I said I wish I could have some, I meant it as a wish. Nothing more.”
“Pongal at Tifanys. And that’s that. No arguments. You can get to class a bit late, I’m sure.”

“Oh well. Fine. I can’t believe you are making me do this.” smiles

After some fifteen minutes, I got back to class. I had left my bag in class when I left. I entered by the back door and found, as expected, that someone else had taken my seat with my bag beside it. I tried my best not to disrupt the class as I entered and settled down. Being almost invisible helps at times.

As my bag containing my stationary stationery and notebooks was elsewhere, I asked Ramya, who was seated in front of me, for an extra pen. She gave me one. And a notebook to write on too. Just then, the professor shouted, “Out! Get out of my class this instant.”

“But, sir. I had come early to class. Even my bag is somewhere here only. I had just gone out for a couple of minutes.”
“I said out.”

I walked out of class thinking what was going to be my next first.

PS: This is the first time I have been sent out of class by a professor. Ouch!

PS2: And presenting, one more from the Dream Productions. If you are new around here, that means that this was a dream I had on the night of 4th November. :D

The Last Bullet

It was an old ramshackle pub, deserted and lifeless. He and I were seated on opposite sides of the table which was utterly empty except for my loyal Smith and Wesson revolver that chose to rest silently on it. There was no air of tension, whatsoever, in the air. But, he knew it and so did I. It was unpardonable. There was no need for a reason to be explicitly mentioned. But, on that fateful day, I felt otherwise. Perhaps, I was in good spirits or maybe just spirits.

The question was laid naked on the floor. It was not explicitly asked, though. He knew pretty well that it was up to him to break the silence. After hours of confused thoughts on his side and antipodal ones on mine, he spoke. He said it. He said it in such a contemptuous way that I squirmed in my seat. The shame and the regret of having trusted him to be what he wasn’t filled me. There was no looking back now.

I was justified in what I had to do. He wouldn’t fight back. I didn’t expect him to. I shot him. He needed two bullets in his filthy skull before he showed signs of death. And then, I noticed something. Something that was capable of changing everything. He had been a live transmitter to those cowards all along. They had obviously set it up just to frame me for what they couldn’t possibly dream of proving by themselves. And, he had given in to whatever it is that they offered him. A selfish worm that did not qualify to be a man.

I did not need any mental preparation for it. I would obviously prefer to take my own life than give myself up to those bargainers. Damn! That was the last bullet! I felt an eerie sense of helplessness that I had never felt before. Disorganized thoughts filled my mind for the first time. He lay on the floor; the blood proclaiming my victory. I fled in no particular direction; the sweat proclaiming my defeat.

PS: Courtesy of “Dream” Productions dated Aug 27th, 2008.

Solitude

Like identical drops of water, we live;
The same space, we inhabit.
Coalesce! You say?
Nay, for a wall have we created,
And like spawn shall we subsist;
With gooey stuff separating.

PS: This poem created itself in a dream I had on the night of 28/05/08. Freaky!

Underworld

“There’s a car waiting. See to it that those girls are dropped wherever they want and get yourself a free ride home.”

He walked towards the car and noticed the girls his boss was talking about.

“Is that an E-60?”

He looks around for the owner of that excited, impulsive voice. It was one of the girls in the group. She seemed far younger than the others most likely in her late teens. He sees no harm in talking to her although in a land where conversations were strictly restricted to business.

“Yeah, it is. Do you like it?” He has a warm smile on his lips and an innocent sparkle in his eyes.

“Yes. It looks lovely. I have never seen one this close before.”

He asks her to keep the file he had with him in her bag.

It was a monotonous journey except for occasional bikes vrooming past. She was visibly bored and started yet another abrupt conversation.

“Do you like working there?”

“Well, yes. I get a good salary but it’s a nasty business that they do. I can do nothing about it though. Anyway, here’s my stop.”

“Oh, where do you stay?”

“Starry Heights Apartments. I don’t feel comfortable at the office quarters. It’s a small apartment but I like it. Goodnight then. Nice meeting you.”

She finds his file in her bag. The following day, she goes to his apartment and hands him his folder.

“Oh, thank you so much. I was wondering how I would trace you without so much as a name.”

She sports a satisfied smile. “Are you always alone? Don’t you have any friends?”

He admires the spontaneity in her questions. “No, I generally don’t entertain here. I retire to this tiny apartment to get away from the monotony of work.” She leaves. He feels the presence of a caring soul. She feels the presence of a soul to be cared for.

Work goes on as usual. He and his monotonous work – neither cribs. 1 message received. Please fill in for me at the Interview hall today. I am down with fever. Thanks. Selection for shipping – 11 pm.

11 pm. He was right on time. He was briefed in on what to do – ensure that the candidate is on the list and mark those worth shipping. “Candidate?”, he wondered. His eyes fell on a skinny waif being dragged by a well built man. It all made sense now. He could do nothing. Each girl was led into the room; one more pathetic than the previous. He looked up to see who was next in line. Their eyes met. She felt energized while he felt stoned. He had to do something. He couldn’t just stand there and watch her go through such humiliation. She was pretty. She would easily be chosen. He knew he had to act. Something, anything. He went up to his boss and said it was getting late and there was some important business to be taken care of. The boss thought over it and gave him a suspicious look. The selection process was halted till further notice. He looked at her from the corner of his eye and felt good.

A couple of days passed. 523, Starry Heights Apartments; a knock on the door. His fellow employee opens and gives her an unwelcome look. She searches for him and their eyes click. His friends hand him his jacket and he rises to leave. She presses a fleeting kiss on his cheek and whispers, “Thanks.” He puts his arm around her shoulder.

Beside the fountain outside his apartment, he realizes how happy he was with her and vows to keep her happy all her life. Her eyes well up as she feels elated. The next moment they shatter into a million pieces. It was a cruel world and he could do nothing about it.

PS: This was a real dream I had last summer. Every bit of this occurred in that freaking dream dated July 27th, 2007.