8.45 CST semi fast...

This post is not about how happening Mumbai is... And how we kill Delhi in partying... It's not about there are so many options in and around Bandra.

Neither about describing how Marine drive feels like heaven...

I just saw someone which inspired this post... The pic at the end of the post.

He boards the train everyday from Dombivli to CST. To this day he missed this train only twice... "the train arrived before time. I was not at fault" he mumbles.

While everybody else were gearing up for a hectic day  in the pathetic condition of the trains,

he waits for the train expectantly.

He waits expectantly with a tinge of smile on his face, for,  He awaits the smiling faces of his friends...

He awaits a familiar face signalling him where to get in. 

Boarding the train is a painful task, but when you have friends who pull you in with ease, the world is sorted.

He gets inside the train and immediately turns left, where a familiar face gets up from his seat and offers it to him.. 

Yes these are his friends. He doesn't even know where they live or what they do. 

All he knows is that they are his "Train friends". The faces have over the years changed with many new ones coming in and the old ones going out. They are the ones who spend 1 odd hour everyday with him. And He Loves it.

Finally when they get down at CST, the return journey train times are decided and what snack each one is going to carry. And post which each one departs his own way...

After a super hectic day in office, he is on his way back to CST. he stands outside the station for his friends.

Surprisingly, he has reached there first today. 

He looks around the buildings and the roads. He never stopped and admired them. he had been too busy to see how beautiful, the Mahanagarpalika building looked, or How Royal the CST station building was.

"Perhaps this is the reason why they named it VT originally" he ponders...

He is lost in observing the city when he was brought back to reality by his friends. They were calling him out...

"Ohh... Ho Ho Aalo me" saying which he joins them.

back again in the Rat Race. A Happy Rat Race.. For he knows, He'll get to observe this wonderful city someday, And No one would disturb him...

- Shraviii

* This was a combo of several incidences put together.*

My Best Friend

I bade him good bye.... This was one last time before I would call him my friend ever again..

He was my best friend.. A friend in need... A friend in deed as well...
It was as though he was the chosen friend for me... 

And who else than my parents made it possible... They found him to be a good partner in crime for me

He met me in pre-school. And since that day he was my fort. 

He stood guard and ensured I never fell down.

In school, when I ranked 1st in class, he was the one who was more happy than me...

He boasted around, he made even the second rankers look puny ans sad...

And when I came second in school, he made me work harder to turn the tables...

From school to college and from college to my masters degree... He was there

Ohhh ... We had such a fine time... I cannot recall when his friendship overpowered me.

It was as though he had become a different person over time...

And I slowly realised it during college. 

When Shyam and I had a small disagreement and he said, "No buddy, you are a merit student. You can never be wrong. And forget about apologizing to Shyam"

Shyam and I never spoke again... 

May be i should have spoken. But I chose to stay silent.

My world crashed when she left me at the altar, because of my behavior. 

Oh gosh I did not even spare the Father of the Church when he shared a light joke. I pounced on him.

No. he still said "You're right. The Father has no right to joke on you. its your day. All are your slaves".

Today when I saw myself in the mirror, he was nowhere. All I could see was myself and my wrinkling skin, greying hair and a face that was full of regrets.

That day I cut my friendship with my oldest and my so called Best Friend.

My Best Friend... "EGO"... He came, He saw, he conquered, he left...

He deserted me at that moment. But yet, there was a sense of total freedom...

Life they say, teaches you as you grow older. It took its time with me...

Even today, I can see him lurking around silently wishing i would call him back...

At all such times, I pick up the phone and call Shyam... precisely what I am going to do now... ciao..

-Shraviii

**This is a real life story. All of us live it. Even I do. But I have started trying to break out of it**

                                     **Lets all Live and Let Live**

The Pawns

"Hey Amit... How are you man.. please come inside" exclaimed an excited Karan...
His old buddy and his school mate had come to town on business purpose and paid Karan a visit..

"So what brings you to Mumbai eh" he asked.? "Nothing just the usual bro."

Amit worked as a journalist and was covering the latest bomb explosion that had taken place in a village.

"Life is so messed up right now, what do I tell you. There is someone out there making headlines every day. And We are the ones who are supposed to cover it." remarked Amit

"I am particularly amazed that none of the bombings have been claimed by any terrorist outfits yet. Also they have not targeted the general public.. All of them were planted in the village's Sarpanch, Thekedaar and all other corrupt men, who have had a criminal record" sighed Amit

"Hmmm...so this is an operation clean up by a vigilante eh??" Karan smirked...

"You yourself watch it on TV. Let me show you some images bhai. Let me turn on ur TV" saying Amit picked up a TV remote lying on the end of the sofa, where karan was sitting.
"Oh wait wait, that  remote is dead.. Doesn't work. I have got a new one. Ye le" Karan said while handing the new TV remote to Amit.

Amit and Karan watched the TV report which Amit had covered the previous day. He was amazed by the facts presented by Amit. Sadly he knew there was nothing Amit could do to solve it.

A while later Amit took leave of Karan.

"Its been great to see you bro. Please do come again. Bomb blast hi sahi, atleast you did come here" remarked Karan while both laughed. "For Sure man.. I hope I crack this case" Amit sighed...

"I'm sure you will" Karan smiled and closed the door...

He knew Amit could never crack this. He himself did not know whom he worked for.

All Amit was told was to press the blue button on the dead remote and enter the code 38281945.
In an hour's time, he would come to know of an explosion in a Village. And subsequently he would receive a cash bundle in his letter box the next day. He didnt even know who kept it there or put it.

He was told to either do it or risk being killed along with his family.

He still remembered the cold voice on call of the man who had threatened him
"Dont even dare to report this. It takes us 10 minutes to set up an explosion, how much time do you think it'll take to blow u off". He still remembered the distinct "Jai Hind" the caller voiced before hanging up.

Immadiately his mobile phone rang

"So, a press reporter for a friend eh... Badhiyaa hai ji... Bas yaad rakho, woh waise bhi 2 wheeler pe hai.. kuch bataayaa use toh 5 minute mein woh kisi ko bataa nahi payega. Keep doing the good work bhai. This is all for the greater good. I have my eyes on you. One mistake and your house shall be a rubble the next moment. Jai Hind" saying the person cut the phone

Karan was sweating profusely and shut himself inside his Bedroom... He had to clear his mind...

While all this time his Neighbor, laughed hard at Karan's apathy... Locking his sattelite in his cupboard he was all smiles.
"Poor guy... Tries so hard to break free but can't. Doesn't understand the implications".

The smile had gone off his face.
For he remembered  the time when his bungalow was bombed down by the same set of people.

"Everybody is a puppet here,left to die. The kings are the real puppet masters, cutting us off when the game's over"

-Shraviii

My Brother

Before you read this... 

This was written with a perspective of a Rich boy talking to a boy from Sudan and other such famine hit countries...

#Respect for them... ☺

Our worlds were the same, our dreams so similar...
Yet one look at him, he never seemed familiar...

We both loved our families, while they too loved us back.
Yet today, while I grew stronger with them, he completely had lost their track...

We both had a roof above our heads, 

And got our share of daily bread,

But My house for me was my Home, 

while that was something he had never seen, only read...

While I slept, I slept peacefully, dreamed beautiful with nothing to care about the world,

He slept, A numb heart, and a hurricane within his head into which he'd been Hurled...

My sun shines for me beautifully throughout day be it bright or dim,

While his Sun blazes its wrath mercilessly on him.

I wake up everyday with dreams, aspirations and everything to move ahead,

My brother wakes up every morning wishing he was Dead.

While I got respect and love from all the world around me,

All he could ever garner was sympathy..

I asked him how did this ever happen...

When my world glitterer, how could yours darken..

He remained calm, while I grew restless,

He said this is the same reason why they became helpless.

I asked him if he could sort his problems, I'd lend him some money,

He said that had been the root cause of all the despairity, It was like a poison, which looked like Honey...

My brother here is found in every nook and corner,

He comes, lives and dies a loner...

His only wish is that the world would see,

They are too a part of this societal Sea...

I hope a day does dawn when Disparities cease,

But even while reading it, u know you hold the keys...

-Shraviii

Fair Play

It had been 3 weeks since Ali had been buying these lottery tickets everyday. It had infact become a worry for his family since he was spending all his savings on it...

One fine day as usual Ali picked up the playwin lotto slip and was going to select the numbers,

when someone kept a hand on his shoulders and said "Select 5, 24, 65, 72. I leave the 5th number to you. Lets see what luck you've got.."

Ali shrugged off his shoulders and said " kaun ho bhai aap. Apne kaam se kaam rakhiyega. Fokat ke ye pravachan apne ghar pe sunaaiye"

"Teri marzi..." grumbled the guy and walked away...

 

That Sunday, Ali went to the lottery shoop to find out what were the numbers...

"3 numbers bhi sahi aagye toh 1000 rupye toh ban jayenge" he thought to himself.

He was flabbergasted when the numbers came out as 5, 24, 65, 72, 91.

"How could this happen. was that guy some babaji or what" he wondered..

A thousand thoughts flooded his mind, when the same guy came out of nowhere.

"So Ali, ready to make a deal. Its quite simple. I help u win the lottery while u give me 5 lakhs. Not a rupee more, not a rupee less." The guy spoke with a serious voice.

Ali hung his head down and agreed reluctantly. "But why did u choose me." Ali asked.

"You'll See" smirked the guy while they walled back towards Ali's bungalow.

Ali had no money or asset except the house which was his ancestral wealth. Also how could he trust a guy who came out of nowhere only on verbal deal.

He decided to ask Nasser, his friend and the only educated fellow in the village. Only he could give him a sane solution, he thought.

Nasser, son of the zamindar (landlord), was simple and straight forward with his question. "Do you want to take such a risk? If Yes, I will arrange the funds."
This lightened up Ali. he immediately nodded his consent.

"Look Ali, I'll need your house as a mortgage against the money I give you.My father wont lend a single paisa without a security, you know that well." Ali nodded again in agreement.

Nasser drew the papers while his accountant gave the money to Ali.

"Ali, dont give the entire money to him. Give half the amount now and the balance after the work is over. And at any point you feel cheated in the deal, just back out. At any cost I want my money back on time. I dont care what you do with it" Nasser said. 

The next day the guy arrived at his place with an envelope...
"Ready? You got the money?" He asked
Ali nodded..

The guy put his hand forward. Ali hesitant handed half the money.

"What the heck is this, half money is not what we spoke. Give me the full amount now. And the next time, decide what you want to do for yourself. Dont go to your friends and leak the plans. You have No idea what you are up against."

"Now the full money or this" the guy removed a gun from his back and stuck it in his head.

Ali immediately raised both his hands and agreed to give the money.

Once he received the money, the guy gave Ali an envelope and said that the numbers were inside.
"Dont worry, I dont make shitty deals" the guy said and walked away

Ali went to the lottery center and picked up those numbers, and waited patiently for a week..
With each passing day he became more and more stressed and it was taking a toll on him.

Finally the day arrived and he went to the lottery center to claim his bounty.

He was awestruck when he saw the numbers on the grid. It matched exactly with the numbers he had chosen.

Thanking a thousand gods he went to the lottery center guy and gave his ticket and to claim he money

The lottery center fellow immediately was taken aback and called up someone from his telephone and confirmed the ticket number. 

"Oh, okok sirjee. That's a great news. Bye" saying he put down the phone

Ali was told yo come the next day and claim his money. Likewise he went to the store and waited with mixed feelings. He was relieved when the storekeeper called him in and handed him a suitcase. Ali was ecstatic. He could not believe his luck.

He collected the money and without even counting it, left the place and headed straight to Nasser's home.

Nasser was happy when he heard the News.

"10 lakhs you've won eh!!! Ab toh tu badaa aadmi ho gaya" smirked Nasser.

Finally after all the pleasantries were exchanged, Ali opened the suitcase to take out the 5 lakh rupees and give it to Nasser.

And then something happened which made the world around Ali crumble....

The case only had 1 lakh rupees...

"No, No this must be a mistake.. This can't be right. There is only 1 lakh in here" Ali exclaimed. He was literally in tears.

"Go asap and check with the Lottery fellow. Go now. I'llI'll try doing something from my end as well" remarked Nasser.

Ali ran all the way to the lottery shop. He was running with his life on his sleeve.

Eventually when he reached, he found that the store was closed and the shutter was downed. He was so mad with rage now that he went and opened the shutter up himself only to find the shop was vacant.

How could this be possible. I met him just today morning he retorted to himself, While Nasser arrived at the spot along with a few policemen.

Nasser could only pat the crying fellow and ask him yo calm down. What else could he do.

The shop fellow had run away and going to the police was ineffective.

Nasser took Ali home and handed him a packet of 1 more lakh.

"This is for our friendship sake. Now take these 2 lakhs and go find some work in a city.

I have to tell you to vacate your house immediately, for I have to recover my 5 lakhs asap. If my father comes to know that I helped you, I'll be killed".

Ali was dumbfounded. There was no way to go for him. He eventually decided to go to the city and find some work while living on rent in a small shanty. 

He called up Nasser to thank him for his help.

"Are its nothing Ali. U stay safe. That's enough" saying this, Nasser kept the phone down.

He picked up the receiver to make another call.

"You received the full amount from Ali that day??"

"Yes Sir" said a person on the other side.

"Cool.Enjoy. also keep a tab on that lottery shop fellow. He needs to stay away from the village as far as possible"

"Will be done sir" 

Nasser again disconnected and called another number...

"Shaikh sahib. Deal pakka samjho. Bungalow khaali kar diya aur mere naam karwaa liya".

"Are price is negotiable. You tell me what price do you want it for?"

"3 crores!!!! Deal. Main abhi papers banwaa deta hun"

Nasser hung up. He knew he was the real winner in this deal...

-Shravii