My brush with the cops

MY BRUSH WITH THE COPS Foolhardy, bold and downright stupid were words that were often used to describe teens when I was growing up and rightly so. This incident happened when I was around 14 – a ripe old age! Allahabad was a one-horse town back then ( it’s better now I am told)- the main market in the area known as Civil Lines closed by eight pm and so you literally had to find exciting things to do – they were out there somewhere – finding them was the crux. Boys being boys, find them we did – sometimes simple enjoyable entertainment like landing up at the wrong wedding and eating dinner ( this is another story ) - at other times something silly / dangerous , much to our utter horror and dismay . However this incident was not a case of ‘all’s well that ends well’ - in fact, to put things in the correct perspective , this incident did not end very well at all - but certainly much better than it could have , if things had spiralled out of control as they are so often apt to – Murphy’s law and all that jazz! Let me set the scene for you. The Girl’s High school where this incident occurred lay mid-way between my friend’s house and mine (this guy is now my brother in law) and so this was a frequently travelled road. It was a girl’s boarding school as well! It was around seven in the evening and dusk was falling. As we cycled from his house to mine, we heard terrific music coming from the school basketball court on the other side. We could not look in as a three-foot high strip of cloth had been fixed over the wall. We did remember however, hearing a few weeks prior to that evening,that the very famous Uma Pocha (sister of the singer Usha Uthup ) would be performing at a dance at this venue . So here we were. The dance was due to start in an hour or so – the band were tuning up their instruments and there was some great free music for two bored teens to listen to – what more could we ask for. However, some added excitement was the need of the hour and that is what we got pretty soon. In order to get a better view of what was going on inside, we rested our bikes against the wall and climbed up. Then by standing on tip toe and pulling the cloth down we had a bird’s eye view of the proceedings . The band members ( the Neophiliacs - whom we recognized and who were the top band in Allahabad ) were busy with their instruments –they were in black suits and bow ties and we envied their luck , round tables with pristine white table cloths , chairs draped with red and white scarves , candles on the tables , balloons and miscellaneous decorations , coloured lights , strobes , the powdered dance floor and Uma Pocha testing the mike in her husky voice – check – check – mike testing one , two three ………. So, this was the good life. We on the other hand were in shorts and T shirts and looking scruffy , sunburnt and sweaty after playing in the sun all day - I had a ladies bike ( I have written about this lovely bike before) , while my pal had a gents bike with no mudguards – he wanted it to look like a racing bike !– I am giving you all these minute details just so that you can compare us with the privileged ones inside ! After surveying the scene for some time, boredom set in and so we decided to raise the bar & take things to the next level. Not sure whose bright idea this was but will not apportion blame . Looking back on this incident decades later I wonder why we were so stupid and why we did what we did in the first place . We got down from the wall, picked up some very tiny pebbles, climbed up back again ( it was quite a struggle as I was short ) and then began throwing the pebbles at the drum set and speakers which were quite close to the wall . We giggled each time we hit the target . We missed and we hit and we missed and we hit. This carried on for about fifteen or twenty minutes. No damage was done but people inside obviously knew that something was amiss across the wall as some pebbles landed on and near the band members as well. Then as we climbed up for the umpteenth time to continue the mischief, all hell broke loose. There was shouting , dozens of men could be heard running down the road in heavy boots calling out to each other ,torch beams zig zagged in all directions , searching for the miscreants on the dark walls , there were shouts of “ catch them “ and “ beat them” in Hindi . We stood no chance against the oncoming assault.( There was some abuse as well but I will leave that out ) My friend jumped down, got onto his cycle and sped off. I was caught and dragged off the wall. One or two canes rained down on by backside - meanwhile my pal, not seeing me, returned! That’s what good friends are for, I guess. He was also caught and we were both smacked and kicked a few times. Then there was the walk of shame and we were pushed & dragged into the school campus through the front gate. What we did not know at that time was that an hour prior to our indiscretion , someone else had pelted the band with large stones and the guards were on the look out from that time – that is how we were nabbed immediately . By now the dance was about to start and there was excitement in the air. The band had struck up a waltz. Well-dressed ladies and gents were walking in, hair set , make up in place , holding hands, smiling and chatting. The scent of their perfume and cologne wafted in our direction. Some looked with disdain as a few guards surrounded & questioned us in anger and everyone could sense there was some confusion. Our families were quite well known in Allahabad and some people who knew us walked by, thankfully without recognizing us. The icing on the cake was us being made to hold our ears and sit on the pavement. At that moment I wished that the earth had opened and swallowed us whole. We were told that the police would be there shortly, and we would be sent to jail. I was terrified and shed a few tears – poor me! Amidst all this tension a bright idea struck me ( I thought it was bright at that time ) . I told the two guards watching over us that we had just thrown one or two pebbles for fun and above all we had no bad intentions as the band members knew us very well and they would vouch for us as we were from respectable families – I also told them to confirm that fact from anyone in the band ( this was the truth by the way and band members knew us ) The band leader who was passing by at that very time was asked if he knew us – I could not believe it when he looked directly at us & said NO! Either he was drunk, angry or blind or a combination of the above. Even at that tender age my temper boiled, and I would have smacked him if he were nearer! Then an angel in the form of the main sponsor of the dance passed by – he was a big shot in the city and later became a Member of Parliament. He looked at two scruffy boys sitting on the pavement in the bright lights – asked what had happened – probably felt sorry and told the guards to free us and usher us out. He warned us never to be seen in that area again that evening. (We would never dare) We were shoved out rather roughly, scurried to find our cycles where we had left them and slunk home. You can bet , we never got into such mischief ever again .

My brush with the cops

MY BRUSH WITH THE COPS Foolhardy, bold and downright stupid were words that were often used to describe teens when I was growing up and rightly so. This incident happened when I was around 14 – a ripe old age! Allahabad was a one-horse town back then ( it’s better now I am told)- the main market in the area known as Civil Lines closed by eight pm and so you literally had to find exciting things to do – they were out there somewhere – finding them was the crux. Boys being boys, find them we did – sometimes simple enjoyable entertainment like landing up at the wrong wedding and eating dinner ( this is another story ) - at other times something silly / dangerous , much to our utter horror and dismay . However this incident was not a case of ‘all’s well that ends well’ - in fact, to put things in the correct perspective , this incident did not end very well at all - but certainly much better than it could have , if things had spiralled out of control as they are so often apt to – Murphy’s law and all that jazz! Let me set the scene for you. The Girl’s High school where this incident occurred lay mid-way between my friend’s house and mine (this guy is now my brother in law) and so this was a frequently travelled road. It was a girl’s boarding school as well! It was around seven in the evening and dusk was falling. As we cycled from his house to mine, we heard terrific music coming from the school basketball court on the other side. We could not look in as a three-foot high strip of cloth had been fixed over the wall. We did remember however, hearing a few weeks prior to that evening,that the very famous Uma Pocha (sister of the singer Usha Uthup ) would be performing at a dance at this venue . So here we were. The dance was due to start in an hour or so – the band were tuning up their instruments and there was some great free music for two bored teens to listen to – what more could we ask for. However, some added excitement was the need of the hour and that is what we got pretty soon. In order to get a better view of what was going on inside, we rested our bikes against the wall and climbed up. Then by standing on tip toe and pulling the cloth down we had a bird’s eye view of the proceedings . The band members ( the Neophiliacs - whom we recognized and who were the top band in Allahabad ) were busy with their instruments –they were in black suits and bow ties and we envied their luck , round tables with pristine white table cloths , chairs draped with red and white scarves , candles on the tables , balloons and miscellaneous decorations , coloured lights , strobes , the powdered dance floor and Uma Pocha testing the mike in her husky voice – check – check – mike testing one , two three ………. So, this was the good life. We on the other hand were in shorts and T shirts and looking scruffy , sunburnt and sweaty after playing in the sun all day - I had a ladies bike ( I have written about this lovely bike before) , while my pal had a gents bike with no mudguards – he wanted it to look like a racing bike !– I am giving you all these minute details just so that you can compare us with the privileged ones inside ! After surveying the scene for some time, boredom set in and so we decided to raise the bar & take things to the next level. Not sure whose bright idea this was but will not apportion blame . Looking back on this incident decades later I wonder why we were so stupid and why we did what we did in the first place . We got down from the wall, picked up some very tiny pebbles, climbed up back again ( it was quite a struggle as I was short ) and then began throwing the pebbles at the drum set and speakers which were quite close to the wall . We giggled each time we hit the target . We missed and we hit and we missed and we hit. This carried on for about fifteen or twenty minutes. No damage was done but people inside obviously knew that something was amiss across the wall as some pebbles landed on and near the band members as well. Then as we climbed up for the umpteenth time to continue the mischief, all hell broke loose. There was shouting , dozens of men could be heard running down the road in heavy boots calling out to each other ,torch beams zig zagged in all directions , searching for the miscreants on the dark walls , there were shouts of “ catch them “ and “ beat them” in Hindi . We stood no chance against the oncoming assault.( There was some abuse as well but I will leave that out ) My friend jumped down, got onto his cycle and sped off. I was caught and dragged off the wall. One or two canes rained down on by backside - meanwhile my pal, not seeing me, returned! That’s what good friends are for, I guess. He was also caught and we were both smacked and kicked a few times. Then there was the walk of shame and we were pushed & dragged into the school campus through the front gate. What we did not know at that time was that an hour prior to our indiscretion , someone else had pelted the band with large stones and the guards were on the look out from that time – that is how we were nabbed immediately . By now the dance was about to start and there was excitement in the air. The band had struck up a waltz. Well-dressed ladies and gents were walking in, hair set , make up in place , holding hands, smiling and chatting. The scent of their perfume and cologne wafted in our direction. Some looked with disdain as a few guards surrounded & questioned us in anger and everyone could sense there was some confusion. Our families were quite well known in Allahabad and some people who knew us walked by, thankfully without recognizing us. The icing on the cake was us being made to hold our ears and sit on the pavement. At that moment I wished that the earth had opened and swallowed us whole. We were told that the police would be there shortly, and we would be sent to jail. I was terrified and shed a few tears – poor me! Amidst all this tension a bright idea struck me ( I thought it was bright at that time ) . I told the two guards watching over us that we had just thrown one or two pebbles for fun and above all we had no bad intentions as the band members knew us very well and they would vouch for us as we were from respectable families – I also told them to confirm that fact from anyone in the band ( this was the truth by the way and band members knew us ) The band leader who was passing by at that very time was asked if he knew us – I could not believe it when he looked directly at us & said NO! Either he was drunk, angry or blind or a combination of the above. Even at that tender age my temper boiled, and I would have smacked him if he were nearer! Then an angel in the form of the main sponsor of the dance passed by – he was a big shot in the city and later became a Member of Parliament. He looked at two scruffy boys sitting on the pavement in the bright lights – asked what had happened – probably felt sorry and told the guards to free us and usher us out. He warned us never to be seen in that area again that evening. (We would never dare) We were shoved out rather roughly, scurried to find our cycles where we had left them and slunk home. You can bet , we never got into such mischief ever again .

Once upon a time ....I was a naughty school boy!

Once upon a time – in a land far away – I was a naughty school boy too ! So, I was not always a good little boy! Not bad – but certainly not an angel. How is that for a beginning? Well, I studied in the Boys High school and college from grade eight till grade eleven and thoroughly enjoyed my time there. It was an all boys’ school in the heart of the city and the pupils came from in and around Allahabad. It was a day cum boarding school and the boarders were the toughies. Most of the boxers, athletes and boys is school teams were boarders. It was a great school and pupils who passed out were ready to face the world. However, in my last two years in school, like many others, I did get into my fair share of trouble as well. The school disciplinarian was known as the Sergeant and he was rather strict. So, if you did not have the right hair cut and by that I meant really short , arrived even a minute late for school , were not dressed appropriately , had dirty shoes , played truant etc you got six of the best and mind you , he had a strong arm . Many boys were dropped to school by their parents on scooters and by cars and they were punished in front of them as and when/ if needed. There were no quarters asked and none given. The Sergeant smiled while delivering the punishment which could be a few shots with his famous cane, being made to jump up and down while holding one’s ears or being literally lifted off the ground when he caught hold of our extra long sideburns ! At times he chatted with the parents while punishing their sons. That surely was a joke in poor tastebut no one complained! Surprisingly, he was very well loved by the boys and no one bore him any malice. As for the parents – they begged him to discipline their boys . However, we as a senior class were a trifle wild if that is the correct term – will leave you to judge. As boys were not allowed to carry footballs to school , we kicked around anything and everything during the break – it could be someone’s tiffin box, a plastic ball, a large marble or even stones wrapped in a sock . You can imagine – 12 boys of varying sizes, in a senior class, running wild in a narrow corridor ,playing this version of football. The result was broken furniture, damaged walls, broken lights and fans and the like – not to mention shins and ankles that took quite beating and clothes that were ruined. We were often hauled up and punished for this childish behaviour, but I guess we were thick skinned and defiant and so the games continued unabated. Slipping out of school during the lunch break and not returning was also indulged in. This was if we had periods where we knew the teacher was lenient. If we never got caught all was well and time was spent enjoyably chatting and stealing (at times buying) plums, guavas and raw mangoes from the villagers in the fields a few hundred meters away. When we got caught – things turned out badly and we paid the penalty manfully. Crying would make us the laughing stock of the school so there were no tea. However, all these were minor infringements compared to an incident that will be etched in my mind forever. If the doctor had not arrived on time I may not have been here keying in this article . There was a boy in our class- very well behaved, smartly dressed and a trifle reserved, who carried very tasty tiffin to school daily. It looked good, he seemed to relish it while eating & above all it gave off an amazing aroma. The kababs , puris , and sweets dishes were to die for . However, I do not remember him ever offering us – I could be wrong. Initially, on a few occasions and just for fun, a few of us stole his tiffin when he had left the class and finished it before he returned. He was obviously frustrated when this became a habit. For about a fortnight thereafter, he went home hungry as we had polished off his tiffin and there was very little, he could do about it. In those days, no one complained to the teacher – that was unheard of and no one went home and complained to parents either – that was just not done. You would be called a sissy. However, complain he did, to a young lady relative in his house and they planned to put an end to this bullying once and for all. They hatched a plan and what a plan it was. For some days he guarded his tiffin, almost with his life and we were unable to get our hands on it much to our dismay. Despite our best efforts, and all our devious attempts to distract him and steal the tiffin, we failed. However now when I think back, we were devils incarnate and we refused to accept defeat! Then one day he came to school with his tiffin as usual and put it in his desk in a rather nonchalant manner. Now if we were smart enough, we should have smelt a rat. However, our stomachs ruled and we fell for the trap. Leaving the tiffin in an open desk , he went out of the classroom during the tea break that day . We were determined to teach him a lesson for all the days of his being extra careful and so, in the ten minutes he was out , his tiffin was picked up( by me on that fateful day) , the food shared out- devoured within a few minutes and the empty tiffin put back . If I remember rightly the loot was shared between five of us. It was a seamless operation and we were thrilled. He returned, looked at the empty tiffin, surprisingly said nothing - class got over for the day and he left. Before I come to what happened thereafter, let me tell you what he had brought for tiffin that day. It was the most yummy “soogi halwa and puris “a sweet dish made of Semolina for the uninitiated! Well, about fifteen minutes thereafter all five of us felt a distinct rumbling in the stomach and literally ran towards the school toilets. Let me tell you while keeping this clean – we were there for about thirty minutes and could hardly walk with weakness after that. Somehow, I cycled home as did the others and without a word, threw the cycle down and ran to the toilet again. To cut a long story short it was food poisoning of the worst possible kind and I spent a large part of the evening and the next day oscillating between the toilet and my bed. By the time the doctor came home to visit me the next afternoon, I was too weak to move and on the verge of collapse. A few injections and tablets and two days in bed and I was soon walking – weak, wobbly but luckily alive. Yes it was that serious. All others faced a similar predicament in varying degrees. I guess because I was the weakest and thinnest, I fared the worst. The enquires then began and all of us blurted out the truth at our respective homes. Further investigation was carried out of what we had eaten and the truth was soon out. Despite being so weak we were all scolded and punished for bad behaviour. In my weak state I wondered what I would tell the Sergeant when I saw him next! (Coming back to the incident - our friend had confided in his relative as to how he had been literally bullied for days and with her help they had mixed something rather nasty in the food. The rest was history and it could have ended badly. Despite what had happened, there were no reports filed, no complaints made and the matter ended as quickly as it had begun . The school year ended as well, and we all went our separate ways. About forty years later guess who I meet? You guessed it right – my friend whose food we had been stealing eons ago. The whole episode came flooding back in minutest detail. Incidentally today we are both in the same country as well and have laughed over this matter on quite a few occasions. He is a well-established, dignified gentleman but he remembers the incident too . I promised him I would put the story up without naming names – and we all know that the fault was ours to begin with. I guess let me say it openly on behalf of all the other rascals – Sorry ……………..!! Before I end let me share something else which is equally interesting - he has also promised to get his wife to make a similar dish for me anytime I choose and he has promised to eat it with me ! All’s well that ends well !

Once upon a time ....I was a naughty school boy!

Once upon a time – in a land far away – I was a naughty school boy too ! So, I was not always a good little boy! Not bad – but certainly not an angel. How is that for a beginning? Well, I studied in the Boys High school and college from grade eight till grade eleven and thoroughly enjoyed my time there. It was an all boys’ school in the heart of the city and the pupils came from in and around Allahabad. It was a day cum boarding school and the boarders were the toughies. Most of the boxers, athletes and boys is school teams were boarders. It was a great school and pupils who passed out were ready to face the world. However, in my last two years in school, like many others, I did get into my fair share of trouble as well. The school disciplinarian was known as the Sergeant and he was rather strict. So, if you did not have the right hair cut and by that I meant really short , arrived even a minute late for school , were not dressed appropriately , had dirty shoes , played truant etc you got six of the best and mind you , he had a strong arm . Many boys were dropped to school by their parents on scooters and by cars and they were punished in front of them as and when/ if needed. There were no quarters asked and none given. The Sergeant smiled while delivering the punishment which could be a few shots with his famous cane, being made to jump up and down while holding one’s ears or being literally lifted off the ground when he caught hold of our extra long sideburns ! At times he chatted with the parents while punishing their sons. That surely was a joke in poor tastebut no one complained! Surprisingly, he was very well loved by the boys and no one bore him any malice. As for the parents – they begged him to discipline their boys . However, we as a senior class were a trifle wild if that is the correct term – will leave you to judge. As boys were not allowed to carry footballs to school , we kicked around anything and everything during the break – it could be someone’s tiffin box, a plastic ball, a large marble or even stones wrapped in a sock . You can imagine – 12 boys of varying sizes, in a senior class, running wild in a narrow corridor ,playing this version of football. The result was broken furniture, damaged walls, broken lights and fans and the like – not to mention shins and ankles that took quite beating and clothes that were ruined. We were often hauled up and punished for this childish behaviour, but I guess we were thick skinned and defiant and so the games continued unabated. Slipping out of school during the lunch break and not returning was also indulged in. This was if we had periods where we knew the teacher was lenient. If we never got caught all was well and time was spent enjoyably chatting and stealing (at times buying) plums, guavas and raw mangoes from the villagers in the fields a few hundred meters away. When we got caught – things turned out badly and we paid the penalty manfully. Crying would make us the laughing stock of the school so there were no tea. However, all these were minor infringements compared to an incident that will be etched in my mind forever. If the doctor had not arrived on time I may not have been here keying in this article . There was a boy in our class- very well behaved, smartly dressed and a trifle reserved, who carried very tasty tiffin to school daily. It looked good, he seemed to relish it while eating & above all it gave off an amazing aroma. The kababs , puris , and sweets dishes were to die for . However, I do not remember him ever offering us – I could be wrong. Initially, on a few occasions and just for fun, a few of us stole his tiffin when he had left the class and finished it before he returned. He was obviously frustrated when this became a habit. For about a fortnight thereafter, he went home hungry as we had polished off his tiffin and there was very little, he could do about it. In those days, no one complained to the teacher – that was unheard of and no one went home and complained to parents either – that was just not done. You would be called a sissy. However, complain he did, to a young lady relative in his house and they planned to put an end to this bullying once and for all. They hatched a plan and what a plan it was. For some days he guarded his tiffin, almost with his life and we were unable to get our hands on it much to our dismay. Despite our best efforts, and all our devious attempts to distract him and steal the tiffin, we failed. However now when I think back, we were devils incarnate and we refused to accept defeat! Then one day he came to school with his tiffin as usual and put it in his desk in a rather nonchalant manner. Now if we were smart enough, we should have smelt a rat. However, our stomachs ruled and we fell for the trap. Leaving the tiffin in an open desk , he went out of the classroom during the tea break that day . We were determined to teach him a lesson for all the days of his being extra careful and so, in the ten minutes he was out , his tiffin was picked up( by me on that fateful day) , the food shared out- devoured within a few minutes and the empty tiffin put back . If I remember rightly the loot was shared between five of us. It was a seamless operation and we were thrilled. He returned, looked at the empty tiffin, surprisingly said nothing - class got over for the day and he left. Before I come to what happened thereafter, let me tell you what he had brought for tiffin that day. It was the most yummy “soogi halwa and puris “a sweet dish made of Semolina for the uninitiated! Well, about fifteen minutes thereafter all five of us felt a distinct rumbling in the stomach and literally ran towards the school toilets. Let me tell you while keeping this clean – we were there for about thirty minutes and could hardly walk with weakness after that. Somehow, I cycled home as did the others and without a word, threw the cycle down and ran to the toilet again. To cut a long story short it was food poisoning of the worst possible kind and I spent a large part of the evening and the next day oscillating between the toilet and my bed. By the time the doctor came home to visit me the next afternoon, I was too weak to move and on the verge of collapse. A few injections and tablets and two days in bed and I was soon walking – weak, wobbly but luckily alive. Yes it was that serious. All others faced a similar predicament in varying degrees. I guess because I was the weakest and thinnest, I fared the worst. The enquires then began and all of us blurted out the truth at our respective homes. Further investigation was carried out of what we had eaten and the truth was soon out. Despite being so weak we were all scolded and punished for bad behaviour. In my weak state I wondered what I would tell the Sergeant when I saw him next! (Coming back to the incident - our friend had confided in his relative as to how he had been literally bullied for days and with her help they had mixed something rather nasty in the food. The rest was history and it could have ended badly. Despite what had happened, there were no reports filed, no complaints made and the matter ended as quickly as it had begun . The school year ended as well, and we all went our separate ways. About forty years later guess who I meet? You guessed it right – my friend whose food we had been stealing eons ago. The whole episode came flooding back in minutest detail. Incidentally today we are both in the same country as well and have laughed over this matter on quite a few occasions. He is a well-established, dignified gentleman but he remembers the incident too . I promised him I would put the story up without naming names – and we all know that the fault was ours to begin with. I guess let me say it openly on behalf of all the other rascals – Sorry ……………..!! Before I end let me share something else which is equally interesting - he has also promised to get his wife to make a similar dish for me anytime I choose and he has promised to eat it with me ! All’s well that ends well !

Musings on a Saturday morning

Is this machine making my life easier like they said it would? Or am I just drawn to if for the lack of something better to do right now? So, I sit and stare out aimlessly at times ….is this what boredom actually is ? Through large panes of glass that definitely need a wash .. I press my nose up against windows that crave to be opened I stand on the balcony and breathe - my only real connection with the outside world I suddenly think of Mandela – Twenty-seven years in solitary confinement He endured the obvious suffering calmly and emerged stronger A young soccer team stranded in an underground cave – seventeen days of misery, torture & fear The rescue was a miracle against all odds The boys then emerged - relieved and smiling but scarred for life The very thought makes me shudder My claustrophobia would have got the better of me And here we are- frustrated after a month Seemingly suffocating in helplessness How weak some of us are! How very strong some others! The television has begun to jar on my nerves And the newspapers even more Sensationalism rules and spreads panic. STOP IT . And what do I see when I peer out, ever so often? Large car parks with a few dusty cars therein No one fighting and circling to find that elusive empty slot. Delivery boys from the supermarket next door going about their daily chores All masked, gloved and cycling – they toil on bravely And then there are the food delivery boys as well Speeding along and thankful for empty roads - and safety Red, blue and black boxes strapped firmly on their motorcycles Feeding the multitudes who are too bored or lazy to cook Pigeons in droves, cooing & fluttering on the pavement below And every now and then one is devoured by cats on the prowl The circle of life – the law of the jungle Then there are those determined to break the rules I spot the regulars – refusing to stay home - they creep around corners Hoping and praying not to be seen – but I see them! It’s a silly pastime I have begun to enjoy And I wonder when they will be spotted & caught and held accountable Morning tea- breakfast, lunch, evening tea and dinner – snacks in between Food and drinks are shortening the day – not right I know Am I even giving my exercise a chance! What do I do now? Is it lunch time already?

Musings on a Saturday morning

Is this machine making my life easier like they said it would? Or am I just drawn to if for the lack of something better to do right now? So, I sit and stare out aimlessly at times ….is this what boredom actually is ? Through large panes of glass that definitely need a wash .. I press my nose up against windows that crave to be opened I stand on the balcony and breathe - my only real connection with the outside world I suddenly think of Mandela – Twenty-seven years in solitary confinement He endured the obvious suffering calmly and emerged stronger A young soccer team stranded in an underground cave – seventeen days of misery, torture & fear The rescue was a miracle against all odds The boys then emerged - relieved and smiling but scarred for life The very thought makes me shudder My claustrophobia would have got the better of me And here we are- frustrated after a month Seemingly suffocating in helplessness How weak some of us are! How very strong some others! The television has begun to jar on my nerves And the newspapers even more Sensationalism rules and spreads panic. STOP IT . And what do I see when I peer out, ever so often? Large car parks with a few dusty cars therein No one fighting and circling to find that elusive empty slot. Delivery boys from the supermarket next door going about their daily chores All masked, gloved and cycling – they toil on bravely And then there are the food delivery boys as well Speeding along and thankful for empty roads - and safety Red, blue and black boxes strapped firmly on their motorcycles Feeding the multitudes who are too bored or lazy to cook Pigeons in droves, cooing & fluttering on the pavement below And every now and then one is devoured by cats on the prowl The circle of life – the law of the jungle Then there are those determined to break the rules I spot the regulars – refusing to stay home - they creep around corners Hoping and praying not to be seen – but I see them! It’s a silly pastime I have begun to enjoy And I wonder when they will be spotted & caught and held accountable Morning tea- breakfast, lunch, evening tea and dinner – snacks in between Food and drinks are shortening the day – not right I know Am I even giving my exercise a chance! What do I do now? Is it lunch time already?

Speech at an online Investiture at The Millennium school, Dubai

MY SPEECH AT AN ONLINE INVESTITURE OF SCHOOL PREFECTS AT THE MILLENNIUM SCHOOL , DUBAI - SURELY A FIRST . PRINCIPAL, HEADMISTRESS, PARENTS, MEMBERS OF THE FACULTY AND DEAR PUPILS NEVER IN MY WILDEST IMAGINATION DID I FORSEE ANYTHING OF THIS MAGNITUDE . COINCIDENTALY, I THINK IT WAS AT THE LAST GRADUATION THAT I MENTIONED SOMETHING - AND I QUOTE - ‘’ NO ONE HAS A CLUE ABOUT HOW LIFE WILL PAN OUT IN THE YEARS AHEAD – IN FACT WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT LIFE WILL BE LIKE TOMORROW ,SO MAKE THE BEST OF THE PRESENT MOMENT ’’ . IT SEEMS JUST LIKE YESTERDAY WHEN WE WERE GOING ABOUT OUR BUSINESS - WITHOUT A CARE IN THE WORLD – CRIBBING ABOUT TRAFFIC, OFTEN IRRITATED WITH WORK, UPSET WITH COLLEAGUES, DISCUSSING PRICES , AND ANGRY ABOUT DELAYS AND SUDDENLY HERE WE ALL ARE – AT HOME – SITTING BEFORE MACHINES AND GOING AHEAD WITH LIFE TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY , WHILE CRAVING TO BE OUT AND ABOUT AGAIN . WORDS AND PHRASES LIKE PANDEMIC, COVID, LOCKDOWN , QUARANTINE , VENTILATOR , PATIENT ZERO, COMMUNITY SPREAD & SOCIAL DISTANCING, ARE ALL TRENDING . BUT HUMAN BEINGS ARE RESILIANT CREATURES – WE DIFINITELY ARE. MILLIONS LIKE YOU AND ME IN ALL CORNERS OF THE GLOBE ARE WORKING AND STUDYING FROM HOME AND GRADUALLY WE ARE GETTING BETTER AT WHAT WE ARE DOING. IT HAS NOT BEEN EASY AND WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO BUT WE WILL OVERCOME AND WE WILL SURVIVE AND COME OUT STRONGER AT THE OTHER END – THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO TELL OURSELVES AND OUR LOVED ONES EVERY DAY . GO OUT AND SPREAD THIS MESSAGE . OMTIMISM IS THE NEED OT THE HOUR . BARELY A FEW WEEKS HAD GONE BY AND THERE WERE A PROLIFERATION OF NEW SONGS, KEEP FIT VIDEOS, JOKES, STORIES AND , CARTOONS DOING THE ROUNDS . WHATSAPP MESSAGES INCREASED BY THE HUNDREDS AND SUDDENLY EVERYONE HAD FOUND A NEW SPARK OF CREATIVITY & ENERGY. I FOR MY PART HAVE COOKED, HAVE BAKED , HAVE PLAYED MY GUITAR AND DONE SOME WRITING ON MY BLOG. I AM SURE ALL OF YOU HAVE DONE SOMETHING INTERESTING AS WELL . YOU MUST DO SO TO RELAX . IT IS IMPORTANT . AROUND THE WORLD , DONATIONS ARE POURING IN FOR THE AUTHORITIES TO HELP THOSE IN NEED AND THAT’S SO GOOD , GOVERMENTS ARE RISING TO THE OCCASION AND DOING THEIR BEST WHILE EVERYONE RACES TO FIND THE VACCINE. YES WE WILL . WE , HERE IN THE UAE , ARE VERY BLESSED TO BE IN A SAFE COUNTRY, LOOKED AFTER & PROTECTED. FOOD AND COMMODITIES ARE AVAILABLE IN PLENTY AND HEALTH CARE IS OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY . WE EXPATS MUST THANK THE RULERS OF THE UAE FOR ALL OF THE ABOVE AND FOLLOW THE RULES FOR OUR OWN GOOD . BUT HERE IS SOMETHING - IF YOU PLAY CLOSE ATTENTION - AMIDST ALL THIS MADNESS AND MAYHEM , SANITY IS BEGINNING TO PREVAIL. PEOPLE ARE PRAYING MORE, FAMILIES ARE SPENDING QUALITY TIME TOGETHER, HOBBIES AND SIMPLE PASSTIMES ARE SEEING THE LIGHT OF DAY ONCE AGAIN. WE ARE ALL SUDDENLY MORE PEACEFUL AND MORE CARING . PEOPLE ARE EXERCISING AT HOME, AND EVEN FATHERS ARE HELPING OUT WITH HOUSE - WORK WHEN POSSIBLE. I HAVE AN EXCLAMATION HERE . LIFE HAS SLOWED DOWN QUITE A BIT AND THE RUSHING TO WORK, SPEEDING ON THE ROADS AND CHARGING INTO MALLS TO BUY THINGS WE OFTEN DON’T NEED HAS COME TO A STANDSTILL – THE AIR IS MORE PURE , THE QUALITY OF WATER IN RIVERS HAS IMPROVED – OUR WORLD IS TRANSFORMING & RECUPERATING . WE HAVE BEGUN TO CONNECT WITH OUR INNER SELVES FOR A CHANGE AND REALIZE THE TRUE MEANING OF FREEDOM AND LIFE . ALL THAT ASIDE , HEARTYY CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU PUPILS AND PARENTS . THIS IS A VERY SPECIAL DAY WHICH YOU HAVE OBVIOUSLY STRIVED FOR AND ASPIRED TOWARDS . SO FORGET THESE TROUBLED TIMES AND ENJOY THE MOMENT . THIS IS A MILESTONE IN YOUR LIFE AND IT IS AN ACHIEVEMENT TO BE PROUD OF – LET NO ONE OR ANYTHING TAKE THAT AWAY FROM YOU . THIS INVESTITURE WILL GO DOWN IN THE HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL AS BEING DIFFERENT AND CREATIVE – . IN FACT THIS PERIOD IN TIME WILL BE IN THE HISTORY BOOKS IN THE YEARS AHEAD AND YOUNG PUPILS WILL READ WITH WONDER AND AMAZEMENT ABOUT HOW WE MANAGED THE CRISIS . YOU YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN – AND ALL OF US WILL BE IN A NEW WORLD AFTER THIS IS OVER – IT IS GOING TO BE OUR MORAL DUTY TO HELP EACH OTHER TO DO BETTER AND TO RISE STRONGER AND MORE RESILIANT FROM THE SO CALLED ASHES . WE NEED TO PUT ASIDE OUR DIFFERENCES, FORGET OUR PETTY QUARRELS , AND WORK FOR THE GOOD OF HUMANITY IN ANY SMALL WAY WE CAN . YOU NEED TO LEAD THE SCHOOL FORWARD AND UPWARD LEADERSHIP IS ABOUT LEADING, MENTORING, GUIDING , INSPIRING , SPUPPORTING , SETTING AN EXAMPLE AND WHAT BETTER TIME THAN NOW . BELIEVE ME WHEN I SAY THERE IS SO MUCH GOOD THAT CAN BE DONE BY ALL OF US BUT SADLY WE ALL FIND EXCUSES NOT TO DO IT . WE ARE SO WRAPPED UP IN OUR LIVES , ONLY THINKING ABOUT OUR NEEDS & WELFARE . DO YOU THINK WE COULD DO BETTER ? SO WHETHER YOU ARE ON THE PHONE , OR ON ANY OTHER FORM OF SOCIAL MEDIA THESE DAY – DO YOUR BEST TO SPREAD POSITIVITY AND LOVE AND DO IT BRAVELY. PARENTS – YOU NEED SPECIAL PRAISE – YOUR WARDS HAVE MADE THE CUT AND YOUR INFLUENCE, LOVE AND ADVICE OVER THE YEARS MUST SURELY HAVE IMPACTED THEIR CHARACTER AND UPBRINGING . CONGRATULATIONS . EDUCATIONISTS IN GENERAL AND TEACHERS IN PARTICULAR- YOU ARE IN THE LIME LIGHT AND LIKE DOCTORS AND NURSES YOU ARE WORKING TIRELESSLY TO HELP SOCIETY HEAL AND MOVE FORWARD – TEACHERS I SALUTE YOU . SO LADIES AND GENTLEMEN – THIS TOO SHALL PASS AND WE SHALL SMILE , AND WE SHALL SING AND WE SHALL CELEBRATE BUT TILL THEN STAY SAFE, STAY HEALTHY AND STAY HAPPY – LET US ALL CONTINUE TO PRAY TO ALMIGHTY GOD FOR HIS PROTECTION ON US AND OUR LOVED ONES GOD BLESS YOU ALL