Untitled - II

My first long story ever!!! Read and please let me know how it was... Thnx :)

Day by day, her anger started to strengthen its root. She started shouting on maids, servants, sometimes on her mom and at her dad too! She herself was surprised with such development of hatred inside her. “Where am I getting into?? To their whirlpool?? Oh no! But I don’t know what to do”.

She had friends but none too faithful that she can discuss or share her problems with. Her mind begins to divert in few minutes. Her progress card started showing regression.

But nothing stopped them.

“It is your fault. You didn’t teach her anything”.

“Ya ya.. you have to blame me only. It’s your fault. Only if you would have given sometime for your family”.

Arrghhh!!! Ria wanted to explode. She wanted to silence them. But…. she knew the result. Then she went to her room and ended with the same lines in her diary.

Next day, she saw that her parents were passing some signals to one another. She knew it was about her. Atleast they combined in this. “What are you people going to tell me??” Her dad cleared his throat and started “ Seeing your marks and behaviour, we’ve decided to send you to boarding school, so that…” That was all. She rushed to her room hugging her doll and screaming silently with enjoyment. She never thought of this. Atleast there she will live in peace.

In the school,

Principal, “Ria, you are joining in the mid of the year. I’ve seen your reports, they aren’t that good. But I hope that you will be able to pass this year. Best wishes.” That was all she needed. She was to report to her warden and look for her bed. Her mom and dad had given some pity expressions. But she remained calm.

Days passed and she doesn’t even remember clearly how she adjusted to the new environment, how she made wonderful friends (who always appreciate her for her nice behaviour!!), how her ranks soared up. Hopes were pinned on her for the forthcoming board exams. And to her Principal’s amazement, she topped.

To felicitate the top-marked students, she was called and given invitation card to invite her parents also that day. She took that card with her to the room and then started tearing them into pieces, all her anger vanishing with each tear.

She got a call from them – her parents. She didn’t attend, excusing herself with a valid reason. But her conscience was making her feel guilty. After all, they are her parents! She scribbled her feelings. And with this she changed those two lines “Thank God, for making things good’.Tthen she shuddered at the thought and exclaimed herself “Ya, I am selfish. I know, I am”. And with this conviction, she started leading her life.

Am I lucky????

Since childhood I have seen many people participating in lucky contests - something like lucky corner, lotto housie (a common game played in any get-together here) or buying lottery tickets during Diwali season. I have seen many of them winning and sometimes a particular person wins a lot of times! Whenever a winner is announced, I usually search the crowd and try to estimate who the winner will be.I sort of got accustomed to that fact. Its not that I feel for it, because I know, things go on their way and I go on my way....

When I was in school, there came some people (or representatives, u can say) from Maha Lacto(a chocolate famous before 8 or 9 years) for a contest. All you had to do was make a bunch of 25 chocolate wrappers (just wrappers!!) and staple them with your name and class written on a paper. We were given some 2 to 3 odd weeks to collect those wrappers. Seems that the company went short of those wrappers - well no need to say, this was another marketing strategy. The whole school started searching for the wrappers - some in the ground, some in litterbox too! yuck! Even the canteen and shops nearby school ran out of that chocolate... :(

I and my sister together managed to get some 50 odd wrappers and my parents said that those two bunch vl be given in my name - much to mine and my sister's embarassment. Dont think that my sister would have been mad at me - she is lovely sis :) The prizes for the lucky draw were
(as far I can remember)
10 lucky winners will get Maha Lacto Camera pouch (I guess I am right :D)
5 will get Maha Lacto School Bag
1 will get a camera.
I thought to test my luck again. I didnt own a single-branded thing. Atleast I could own the Maha Lacto brand!! Atlast the LD-day (Lucky draw day) came. The company representatives came in suits and ties. After assembly, they started calling the lucky ones... A boy besides me got a bag, a classmate of mine who stands 5 to 6 girls before me got a bag and a senior of mine won (won??? though this word sounds absurd here) a camera!!! and as usual I was there questioning my luck...

The main reason I thought to post this article comes here:

Recently Vikatan (a Tamil magazine group) held book exhibition. I went with my friend (leave the fact that I scare people when I read tamil) to see the collection and variety. After a lot of this-that-gud-bad we bought 3 books totalling some 210-plus bucks. In the billing section, we were told that if we get books worth of 300 or so (I have weak memory, forgot the exact amount!) we have a chance of getting a coupon. That coupon will be collected and on a particular date (after a month) the lucky winners will be announced. I and my friend started laughing and the cashier gave a confused luck...only had she known about our luck... :D :D

I again thought of trying my luck... As you would have seen the lesson taught by Farhan Akhtar to Konkana in 'Luck by chance' - that you should atleast give a chance to things. I gave it a go!!! Bought another couple of books for another friend and the amount crossed the required limit.
I filled the coupon, leave the fact that my friend did more than half the purchse :D, and a part of the coupon was given to me to retrieve it, so that it can be useful while collecting the gifts.
The winner might get (as the poster said)

Mixi, Scooty, TV, iPod, Mobile, Toys, book offer, and so on...

I laughed at the thought and went. More than a month passed and my Mom was asking the other day about the coupon. I assured her that it was safe with me in my wallet and also told her that the LD-day has passed. So no need of worrying about it. But instead of throwing it, I let it ruin. A week after the LD-Day passed, I got a call from that publication.

He : "Hello. May I know whom I talking to?"
I : "It is you who called. Whom do you want?" (Always my father has advised me not to share anything with strangers :P :D )
He : "Am talking from Vikatan publication. Can u please tell me ur name".
(I totally forgot about the lucky draw part. I was thinking why a Tamil magazine will approach me!!)
I : "My name is Priyanka".
He: "Oh ok Madam. I just called to say that u won prize in LD".

(I was totally out of words!! me???? what i wud have got?? mobile or scooty??)

I : OK sir. what I have to do?
He: Just visit the same book center with the coupon, u vl get ur prize. U have won cosmetic prize.
I : Ok, thank you.

(Ah!! Cosmetic prize... tsch.. I didnt expect this.. there wasnt anything like cosmetic product on that poster..was ther?? oh leave it!)

I didnt want to go alone and so called my bro - a couch potato - to come with me. I just told him that we have won some prize. Didnt mention him that it was a cosmetic prize, otherwise he wouldnt have come with me :P As we showed our coupon, we were handed a parcel of medium size. hmm... I started guessing.. powders, lipsticks, face lotions... what could be in it??? and my brother in loud voice - "iPod or mobile?? If its a mobile I vl have it.. " I was just smiling n nodding....

Since childhood I have made it as a rule that any gift or envelope I get, I first give it to my Dad to open. And hence this also... Four pair of eyes were anxiously waiting as my Dad was tearing out the cover. As he opened, small boxes started falling... And lo! We all started laughing until tears started flowing through the cheeks.... I won 10 boxes of Vivel soap n 4 shampoo bottles /omg :P

Hence the question, Am I lucky???

P.S : An exception - My date of joining got preponed from november 30 to september 29 :)

Untitled - 1

My first long story ever!!! Read and please let me know how it was... Thnx :)

Ria opened her diary. The pages were blank in yesterday’s and day before yesterday’s column.

Today’s entry:

Dad is back from the conference. And the moment he entered, I saw Mom’s face. Both looked like the fighters who are ready for the gong.

Oh God! Not again today!! See I haven’t complained to you for the past two days. I’ve been a very good girl. I even came now without having my ‘hugging gift’ from dad. Didn’t dine also. I know mom would be pretty upset if I go now. But please God, stop the noise that is going on outside the door. How many times am I supposed to hear the same accusation, some argument out of nothing again and again ?

“You are the one who cheated me..”

“Hey, you are the one who started.” The voices penetrated the room.

Ria had heard them again and again. She knew them by heart, their words. She can see how they will react. To overcome these unpleasant things, she was trying to smile like the lovely doll, which was resting on the other side of the table.

And she finished her diary with these “Hope everything will be fine soon. Good night God”.

For Ria, diary was this – the one that strengthens her, gives her chance to unburden herself and transfer them into the pages (but they hardly go from her). One can see that in every page of her diary, the last two lines were always the same.

Ria to the doll, the only member in the family who listened her.

“Hey Pinky, I heard that people in married life love each other. Is it so?”

The doll with its smile seemed to reply ‘yes’.

“Then why is it not so with Mom and Dad? Won’t I get any of their affection? Wont I see the lovely world outside? Wont they leave me from their clutches and stay claiming me as theirs? Wont they ever find out that what I need is love and support not their ego and money”.

With all these questions coming out, even the smiling doll lost its charm.

“There is no one to talk to me politely or lovingly? Am I a burden?”

She felt sudden sense of anger rolling out of her mind. Was she a burden?? Is it her mistake that she is born? Are these parents - the word sounded ridiculous to her - going to stop their non-sense?

She rushed towards her parents and stared from one to the other. They stopped on seeing her as if unaware of the fact that she could hear them inside her room too. Ria, tried to even out her voice. But it didn’t work much. “Mamma, Pappa, please! For God’s sake stop your non-sense.” She wanted to faint, so that they can see how much they are affecting her. Atleast then they will realize and come together. But..NO… her Mom and Dad are beyond any explanation or any treaty.

Racked my brain, but couldnt find any suitable tiltle... Suggestions please...

The next part is coming soon :) :) :)

Innocence

Rita to her maid's daughter, "Where is your mom today?".

"she is sleeping in home".

Rita, "Her fever soar up?".

Innocently, "Mam, its not fever; just to keep away from cold, her body gets hot. She vl b back soon."

Fight

She was enjoying the fight. First of its kind from her aunt and uncle - fighting for her! She was happy with the love shown towards her. What else she wanted in this world!

But what to do with the will that grandpa has left for her yesterday?

A teacher's student

Yae-Bee-Cee-Dee-Eee-Yaf-G-Gach-Eye-Jay-Kay-Yel-Yem-Yen-O-Pee-Ku-Arr-Yes-Tee-You-We-Double u-Yax-Why-Izaddd..

Thus the alphabets were echoing in the house sourcing from a II standard boy of tamil medium. Sometimes he would swallow his ‘Tee’and ‘We’. When he is reminded of that fact, he will hit his head with his tiny hands and innocently say, “ aama maranthutten!” (ya I forgot).

He will show his book pointing to a poem and say, “Teacher inaikku ithu sollikuduthaanga” (Teacher taught this today).The first day when he came, I asked him to read words from the book. But he didn’t know the a,b,c…(small letter A,B,C..). I was astonished. In the developing part, I see the children well-thorough with their A,B,C and 1,2,3 stuffs even before they step into class I!

When I was a kid, I used to stammer when the question was, “What’s your aim?”, not because that I had none, infact I had many. The previous year when I was sitting useless at home, I very much wanted to be part of a teaching profession for classes from 4 to 9. But some works and problems chained me.And here I got my chance :)

One day I asked him, what he would like to become.

His answer was,"Maama mathiri varuven"(I will become like my uncle).

On further enquiry it was known that his uncle is working in a ship in Madagascar . And this boy plans to pass the 9th class and then join the ship there. It was first time I came to hear of such aim, peculiar indeed. But I believe that the boy can reach far heights.

The boy learnt a,b,c,d. pretty quick and I thought that it was time to teach him some common questions.

I : what is your name?

He: My name is Gandhiraj

You shouldve seen my surprise look. He doesn’t know a,b,c,d.. but can answer these questions! Good. I thought of proceeding further.

I: How are you?

He: Am fine. Thank you.

The first question has already had its effects. So I reacted lesser to this.

I : what is your mother’s name?

He: Amma peru ketkrueengala? (Are you asking mom’s name?)

I : aama (yes).

He: Selvarani.

He would have got tht question by the word ‘mother’and ‘name’ I guess. I proceeded further.

I : how old are you?

He: I am fine, thank you.

I : Illai thambi (no brother), How old are you?

He: I am fine, thank you.

Then I understood that he mistook my question as ‘how are you’. I stressed the word old but he still couldn’t get. Because he was not memorized this question by his teacher. And this is one of the reasons why I don’t like the education system especially in government schools.

But I should say, he is good in addition. When the other day, I told him, “unnoda maths booka edu” (Take your maths book). He stared. “kanakku boooka edu” (take ur maths book”). It was then he took his maths book! And the next day, I taught him subtraction, the poor kid got confused! What I could I do? I cant wire his nerves!

And mom came to my rescue. She told me to give a few more problems so that he will practice and learn. And I saw that mom was also eager to teach him. She still helps him out in subtraction! I and my brother are like head and tail of a coin. But that day, he came and helped me. He was much surprised when he knew that children do take time in learning things. Sometimes he pities my student and hurries him off to home!!

And to keep out the boredom, I thought of telling him stories daily – the kids are usually fascinated by them.

“What story would you like to hear?”

“ Singam kathai” (Lion’s story)

It just reminded me how I pestered my grandma to tell story daily - sometimes of a king, of a jungle and of fairies. I smiled and then recalled “the lion and the mouse”, I read in childhood.

Altogether, I am enjoying the teaching job. Sometimes I feel that the job shifts between us when he teaches me innocence, happiness and the excitement that the world has kept for him :)

10 secrets abt me!

Ya, am tagged. And this my first time!!! This tag of revealing some 10 secrets about me was passed by Kally. First I thought tht this was going to be easy, and planned to do it within a week. But day by day, I pondered, what my secrets are! My life is an open book. Its just that few take interest, turn over the pages and read it. Some 3 to 4 of them came soon, but the rest took a long time to enter my mind :)

Okay, lemme share with you the pages that are least read. Here I go,

1. I've planned to write an autobiography. Well, I feel that everybody's life is nothing less interesting than a tale. So I also come in everbody!

2. Two things that I cant control - SLEEP and HUNGER :P

3. Many say that I keep my cool or I manage on the stage well. But lemme say, I have still not overcome my stage fear, phew! But my friends say that I have improved much! :)

4. Watched a forbidden movie- I was not allowed to watch a spiritual movie in childhood (when i was in some 5th or 6th class), with the notion that it will affect my thoughts. However, I peeped through the door's opening and watched it. And I still remember the irrationalism in that movie (Fortunately, I dont remember the movie's name). Sssh... dont tell my parents, they still are unaware of it!

5. Am a born-vegetarian. And sometimes I feel bad that I dont have access to all the menus of the world :(

6. I like to play even when I know that I am losing it - especially in Carrom and badmiton, where my brother usually wins! :)

7. I dont know how to react or what to react when someone praises me. In short I feel uncomfortable. Just a little smile will satisfy me of my work :)

8. When I feel tensed or worried, I get hungry ! I dont know from whom I got this gene. Can't help it! :P (If u think that point 2 and this is same, then the answer is NO).

9. When I watch a movie or read a book, I indulge myself there. I cry with them and laugh with the characters there. The worst effect of it was when I read Harry Potter, where Sirius Black (Godfather of Harry) died. And it took me several weeks to console that it was just a story, a book.

10. It was in 12th standard, I wrote a poem (in some 2003), beacause I thought that I can be a poet!! When I showed that to my Dad, he thought that it was nothing less than a crap. lol!
Then by the end of the academic year i.e, by april 2004, I wrote a poem for a friend on her birthday, and it was remarked good! And that gave me the entry to the world of poetry :)

So my first tag is over! and it feels great completing this tag!

Now my time to tag:

:: Nive :: Janaki :: Rajesh :: Karthikeyan :: Mithe :: Experiencing...
::Grumblings :: Shyamala :: Praja :: Balaji :: Sandy

Cya in the next post!
Until then take care :)