kaapi ....

A close relative (M) recently shared this 'blast from the past' ... :)

Warning: Those who aren't aware of the 'arranged marriage' concept shouldn't read any further ... :)

Morning - M is tipped-off by a relative that the boy who would come to 'see' her was just a clown who pretends to be a 'prospective groom'. She also receives a list of questions that he would ask in the course of their conversation.

Evening - The clown arrives with a friend. M's father welcomes them ... Soon, M walks into the room (obviously pretending to be shy) with steaming cups of kaapi ... lil chit-chat between M's parents and the clown .... then he says to the father ...

"In these modern times (it was the late 1970s), it would be only appropriate if M and I had a private conversation ... u know spend some time alone"

The reply "But I am even more modern ... so I have absolutely no problem with you asking anything in my presence ... so go ahead and say whatever's on your mind ... go ahead ... I am very modern ... "

The clown squirms in his seat ... its not going as per plan ... hmmm ...
"So does the girl know how to cook?"

The reply
"No. She doesn't know how to cook. .... But I know how to. I can make aviyal, sambar .... (lists down the menu of any standard restaurant) ......"
"I also know how to climb trees, scale mountains, raise chickens ..... (lists down a bunch of stuff) ... "
and after 5 minutes of listing in great detail, all the things he can do,
" ... and I also know how to whack any guy who tries to act smart with my kid!"

The clown and his friend, by now just wanna run away ... (did I mention that M's father was over 6 feet tall ... and well, XL was tight-fit for him)... they stay on their chairs, not knowing what to say, when he continues ...

"We have something to take care of. So we're gonna leave now. But you two need not leave so soon ... stay and have some more kaapi ...."

Was it worth it?

"What are you doing here, Max?"

Without glancing behind, he quickly wipes his face and wearily starts getting up.

"Nothing" ... he mumbles
"... the traffic just keeps getting worse doesn't it? I don't feel like leaving work, just thinking of the commute ... just look at that Jules ... its crazy, na?"

"Yes ..." she says, of the birds-eye view of bumper to bumper traffic.

"But thats not why you were out here all alone at the stairwell now, was it?"

"I was just tired Jules ... these crazy hours are getting to me."

"Same here, Max ... I'm tired too ... why don't you sit down?"

They remain silent for a while ... looking at the slow pilgrimage outside ... as red and the occasional neon lights shone through the falling darkness

... then abruptly, Julia asked the inevitable ...

"Was it worth it?"

He doesn't reply

"I was afraid this would happen, Max ... I'm so sorry. But I'd warned you not to get so emotionally attached to her, didn't I?. And now she's done it again. Why don't you learn from your mistakes? Why are you so blind to the obvious ... that she never loved you? ... that she was only using you?"

His gaze remains fixed at the pilgrimage outside

"I'm sorry Max ... its just so frustrating to see someone mess with you like this ... "

He turns to her and holds her gaze for a while ... then

"Yes it is frustrating to be used ... to have genuine love and affection trampled on ... but I knew it all along too ... I knew she never really cared ... but I still played along ... I knew it would only lead to this ... but I chose to have her in my life for a lil' more time ... I was selfish and spineless ... I refused to cut my losses and run when I should have ... so I deserve this, Jules ... I deserve this ... it's not her fault ..."

"Don't blame yourself Max ... please don't ... it was only natural for you to have behaved that way ... love does that ... make one behave irrationally quite often ..."

"Hey you two! ... DC wants those staus reports ... get in here!!! "

they turn their backs to the pilgrimage outside ... and walk towards airconditioned comfort ... and just before they enter, Max says ...

"Yes ... it was worth the effort ... Love always is ..."

-----
Seeing her smile was worth the time and the effort and the emotional investment ... For me, Love is never about what you get ... When someone becomes the object of your affection (viz. when u love someone), they may not deserve it ... and they may never recompense ... but until you lavish your affection, you just don't feel right ... so I give love every chance I can ... even if I'm looked on as being irrational ... even when I know it could lead to hurt ... I'd rather give Love a chance today rather than wonder "what-if I had?" tommorow ... This poet will keep looking for his rhyme ... :)

Have a gr8 weekend ya all!!!

Farewell (Reloaded) - AnupR

Farewell (Reloaded) - AnupR

Standing before a blazing fire
Contemplating broken dreams …
… the foolish desires

I stand there in a daze
Hearing everything …
… listening to nothing

One by one
I read and re-read
All the letters you sent
All that you said
All that you never meant

One by one
The letters meet the flames
And crumble and twist
With the same agony
I feel inside

One by one
The tears dry
Even as the flames die
Even as the embers fly

And so, I’m left
Bereft and all alone
In the dark of the night

I fall to the unforgiving ground
And lie gazing at the empty, meaningless sky
Wouldn’t it have been better
… to just give up and die?

A drizzle catches me unawares
Like a blessed answer to my prayers
I stand up with arms outstretched
To welcome the sweet, cleansing rain
And with every drop that rolls off me
I finally let go
… of you
… of us
… of the pain

----
Hey you all, this one was inspired by a gr8 friend of mine ... guess, I'm not the only one with messed up relationships ... this goes out to you, my dear ... TC ...

Farewell - AnupR

Farewell -AnupR

Usually,
love is enough
but,
many times
it falls short.
And,
at this time
all I have,
is,
something you don't care about

But,
I'll get over the heartbreak
And,
I'll get over the pain
But,
What will you do, honey?
when,
it starts to rain?

No one could've ever loved you
the way I thought I did
I'm glad I saw the real you
and that you did what you did

Now,
I don't have much to offer
And,
I don't have much to say
For a change,
I want to be happy
So,
I won't ask you to stay

----
just walk away honey, just walk away .... farewell ....

Friends

"Friends" - AnupR

I thought I'd made
all the friends
I would ever make

But then you, ... you came along

I thought I'd made
another, ... another mistake
it just can't work
"We're too different
and from different worlds"

But then you, ... you proved me wrong

Now I know
that you will be there
(for me)
Now I know
that you will care
(for me)
... the way I do
(for you)

I thought I'd made
all the friends
I would ever make

But then you, ... you came along

-----
"Beloved friend, I pray that you prosper and be in good health, even as your soul prospers."