There was no other way

 

                                                               There was no other way

 

We grew up – almost as siblings

We lived on the same street

Let me not state the obvious

But guess I must

We went to the same school – same class too

And then – no surprises for guessing

The same friends, toys, likes and dislikes

When he was taken to the circus – I was taken along too

And when I went to the fete – he had to be there

No this is no joke – we fell in love around the same time

Was it the same year?

Not exactly sure- so won’t lie

And then we proposed – to sisters

Marriages were followed by kids

No – not twins or anything so dramiatic

They had a girl and a boy

We had two boys – yes, they were friends

And then one day we went camping with friends

Just the men – fishing in the river, swimming

Shooting pigeons, barbecues, and a couple of drinks

The first two days were swell

Life was good – it couldn’t be better

Or so we thought

And then we argued – it was something trivial

Things escalated is all I remember and there was a scuffle

Forty years is a long time to remember what happened  

However , that night it remained unresolved

Our friends failed in their endeavour

To make us talk it over  

The second night was a repeat of the first

We tucked in without a word

I know we both felt rotten – but not a word was spoken

Pride and ego kept us at loggerheads  

I woke at dawn and saw that his bed was empty

I thought he had gone for a walk

He never returned

All fingers pointed at me – obviously

We had fought, hadn’t we?

I was hauled away unceremoniously

Our wives were beside themselves with grief

Our kids heartbroken

Our families torn asunder

The case dragged on

One agonisingly year after another

Handcuffs ceased to be embarrassing in the courtroom  

Court hearings became a nightmare

There were no tears anymore

No one believed me – I knew they never would

So, I resigned myself to my fate

 

It’s been thirty years – I had been given life

With my small packet of belongings, I exited the prison gates this morning  

And there he stood - with arms open wide- smiling

Waiting to take me home?

I did a second take and then extended my hand to shake his

I wrapped him in a warm embrace

Then did what I had planned to do if I ever met him again

It was calm and effortless – I am a big man

Then I turned and went back through those prison gates

I handed myself in - the confession was matter of fact

It all felt like a dream – but I was peaceful at last

There was no other way.

 

 

 

 

There was no other way

 

                                                               There was no other way

 

We grew up – almost as siblings

We lived on the same street

Let me not state the obvious

But guess I must

We went to the same school – same class too

And then – no surprises for guessing

The same friends, toys, likes and dislikes

When he was taken to the circus – I was taken along too

And when I went to the fete – he had to be there

No this is no joke – we fell in love around the same time

Was it the same year?

Not exactly sure- so won’t lie

And then we proposed – to sisters

Marriages were followed by kids

No – not twins or anything so dramiatic

They had a girl and a boy

We had two boys – yes, they were friends

And then one day we went camping with friends

Just the men – fishing in the river, swimming

Shooting pigeons, barbecues, and a couple of drinks

The first two days were swell

Life was good – it couldn’t be better

Or so we thought

And then we argued – it was something trivial

Things escalated is all I remember and there was a scuffle

Forty years is a long time to remember what happened  

However , that night it remained unresolved

Our friends failed in their endeavour

To make us talk it over  

The second night was a repeat of the first

We tucked in without a word

I know we both felt rotten – but not a word was spoken

Pride and ego kept us at loggerheads  

I woke at dawn and saw that his bed was empty

I thought he had gone for a walk

He never returned

All fingers pointed at me – obviously

We had fought, hadn’t we?

I was hauled away unceremoniously

Our wives were beside themselves with grief

Our kids heartbroken

Our families torn asunder

The case dragged on

One agonisingly year after another

Handcuffs ceased to be embarrassing in the courtroom  

Court hearings became a nightmare

There were no tears anymore

No one believed me – I knew they never would

So, I resigned myself to my fate

 

It’s been thirty years – I had been given life

With my small packet of belongings, I exited the prison gates this morning  

And there he stood - with arms open wide- smiling

Waiting to take me home?

I did a second take and then extended my hand to shake his

I wrapped him in a warm embrace

Then did what I had planned to do if I ever met him again

It was calm and effortless – I am a big man

Then I turned and went back through those prison gates

I handed myself in - the confession was matter of fact

It all felt like a dream – but I was peaceful at last

There was no other way.

 

 

 

 

Of Towels , sheets and curtains

 Good day friends

This is a short note on towels, sheets and curtains.

I know it is a rather mundane topic, which may not exactly interest you, so if you are a busy executive, or if you just have something more exciting to do – please stop reading at this juncture.

Would never want to take up your time. Good-bye to you for now

Hello again to those who are still with me.

So yes – this is about towels, sheets, curtains and women. I left out the word “women” on purpose at the start so as not to tempt the ‘busy bees’.

No seriously speaking, this is not interesting and not some erotic tale either – just stating some facts.

What is the correlation between towels, sheets, curtains and women of the house – wives to be more precise?

When I opened one of the cupboards at home this morning, I was dumbstruck at the number of towels, sheets and curtains within. In fact, there was no room for any other item and the cupboard was surely over- packed to the extent, one of the hinges had begun to come lose due to the door being forced shut.

If we were to do a little calculation – how many of each would a family require?

Now mark this – I am not only referring to the cupboard at home which is rather large – this is something I have heard from many people (read GENTS & HUSBANDS)

Every time we go to India, we come back with Towels, curtains and sheets of various hues and sizes because supposedly the ‘quality of the cotton’ is so much better there. Is it really?

If my wife spots a shop which says, Bombay Dyeing , Linen Club or something to that effect , we must enter and exit an hour or later with me attempting to carry more packages than I can actually manage.

The same goes for curtains in Dubai. Now, I must admit, that you get beautiful curtains here in the UAE, but the question is “how many sets does one need”?

These are questions, which perplex me, and hence this short note. I warned you it was nothing interesting!

Some of you are so worldly and wise so I will look forward to your inputs if any.

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Of Towels , sheets and curtains

 Good day friends

This is a short note on towels, sheets and curtains.

I know it is a rather mundane topic, which may not exactly interest you, so if you are a busy executive, or if you just have something more exciting to do – please stop reading at this juncture.

Would never want to take up your time. Good-bye to you for now

Hello again to those who are still with me.

So yes – this is about towels, sheets, curtains and women. I left out the word “women” on purpose at the start so as not to tempt the ‘busy bees’.

No seriously speaking, this is not interesting and not some erotic tale either – just stating some facts.

What is the correlation between towels, sheets, curtains and women of the house – wives to be more precise?

When I opened one of the cupboards at home this morning, I was dumbstruck at the number of towels, sheets and curtains within. In fact, there was no room for any other item and the cupboard was surely over- packed to the extent, one of the hinges had begun to come lose due to the door being forced shut.

If we were to do a little calculation – how many of each would a family require?

Now mark this – I am not only referring to the cupboard at home which is rather large – this is something I have heard from many people (read GENTS & HUSBANDS)

Every time we go to India, we come back with Towels, curtains and sheets of various hues and sizes because supposedly the ‘quality of the cotton’ is so much better there. Is it really?

If my wife spots a shop which says, Bombay Dyeing , Linen Club or something to that effect , we must enter and exit an hour or later with me attempting to carry more packages than I can actually manage.

The same goes for curtains in Dubai. Now, I must admit, that you get beautiful curtains here in the UAE, but the question is “how many sets does one need”?

These are questions, which perplex me, and hence this short note. I warned you it was nothing interesting!

Some of you are so worldly and wise so I will look forward to your inputs if any.

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I SIT AND PONDER

Some people accomplish so much

In the course of a single day

Moreover, I am truly surprised

If they ever get time to play

Imagine the output, at the end of the month!

It actually flabbergasts me

Are they honestly sane individuals?

Or is it, only evil they see?

There is backbiting, condemning and criticizing

And pulling others down to the ground

Plotting, planning and scheming

Their minds surely cannot be sound.

They denounce, censure and attack

Bad mouthing and picking holes

Sledging, maligning and besmirching

Could they actually be somebody’s moles?

I have watched and observed from afar

Can often spot them in a crowd

They are loud, critical and pedantic

To call them out – I have avowed

If you sit back

And let them run wild

Hoping better sense will prevail

Be prepared to suffer the consequences

It could be you, they next will assail

So stand up to tyrants and tormentors

Never back off when they dare speak

For in the blink of an eye

They will tell you a lie

And remember, they are anything but meek

I SIT AND PONDER

Some people accomplish so much

In the course of a single day

Moreover, I am truly surprised

If they ever get time to play

Imagine the output, at the end of the month!

It actually flabbergasts me

Are they honestly sane individuals?

Or is it, only evil they see?

There is backbiting, condemning and criticizing

And pulling others down to the ground

Plotting, planning and scheming

Their minds surely cannot be sound.

They denounce, censure and attack

Bad mouthing and picking holes

Sledging, maligning and besmirching

Could they actually be somebody’s moles?

I have watched and observed from afar

Can often spot them in a crowd

They are loud, critical and pedantic

To call them out – I have avowed

If you sit back

And let them run wild

Hoping better sense will prevail

Be prepared to suffer the consequences

It could be you, they next will assail

So stand up to tyrants and tormentors

Never back off when they dare speak

For in the blink of an eye

They will tell you a lie

And remember, they are anything but meek

The wonder years - memories are made of this

 Memories are made of this - the wonder years

I must have spent quite some time …….

Standing at the window and watching the rain patter down

And then form fast flowing rivulets, at the corner of the garden.

Staring up at the sky, at kites being flown with such dexterity by friends

A skill- which for some reason , I failed to master

At eagles soaring and then swooping down in a death-defying dive

As we threw scraps of food from a first-floor veranda in school.

Looking for chameleons in the bushes on hot summer afternoons

And then stringing them together on twine – Grose!

Eating meals at a snail’s pace, while attempting to dispose of the vegetables I detested

In the bushes nearby!

Waking to a shrill alarm & going for morning runs at the crack of dawn

Just to drink cold sweet water from a favourite well, on the way home.

Sitting in cycle rickshaws to and from school- while admiring the world in slow motion

Rather repetitive, but of so interesting.

Travelling by crowded trains, and thoroughly enjoying the hustle and bustle of the journey

Although I suffered quite badly with travel sickness- a paradox of sorts.

Once trying to copy from a brighter student in a Hindi exam

And failing miserably in the attempt – his promises to help, were fake

Playing seven tiles on tree lined avenues with friends

And striking the tiles with precision time and time again.

Making tea for the family – the boiling the brewing, the pouring and the serving

Strangely, it was something I quite enjoyed .

Drinking mugs full of Horlicks, Complan, and whatever else

In an attempt to put on weight, as I was unbelievably skinny.

Writing pages of ‘I will not talk in class’

As a punishment for distracting others – ‘unintentionally’!

Learning to ride the bicycle for some obscure reason on a slope

And scraping almost every part of my body till I was successful.

Playing Caroms, Ludo, Draughts, and Chinese checkers

I prided myself on being pretty good in all.

Serving mass in our parish church as often as possible

It had its distinct advantages as well!

I could tell you more

But secrets are not meant to be shared !

Simple pastimes - amazing memories

Time well spent

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