oru ponnu onnu nan pathen !!

What do you do when a cute little girl shows green signal . . . signs of inviting you to join her when you are waiting for green signal?
I started praying that the signal should remain RED for some more time.


“Newyork Nagaram” song is making my ride back home enchanting. Earphones tightly plugged to my ears inside the Helmet DEN! I apply brakes slowly to stop for the signal which I usually do rashly. This time I purposefully made it smooth so that it doesn’t disturb the rhythm of the song. A cute little KID captures my attention there at the signal. Sitting in her mom’s lap, this girl calls me closer with genuine, coordinated arm and eye movements. “Andha ponnu kupta namalum vazhinchitu poradha?” that will affect my reputation seriously. So I turned brusque. Starred angrily at the little girl and showed signs of disrespect to her invitation. Deeply hurt by my actions the girl reacted! Hugged her mom tight with her eyes closed still more tight. Her face shrunk in discomfiture. I lost my face too. What on earth did I do now? Shame spread around me. I have spoilt the girl’s entire evening with my unmindful action. But being a quick learner I was swift enough to recover. With gentle signs of apology I opened out my helmet windscreen to reach out to the girl. With extended arms I earnestly called her to take the front seat in my bike (the petrol tank over which kids are always made to sit). The little girl had a big heart to forgive me. I understood this with the way she smiled back. First time I saw a girl hiding her face with shy seeing me! Excited by her response I invited her to occupy the special seat with all rights. For a few seconds I blushed… she blushed back too :-) (idhula background music vera). If only I had a chocolate to offer her… cha I wanted more interaction but the signal turned green. Her bike went in the same direction in which I had to go. Seri konjam scene podalamnu solli I accelerated more than her dad did and went past them. I had hardly moved few meters ahead of them, my eyes wanted to see her again. Unable to resist the temptation I slowed down…and there I ‘am right behind her. She is excited to see me back. I felt like I had done a great sacrifice by slowing down to get a glimpse of her beauty, but actually she had done the magic by mesmerizing my senses. “khanna Mannu Ponnu Pennu – indha moonu pinnadiyum namma poga kudathu, adhu than namma pinnadi varanum” Rajini dialogue suddenly struck my mind. So I had to abandon her there and move ahead. With a heavy heart, I overtook her bike once again and this time I never looked back. Her eyes, the smile, the charm, and my god I don’t know if I will meet her ever in my life again. I pray I should never see her back. I will forget my way back home if I see her again. I offered special seat not only in my bike but in my heart too. She dint reject the invitation. But she couldn’t accept too. The invitation is now floating in air. Whoever receives it, please keep it safe, cos its very SPECIAL :-)

WATCH (the) MAN – WATCHMAN

“Watchman. . . Watchman” . . . call him this way and he comes running even at odd hours to open the gate for me. Today the gate is open and my watchman is not at the gate where he usually stands. I find some space at my private parking area occupied by the watchman for having dinner. I have canteen at office and a dinning table at home. Poor fellow where else will he go? This was my gesture towards him when I got down from my bike. As I move towards the staircase which leads to my home, I hear a very gentle voice “Vanga . . . vandhu saapdunga” Startled by the dinner invitation I took few quick steps backwards so that I reach close to him. With utmost courtesy my watchman is enquiring me if I had dinner as it was sometime past 10 pm. This is what his “Vanga . . . vandhu saapdunga” had to convey. He knows I’m not going to take share in his dinner; still he had that simple yet hospitable attitude to ask me. I have been in this apartment for the past one year. I cross the gate (also the watchman) at least twice a day. But I never had the cordial nature even to smile at him. But today he thought me a strong lesson. In a quick jiffy I’ve learnt to WATCH the watchman as a MAN.
“Time as he grows old teaches him many lessons”
I’m learning . . .

The Journey (Search) Begins. . .

It’s a dark evening and the train has just pushed itself out of the station, moving slowly towards Chidambaram. Kadhir in his rugged attire runs along the wooden fence adjacent to the railway track to catch the train. He doesn’t know where this train is going, but he has to board it. He breaks open the fence at a point and with blind courage jumps to catch hold of the train door. He is aboard now. The train is picking up its speed and he finds his way into a coupe. This old modeled compartment looks very unusual to him. A small room like compartment partitioned into two with a bed on the other side. Kadhir was scanning the coupe with prayers that he shouldn’t be identified by anyone. He just raises his feet to have a look at the other side of the partition. He finds an old lady sleeping with medicines around her bed. Kadhir sighed with relief. He makes up his mind that this would be the safest place for him until he finds a way out. He turns around closing his eyes resting his back on the door. Kadhir was meditating upon his past. All his essential parts had relaxed by now. Still his mind was at unrest. His heartbeat was above 80 per minute. His eyes are still closed tight. There is no other sound he could hear except for his heartbeat and the galloping horse power of the train. Silence is golden. Kadhir realized it today. Amidst this blissful silence he smells someone passing by him. Slowly he realizes someone moving around watching him but he is not ready to open his eyes. He fears reality. But then he has to wake up. He builds up strength within himself to tackle the immediate reality. Kadhir with all his false energy takes a vivid yet rustic turn with angry eyes to encounter the new person. The train has reached its top speed, but kadhir stopped just to see a nightingale cross him. A familiar face but not an acquaintance, a nurse in plainclothes with medicine in her hands reaching out to help the old lady in bed. Kadhir is stunned by her patience. Questions popped up in his mind as she never minded his presence. Her blank eyes and energy less walk seemed as though she was never bothered about a stranger aboard. Kadhir has seen her many times before. She looked like a girl next door. He is speechless. But she has already started conversing with her eyes, instructing him not to panic but to relax. He abides by her command. She is busy attending the old lady and he quietly watches her do the nursing. They know each other just by their face. Otherwise they are total strangers. Still a mutual understanding helps them both move along without hard feelings as the train races towards its destination. Mid-night has jus passed. Kadhir is still standing on his legs with his back resting on the door. The old lady is fast asleep. The silent girl moves slowly around a table trying to give kadhir a hint to have his supper. Few pieces of bread a half filled bottle of water was all that the girl had to offer him. But kadhir wouldn’t budge from his place. He is glued to himself. She too doesn’t want to disturb his tranquility. She switches off the light near the old lady’s bed and reaches to the partition near the door side with her carpet. She gently spreads the carpet which nearly touched kadhir’s feet. Without showing any sign of sleepiness she hurriedly lies down in the carpet with her hands as head rest. Kadhir stood there watching her close her eyes. Few minutes later she slowly opens her eyes. In the gentlest possible way, without much physical movement pointing to the space between her feet and the door, she utters her first few words to kadhir, “Innum evlo neram than ippadiye nippa? Ippadi ukkandhuko” Saying this she goes back to rest. That was the most comfortable and soothing voice kadhir had ever heard in his lifetime. The surprise and softness of her voice was still swinging in his eyes, when he finally sits down near her foot admiring the sleeping beauty. It will dawn in few hours from now. Kadhir will abandon the train as it reaches its station. But I feel that kadhir’s journey; his search for life will begin there.