Maria’s Cry

Eve of September 11, 2001

“Daddy please  hurry! I am unable to breath! I am scared” she whimpered. 

Lou woke up in dead sweat!   The piteous cries belonged to his beloved Maria.

Maria, Mat, Mark were his beloved triplets.  Lou, Mark and Matt were cops, posted in Lower Manhattan.

September 11, 2001

Horrified, New York and world watched toppling of TwinTowers.  Maria worked on twenty second floor.  Many jumped out of windows, she headed for stairs.

Detectives Lou, Matt, Mark rushed to disaster area.  Frantically they searched the rubble.   Police dogs helped save many.  Clinging to hope on a wing and prayer they searched as buried Maria cried for help :   “Daddy please  hurry! I am unable to breath! I am scared”

Maria was sure her family would save her.  She kept calling from cell every few minutes.  Dogs sniffed following the sound but Maria was buried deep. With bare bleeding hands, they cleared debris like wild men.  Time was running out. 

One last push created a passageway.  Slim Mark crawled inside.  The cell phone beeped for the last time.    Marked  hurried on .  His elbow hit something.  He saw his sister’s handbag.  He moved on.  He reached dead end.

Maria watched as her daddy and brothers searched for her shouting her name.  She was perplexed.  She was standing next to them.

Nightly she whimpers:   “Daddy please  hurry! I am unable to breath! I am scared”

Note: this is based on a true event. A dear friend lost her niece that day.

Circle Of Love

Circle Of Love

Our ship had docked and we decided to explore.

Sandy was native Alaskan. I, Sonia was from New York. We’d met at a summer camp, fallen in love and got married. That was five years ago.

A friend hailed Sandy but I decided to explore further- we decided to meet at the dock in a couple of hours.

I found a lookout point from where I could feast on the glaciers which drew me. I was joined by an elderly stranger. He told me a lovely folktale of this point.

Aaleahya was native Alaskan. She loved Iqniq (fire) the chief’s son. They were to wed next full moon day. Meanwhile their village got attacked by white man and Iqniq was killed. Aaleahya was sad. She came to this point nightly and stared at the glaciers. She died of a broken heart. Visitors often saw Aaleahya and Iqniq’s spirits embracing here. Stranger showed her his locket with their faces. She saw Sandy and herself staring back!

this picture is from inernet

The Guest

The Guest

Kitu- as a child:

“Why can I not have my room all to myself? I wish we were not living in Bombay and get this unseasonable rain of guests.”   This was a justified lament that had her late for school, punishments, missed rest periods, adding to her woes.

 

Kitu-at 14:

“I have a crush on Kip.  Wish he would return my glances sometimes.  I would love to go out with him for movies etc.”  Body changes, hormonal rages were playing havoc with Kitu’s mind and body along with a never ending stream of guests, more on than off.
“This Kip, friend of coz Arun is really cute!  I wonder what made him join the army.  I would not mind going out with him.  Hopefully mom and dad will let me accompany him to sightsee Bombay!”  One evening Kitu was alone and Kip returned home early.   They were together alone and after evening tea they sat chit-chatting.
Kitu’s heart was beating very fast.  Suddenly Kip came and sat close to her. He gave her a hug.  Her heart leapt in her mouth with fear and excitement.  She was aware of the birds and bees and was game for some experimentation as well.  They kissed and hugged each other tight.  Kitu was over the moon.  She had puppy love.
 

Kip-20 something:

 

“This kid Kitu is sweet but I better stay away or else Arun and her parents will have my hide!  Luckily I will be posted out of here soon.  However, she is cute as a button.  I must control myself around her.”

 

Kitu: 50 plus:

 

“I wish the train comes on time.  This waiting room is so dingy and dismal.  Wish I’d brought a novel along to pass the time.  The people here are not very interesting.”
Suddenly a man enters the waiting room and as he sits down on the bench next to her, his book falls on the ground.  Kitu picks it up and sees the name Ranjit Singh Tanwar. Involuntarily she blurts out “Are you Kip?”  The stranger is startled and looks at Kitu closely but does not recognize her.  She tells him that she is Kitu and that he had stayed as a guest in their house decades ago.  Kip recalls the young girl he had fooled around with and suddenly he remembers it all.  They have an animated catch up on news of each other’s families and then Kitu asks him where he was headed?  He says, Bombay.  She invites him over.  Kip agrees.

 

Kitu is a widow and an empty nester.  Her son and daughter are settled in USA and she is alone.  She is a famous writer under another name.  She likes this anonymity.  She has moved back into the compact flat of her parents that she had rented out.   She is home.

 

Kip is a nature photographer and has published many travel books and writes articles for National Geographic Magazine.  He was divorced by his wife who got tired of living alone for months.  His only son is married and has a son of his own.

 

Two lonely souls finally connect, mingle, co-habit after retying the knot.  Life comes full circle.  This one guest moved in for good and All Is well in their world.

**  **  **

Do you know what you call those who use towels and never wash them, eat meals and never do the dishes, sit in rooms they never clean, and are entertained till they drop? If you have just answered, “A house guest,” you’re wrong because I have just described my kids.

Erma Bombeck
American, Journalist

picture from internet 

Vicor’s Dream Part Two

Man Proposes God Disposes

http://www.binaguptapoetry.com/victors-dream-part-one-1108.htm

 
Amu was very upset.  Her beloved son Victor had lost his mind!  “It was that cursed lottery!  How I wish Vic had not accepted that free ticket from Sen Dada.  How am I going to manage the house all by myself now?”  Her heart sank.  Then she decided that the only way to make her son well was to get rid of the prize money.  In her eyes her son’s life and sanity was priceless.
 
Sen Dada was fuming.   For the umpteenth time he kicked himself for giving away the lucky ticket.  Then he decided that as Vicky had lost his mind, he could con Amu into splitting the fifty lakhs saying it was supposed to be equal shares as a shoe polish did not cost twenty rupees.  Once he had brainwashed himself that he was justified in duping Amu, he hastily bought a box of (sweet ricotta cheese balls) “rosgullas” for the family and quickly left for Victor’s house.

 

Amu hurriedly pulled out the offending fifty lakhs from under the bed and tied them up in red tablecloth which she had newly sewed from cloth remnants.  The money was wrapped in old newspaper and was now a snug square package in red.  After a quick bath, she left for Kalibari(temple) leaving Victor in the care of the younger brothers.

Sen Dada reached the house and with a great flourish gifted the sweets to the boys.  Then he asked about Amu’s whereabouts.  Upon finding out that she had left for the Kalibari, he ran out after her.  He needed to catch her before she entered the temple.  The chase was on.
It was morning “puja” (prayer) time and the temple was full.  Amu quietly waited in line patiently pleading all the time to the Goddess to take the money and return her son’s sanity.  She reached the priest and bowed low to receive blessing.  The crowd suddenly surged and Amu tripped and fell inside the inner sanctorum and the red packet fell at the feet of the Goddess.  Amu straightened up and quietly left chanting Goddess mantras.  The package lay unnoticed as it was inadvertently pushed behind the deity by the priest whilst performing rituals.

The local doctor had given a sedative to calm Victor and he was lying in deep sleep.  Yogi and Jay the younger brothers had secured jobs in different banks as trainees and their lot had already changed for the better.  Their hard work had paid off. 
 
 
The sun was shining brightly and Victor got up and stretched.  Suddenly he looked at the clock and jumped up shouting Amu!
He was behaving normally and was hurrying with morning ablutions and chores so that he could open his shop on time. Amu was delighted!  Goddess Kali had heeded her prayers and given back her old son.
 

Next morning the priest did the abhishekham (bath) of the Goddess with his usual fanfare and rituals.  Lots of water mixed with Gangajal (sacred river Ganges water) and milk etc. were poured over the deity and then the Goddess was anointed with red sindoor(color) and sandal paste and dressed in gold jewelry and silk sari.  The Goddess was ready for morning “darshan” viewing.
The red bundle of money got a thorough soaking and the money became useless pulp.
Man proposes God disposes

 

Transition- Part II

http://www.binaguptapoetry.com/transition-1102.htm

Little Bobbie was in seventh heaven to have the secret room as his very own and wanted to sleep there as well.  His parents decided to make him happy as this way they could keep an eye on him more easily.

Bobbie was an only child and ever since he learnt to walk, he would be all over the
house playing with toys in hand.  His mom Raji tried to restrain him in his room by feeding and playing with him there.  Gradually Bobbie kept to his room and when he was lonely he would start speaking with his friend Kanha.  He would say” Kanha, please come and play with me.  I want to be your playmate.”  Suddenly, Kanha would emerge from the silver statue and they would play for hours together.  Now the sounds of two pairs of anklets would reverberate in the house.    Raji and the maid would hear this delightful tinkle and smile.  It never occurred to them that it was the sound made by two pairs.  After Bobbie got tired and fell asleep hugging his pal Balgopal, the Lord would merge back into the statue.

 

One day Bobbie woke up early and looked for his pal but he was not there!  Instead there was a lovely peacock feather on his pillow.

 

He stared at it in wonder!  He had liked the feather on Balgopal’s gold crown and had wanted one also.  Carefully he put the feather in his Alphabet book. 

Raji had finished cooking and was between chores.  She decided to sit early with Bobbie to teach the alphabets and numbers.  On opening the book, she found the lovely peacock feather.  Upon asking the child where he got it, Bobbie said “Mom my pal Gopal gave it to me!”  Raji was mystified and questioned her son further.  She asked “Which Gopal?”  Bobbie pointed to the silver statue in the swing.  He said “He plays with me every day and even sleeps with me.  I had asked him to get me a feather just like the one he has on his head.”   Raji was overjoyed and believed her son!  She realized the room had a very peaceful aura and instead of the usual musty smell, it had a pleasing fragrance of fresh jasmine flowers and camphor.  She hugged her son and kissed him in pure joy.  She joined her hands and prayed babbling her thanks to Him for gracing their home.
It was Janamashtami day and Bobbie’s parents both fasted and broke it only after midnight.  Next day they held kirtan in their home and invited all the neighbors for lunch.  The silver Kanha seated in the swing occupied the place of honor in the living room where one corner has been converted into a temporary temple.  Fifty six varieties of sweets had been prepared for the lord and the house resounded with sounds of bhajans and rejoicing celebrating the birth of the lord.  Finally it was over and the lord was returned to Bobbie’s room.  Bobbie had been excited by the day’s goings on and had played to his heart’s content with the guest’s kids.  He had other playmates now.

 

Bobbie was often invited to other homes and between play and day school he became busy and hence did not call out to his playmate as often as before.  Their meetings became infrequent and then stopped completely. 
Bobbie was sent home early from school as he was unwell.  Raji immediately took him to the doctor who said he had caught a virus and gave him a mild sedative and medicines.  The child’s fever was very high and Raji sat by his bedside placing cooling cloth pads on his forehead to lower the temperature.  She was weeping silently.  Then as Bobbie settled down into a fitful rest, she left the room.  

After an hour or so, Bobbie woke up suddenly and cried out to his old pal Balgopal.  He said “please Kanha come and talk to me.  I know I have been busy but you know I love you very much Kanha.”  The lord emerged from the statue and sat by his side.  Then Kanha placed his tiny hand on Bobbie’s forehead and in a few minutes the fever vanished.  Bobbie got up and both played as before.  Then the Lord told Bobbie that now that he had become a big boy he did not need him any more and that whenever he remembered HIM he should close his eyes and he would appear as HE lived in his heart.  He said he had to visit other boys who needed him.  They hugged each other and the Lord merged into the statue never to appear again.

Kesar and Rajratan smiled happily in their portraits which hung in Bobbie’s room and which his sons had left for Bobbie along with the silver statue and the swing.

all pictures are from the internet except last one which is mine 

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