When the times are good
And it can be no better than this
Its time to move on
For its the peak here
Downhill is the road ahead
Its time to move on
When you are in a comfort zone
You know
Things will be OK and not great
Its time to move on
When the times are bad
Hold on
Do not quit in despair
Put on your bravest face
And face the odds head on
Even when you are fired
You have nowhere to turn
Take a break
Ponder, reminse and think
Not what went wrong
But what you want do to do now on
And set to the task bang on
Life is too short
And one should be in a hurry
Shed a tear for the past
And move on
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Now
Each moment of time
lets enjoy and cherish
before we let it go
Each moment is unique
And occurs only once
Lets turn each of them
into beautiful memories
We have a limited lifespan
on this wonderful place called earth
Each of us has a start date
And an end date
So NOW is the only time we have
lets enjoy it to the fullest
Someday when we stop
And look back on our footprints
on the sands of time
there should be no regrets
lets enjoy and cherish
before we let it go
Each moment is unique
And occurs only once
Lets turn each of them
into beautiful memories
We have a limited lifespan
on this wonderful place called earth
Each of us has a start date
And an end date
So NOW is the only time we have
lets enjoy it to the fullest
Someday when we stop
And look back on our footprints
on the sands of time
there should be no regrets
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Light
O! bright orange light,
Let me be forever in your sight.
Keep me away from darkness,
Teach me truth and goodness,
Let me not waiver from my aim,
Let me earn a good name,
And perhaps, a little love and fame.
O! bright orange light,
Let me be forever in your sight.
Burn away my anger,
Burn away my stupidity,
Keep my heart pure,
And my soul clean.
O! bright orange light,
Let me be forever in your sight.
Drop a litte light in my eyes,
So that I can see things clear,
O! bright orange light,
Let me be forever in your sight.
Let me be forever in your sight.
Keep me away from darkness,
Teach me truth and goodness,
Let me not waiver from my aim,
Let me earn a good name,
And perhaps, a little love and fame.
O! bright orange light,
Let me be forever in your sight.
Burn away my anger,
Burn away my stupidity,
Keep my heart pure,
And my soul clean.
O! bright orange light,
Let me be forever in your sight.
Drop a litte light in my eyes,
So that I can see things clear,
O! bright orange light,
Let me be forever in your sight.
I love you with my whole heart
I love you with my whole heart
But you never notice me
Your golden eyes I adore
But they never look at me
Your lips whose lines I often count
Never smile at me
I love you with my whole heart
But you never notice me
I worship the ground on which your feet tred
But they never walk to me
Your lovely voice is sweet melody
with which you speak to everyone but me
I love you with my whole heart
But you never notice me
I can spot you in a crowd
But you don't even recognise me
I often marvel at your ears
But they never hear me
I love you with my whole heart
But you never notice me
Your smooth slender arms are soft and silky
But they never clasp me
Your fragrance which lingers in my memory
Now never reaches me
I love you with my whole heart
But you never notice me
Your pretty face that I often try to paint
Never turns to me
I love you with my whole heart
But you never notice me
But you never notice me
Your golden eyes I adore
But they never look at me
Your lips whose lines I often count
Never smile at me
I love you with my whole heart
But you never notice me
I worship the ground on which your feet tred
But they never walk to me
Your lovely voice is sweet melody
with which you speak to everyone but me
I love you with my whole heart
But you never notice me
I can spot you in a crowd
But you don't even recognise me
I often marvel at your ears
But they never hear me
I love you with my whole heart
But you never notice me
Your smooth slender arms are soft and silky
But they never clasp me
Your fragrance which lingers in my memory
Now never reaches me
I love you with my whole heart
But you never notice me
Your pretty face that I often try to paint
Never turns to me
I love you with my whole heart
But you never notice me
Sunday, August 1, 2010
THE PLAN - A Short Story
India is the world's 7th largest country and one of its fastest growing economies. Even in such thriving environment, when many job opportunities are easily available, there are some who refuse to be employed on salaries that will help them just get by. Their dreams are big.Their dreams need to be instantly gratified. They are not willing to wait and put the effort like the birds who painstakingly build their nests, one haystick at a time. They want everything and they want it now.
Akbar, Suniel, Noel and Aryan are four teenagers who belong to this new brigade.These guys were friends since toddlers and have grown up in each others company. They lived in the same locality, attended the same school and college except Akbar who opted to be a garage mechanic rather than study. Akbar had always been good with machines and this was his inclination. He liked his work, but the pay was not much and the garage owner's tongue lashing even worse. So thats why he agreed to the Plan.
The Plan was originally conceived by Suniel. Suniel was built like his famous namesake - the Bollywood hero Suniel Shetty. Suniel was the ring leader. A chronic alcoholic, he never had a steady job. His late night drinking marathons ensured that he reached his office late. Two or three warnings later he would be out of a job. This did not matter much to him initially. Several jobs later, his resume had no takers. The recruiters seem to sense something was amiss. It is now 3 months since he was last employed. He was at the end of his resources and if he did not find a solution in a few days he would have to starve. It was then he thought of the Plan.
Of the four, Noel was perhaps the most studious. He had reasonably good grades for a person of his background. Father had died young and mother was a maid. She was a good lady who toiled day and night to lay food on the table for two of them and send her only son to school and to ensure that his classmates did not think him as poor. Noel had lately become aware of his environment made obvious by his many mediocre classmates who had gone abroad for further studies. He also wanted to study aboard, in one of the Ivy Leagues. He did not have the money to fund his studies nor the aptitude to obtain a scholarship. The plan was his way out.
Aryan was the son of a diamond merchant and the only one who had joined the Plan for the thrill of it.Why was he in the same locality with these losers? The answer has more to do with his father than him. His father was a Gujarati and had a phobia for high rises. His father's friends all Gujaratis lived in the same locality.When Aryan was young, his father had a modest salary but with sheer grit and hard work he was rich by the time Aryan reached college. However, he did not change with money. He maintained his same standard of living.He used his money sparingly and Aryan did not see much of it in terms of pocket money or expensive toys and gifts. Unlike his father, Aryan was aware that his father was rich and maintained a high standard of living in terms of girlfriends. He was what we can call - A Flirt. He showered his girlfriends with expensive gifts. Plus he sponsored his friends drinking parties. His escapades and expensive habits were funded by his mother. She had her own business- a garment making unit and she was her own manager. So her soft heartness was never noticed by her husband. Aryan exploited his mother's love for him but now even she was questioning his expenses. Last week was the last straw. She had clearly told him not to expect any more money from her. So apart from the thrill, money was the other reason why Aryan joined the Plan.
Now what is this Plan which we have been so long talking about? The plan was simple – Rob the Bank.
When? Tomorrow.
The Bank which they had chosen was two blocks away and was not a bank unknown to them. Aryan's father had an account with that with that bank and Aryan had visited this branch several times to run errands for his father- deposit a cheque, withdraw money etc. But it was Suniel who knew the layout of the branch.This branch belonged to ABC Bank, one of the largest private sector banks in the country. Suniel had worked at this branch as an outsource selling personal loan schemes to customer. Thus as an insider he was aware of the internal working of the branch. Suniel for the record was terminated because a customer had complained that he was asking for an extra blank cheque as processing fees.
There was another reason why this branch was chosen. Some bloke in the Bank's infrastructure team who had selected this location for this branch must have had low cost as a paramount factor in his mind. It is located at the extreme corner of a dead end road and business was limited. Branch walk-ins were usually low and on a rainy day hardly one or two customer's visited the branch. Branch staff was limited to 5 including the guard. The odds of success of 4 against 5 of which three were female staff was considerably high.
Today was a rainy night, a typical Mumbai July night. The four musketeers had gathered in the garage where Akbar worked. Though the owner disliked Akbar he was a late riser. So the responsibility of opening the garage was with Akbar. So Akbar had the key to the garage and thats how they got in. Tonight they had gathered as they had done for the last one week going over the plan in detail.
Suniel carefully placed a worn-out on the table the four were sitting and said “ Tommorrow at 3:00 we will go to the bank by car. We will arrive at the deadend as if by mistake, turn around and call out to the guard for directions. As soon as he comes near us, we will point out the gun, cloroform him and put him in the car. Aryan who will be wearing a uniform similar to the security guard will take his place. He will distract and send back any customers who try to walk into the branch. The branch mangaer won't know because the video security system is not working. Akbar, you will be at the wheel at all times and will keep the engine running. Me and Noel will wear masks, rush into the branch, corner the staff , take the cash and run out. We will have only 5 minutes to close this. I hope everyone is clear about his role.”
All shook their heads in unison.
“Lets go over the equipment” said Suniel once again.
“Masks” asked Suniel
“Yes” said Noel
“Swords” asked Suniel
“Yes” said Noel
“Revolver” asked Suniel.
“Yes” said Noel “ Lucky for us that Aryan's father is a businessman and keeps two revolvers at home. Lets hope he doesn't miss his revlover for a day ”
“Guard's Uniform”
“Yes” said Aryan
“ I hope there is petrol in the car” said Suniel
“Plenty” said Akbar.” I had filled it to the brim today evening. I was supposed to deliver it to the customer today evening. I guess the car won't be missed for a day. I will be taking it to my place today. I will deliver the same to the customer tomorrow evening. Anyways the customer is out of town and he will be coming only next week, which the garage is not aware.”
“ Hey Noel! Why are you looking so gloomy. Last minute panic” asked Suniel.
“No” said Noel “ Nothing much. Just the car. Though it is a Wagon R, a common model, I am a bit worried that we might get caught if somebody remembers the car no”
“Good thinking! Aryan” said Akbar. “ I have some paint in the garage. Let repaint the numberplate”.
Akbar and Noel spent the next two hours painstakingly painting the numberplate and then they went to their respective homes.
Akbar was the last to leave as he had the added responsibility of taking the car home.
The next day was gloomier than the day earlier. It was pouring incessantly. Akbar had taken the day off. He had to change the newly painted numberplate. By 2 o'clock, his remaining friends had gathered and together they went to rob the bank.
Akbar was driving and Suniel sat by him smoking a cigarette. Each were in their own minds already spending the money they were about to get from robbing the bank. That probably was the reason they did not hear the not so gentle sound of a police siren. Akbar was the first to notice and started to increase the speed of the car. But the police van started followingtheir car. Noel was starting to panic. Suniel as usual took control of the situation.
“ Akbar! Slow down the car. They do not know we are going to rob a bank. Max to max we will get a speeding ticket”
Akbar is generally not so obedient, but he stopped the car as ordered by Suniel.
The police van stopped in front of the car and a stout looking policeman ordered them out. The four looked at each other in disbelief. The car was searched. The masks, the swords and the revolver was discovered. In a few minutes, the four friends were handcuffed and put in the policevan.
At the police station, the Inspector looked at them with contempt. A pot bellied constable read out the FIR charges. “ Possessing illegal weapons, and stealing the Commissioner's Car”. The four looked at each other in disbelief.
“ We steal the Commissioner's car” thought each of them bewildered
It was then Akbar realised that the numberplate he had changed was that of the stolen commissioner's car.
Akbar, Suniel, Noel and Aryan are four teenagers who belong to this new brigade.These guys were friends since toddlers and have grown up in each others company. They lived in the same locality, attended the same school and college except Akbar who opted to be a garage mechanic rather than study. Akbar had always been good with machines and this was his inclination. He liked his work, but the pay was not much and the garage owner's tongue lashing even worse. So thats why he agreed to the Plan.
The Plan was originally conceived by Suniel. Suniel was built like his famous namesake - the Bollywood hero Suniel Shetty. Suniel was the ring leader. A chronic alcoholic, he never had a steady job. His late night drinking marathons ensured that he reached his office late. Two or three warnings later he would be out of a job. This did not matter much to him initially. Several jobs later, his resume had no takers. The recruiters seem to sense something was amiss. It is now 3 months since he was last employed. He was at the end of his resources and if he did not find a solution in a few days he would have to starve. It was then he thought of the Plan.
Of the four, Noel was perhaps the most studious. He had reasonably good grades for a person of his background. Father had died young and mother was a maid. She was a good lady who toiled day and night to lay food on the table for two of them and send her only son to school and to ensure that his classmates did not think him as poor. Noel had lately become aware of his environment made obvious by his many mediocre classmates who had gone abroad for further studies. He also wanted to study aboard, in one of the Ivy Leagues. He did not have the money to fund his studies nor the aptitude to obtain a scholarship. The plan was his way out.
Aryan was the son of a diamond merchant and the only one who had joined the Plan for the thrill of it.Why was he in the same locality with these losers? The answer has more to do with his father than him. His father was a Gujarati and had a phobia for high rises. His father's friends all Gujaratis lived in the same locality.When Aryan was young, his father had a modest salary but with sheer grit and hard work he was rich by the time Aryan reached college. However, he did not change with money. He maintained his same standard of living.He used his money sparingly and Aryan did not see much of it in terms of pocket money or expensive toys and gifts. Unlike his father, Aryan was aware that his father was rich and maintained a high standard of living in terms of girlfriends. He was what we can call - A Flirt. He showered his girlfriends with expensive gifts. Plus he sponsored his friends drinking parties. His escapades and expensive habits were funded by his mother. She had her own business- a garment making unit and she was her own manager. So her soft heartness was never noticed by her husband. Aryan exploited his mother's love for him but now even she was questioning his expenses. Last week was the last straw. She had clearly told him not to expect any more money from her. So apart from the thrill, money was the other reason why Aryan joined the Plan.
Now what is this Plan which we have been so long talking about? The plan was simple – Rob the Bank.
When? Tomorrow.
The Bank which they had chosen was two blocks away and was not a bank unknown to them. Aryan's father had an account with that with that bank and Aryan had visited this branch several times to run errands for his father- deposit a cheque, withdraw money etc. But it was Suniel who knew the layout of the branch.This branch belonged to ABC Bank, one of the largest private sector banks in the country. Suniel had worked at this branch as an outsource selling personal loan schemes to customer. Thus as an insider he was aware of the internal working of the branch. Suniel for the record was terminated because a customer had complained that he was asking for an extra blank cheque as processing fees.
There was another reason why this branch was chosen. Some bloke in the Bank's infrastructure team who had selected this location for this branch must have had low cost as a paramount factor in his mind. It is located at the extreme corner of a dead end road and business was limited. Branch walk-ins were usually low and on a rainy day hardly one or two customer's visited the branch. Branch staff was limited to 5 including the guard. The odds of success of 4 against 5 of which three were female staff was considerably high.
Today was a rainy night, a typical Mumbai July night. The four musketeers had gathered in the garage where Akbar worked. Though the owner disliked Akbar he was a late riser. So the responsibility of opening the garage was with Akbar. So Akbar had the key to the garage and thats how they got in. Tonight they had gathered as they had done for the last one week going over the plan in detail.
Suniel carefully placed a worn-out on the table the four were sitting and said “ Tommorrow at 3:00 we will go to the bank by car. We will arrive at the deadend as if by mistake, turn around and call out to the guard for directions. As soon as he comes near us, we will point out the gun, cloroform him and put him in the car. Aryan who will be wearing a uniform similar to the security guard will take his place. He will distract and send back any customers who try to walk into the branch. The branch mangaer won't know because the video security system is not working. Akbar, you will be at the wheel at all times and will keep the engine running. Me and Noel will wear masks, rush into the branch, corner the staff , take the cash and run out. We will have only 5 minutes to close this. I hope everyone is clear about his role.”
All shook their heads in unison.
“Lets go over the equipment” said Suniel once again.
“Masks” asked Suniel
“Yes” said Noel
“Swords” asked Suniel
“Yes” said Noel
“Revolver” asked Suniel.
“Yes” said Noel “ Lucky for us that Aryan's father is a businessman and keeps two revolvers at home. Lets hope he doesn't miss his revlover for a day ”
“Guard's Uniform”
“Yes” said Aryan
“ I hope there is petrol in the car” said Suniel
“Plenty” said Akbar.” I had filled it to the brim today evening. I was supposed to deliver it to the customer today evening. I guess the car won't be missed for a day. I will be taking it to my place today. I will deliver the same to the customer tomorrow evening. Anyways the customer is out of town and he will be coming only next week, which the garage is not aware.”
“ Hey Noel! Why are you looking so gloomy. Last minute panic” asked Suniel.
“No” said Noel “ Nothing much. Just the car. Though it is a Wagon R, a common model, I am a bit worried that we might get caught if somebody remembers the car no”
“Good thinking! Aryan” said Akbar. “ I have some paint in the garage. Let repaint the numberplate”.
Akbar and Noel spent the next two hours painstakingly painting the numberplate and then they went to their respective homes.
Akbar was the last to leave as he had the added responsibility of taking the car home.
The next day was gloomier than the day earlier. It was pouring incessantly. Akbar had taken the day off. He had to change the newly painted numberplate. By 2 o'clock, his remaining friends had gathered and together they went to rob the bank.
Akbar was driving and Suniel sat by him smoking a cigarette. Each were in their own minds already spending the money they were about to get from robbing the bank. That probably was the reason they did not hear the not so gentle sound of a police siren. Akbar was the first to notice and started to increase the speed of the car. But the police van started followingtheir car. Noel was starting to panic. Suniel as usual took control of the situation.
“ Akbar! Slow down the car. They do not know we are going to rob a bank. Max to max we will get a speeding ticket”
Akbar is generally not so obedient, but he stopped the car as ordered by Suniel.
The police van stopped in front of the car and a stout looking policeman ordered them out. The four looked at each other in disbelief. The car was searched. The masks, the swords and the revolver was discovered. In a few minutes, the four friends were handcuffed and put in the policevan.
At the police station, the Inspector looked at them with contempt. A pot bellied constable read out the FIR charges. “ Possessing illegal weapons, and stealing the Commissioner's Car”. The four looked at each other in disbelief.
“ We steal the Commissioner's car” thought each of them bewildered
It was then Akbar realised that the numberplate he had changed was that of the stolen commissioner's car.
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