My friend, I have to let you go... (Sulekha Challenge)

I didn't dare to look over my shoulder..

If I did, I will fall folded to my knees end up crying so hard nobody could ever stop me. That would be embarrasing wouldn't it? But I wouldn't care. It might have alteast given me an opportunity to vent out my sorrow hidden deep down inside.

Its tough to let go of anything thats been part of life for such a long time. It's really hard. Being together for years and years as close since I am 9 years old.

At first, I had hard time getting to know him but slowly everything fell into places. We ended up sticking together from that day on except sleeping apart.

He was always with me all the time. We hang around together. He accompanied me everywhere I go. I felt so much joy when I was around him. We share lot of memories together.

I don't know, what I am going to tell my parents when I go home without him? They did expect this day would come but its not today.

How am I going to convince my friends? Its a loss for all us. We all had great fun time together. We used to go for long rides on the mountain roads and enjoy ourselves. I never would forget those golden moments.

Sorry my friend, I have to let you go. May be it was my fault to leave you alone for these many years. It's better for both of us, if you leave without with any more trouble. You are already in a very terrible and rusted condition. It's time for you to go now.

With tears flooding his e yes, Aakash thought to himself after letting go off of his friend cyko, droping his old bicycle friend at the trash collector store.

White or Black Pebble: A Short Story

I came across this short story when I was digging for one to present to my toastmaster club. Its really good one sent by my friend. Check it out.

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Many years ago, when a person who owed money could be thrown into jail, a merchant in London had the misfortune to owe a huge sum to a money-lender.

The money-lender, who was old, ugly and wicked, fancied the merchant's beautiful teenage daughter. He proposed a bargain. He said he would cancel the merchant's debt if he could have the girl instead.

Both the merchant and his daughter were horrified at the proposal.

So the cunning money-lender proposed that they let Providence decide the matter.
He told them that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an empty money-bag and then the girl would have to pick out one of the pebbles. If she chose the black pebble, she would become his wife and her father's debt would be cancelled. If she chose the white pebble she would stay with her father and the debt would still be cancelled. But if she refused to pick out a pebble, her father would be thrown into jail and she would starve.

Reluctantly, the merchant agreed. They were standing on a pebble-strewn path in the merchant's garden as they talked and the money-lender stooped down to pick up the two pebbles. As he picked up the pebbles, the girl, sharp-eyed with fright, noticed that he picked up two black pebbles and put them into the money-bag. He then asked the girl to pick out the pebble that was to decide her fate and that of her father.

Imagine that you are standing on the path in the merchant's garden. What would you have done if you had been the unfortunate girl? Refuse to take a pebble? Point out that there are two black pebbles in the bag and expose the money-lender as a cheat ? Take a black pebble and sacrifice yourself in order to save your father from prison?

None of the suggestions is very helpful, for if the girl does not take a pebble her father goes to prison, and if she does take a pebble, then she has to marry the money-lender. NOW, THINK LATERALLY!

The girl in the pebble story put her hand into the money-bag and drew out a pebble. Without looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall to the path, where it was immediately lost among all the others.

"Oh, how clumsy of me," she said, "but never mind - if you look into the bag you will be able to tell which pebble I took by the Colour of the one that is left."

Since the remaining pebble is of course black, it must be assumed that she had taken the white pebble, since the money-lender dare not admit his dishonesty. In this way, using lateral thinking, the girl changes what seems an impossible situation into an extremely advantageous one!

- From "Use of Lateral Thinking "by Edward deBono

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Did you happen to come across any situation like this one in your life which you changed by your lateral thinking?! Share it...

It's not Cheap anymore...

I am also jumping in the fire of creating a story below 100 words. I am going to just try it, you score it and let me know. Here it goes...

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"No Sir..."

"You don't accept one Rupee?"

"Yes Sir, we don't accept one rupee anymore from this new year.."
"What !!! Why not ?"

"Sir, One rupee can't buy anything nowadays, not even a single cup of tea"

"OK. So what do you accept ?

"In our last Chennai Beggars association meeting, we passed a bill to accept only minimum five rupees?"

"Five Rupees...!!!!"

"I don't have a change, only have 500 Rupees"

"No problem sir, I have it.."

"OK. OK... Give me the change.."

"Here you go sir, 495 rupees. Thank you sir!"

"Yeah, Right..welcome."

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(extra's beyond 100 words)

"We will have the credit card machine setup soon.."

"Oh..great.. Technology upgrade in begging dept(Thats what the country really needs!!)"

THE BUS STAND - THE END

(This is Sequel of The Bus Stand - Part I)

An interesting incident introduces Aakash to her approximately 2 months ago.

March month just marched in with striking summer days sending bye bye to milder weather. It just stopped raining, ending the kiosk it created for the past 2 days. After that hard rain, it flooded the sewage, filled the Pot holes with dirt water, muddy and slipery patches all over the places, especially near the bus stand.

As unusual to most days, Aakash just happen to be standing in this Bus Stand waiting for his connecting bus. He worked little late that day and ended up missing the direct bus so he came to this connecting Bus stand. It was little bit crowded that day and its almost 7.30pm. Street light just did its duty by shining the road and the Bus Stand.

A bus came just empty enough to fit only 5 more people. There were college students already traveling in the front footboard steps(famously known as footboarding in chennai) and driver is yelling at them to get inside.. It came to a complete halt, close to the Stand. People were rushing and jumping to get inside including Aakash and another lady. Aakash is pushing himself to go inside. In parallel to him, that young lady wearing saree is also try to get inside which he barely notices in the rush.

At that instant moment, conductor who got frustrated with the heavy crowd, gave the double whistle to start the bus. Driver didn't see Aakash and the lady still trying to get inside from the back steps because college students standing in the front steps blinded his rear window. He was not able to view the back steps properly. He just starts with real push in his accelerator with the first gear and immediately changing to second one to move fast.

Lady is still not completely inside the bus, her one foot is in bus steps with her saree jamed between the people and another foot in the ground. She slowly losing her balance, slipped by the muddy patch.

"oooh, bussa nerutha sollunga... aaaaa.. naa vizhunthuduva(please ask to stop the bus, I still didn't got inside, lady shouted)", she is trying to control and get the grip inside but she couldn't because of the bus fast movement.

Aakash who is still on the footstep with one hand on the bus footstep handle. He just alarmed by the voice from the lady and immediately managed himself to hold her hip tightly in his other hand and tried pull her inside the bus. His try worked and got her inside saving her from a big fall.

It all happened in fraction of few seconds. People who are watching this, started shouting to stop the bus. Conductor whistled and bus stopped with sudden brake.. Everybody asked Aakash and the young lady to check whether they are ok and free of any injuries.

"Onnum illa..naanga ok... (nothing happened,We are OK)", Aakash replied the crowd and then the bus starts to move after conductor whistle..

Aakash and the lady slowly moved inside squeezing others and comfortably settling in the middle of bus. Both of them still yet to get out of that tensed moment.. Aakash broke the silence asking her, "Are you ok? Sorry I did not have any way to stop you falling except holding your hip."

She didn't wait for him to stop and started right back to say, "No, No.. Its alright.. If you didn't do that, I can't imagine what might have happened... Thank you so much". By the way, I am Rohini. Thanks again.. I won't forget this help". She just popped like popcorn in the microwave oven..

"You are Welcome. I am Aakash.", he replied..

They didn't talk after that and don't know what to talk until the stop came for her to get down.

May be its coincedence, next day they both met again in the same bus. She saw him standing in the back. Her eyes invited him close to her. He recognized that came close by.. She asked his bag so he can stand comfortably as she was sitting in the ladies seat. He gave his bag and relaxed a bit in the crowd. Looks like they might have see them before the incident in the bus but bother to notice close enough. They didn't talk much that day.

From that day on, Aakash plans to meet her every work day taking the connecting bus in this Bus Stand. They both say HI, HELLO and may have little conversation or two about their day.. They just felt the attraction and enjoyed the presence of each other..

Conductor's loud whistle sound just alerted him to come to real world. Its his stop actually. He got down and kept thinking about her while he was walking to his home.

"May be she didn't go to work today.. or May be she is not feeling well... I will see her tomorrow... Don't worry", he tries to console himself..

Days passed and time changed.. But he never saw her again.. He sometimes think about her, her sweet voice and talk to himself, "I don't what happened to her. Will I see her again? If I am lucky I might see her again. Its a small world afterall..."

THE END

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Life is like a long train journey. We all travel to reach our own destiny. Some people get on in the middle and travel with us for the entire journey and never even bother to give a smile. Some get on to stay just long enough to make a strong impression and disappears when their stop arrives..

We think about them on and off but we still have to go on with our journey to reach our destiny.. Thats life :-)