Thank You So Much!!!

I feel honored to have been chosen over by Patsy Blacksawyer as the recipient of the Best Blog Award. This award was originated at the WillOaks Studio, a great blog itself. Thank you so much mam!

###

Once...

{wrote it during my early college days... hope you like it... -Arin}

“Gia… Gia…Gia…”

Gia rubbed her eyes and looked up in the soft blue light of the night lamp. Joy was standing beside her bed, smiling. He was in a gorgeous black suit, black trousers and shoes. His dark hair, though combed perfectly, still came and covered his right eye. He looked handsome, more handsome than he ever looked.

“Hi dear,” she yawned, and then smiled, “I never dreamt you would make it so fast!”

Just then the bell of the clock started ringing, one, two, three… six… nine… twelve times. Joy lowered his face towards Gia, kissed her cheeks and whispered, “happy birthday honey.”

“Thank you dear,” Gia smiled and moved to make room for Joy, “wont you come in?”

“But first,” Joy continued in his soft voice, “come, let me show you something.”

Gia, still sleepy, got up slowly. Joy held her hand and brought her out in their balcony. It was a full moon night and in the silvery moonlight she saw, and got surprised. A small table was set with two chairs. On the table there was a candle stand with five candlesticks lit, a slender vase with a single red rose, a bottle of champagne, two small wineglasses and a cake that had twenty-six tiny candles lit on it.

“When did you do all these?” she exclaimed, “I must have slept long!”

They went up to the table and sat facing each other. Gia was now fully awake. Joy handed her a knife with a red ribbon tied to it. She blew off the candles on the cake and took the knife. Slowly, delicately she cut off a small slice while Joy quietly sang the‘happy birthday to you’ lines. Gia extended her hand; Joy bit half of the slice, took the other half and put it in her mouth. Then he poured champagne in the two glasses and gave one to her, “To the most beautiful girl on earth, to my love, happy birthday,” and they drank it at one go. After that he got up and went near her, “may I ask you for a dance?”Gia was amazed. Never had Joy acted so romantic before. Yes, that he always loved her, she knew. But he was always too shy to show it. And he had hardly given her a minute in almost the last two years of their love marriage. He had his dreams, which he chased like a mad. And she respected that, knowing him for the last eight years. The last twenty months had seen him run all over the world for his work, his passion. He would come home at nights, and then rush out again the next morning. And then he would be away for many days. “Just give me a few more days,” he would say, “and I’ll make all these up to you.” She used to have concerns over his health, and at times feared that so much stress might affect him badly. But then when ever she opened the door to him he would smile the same way, every time, which would drive away all her worries.

Gia often recollected the funny moment when she proposed Joy, two years ago, who accepted it with such a blush that one normally doesn’t associate with boys. And here he was, romantic like a Romeo. When Joy called her the last evening and said, “honey, I’m coming home”, she knew from his tone that her long wait was finally over. She was excited. It was an eight-hour flight. He said he would be at her doorstep early in the morning of her birthday. But here he was almost six hours before. Perhaps this was the surprise he said he was bringing with him.

“Hey, aren’t you tired?” she said smiling as they slowly went about their steps, “you have made such a long journey. Why don’t you go and refresh yourself?”

“Do I look tired?” he asked smiling back at her.Gia noticed that the tired look that he usually had when he used to come home was surprisingly not there in his eyes this time.“Nothing would make me tired tonight,” Joy quipped in an unusual naughty tone.

“Wow!” she said, “I have never seen you like this. Where’s my Joy?”Joy gripped her waist a little more firmly and pulled her closer. And just when they were at a distance where he could hear her nervous and excited breathing, he whispered, “right here, in your arms.”

It was three-thirty. Joy looked at Gia’s beautiful, happy and tired but relieved face. Slowly, carefully, he removed the locks that came over her sleeping eyes. He was planning to say something all the time but somehow he couldn’t. But then he had to say it now. There was not much time left.

“Gia… Gia… Gia…”

Gia opened her eyes. Joy was not beside her on the bed. She got up and put back her nightgown on. Joy was not in the room as well. She called out his name once but no reply came. As she started to make her way to the balcony she heard the television switched on. She came in the drawing room where the TV was, but Joy wasn’t there too. Little annoyed, as she went to switch it off, her eyes fell on the screen. A news channel was on. It featured a ‘breaking news’ that said, “Flight AD-029 of Rhythm Airlines crashed killing everyone on board.”Gia stood dumbstruck for a moment. She looked around for a while. Was then it all just a dream? And just then she saw Joy sitting in a chair in the balcony. “Of course not,” she reassured herself, “or how would he come six hours earlier.” She switched off the TV and ran to the balcony. There she embraced Joy saying, “Oh you scared me. Did you see that? You were supposed to be on the one that crashed. By God’s grace…”

She could not complete because just then she looked at Joy’s face that was soaked with tears. “What’s the matter dear?” she enquired.“That plane crashed twenty-three minutes after its take-off,” he said.

“So?” Gia couldn’t understand.“Gia,” Joy said slowly, “I have to tell you something.”

“What?” she was getting restless, seeing his tears, “tell me.”

Joy looked down, “Last evening after calling you I went to a jewelry shop and bought this for you,” he showed a little box that had a beautiful diamond ring in it, “and then I hurried to the airport to board my plane. Minutes later I was in seat no.16, executive class of AD-029, Rhythm Airlines…”

“What kind of joke is this?” Gia cried out, “That plane have crashed. No one has survived Joy.”

“You are right,” he replied, “but I know something that these news channels don’t know,” and he looked up at her, “it crashed exactly twenty-three minutes after it took-off.”

Gia trembled on hearing this. “Don’t be scared of me, please,” Joy said, “I am Joy, and you know I wont hurt you.”

“Please don’t,” Gia muttered not in fear, but in despair, “please don’t joke like this.”

“I am not joking Gia!” Joy shouted, “for Gods sake Gia look at me. I am dead.”

“No,” she was sobbing now, “please Joy, don’t scare me like this. You know I don’t like these jokes. You know I wont survive without you.”

“You have to, Gia,” he cried, “wait,” he went in and brought a knife. And then he stabbed his hand with it. When he removed the knife there was no blood or any mark of the wound, “now you see, I am dead, and I’ll have to go as soon as the sunrays hit me.”

“What’s the purpose of my life then?” she sobbed, “take me with you.”

“Never say that again,” Joy protested, “life is a gift, don’t ignore it. I came back, not to take you but to tell you something I had waited all my life to tell you.”

Gia was sobbing harder now. Joy held her chin up and said, “I love you Gia. I love you. And I promise, we will unite in our next life.”

Gia started weeping now. Tears started to flood out of her eyes. Seeing things go out of control, Joy retreated, “hey Gia, I was joking. I am not dead.”

But Gia kept on crying. Joy continued, “oh God, I am so sorry. I am alive Gia, I am alive. It was a spring knife.”

“Joke!” she cried.“Yes,” Joy said, “I came in the other flight. I told about that flight so that I could surprise you. When we landed here we got the news of the crash. I just thought of scaring you. I wanted to see your reaction. Come-on, don’t be so scared.”

“But look at the sky,” she said still weeping.Joy looked at the sky that was slowly changing from black to red. He laughed and said, “come on Gia, I told you it was a joke. I am going nowhere.”

At this point Gia pointed towards the drawing room. Joy hadn’t seen it till then. There was something behind the sofa. Joy came in with Gia following him. As soon as he came behind the sofa, Joy gave a loud shriek. There was a dead body lying there. It was Gia’s. He shot back and turned around, facing Gia. She said, “The news of the crash started coming on TV about fifteen minutes before your real flight touched down here. I was cleaning the back of the sofa when I heard it.”Joy felt as if he had lost the power of speech. Gia continued, “It didn’t take long, just a few seconds. I told you I couldn’t live without you.”

At this Joy broke down into tears crying, “What have I done! Oh god, what have I done!”

Just then the sun started to show itself on the horizon. As the rays came in, Gia’s body started to fade away. Once, she said, “All my life I waited for you to say those words. It really cost me dearly. But still I am happy you said it to me today. You were right Joy, life is a gift. And we will unite in our next life.” And she disappeared completely. The sun continued to shine brightly outside.

Joy did not live long after this…

###

written by: ARINDAM DEY

[picture courtesy: www.xanga.com]

Wet Touches Of An Old August...

{Republishing this post with minor changes. This got publshed in the september edition of the N.O.W. Magazine, Delhi. Hope you like it... - Arin}

The boy looked outside the window. Little drops of water kept playing with the glass pane. The clouds were still heavy. There were no distant possibility of the rains to stop. The class inside was pretty boring as well. Almost two-thirds of the class was absent due to the overnight rains that continued in the morning as well. Even most of the teachers were absent. But he came. He had to come. Because she would come too. And she had.

And it was just after the fourth period that the school decided to call the classes over. Every one was happy, but not him. He had missed another three long periods of looking at her. Looking at her smile, talk and even at times glancing at him. And today even the class pressure was not there. What could have been more romantic than a day like this! 'God must have the worst sense of romance' he thought.

The streets were all water logged, not uncommon during this time of the year. While the elders cursed the government for it, their younger counterparts enjoyed it like anything. The boy came out with his umbrella & bicycle. He was just about to ride it when he saw her coming. Today, just like his friends, all her friends were absent too. So she came playing with the water by herself. She didnt have an umbrella. He waited for her to come up.

"Hi!" she said, "so you got no friends today?"

"No" he replied, "so it seems with you too."

"Yeah!" she smiled, "a little rain and they are all shut inside."

He smiled, "So ... you got no umbrella?"

"Oh ya i have" she said, "I used it while coming, cause i didnt want to get wet then. But now that i am returning home, i dont mind the rains!"

"All right then" he smiled and folded his umbrella back into his bag.

"Arey, Why are you closing it?" she was confused.

"Well..." he said hesitating, "if u dont mind... then... may i give you a ride to your home?" and then added immediately almost as an excuse, "its actually on the way to my home you know..."

She looked at him for sometime and smiled, "Okay."

The two rode through the water logged isolated streets as the drizzle kept on soaking them. For him, it was like a dream. And sitting in front of him was the very princess of those dreams. He felt strong and yet he was scared. He didnt know what he was. He could smell the wet fragrance of her shoulder, and the scent of her hair almost mesmerised him. The feeling of her cuddled into his arms there invoked a strange unknown feeling of ecstasy in him, as if he was living a moment called forever. A moment that was his very own. A moment that no one could ever take away from him. He wanted to drive the cycle in the best way he could making it as comfortable for her as possible. He was nervous. And so was she too. Never had she done anything like this before. She could sense his warm breath on her shoulders and neck, and feel the flex of his muscles around her. She didnot know what went on inside her but she knew that she wanted every moment to linger a bit longer. Never had she felt anyone so close to her. And something inside her told her that she was happy it was him. They tried to talk but something kept them silent. Perhaps they didnt want their voice to disturb the warm intimate dialogue that their hearts were having in their silence. Minutes passed like that. The only thing that sounded was the little droplets of water blessed from the heavens. Gradually they came near the girls house. She got off.

"Thanks" she smiled.

"You are welcome" he said with an effort.

He looked at her. She stood in front of him completely drenched. He could see the little droplets that ran down her cheeks. Her uniform clung onto her body, totally soaked. He swallowed a lump.

"What?" she asked softly.

"No... nothing" he felt caught, "you are fully wet. Go in quickly or you might catch cold."

"Why dont you come in? Till the rain stops?" she asked.

"No" he said almost against his will, "i'll be fine."

"Why?" she said, "I can catch cold, cant you? Are you so differnt from me?"

"No-no" he was embarassed, "i didnt mean that."

"Then come in" she insisted, "look at yourself you are totally wet, head to toe. Let me give you a towel, rub your head. you'll go once the rain stops."

"Actually" he said hesitatingly, "it seems the rains will only get heavier. So let me go before it starts to pour hard."

She looked up at the sky. the clouds had no doubt got darker. She gave up, "Ok... but you'll be okay na?"

"Oh yes" he smiled assuringly, "My home is just ten minutes ride from here."

"Ok" she said slowly, "just go carefully. See you."

"Yup" he mounted his cycle, "see you tomorrow."

He had barely gone a few yards when she called out, "hey just a second."

He stopped. She came running to him.

"What?" he asked.

The water drops were still rolling down her cheeks and neck. She looked around once. And then brought her face near his. As if sensing what she was doing, he leaned in too. And she whispered earnestly in his ears, "Are we really that different?" and planted a soft kiss on his cheek and stepped back. For a moment she stood there giving him the most incredible smile, and then she ran back. He stood there, stunned for a few seconds. then he looked up at the heavens once as the rain drops doused his face. 'Not that bad sense of romance after all' he thought smiling and rode off...

###

written by: ARINDAM DEY

[picture courtesy: www.photobucket.com]

Nelson...

You are today no more with me,

But you were there, only you,

When I was marooned,

By then, whom I loved,

Only you were there,

To share my pains and talk to me,

My mute mate...

I got you by the roadside once,

One eye, arm and leg absent,

Something made me bring you home,

What? I dont know; I still dont know,

Perhaps some child had thrown you out,

I got you and named you - Nelson,

My quiet companion...

I spent my days and nights with you,

You were lifeless, yet so lively,

You were dumb,yet you talked in me,

Your sightless eyes saw all my pains,

Unlike the world unlike my chums,

Your plastic heart had felt for me.

My silent pal...

But world has changed as time went by,

All my own have now come back,

But at the price of your absence,

I see, realise their phoney love,

Only you were true, your love selfless,

I try but fail, to find you again,

Behind my own, oh my dumb friend...

###

written by:ARINDAM DEY

[picture courtesy: www.flickr.com]

Beyond The Scarlet Western Skies...

Beyond the scarlet western skies,

Where all the birds fly home,

I see a world thats not quite mine,

A world where now you belong.

I never knew how to say goodbye,

It stays hard still today,

My heart still finds you in its throbs,

So what still lips may say.

They said i had to let you go,

But i dont quite know how,

For all the years my heart loved you,

And does the same still now.

How do i let go off those days,

Of January in those parts,

When the fire of hearths gave less warmth,

Than the fire in our hearts.

I dont know how to let go off,

The moment when we held hands,

Feeling the sea wind on May morns,

Walking bare foot on the sands.

Oh tell me how do i let go,

Those late June evening strolls,

When two lips united in the rain,

And so did unite two souls.

Perhaps you are no more with me,

No more with us today,

Your beauty still makes the days more bright,

Your love will forever stay.

I dont know how not to love you,

And i still dont know why,

But something tells me today perhaps,

I'll have to say goodbye.

Beyond the scarlet western skies,

Today i let you go,

To a world where happiness and love reigns,

A world i'll someday know.

###

written by: ARINDAM DEY

[picture courtesy: www.thomaslaupstad.com]