'However random thing's may appear, there's always a plan; kid'......Or is it?

Plan A, Plan B.....and then.... you run out of plans

Isn't it funny how things change? Isn't it depressingly funny how you imagine your life to be and it turns out to be something almost opposite? Isn't it terribly, terribly funny how the people who promised will be there forever, leave the quickest. Isn't sadness a bit funny too?

Those old conversations, those treasured memories, those favourite gifts, those scribbled journals, those sleepless dawns, those heavy billed phone calls, and then the nothingness; how funnier can life get? I sometimes wonder if people actually mean something, or rather if we actually mean something to others. Like there are people who love us and will miss us if we were to die tomorrow and they will remember us, but how much did we actually mean to them?

Secrets! Phew! It's better to have an open book

You took care of their deepest secrets and their darkest fears. You remembered those insignificant details in that monotonous conversations. You woke up a little too early fir your schedule, just because you needed to wake them up. You almost told them you needed them, but didn't. Because you feared they might leave forever. You didn't, but they didn't stay either.

You told them your fears. You told them those truthful lies you'd been hiding from everyone else. You shared your weird fetishes with them. You shared your favourite music with them. But you didn't tell them you loved them. Why? You thought they won't stay? You didn't, and they still left.

Forever! This word itself will not exist 'forever'

Forever is an illusion. What matters is today. What matters is your existence. What matters is the fact that you're there. It doesn't matter if you're up the entire night listening to someone cry and it doesn't matter if you can't receive their call when you're in a concert, but what matters is letting them know that in spite of everything, you're there.

Don't believe people who say that they'll always be there. Don't believe them because they always leave. Believe people who don't care about always, and choose to stick to you today instead. Believe the one who doesn't talk about a happily ever after, but each time you fall, their hand you find the strongest.

Believe the person who loves you the most. Believe the person with whom you go to sleep everyday. Believe the person who laughs with your laughter and cries with your tears. Believe the person who looks back at you from the mirror. Believe the person who'll never leave.

Believe in people around, but believe in yourself the most.

That all folks.

Adieu

PS: Copied (Courtesy: Shlagha)

Blood Money: As they call it.....Or is just Bloody Duty!!

The Epilogue: 

Scorching sun...the humidity taking its toll...perspiration oozing down the forehead. 

Well, it has to be, September last week it is. It's an official holiday: one of those numerous religious holidays you get in this part of the country...ahh the only thing we really feel secular (sic). But,HE (let's just keep it this way) was out deep inside the village; on a bike, with two localites; for what they say 'recovery'.  

Well, there we are........ keeping the shallow pond on right, a murky road leading to the cluster of two house at the end: a half-complete, brick-jutting out house and a small hut (yes, the mud ones, with asbestos though)...two full grown cows and a half...chewing their fodder... having no thought about what is going around...(and oh yes....Russia was about to start bombing Syria...whatever, who cares! )

The Background

Mr. Basu ( a farmer aged 45 years say) has taken a housing loan along with his father(as co-borrower) back in 2008 of paltry 2 lakhs. Well, the house has been partly built, incomplete though, one storied, but invested fund has to be around 6/7 lakhs at least. The repayment to the bank has been there, but irregular. Well, this time initially the default was of 6500/- INR , which on follow-up came down to 1500/- INR only

Jump Cut

Well, all HE has to do is get 1500/- INR and save the account. As HE was knocking ( come on..rural India, there's no 'door' leave the doorbell, I mean Shouting), Mrs. Basu came out. A frail looking lady (malnutrition-ed certainly), with a kid say 5 years. As HE inquired of Mr. Basu and his father they both came out. 

Mr. Basu and his father expressed their inability to pay, saying they have sold paddy (untreated rice) of 470000/- INR two days back and the purchaser has given only only 5000/- INR till date. Remember, the original default was 6500/- INR, MR. Basu has deposited 'THIS' 5000/- in the loan account the day before. Well, HE still needs another 1500/- 

A discussion (well...the Kabuliwala way..it's never a discussion truly) ensued..tempers flaring up. 

HE said "I will only leave after getting the due amount."

Mr. Basu in a fit of rage said " I won't give; so many people default on payments, you do whatever you have to do." HE on warpath (sic), retaliated back... "This is the just the start..you people just wait and see.. first there will be SARFAESI and then will sell of your house..you just see what I can do... those days are long gone". This reignited the scenario even more.

Mr. Basu just burst out..fanatically shouting.... "You uttering such a thing..that you won't leave without getting 1500/- . What have you thought! I will let you sell my 12,00,000/- house for just 1500/- ! You sit here till 16:00 (then it was 15:10)...I will give you your amount."

In an eccentric way..he rushed inside, shouting to his wife, enraged, infuriated: "Give me your jewelry," came out with a Gold bangle, glittering.

HE heard Mrs. Basu pleading; "That's of Rs. 60,000/- , don't take it, don't pledge it for Rs. 1500/-".

Mr. Basu rushed back in, came out with a earring and cycled off. 

HE was dumbstruck...numb. Felt a void, a sense of guilt. HE tried to ease of the heat...normal talk, trying to act 'supportive', tone down, talking about chores, about the stacked paddy, fluctuating price - of paddy (well then it was 1400/- per quintal, compared to 1000/- per quital, just above the break-even margin for an average farmer).

Mr. Basu came back in 10 mins...longg 10 mins for HIM. Duly came 1500/- HE received the same and stamped the acknowledgement and left...... head buzzing, heavy heart, a sense of guilt and tons of thought on the socio-economic conditions.

Of all those, two things came hitting back on him.

• Is it blood money? Compelling a poor farmer, to pledge his wife's jewelry....to save a loan! Does Gandhi still smiles on those 500/- notes? HE didn't see the smile on the Father's (sic.. of the Nation) face. The specs was fuzzy, moisty it seemed too. Maybe she had received it as gift from her father, may be it's a weeding gift, or may be a gift from her husband on a special occasion.  Hands' stained.....isn't it so!
• Where the lady stands! A frail lady, a mother, in her 30's : having no say in what is rightfully her own. The husband took it out (or should I exaggerate to say snatched ) and took it to pledge: she having no say whatsoever. The father in law standing by his son: she stood back, alone, helpless, having no say, over anything I presume. Women empowerment! Ahh.. what was it exactly.

As someone said....."What an unfortunate country..where farmers pledge jewelry to repay Rs 1500/- bank loan......and where some 'king' spend their 'good times' with 'calendar girls' duping Rs. 4000 crores. 

Ahhh...#acchhey_din_agaya

#Republic_Day_is_Coming

#Mera_Bharat_Mahan  

That's all folks.