Sira's Diary: Canine Fable Episode-2

 Episode -2

 

 

In the evolution of civilization, there are some distinct landmarks. Among the most remarkable was shifting to agricultural life from  that of hunter-gatherers': a giant leap;  men became settler which in course of time, created the ownership of land:( the root of all complications.)

Status of the dog also changed accordingly with the lifestyle of man. So long the pack of dogs moved with their tribe. Later on, some of them happened to belong to different individual masters, while some became stray dogs. But whether domesticated or stray, all of them were loyal by nature and adjusted in the community. A sense of duty 'to guard' and 'to protect' their masters' cause flowed in the DNA of their blood (no matter whether for individual or for the community).

    In the old days, keeping dogs as a pet was popular mostly in European countries first and not in Asian countries, at least in India. In old picture or movie, it was very common to see a sophisticated woman and a man with a suit, boot, tie, hat, stick and holding a dog in the chain on street or park or a dog peeping its head from the window of a car. The royal family of Britain were very much fond of the dog as a pet and still maintaining the tradition. Queen Elizabeth-11 has favorite four pugs.

 

 In Europe, people could not take a shower throughout the cold season. There was no sunshine. People suffered from skin diseases. Dogs were kept to clean their bodies by licking; and relieved them from worms, itching and skin diseases. Dogs used to give the comfort of warmth and relief by licking with a soft tongue.

From the English literature, we can know how old was this tradition.  As the British set up colonies in various places, they influenced their culture also in those territories. But only wealthy and fancy people used to keep dogs as pets.

 In India, still, now, a number of stray dogs are random compared to pet dogs. These stray dogs survive on the left-over food from their neighborhood; they are night-guards, more loyal than salaried human beings. In my neighborhood of India, I have noticed from the balcony the dogs lying idly but started howling and chased after, if any stranger, especially hawker passed through the lane. I am amazed to notice their sixth sense. The same type of behaviour, if any dog from another zone come near to them. They are very much territorial.

Anyway, my focus of this article is how the people,s outlook has changed the status of the dog. So far the dog has been humanised what will be next?

 

Will they be "divinized" also in the coming days? Egyptian sculpture portrayed god with the head of a dog and (also with the head of an eagle.)

Is civilization taking us backwards?

 

Last week Newyorker cartoon page presented an image of a man sitting on a chair, like an emperor in the throne, surrounded by few dogs devoted in his service.

Ah-h, an enticing reverie!

Human now has fancied the option to be 'underdog'; Is it self-banishment?

My article is propelled by the photo in the top: "Dog's evening walk in a fancy red toy-car", pampered by a man..

Pavlov's theory of saliva with the ringing of the bell is now redundant. Perhaps pet dogs now need 'appetiser' before lunch and dinner; maybe digestive tonic too, after each meal; lastly, why not a nap?

The modern trend is going towards 'divinizing' the dog. I saw two Hindi movies where dogs acted as a superhero.

Sipra's Diary: Drama > ( Workshop. ). Title : CONJUGAL CONFLICT

                               Drama >      Time. :  (10minutes)

                                  CONJUGAL  CONFLICT

Genre:    Short Fiction

Venue: 

 *One Bed-room Apartment   of Fourteenth floor,    Lower Manhattan

  *  Main Characters :-Kausik(Indian husband)and. Linda(America wife),   

  * And   Badsha, the baby-son

 * Minor characters:  police (2) Security guard , Apartment Concierge  

   and   some Handymen.

{[***Characters. (behind the curtain )>.

 Parents of Kausik ; Linda's Ex-Boyfriend

Time :  Friday Evening , 7:30PM}]

********************************************************

                             Act-1      (scene 1)

Kausik and Linda were taking dinner in their dining cum living room, accompanied with the watching  of  entertainment channel  in CVS  on TV which was fixed  on the opposite side of wall .They looked very much  relaxed on Friday mood.

Linda: 

After dinner we can watch a late-night movie on Netflix  if our "cute enemy" doesn't wake up. When you'll  finish, please take your favorite bottle 'Stella rose'   with two wine  glasses in the bed room . 

Linda cast a meaningful glance with smile  for Kausik.

Kausik took some   tuna salads and brea, keeping aside the pasta on plate.  There was a clear sign on his face that he was not enjoying the food at all . But Linda did not notice that .  

She continued  :'I can see a new Indian movie with you tonight, it's Bombay-Begam,   a nasty hot movie; have you hea......

(interruption by shrilled ringing tone in the land phone rang by this time,)   it was long-distance-call; 

 Kausik  rushed hurriedly to pick up the phone,  "hello  mummy.!..........I can't hear you well ; Keep your phone, I am calling you.

Linda was watching[with open jaw] the face of husband and guessed something inauspicious . No call  used to come from India  except   his birthday and it was too early morning in India for  calling.

As  kausik   was about to wash his hand, she interrupted.  "You can call them after finishing your dinner !

 Kausik did not answer;     instead he  dialed the number and resumed to talk  with mom, sitting  on the stool near the phone-stand. 

Linda finished her meal  with displeased  silence.  She was irritated  at the thought of spoiling  Friday fun; but  She kept her ear as  alert   as watch-dog to hear conversation of Kausik.

Kausik: "hmm.....when it happened?"

Mummy :

"After coming back from  Ritu's marriage party he was feeling uneasy ; so I gave a call to the doctor Ayanger; he advised to get him   admitted day before yesterday in Joshi Nursing home  .But he was shifted to  ICSU at yesterday  midnight as his sugar was rising high.  I was waiting for morning to inform you.  " 

"Be cool mummy ; I will be reaching  Kerala  as soon as possible ;I will call   my friend  Ramesh  to give you  some cash money   immediately ;I wish my dad to get  best treatment . .....Who is with you now mummy?  "

Mummy:  

" Sriprya , she  always take care for us ;   She is  now in the final year of   Ayurvedic Medical college. "  

("Sriprya!  Kausik murmured silently.  [...parents' desired daughter-in-law] 

Kausik's parent wished  to include her in the family   as  their  daughter-in-law").

Then Kausik dialed his friend Ramesh and informed him everything .

Linda was cleaning the table  Coming near to Linda , Kausik told her about hospitalization of his father .

Kausik: 

 "Listen I have to go  India as soon as I get direct flight  to Kerala.  I am thinking that  if my father doesn't survive,  I can not leave my mother alone .  After the the funeral   rituals  I will bring my mummy here with me .!"

For a moment Linda stood  like a statue with Stony gaze at Kausik.

Then said with icy voice ,"is it necessary to take such quick decision to bring your mom here ?''

Kausik:  

 Yes. It is urgent for me. But what bothers you, Linda?".......[Continue]

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>[Only this part published in Blog ]

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Linda : 

"  I think  it is a kind of torture to  bring her in this foreign land  at this late age." .

Kausik : 

You needn' t  to think that! I am the nearest and dearest to her  on earth ;she needs nothing else than to spent rest of life with me; and I will be also in peace.

Linda :(with stern voice)said thoughtfully:

There are many more problems ; some are potent while others are latent, unseen.

Kausik:

"As for?   looking at Linda questionably...

Linda: 

"This is a one bed room apartment. We have to move at least One and half bed room apartment which will create financial  pressure on us ."

Kausik:  

"You will join  to take your  part time old job in the WallMart so that no financial pressure comes.  My mom will be happy for the opportunity  to spend some time with the grand son ."

(Linda   was  enraged , her face became red;  she  threw forcefully the moist  dirty napkin   for cleaning table  and leaning  on   other   hand on the table  she  demanded,)

Linda screamed :

"Why,  should I  support you for your mom? Your parent were  against   our   marriage. They warned you to cut up relationship with you ,even they may go to court! black-mailer parent, huh ! They tried to pollute  your mind  with their opinion of  mean nasty idea about  American girl as wife . Linda continued like a counselling.....

  "One of my   divorcee  friend, Judy, who married an Indian boy, told that that it was her  widow  mother- in -law  who   caused   her divorce . She poked her nose in every matter ; always advising what to do or not; she can take better care of her son than I do or know. 

Too much worrying and babying   was so annoying for Judy;   her husband became powerless against his mother . He turned into alfa male which caused her  behavior pattern  to change also: rough, arrogant ,abusive ; all communications reached to stand still; their relationship became bitter and degraded  from worse to worst ; quarreling and arguments were the only conversations between them ;   her mother-in-law seemed to be happy, she wanted their separation.  My friend requested her husband for counseling;but he  did not pay ear to her.  At last the marriage ended in separation.

Judy consoled me   that I was lucky that my in laws keep no relation with me from the beginning. But  warned   me  to remember always,' beware of Indian mother-in-law!"

..."So I am the last person to support you of bringing your mother. to live with us.  Better solution is to send financial  support so that she can live  well  in India." 

(Linda  tried to study facial lines of Kausik, - if her lecture about Judy left any positive  effect on him!)

Kausik:

      "Listen ,  this is not the time for quarreling ; I have least interest to argue with you now .  My mind is burdened with the thought whether I will see my dad last time to beg pardon and ask him to forgive me for disobeying him..(his voice choked in grief..)..I have to prepare for going India.

My mom will lie on  this sofa-cum bed /or the foot-on bed which I kept folded in the cupboard until we move somewhere. Please keep the small cupboard empty for my mom's suitcase and other staff."

(Kausik moved to the bedroom and brought the   old carry -on cabin suitcase of his student life which was little dusty for not being used long time.)

Linda  frustrated to experience that her story of divorcee friend did not affect  a bit to KK.  (She  used to address kausik) Husband's impassiveness infuriated her toxically. She flung to the  front  of  KK who was dusting  his   cabin suitcase,  and said  as  a hissing snake :

" I see ! you wouldn't  hear me ! '

      she spinned around the table ( crushing her teeth in vain anger) 

-   "You are ready to risk your  'family life' miserable  at the cost of your male  chauvinistic attitude, right ?At the back of your mind,  your  alfa 'ego'  is  working which is :

           'I will do what I wish'! 

(She again  moved her body dramatically.  with her conversation).!'

But look  here,  in conjugal life you can't take any such unilateral decision.

......." she was gasping!

 (She bended her slender body and  swayed her indicator finger violently near KK's nose ).

"I  am  the last person to  allow you to do so ; Let me  see. how far  the water ultimately  flows!"

Linda:    

"you are a son of Tamil Brahmin priest ; it would have been  better  for you  to  follow your hereditary profession of priest hood in temple and marry  a rustic woman as  efficient cook , a true replica of your mom  (Uttered sarcastically),  instead of   coming here for higher education  and  to marry me to  hell rest of my life ".

Kausik:( voice-tone like thundering )

       "Don't forget that I rescued you by marrying !

There was no love affair   as such between us .  Kausik dusted  the suitcase  well  to clean up before pulling the chain   and  opening  it . (simultaneously  with the conversation)

 ." I have to marry you out of sympathy, on humanitarian ground.

   (Now KK threw a sharp piercing  glance at Linda.)

        Suddenly Linda looked a  little  bewildered as if trying to looking back....

          ....for what?.....

....apprehending?.....

.....memorizing?.....

......or, calculating?.....

Within few moments Linda  controlled  her weakness and asked in challenging voice:

"S-o-o.  you mean you married me not out of love but for empathy? 

This one and half years you played only  'game of love 'with me? 

 you imposter, a  humbug  bastard!

I can't live with you any more . I must leave this  house  right now ."

Kausik :(impatiently)

          "You are at liberty to do that"- replied shrugging  his shoulder."

*******************************************************

  (Linda rushed into the bedroom and within short period came  out with her backpack and pryam with sleeping baby) .

"I am taking your son with me . "

Kausik( declared firmly)

              "He is not  "my son ";  so  you can  take  him  also with you .

Linda 

          Raised a   shrilling scream with striking the   dining table-top...

"What?  Wh-a-a at. ? 

Linda threw a metallic verse towards wall which hit and cracked   their  framed  wedding photo with  white  gown and  white veil of  transparent lace !.

"You mean creature ,  a  heinous  vulture !  Aren't you ashamed to deny  even your  fatherhood ?.... just to avoid alimony!

The baby in the pryam   woke  up from sleep due to the noise and started   crying  .

            (Chaos and commotion spread out in the room)

 Kausik:

       "Don't shout! don't!"

       Kausik went on  divulging   the secret  from the closet, locked so long...... 

"You had affair with  my friend Ricardo who  also  came from Argentina  for higher study. like me .You were undergrad student and also doing a part time job  of waitress  in college canteen to meet up your own  education and other expenses . 

Ricardo was a son of wealthy businessman.... .You piled on him to earn  a secured  life  for yourself..Linda! Ricardo was only flirting with you;  You were too ambitious to care little for your feminity!  You began to stay in the  room of his hostel when he finished his Master and got job in several places .You insisted him to marry before joining any job. 

One day Ricardo came to me in the  evening and asked me to drop him to the  airport . He disclosed me that he is fleeing  to  his home land Argentina to escape from you. Because you were blackmailing him that you will attempt suicide if he  does  not marry you that month; you are carrying his baby in your womb . You refused stubbornly to go any doctor's clinic for abortion. Then Ricardo handover  me an envelop which contained  your suicide note.  He was terrified. 

 Now I should disclose what I kept as secret to you. Though not pleasant but you must  listen to know the back ground fact  of me to marry you ! 

Ricardo [afraid and anxiously] :

"I lied Linda that I will  be  going  out for seven days to Sweden  and Amsterdam for job interviews ."

Kausik:

I came back home from airport after dropping  Ricardo with heavy heart . After  one  month I met you in the Walmart  collecting carts and arranging them in order;

....Linda , you look pathetically sick,-- physically and mentally. I was touched to see that . You asked me whether I am in touch with Ricardo. I just nodded my head without looking at your eyes. 

On  that day , coming back to my room I got the  offer of job -letter . ..

As your sad image that I saw  in  Walmart  floated in my mind,  I took out the 'suicide note'( kept secretly) to read  several times Then I decided to  propose you. Before proposing I used to go Walmart frequently  to meet you. .......The rest is known to you : how I  struggled over the storm of objections from my parents  .Your  baby was born within  seven months of our marriage ......I pretended to all  as if  ' pre matured  baby' to save your prestige!. .........

The baby was crying and  wanting to get on the lap of  his mom  .But Linda did not pick up him  on lap.

Linda was standing against the wall,  her    bewildered  face was distorted   utterly  with contempt  and helplessness ! 

Linda :( now she clapped dramatically)

        "  Wow, goo-d Samaritan;  then like vomit she emitted,  ff uck,   you fake Shame- ari- tan !"

             (The baby was crying....)

( Kausik came towards her ; picked up  the  crying  baby affectionately, to hand over Linda .)

Kausik:

       "He is hungry ; please.  feed him !  

(Linda turned her face  to the baby  looking  vacantly, as if, to  some creature  never seen before)!

  Then glanced  at Kausik  deeply with  her stunned. and tearful eyes,         for few moments . 

  { Both fixed their eyes on each other with their mouth little agap, like still-image !  their untold speech was conveyed through gazed eyes ! {(Perhaps all the past moments  of last fifteen  months  flashed   in lightening  speed in their minds like some snap-shots-!!}

 Linda.   took the baby from kausik  in her lap  and went to the bed- room silently.)

 Kausik;  ( rested  on the sofa-cum bed,  quite  exhausted;  it was mid-night As he   switched  off the light, a deadly silence swooped down, pervading all around  Just as in war field ,   at the end of battle !

Kausik lay down on the sofa. ..... amidst the silence he heard the   baby was enjoying  breast-milk from Linda  with sweet sucking  noise      .....chuk, chuk ....chuk.  Aah!Aah....

He felt into deep sleep  with that  lullaby   ..chuk,chuk..........

    (  In early morning   door-bell    and also the    ring-tone from  land phone  puzzled sleepy Kausik.  He   struggled  to get  over from sleepy bewilderment ...  With drowsy eye he opened the door ; his sleep evaporated to see two cobs with uniform, standing  behind the  security guards  of  their building  who looked pale, terrified.    

Police:       

You have to come down with us in the back yard of swimming pool..

Kausik followed them in   his bewilderment  without questioning 

Outside the indoor swimming pool  there was a open place surrounded by some tall tree and swimming chairs to relax under open sky .There was a crowd of  several cobs,  concierge,  two three staffs of  the   apartment ,The police stopped near a  body covered by white sheet. One cob lifted the white cover.

Police:

"Do you recognize. this woman?'"

Kausik :   nodded his head .

"What is her name?"

Kausik :

         "Linda, my wife".

Police. :

          "When did she came here?"

(Kausik  nodded his head again.)

Police. :

"Why was she out of apartment at mid-night?"

(Kausik nodded his head , confusedly.)

            The   cleaner of swimming pool  was the first to see her body hanging from a tree of this garden. 

Kausik : (looked at her  wide-opened sea-green eyes  fixed  at the grey unclear sky and  protruded tongue, as if,  to mock  Kausik !

(Kausik asks silently: What are you searching with such penetrating look  at the sky ,  Linda?   fault of our stars?

He wanted to ask the cob to shut  her eyes and  insert her  tongue inside; but nothing came out from throat .)

  Two cobs in white robe with the concierge came to Kausik.

" Sir, we need to take look of your apartment; please accompany us "

   Kausik   followed them like puppet.

 The cob took multiple photos of the whole apartment . They discussed among themselves  in low voice while  taking  ..the cracked  wedding photo  In the bed room they picked up an. open envelop.  from the baby-cot.

The three cobs leaned over the piece of paper  to read .

Police :

         "Sir, you have to go to the police station with  us .

        There are two lady cops to take care of your baby".

Kausik  followed the cobs; 

Coming near the elevator as he  turned back  abruptly towards  the door  of his apartment , he visualized   his father standing, waving  his right palm.

 Taking seat in the police Jeep car Kausik covered his face with two palms; he apprehended  his father passed away; his berieved mother would be looking for him to come;   his only descendant Badsha,the 7month's baby-son,  left under the caretaker of two unknown lady cobs, and he  is on the way of police station ,perhaps to be prisoned !

How a life can be be turned to polar distance by fate only in couple of hours!

 The cob patted  him softly and assured,"It is just formality's sake; nothing would happen to you, sir ;  he gave the note from the envelope to read :This is her suicide-note, written   at 4: 15 AM,

          'Nobody is responsible for my suicide; it is my Own decision.

                Kausik,  my husband, is  innocent !'

                                                                      Linda. Srinivasan

         NB:

        "I want to be loved and live in your heart ; true love never                                                                                                                     

         dies, isn't?  xx

                     "Only yours Linda".

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Sipra's Diary: "Graffity of the Whole Food".

 Graffiti for Whole Food :*   RE

Long waiting is boring,

Impatience often goes on soaring,

So leaning against the side railing 

I shifted my attention towards ‘watching ‘

My new discovery, a debut:

A joyride of face-scanning journey

“A voyage in the Whole Food crowd!

 

Upwards and downwards two twin escalators 

Sliding with two sets of people

But each in the reverse ways;

The loyal machine continually running

Like a movie on the screen,

Most upcoming commuters

Carrying in hands Whole food bags,

Have an”all-done “  message 

Marked on their glowing faces !

 

Against the background music

Of buzzing noises I multitude.

I clicked invisible psychic  video,

And tweet each  shopperwith a caption

Of their faces and body expressions

That came by floating  in my mind ;

 

To the smiling faces I tweet,

“Nice, keep on happy guys:

The busy faces are twitted,

“O,I have yet miles to go “,

To the stern faces with frowning eyes

I twitted, ”Relax  babe , relax!

 

For the aggressive bully faces,

I send  a warning ,”beware of Dober man!

I tweet for the giggling youth ,

“ treasure a  bit  for future, you flamboyant

To some romantic clinging couple

With desperate exposer of mettle 

I send SMS’ Can you save 

A nano-dust f your sedimental love

Reserved for bedroom please?!

With the above Videos 

I all forms of   art:

Collage motif or mural

Wish to decorate the wall

With the title “Graffiti for the Whole Food “

                           Presented by ‘anonymous’!!

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Sipra's Diary: Excerpt from "CANINE FABLE>Kkkp

 Last week I saw  dogs of different species have gathered in a  TV.centre with their owner for DNA-test. It seems dogs are happy to do that; each of them climbed  on the clinical table, opened the mouth and after taking the test coming down quickly for the next one; they didn't forget to give thanks by wagging their tails!

what will be the next project?

***Keeping their eggs in the canine -banks like the human female specie? 

Besides dog and cat, some people had started now to keep pig and turtle as a pet.

Suppose the eggs of all these animals are kept reserved in chambers like in Noah's ark; as the environmentalists guess the threat of global warming may cause deluge and catastrophe which is alarming.

 

God knows, who will hatch on to whose egg, and what will come out!

 Real havoc for human specie! There is a chance for the next generation to witness this earth to be occupied by random roaming half -men and half-beasts: 

the real apocalypse!.....

 

 The evolution of life started from one-celled amoeba to its' highest form of a human being. Now the egg-preserving banks are turning episode of an experimental conundrum in the evolutionary journey of life. 

We, the normal human figure with the unique full form of limbs may be promoted or (demoted !) as mythological creatures or maybe a super god in future! 

Who knows? The adage says history repeats itself!

                                                                                    Words=247

 

Sipra's Diary: Excerpt from >> "First Job". [Novel}---------------------......................................................................

 FIRST JOB         ( chap-1)

I reached the  International airport  of Mumbai  in time.This was the first time I came  there to pickup my friend's daughter,  Pallabi.
 Pallabi was coming back home after four years after finishing EMBA from the Columbia Business School. Pritha, Pallabi's mother had been sick from last five days; Pallabi was not informed of her mother's sickness. Pritha had been too weak to walk. 

Pallabi was surprised to see me alone. After embracing me she asked worriedly "what happened to my mother?  I answered    jokingly, "perhaps  She preferred to make delicious dishes  ready for you !"But after getting down from the car along with luggage I disclosed the truth in front of the entrance door.

  Mother and daughter embraced each other with the emotion of joy and tears!  Then Pallabi; screamed 'Ah!- the delicious smell of shrimp -malai curry; but why did you take so much trouble to cook, ma? You look so thin ' in an emotional voice, and surveyed her two arms softly with her palms! "

 Pritha replied, " Me? what trouble? It's a joy for me !"

After the lunch, Pallabi emptied the suitcase and heaped lot of gifts she brought for all of us. Pritha asked, 'What is the  joining date of your first job?'

"It's Monday, day after tomorrow ."

" My office is just in walking distance, behind the Inorbit Mall. 

 Pritha: "Well, today is Saturday; We will go to the Goregaon  temple of  Kalimata  before joining the first job for blessings of Godess." 

 

 " OK, ma. "

  I invited to take dinner in my apartment  which is just opposite to theirs, before leaving.

 

She got the job in this Investment bank in campus interview. She gave her choice to join in India. But the Main office was in London and America.

 The first day of the first job was full of excitement. Pallabi was amazed to see the elegant architecture of her office and its ultra-modern sophistication of security and other arrangements of the office! Her office was on the fourth floor:   ‘Strategy and Research’. 

She joined directly as junior VP; Arjun Shah, the VP, showed the full floor and her office. 

Pallavi noticed many heads raised like a crane above the glass cubicle with curious eyes,  to have a glance at her.

Arjun came with the Research team in the cafeteria at lunchtime and introduced her with the group of the team who were present there. All girls and boys were young, and unmarried, the first job for most of them. The company also launched the Mumbai branch newly, less than two years.

 

The groups bonded with friendship very quickly.   Gourmet food and drinks in expensive restaurants, the late-night show on Friday or taking a tour at the weekend, was the common bond to hook them together.

 They often sang merrily with claps on their way to celebrate  on Friday,  

 'Food, fashion, Friday /  eat, drink, be happy and gay/ 

 hey hey hey!'

  Keeping pace with the age of mobile SMS, they called each other with the curtailed name, full names were only in the nameplates of each one's cubicle.  Thus Sanjoy became Sanju, Saptarsee as Risi,, Bhargab as Argo, Subhendu as  Ben, Pallabi as Poly, Priyanka Gupta as PG, Konkona as Coco, Simmi remained as Simmi, Randeep  Paranjape as RP, Jitendra Singh as Jitu.
 As Pallabi and Subhendu both were Bengali  and good singers the team sitting on the beach with a bottle of drinks teased  them sometimes

"BenBong Poly-Bong /please stir us
   some sexy songs!
 charge us to 'swing-dance'
   with dangling bottles in  hands.'

 Jitu tried to stand for dance and it became  perfectly a natural 'swing dance' and the bottle with liquor spilt over the sand from his uncontrolled dangling hand No sooner Jitu also thudded on the ground with the mouth on the liquor-soaked sand..

Argo throw in indistinct voice, 'you the bugger, drunkard, can't even stand on feet and want to 'dance'! then he stretched hands to overturn a bottle on his open mouth but it was empty;  he threw it towards the sea; then the second bottle; that too was empty; he threw it more violently with a 'slang' word, looking to others;

… 'these  hungry gluttonies didn't spare even a drop!'

But first few months of joining  Pallavi remained reserved and maintained a distance with this group.
Partly because of her work presser; secondly, she was a comparatively little conservative to accept that fast life; especially she stays far from alcohol. She used to avoid them with some excuse. She enjoyed going everywhere with her mother, Pritha . It was Coco who always insisted on her to join.

Coco was Punjabi from Delhi;; but she studied from London School of Economics. She was attractive. Her dress, feature, English accent, frequent smoking of cigarette, the habit of drinking wine gave an impression of a snobbish European lady. When she strutted with her tight outfits and pencil heeled shoes through the corridor, whether male or female, young or old obviously threw a cryptic look to her. Coco was aware of that through her photochromic glasses. But there was always an aurora of  'stay away from me' around her. 

 

From the beginning, Coco liked Pallavi.  She would come several times to her desk to divulge her all grievances against her boss and others. All the guys had a curiosity about Coco but not courage; They became friendly with Pallavi to get chance to be in touch with Coco.

Sipra'sDiary: Poem > "ART OF ARTS"

 (  nfsps  Contest 2023)Entry  # 27 

:  “ART Of  ARTS”            

 Let the poetry be pristine and 

 untouched by any  ‘art’  

As itself  is the ‘art of arts’,

 Quintessential  form  of heart.

Art is another form of artificiality:

 alias of adulteration.

Let it sustain to express 

The freedom  of mind without fear 

Not to be bound with superstition,

 rules and regulations.

Let her remain savage 

as wild flowers; not to ornate 

With flowery language or burdened 

With pedantic knowledge.

Just like flowers bloom to spread fragrance ,

Let her spring the message 

Of  truth, beauty and goodness.

 

But who is there in near future 

To worry about the “art of poetry?”………..

In this digital age, as AI is ready 

to step in the literary garden !

Who will appeal or protect  in

 Custody the  “Art” of poetry ?

If the  ‘App’ in brain produce like casino coins 

Poems of love, loss, laughter

From the AI factory; to replace

The Athena’s Eden of literature;

Who cares for creativity? 

What future for ‘imagination’ or Academy  of….poets?...

 

Graveyard is ready, coffin is waiting ………

What   ‘epithet’ will be chosen  

To inscribe on the tombstone ? ................

 

”Step  softly,  a dream lies here!”

                   Or,

"The best is yet to come !....” .........

                  Of course ,

The ‘epithet also has to be ‘borrowed’

  From Cemetery, or factory!! 

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Sipra's Diary : " DIGITAL TIME CAPSULE

  " DIGITAL TIME CAPSULE."  Oct  26/2021

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We passed over the cursed year of 2020wrapped under the uncomfortable comforter of pandemic fever.

We were   struggling and running with many existing problems such as global warming, ,climate pollution,  ice-melting immigration issues ,racism, demographic change.  etc. finally unprecedented Tsunami of covid-19 stroke and shook the global plinth with  fear , insecurity , uncertainty  and morbid psychosis . Though the problem was global but its impact was too grave to count on for America. Because 2020 was  the year of  presidential election. 

Suspension continued to its pinnacle starting from March onward with more and more increasing number of deaths ,creating more misfortune and panic. America though awkward and awfully unprepared in the beginning with number of deaths and shortage of medical appliances ,still handled the problem efficiently : both external problems of finance ,food ,job, education and simultaneously internal flow of   emotional tide. Internet performed an enormous philanthropic job; Zoom has crafted   with great care the fissure of social distances by arranging various activities and entertainments.                                                                       It saved the society from being crippled in isolation  or depression. Man and machine had never been so friendly to combat  with joint effort  to barricade  the bio-warfare . 

 Perhaps this pandemic will change our perceptions as well as our vision about digital age and  AI . Overflowing human love and empathy surged over the distress  of pandemic morphea  when the chorus voice  of New Yorkers poured in their gratitude   and reverence   at every evening at 7: PM, wishing for  the essential social workers : "Thank you" and "Long Live!" 

2020 will be marked as epochal year in the history of this millennium. 

..........................................................................................................................The message I wished to convey is : Any change ,whether good or bad   is inevitable truth on this ephemeral earth;

 Change is the driving force of time .We must take lesson from time ,from nature ;it is worthy for us to accept and abide by the unwritten laws of Nature &Time .During Covid -19 I wrote lots of pieces that sprouted in my mind.   I will finish with the last stanza of one of my poems   related to the topic; The title is :--

CHALLENGING TIME &  COVID _19   by Sipra .

'During the peak of pandemic, the new green leaves 

Of the spring cherished the message of bliss,

To regain lost courage , hope and dream!

 

Human race campaigned four billion years

With many more lethal viruses, 

But didn't extinguished;

(As did many other specie, say for,dinosaurs )

He still reigns over the universe,

Then why should we be anxious ?

Time leaps over the heaps of corpses

As if, passing over bough of cherry blossoms!

Can't we get rid of worries and fears of virus?

Chariot of Time will carry us

 Defying all obstacles.                                                           

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>