Bangalore was hot but cooled down a bit after some evening drizzles.
Chennai is hotter and i sweat under the fan...
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Restaurant Review # 5
Today's Restaurant: The Green Hotel (aka Green’s aka Chittaranjan Palace)
Location: Hunsur Road, Mysore, India
Style: Indian
The erstwhile Chittaranjan Palace, built for Mysore's princesses, has been lovingly restored as a small hotel. In extensive gardens, with formal lawns and shaded pergolas, and fringed by majestic trees, the hotel is an oasis of calm. It offers comfortable surroundings, friendly staff and a restful open air atmosphere. Each table is lit by candles only and is quite a refreshing change.
The food in “The Green Hotel” is quite delicious and provides a wide variety for both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food lovers.
The soups are decent while the starters are quite tasty and filling. The main course offers a variety of vegetarian and non vegetarian delicacies which tickle your taste buds. The desserts are not too great and may be given a miss but the paan-wallah near the parking lot makes sure you have had a delicious evening.
Downsides: Dishes take a little long to serve so order your main course while you start wolfing down your starters to avoid waiting too much.
Overall a good meal and a good time is guaranteed.
Avg. Cost for 2: Around 500/- INR
Rating: Locale: 7/10
Ambience: 9/10
Service: 7.5/10
Food Quality: 8/10
Food Quantity: 8/10
Vegetarian Variety: 7.5/10
Non-Vegetarian Variety: 8.5/10
Value for Money: 7.5/10
Menu Card: 7/10
Recall value: 8/10
Overall Rating: 8/10
Location: Hunsur Road, Mysore, India
Style: Indian
The erstwhile Chittaranjan Palace, built for Mysore's princesses, has been lovingly restored as a small hotel. In extensive gardens, with formal lawns and shaded pergolas, and fringed by majestic trees, the hotel is an oasis of calm. It offers comfortable surroundings, friendly staff and a restful open air atmosphere. Each table is lit by candles only and is quite a refreshing change.
The food in “The Green Hotel” is quite delicious and provides a wide variety for both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food lovers.
The soups are decent while the starters are quite tasty and filling. The main course offers a variety of vegetarian and non vegetarian delicacies which tickle your taste buds. The desserts are not too great and may be given a miss but the paan-wallah near the parking lot makes sure you have had a delicious evening.
Downsides: Dishes take a little long to serve so order your main course while you start wolfing down your starters to avoid waiting too much.
Overall a good meal and a good time is guaranteed.
Avg. Cost for 2: Around 500/- INR
Rating: Locale: 7/10
Ambience: 9/10
Service: 7.5/10
Food Quality: 8/10
Food Quantity: 8/10
Vegetarian Variety: 7.5/10
Non-Vegetarian Variety: 8.5/10
Value for Money: 7.5/10
Menu Card: 7/10
Recall value: 8/10
Overall Rating: 8/10
Friday, February 16, 2007
Question???
Why is it so difficult to understand someone at times???
Are expectations always too high?
Why do we feel bad?
Why do we feel lost?
Is it really difficult to reason without getting emotional?
Are expectations always too high?
Why do we feel bad?
Why do we feel lost?
Is it really difficult to reason without getting emotional?
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
The Train: Story No. 1
The following is an attempt by the author ( me :) ) to create three different stories with the same beginning and different endings. Hope you like them. Bouquets and brickbats welcome!!!
Enjoy reading :)
The First Story
It was a dark night, not one of those nights which had the moon and the stars. It was just plain dark. You would probably not be able to even see your hand in front of you in the darkness. “Power Cut!” I heard someone say in the darkness. Well here I was all alone in the dark night on platform No. 2 at the train station. A chilling breeze blew across from the railway tracks and made me shudder all over. I dropped my bag.
As I bent over to pick it up, the lights came on and I saw the train in the tracks in front of the platform. “Now how could that be! I didn’t even hear the train come by.” I picked up my bag and peered into the train. It was empty. I looked around and saw no one. Suddenly I had a feeling that I was in some cooky B-grade horror movie. I pinched myself hard and left a mark that lasted three days. Ow!!!!
“Ok, now is not a time to think of movies. Just find your coach and get in” and so with this thought I bravely stepped into the coach. I walked ahead, found my seat and sat down. The lights flickered. I turned off the ceiling fan and heard its slow whirrrrrrr.
Suddenly I heard footsteps and looked towards the aisle. It was a fellow passenger carrying his suitcase to his seat. I heaved a sigh of relief. Other people! Slowly and steadily more passengers trickled in and I did not feel scared anymore. An old man sat across me. He kept looking at me. I turned my head away. Suddenly I felt something brush against my leg and jumped. No scream would leave my mouth on this fateful day. I looked down in shock and saw a little black cat. Feeling really stupid, I sat down again and grinned sheepishly at the old man. He grinned back. Suddenly he didn’t seem to be very dangerous. We got chatting as the train slowly moved out of the station.
He was a rich guy, (I have always fancied rich guys, the money, and the power) and he told me that I was a very pretty young lady. I blushed and thanked him. He began cracking a few jokes which were actually very funny. As we laughed, I noticed his teeth more closely and felt my heart sink like a ten ton brick in the ocean. He had four gold teeth and four silver. That’s right! Four gold and four silver. Only one person did I ever know who had them, Boss S.
Boss S, after all these years, had come back for me. I watched in horror as he pulled out a knife from his jacket and looked at me. Those eyes, those teeth. I was hypnotized. A single word “Sorry” escaped my lips. I do not remember much after wards except for the fact that when the police and the ambulance found me, my legs were in my hands, blood all over my dress. An ear and three fingers were found gift wrapped near me.
The cops said that this was the most gruesome thing that they had ever seen and the doc was surprised that I was still alive. I looked like a mummy in the hospital bed. A feeling of guilt swept over me. Why did I do it? Greed, perhaps?
Ten Years in the past, would have found me to be the fiancée of Boss S. He was a brilliant underworld don who was able to escape from everyone for a long time. He had just beaten his rivals to Q’s box of diamonds. We were rich beyond expectation. Boss S promised me one fourth of the diamonds and I was overjoyed. But soon this joy would turn everything around. Four days later I was approached by three cops. They told me that the diamonds weren’t important, Boss S was. And so a deal was finalized, half the diamonds would be mine if I led them to his hideout and another one-fourth of the diamonds would be mine if I testified against him in court. Imagine 75% of Q’s diamonds!!! My eyes lit up, I guess the cops could see it as well. After all, diamonds are a girl’s best friend.
I did all that the cops asked me to. The greed and the lust for the diamonds were far more valuable than the love for Boss S. After all what is love, but power and money. Boss S was sentenced to life and death. It was a very unique punishment. He would serve his life sentence and then be put to death. I was relieved. I was safe, he was out of my life and I had the diamonds. It was a perfect dream.
“But dreams have a horrible way of going wrong when you aren’t looking. – Max Payne”
Last week I read a newspaper article which mentioned that Boss S had escaped. I was terrified. I decided to settle everything and flee. This brought me to the train station where unfortunately he found me.
And now here I lay in bed, never to venture out into the open again. He had his revenge and I had paid my price!!! After all, greed is a sin and all those who have sinned must be punished…
Enjoy reading :)
The First Story
It was a dark night, not one of those nights which had the moon and the stars. It was just plain dark. You would probably not be able to even see your hand in front of you in the darkness. “Power Cut!” I heard someone say in the darkness. Well here I was all alone in the dark night on platform No. 2 at the train station. A chilling breeze blew across from the railway tracks and made me shudder all over. I dropped my bag.
As I bent over to pick it up, the lights came on and I saw the train in the tracks in front of the platform. “Now how could that be! I didn’t even hear the train come by.” I picked up my bag and peered into the train. It was empty. I looked around and saw no one. Suddenly I had a feeling that I was in some cooky B-grade horror movie. I pinched myself hard and left a mark that lasted three days. Ow!!!!
“Ok, now is not a time to think of movies. Just find your coach and get in” and so with this thought I bravely stepped into the coach. I walked ahead, found my seat and sat down. The lights flickered. I turned off the ceiling fan and heard its slow whirrrrrrr.
Suddenly I heard footsteps and looked towards the aisle. It was a fellow passenger carrying his suitcase to his seat. I heaved a sigh of relief. Other people! Slowly and steadily more passengers trickled in and I did not feel scared anymore. An old man sat across me. He kept looking at me. I turned my head away. Suddenly I felt something brush against my leg and jumped. No scream would leave my mouth on this fateful day. I looked down in shock and saw a little black cat. Feeling really stupid, I sat down again and grinned sheepishly at the old man. He grinned back. Suddenly he didn’t seem to be very dangerous. We got chatting as the train slowly moved out of the station.
He was a rich guy, (I have always fancied rich guys, the money, and the power) and he told me that I was a very pretty young lady. I blushed and thanked him. He began cracking a few jokes which were actually very funny. As we laughed, I noticed his teeth more closely and felt my heart sink like a ten ton brick in the ocean. He had four gold teeth and four silver. That’s right! Four gold and four silver. Only one person did I ever know who had them, Boss S.
Boss S, after all these years, had come back for me. I watched in horror as he pulled out a knife from his jacket and looked at me. Those eyes, those teeth. I was hypnotized. A single word “Sorry” escaped my lips. I do not remember much after wards except for the fact that when the police and the ambulance found me, my legs were in my hands, blood all over my dress. An ear and three fingers were found gift wrapped near me.
The cops said that this was the most gruesome thing that they had ever seen and the doc was surprised that I was still alive. I looked like a mummy in the hospital bed. A feeling of guilt swept over me. Why did I do it? Greed, perhaps?
Ten Years in the past, would have found me to be the fiancée of Boss S. He was a brilliant underworld don who was able to escape from everyone for a long time. He had just beaten his rivals to Q’s box of diamonds. We were rich beyond expectation. Boss S promised me one fourth of the diamonds and I was overjoyed. But soon this joy would turn everything around. Four days later I was approached by three cops. They told me that the diamonds weren’t important, Boss S was. And so a deal was finalized, half the diamonds would be mine if I led them to his hideout and another one-fourth of the diamonds would be mine if I testified against him in court. Imagine 75% of Q’s diamonds!!! My eyes lit up, I guess the cops could see it as well. After all, diamonds are a girl’s best friend.
I did all that the cops asked me to. The greed and the lust for the diamonds were far more valuable than the love for Boss S. After all what is love, but power and money. Boss S was sentenced to life and death. It was a very unique punishment. He would serve his life sentence and then be put to death. I was relieved. I was safe, he was out of my life and I had the diamonds. It was a perfect dream.
“But dreams have a horrible way of going wrong when you aren’t looking. – Max Payne”
Last week I read a newspaper article which mentioned that Boss S had escaped. I was terrified. I decided to settle everything and flee. This brought me to the train station where unfortunately he found me.
And now here I lay in bed, never to venture out into the open again. He had his revenge and I had paid my price!!! After all, greed is a sin and all those who have sinned must be punished…
The Train: Story No. 2
The Second Story
It was a dark night, not one of those nights which had the moon and the stars. It was just plain dark. You would probably not be able to even see your hand in front of you in the darkness. “Power Cut!” I heard someone say in the darkness. Well here I was all alone in the dark night on platform No. 2 at the train station. A chilling breeze blew across from the railway tracks and made me shudder all over. I dropped my bag.
As I bent over to pick it up, the lights came on and I saw the train in the tracks in front of the platform. “Now how could that be? I didn’t even hear the train come by.” I picked up my bag and peered into the train. It was empty. I looked around and saw no one. Suddenly I had a feeling that I was in some cooky B-grade horror movie. I pinched myself hard and left a mark that lasted three days. Ow!!!!
“Ok, now is not a time to think of movies. Just find your coach and get in” and so with this thought I bravely stepped into the coach. I walked ahead, found my seat and sat down. The lights flickered. I turned off the ceiling fan and heard its slow whirrrrrrr.
There he was, sitting right opposite me. He had asked me to accompany him on this journey. It was a little awkward. Here I was, a young lady, with a person whom I have known only for about three months. So why am I doing this? Because he told me that he had something really important to tell me. I am surprised though by the fact that I did agree to meet up and travel with him. Very surprising! But what was more intriguing was the discussion!!!!! What was it that he had to tell me so urgently? What could it be? All week long he sent me little clues and teasers but they were all too vague. Just when I thought that I had finally cracked the puzzle, he sent me a clue that totally took me off guard. He asked me if I was comfy and I replied back saying that I was. I asked him what he wanted to tell me and he told me to wait until the train began to move. The next five minutes felt like five hours. The train then slowly started chugging out of the station. I started pestering him again, “Tell me, tell me tell me.” But all that he would say was “Be patient.”
He then pulled out his earphones and told me to listen through them. I listened and giggled. He was talking to me in the recorded message. He told me how difficult it had been to keep the “secret” for so long. Then out of nowhere the message said that to know the secret, I should ask him :(
How the ***$%^&%$#? I was both amused and irritated. How could he still keep up the surprise? Then I asked him. He got up from his seat and sat beside me, looked into my eyes and said “I Love you”.
And there I was, shocked and surprised and happy and overjoyed. Too many emotions in one instance. I looked at him and tears started rolling down my cheeks. It had been a while since I had tears of joy. He looked at me concerned and asked if everything was alright. I said yes and that I was really happy. I got up and gave him a huge hug. The horn of the train ensured that only he heard my response and no one else.
It was a dark night, not one of those nights which had the moon and the stars. It was just plain dark. You would probably not be able to even see your hand in front of you in the darkness. “Power Cut!” I heard someone say in the darkness. Well here I was all alone in the dark night on platform No. 2 at the train station. A chilling breeze blew across from the railway tracks and made me shudder all over. I dropped my bag.
As I bent over to pick it up, the lights came on and I saw the train in the tracks in front of the platform. “Now how could that be? I didn’t even hear the train come by.” I picked up my bag and peered into the train. It was empty. I looked around and saw no one. Suddenly I had a feeling that I was in some cooky B-grade horror movie. I pinched myself hard and left a mark that lasted three days. Ow!!!!
“Ok, now is not a time to think of movies. Just find your coach and get in” and so with this thought I bravely stepped into the coach. I walked ahead, found my seat and sat down. The lights flickered. I turned off the ceiling fan and heard its slow whirrrrrrr.
There he was, sitting right opposite me. He had asked me to accompany him on this journey. It was a little awkward. Here I was, a young lady, with a person whom I have known only for about three months. So why am I doing this? Because he told me that he had something really important to tell me. I am surprised though by the fact that I did agree to meet up and travel with him. Very surprising! But what was more intriguing was the discussion!!!!! What was it that he had to tell me so urgently? What could it be? All week long he sent me little clues and teasers but they were all too vague. Just when I thought that I had finally cracked the puzzle, he sent me a clue that totally took me off guard. He asked me if I was comfy and I replied back saying that I was. I asked him what he wanted to tell me and he told me to wait until the train began to move. The next five minutes felt like five hours. The train then slowly started chugging out of the station. I started pestering him again, “Tell me, tell me tell me.” But all that he would say was “Be patient.”
He then pulled out his earphones and told me to listen through them. I listened and giggled. He was talking to me in the recorded message. He told me how difficult it had been to keep the “secret” for so long. Then out of nowhere the message said that to know the secret, I should ask him :(
How the ***$%^&%$#? I was both amused and irritated. How could he still keep up the surprise? Then I asked him. He got up from his seat and sat beside me, looked into my eyes and said “I Love you”.
And there I was, shocked and surprised and happy and overjoyed. Too many emotions in one instance. I looked at him and tears started rolling down my cheeks. It had been a while since I had tears of joy. He looked at me concerned and asked if everything was alright. I said yes and that I was really happy. I got up and gave him a huge hug. The horn of the train ensured that only he heard my response and no one else.
The Train: Story No. 3
The Third Story
It was a dark night, not one of those nights which had the moon and the stars. It was just plain dark. You would probably not be able to even see your hand in front of you in the darkness. “Power Cut!” I heard someone say in the darkness. Well here I was all alone in the dark night on platform No. 2 at the train station. A chilling breeze blew across from the railway tracks and made me shudder all over. I dropped my bag.
As I bent over to pick it up, the lights came on and I saw the train in the tracks in front of the platform. “Now how could that be? I didn’t even hear the train come by.” I picked up my bag and peered into the train. It was empty. I looked around and saw no one. Suddenly I had a feeling that I was in some cooky B-grade horror movie. I pinched myself hard and left a mark that lasted three days. Ow!!!!
“Ok, now is not a time to think of movies. Just find your coach and get in” and so with this thought I bravely stepped into the coach. I walked ahead, found my seat and sat down. The lights flickered. I turned off the ceiling fan and heard its slow whirrrrrrr.
I felt suffocated in the coach and so I opened the window to let in the breeze. The train began to fill up with people. I was happy, atleast I wouldn’t be the only person in this train. Soon enough, there were so many people, I felt the need to be alone.
The coach was packed… The train, still, wouldn’t move. Fifteen hot, sweaty minutes later (it felt like two hours), the train began chugging slowly out of the station. As the train began to pick up speed, a cool breeze wafted in. Everyone heaved a sigh of relief. I guess the relief was too much for someone who decided to pass wind very loudly.
*PPPPPRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRPPPPPPPPPPPPP*
Instinctively everyone reached for their noses. I wish that was all, but it was just the beginning of the end. I guess everyone who got wind of the action decided to contribute in their own way. What followed was devastating. There weren’t enough windows in the whole train. It was an hour before everyone decided to call it quits. Some too tired and some too disgusted to continue anymore. Us neutrals heaved a sigh of relief and then choked on the disgusting odours. Now I know what it means to survive a biological warfare battle.
The next fifteen minutes were spent in silence. Suddenly I had the extreme urge to relieve myself. I got up from my seat and swam through the sea of humanity to reach the end and possible salvation. When I reached the end of the coach, I felt a sinking feeling envelop me. There was a long queue to use the restrooms. I couldn’t hold it in for too long. This would take me at least thirty minutes to get to my turn. Will I be able to hold it in for that long?
10 Minutes later:
It seemed like an hour. I could not hold it in any longer. Suddenly the train seemed to be slowing down. The train stopped and was waiting for a signal to move on. Suddenly everyone standing in front of me got down from the train and went their respective ways through the paths in the fields. I was shocked. The path between me and salvation was as clear as a lake in the mountains. The relief was so immense that I felt a warm liquid running down my leg. So close and this is what I ended up doing!!!
With a sheepish grin, I looked up at the guy who had just walked in. He couldn’t control his laughter. I tried to clean myself and walked back to my seat. My fellow passengers took one look at me and lost control. It was as though the whole coach erupted in laughter. My embarrassment knew no bounds. Sheepishly I pulled out a grin and hoped that the earth would swallow me up.
In fifteen minutes, the train pulled up to my station. As I was about to get off, my fellow passengers thanked me for the best laugh they have had in years. What could I say!!! :)
It was a dark night, not one of those nights which had the moon and the stars. It was just plain dark. You would probably not be able to even see your hand in front of you in the darkness. “Power Cut!” I heard someone say in the darkness. Well here I was all alone in the dark night on platform No. 2 at the train station. A chilling breeze blew across from the railway tracks and made me shudder all over. I dropped my bag.
As I bent over to pick it up, the lights came on and I saw the train in the tracks in front of the platform. “Now how could that be? I didn’t even hear the train come by.” I picked up my bag and peered into the train. It was empty. I looked around and saw no one. Suddenly I had a feeling that I was in some cooky B-grade horror movie. I pinched myself hard and left a mark that lasted three days. Ow!!!!
“Ok, now is not a time to think of movies. Just find your coach and get in” and so with this thought I bravely stepped into the coach. I walked ahead, found my seat and sat down. The lights flickered. I turned off the ceiling fan and heard its slow whirrrrrrr.
I felt suffocated in the coach and so I opened the window to let in the breeze. The train began to fill up with people. I was happy, atleast I wouldn’t be the only person in this train. Soon enough, there were so many people, I felt the need to be alone.
The coach was packed… The train, still, wouldn’t move. Fifteen hot, sweaty minutes later (it felt like two hours), the train began chugging slowly out of the station. As the train began to pick up speed, a cool breeze wafted in. Everyone heaved a sigh of relief. I guess the relief was too much for someone who decided to pass wind very loudly.
*PPPPPRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRPPPPPPPPPPPPP*
Instinctively everyone reached for their noses. I wish that was all, but it was just the beginning of the end. I guess everyone who got wind of the action decided to contribute in their own way. What followed was devastating. There weren’t enough windows in the whole train. It was an hour before everyone decided to call it quits. Some too tired and some too disgusted to continue anymore. Us neutrals heaved a sigh of relief and then choked on the disgusting odours. Now I know what it means to survive a biological warfare battle.
The next fifteen minutes were spent in silence. Suddenly I had the extreme urge to relieve myself. I got up from my seat and swam through the sea of humanity to reach the end and possible salvation. When I reached the end of the coach, I felt a sinking feeling envelop me. There was a long queue to use the restrooms. I couldn’t hold it in for too long. This would take me at least thirty minutes to get to my turn. Will I be able to hold it in for that long?
10 Minutes later:
It seemed like an hour. I could not hold it in any longer. Suddenly the train seemed to be slowing down. The train stopped and was waiting for a signal to move on. Suddenly everyone standing in front of me got down from the train and went their respective ways through the paths in the fields. I was shocked. The path between me and salvation was as clear as a lake in the mountains. The relief was so immense that I felt a warm liquid running down my leg. So close and this is what I ended up doing!!!
With a sheepish grin, I looked up at the guy who had just walked in. He couldn’t control his laughter. I tried to clean myself and walked back to my seat. My fellow passengers took one look at me and lost control. It was as though the whole coach erupted in laughter. My embarrassment knew no bounds. Sheepishly I pulled out a grin and hoped that the earth would swallow me up.
In fifteen minutes, the train pulled up to my station. As I was about to get off, my fellow passengers thanked me for the best laugh they have had in years. What could I say!!! :)
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
R I P Leon
Leon Ireland, lead singer of the popular Indian Rock band "Moksha" passed away during the wee hours of Monday (18th Dec 2006).
It was one of the biggest losses to Music itself.
Leon was a great person and a brilliant performer. He will sorely be missed.
Only angels will now rejoice, listening to his amazing voice.
RIP Leon. The void you leave behind cannot be filled.
It was one of the biggest losses to Music itself.
Leon was a great person and a brilliant performer. He will sorely be missed.
Only angels will now rejoice, listening to his amazing voice.
RIP Leon. The void you leave behind cannot be filled.
Monday, December 11, 2006
The Horse and I
Disclaimer: The following is a true incident. Any similarities to any form of fiction are purely coincidental.
Time: 1830 Hrs
It was a dark Wednesday night as I rode back home from work. There I was, on my bike riding, humming a tune from a Metallica song. The streetlights were off. I guess the electricity guy must have forgotten to switch them on. He must be sitting in some roadside bar drinking his fill with illicit liquor. Poor government guy: wasting his life and earnings. As I continued on the road, I overtook a car. Then a minute later, as I went over a tiny speedbreaker, I saw it. Even as I saw by the headlight of my bike, I was trapped in a moment of wonder. There it was, a white horse trotting across the road. For a moment it looked like a fabled unicorn, the mythical beast that was one of my favourites after the dragon.
Screeeeeeeeeeeeeech!!!!! Crash!!! Thud!!!! Swoooosssssssshhhhhh!!!!
My moment in mythical grandeur came crashing down like a house of cards tipped over by a kid. The next thing I knew was that I was down on my bike on the side of the road. The unicorn, sorry, the white horse was down on the middle of the road. The dust was beginning to settle down. I got up, it was painful. My right hand and right leg hurt a lot. I looked back at the horse. It got up gingerly and limped off across the road. I somehow managed to start the bike after that and slowly drove back home.
The mirrors were twisted and the front mudguard cracked. I struggled up the stairs and fumbled with the key. Then I got in and dropped my stuff. I slowly got out of my clothes to survey the extent of the damage. Deep bruises in 7-8 places on my right leg and right hand. Not too bad, I thought. Then I thought about the horse, hoped it was alright.
Some Reactions to the incident:
Su: What happened to the horse?
Ni: So did the horse chase you down and kick you? Did the owner sue you?
So: Oh My God!
Da: Why did you go kiss a horse? !!!!!
Many others: Hahahahahahahahah.
See my predicament. :(
Time: 1830 Hrs
It was a dark Wednesday night as I rode back home from work. There I was, on my bike riding, humming a tune from a Metallica song. The streetlights were off. I guess the electricity guy must have forgotten to switch them on. He must be sitting in some roadside bar drinking his fill with illicit liquor. Poor government guy: wasting his life and earnings. As I continued on the road, I overtook a car. Then a minute later, as I went over a tiny speedbreaker, I saw it. Even as I saw by the headlight of my bike, I was trapped in a moment of wonder. There it was, a white horse trotting across the road. For a moment it looked like a fabled unicorn, the mythical beast that was one of my favourites after the dragon.
Screeeeeeeeeeeeeech!!!!! Crash!!! Thud!!!! Swoooosssssssshhhhhh!!!!
My moment in mythical grandeur came crashing down like a house of cards tipped over by a kid. The next thing I knew was that I was down on my bike on the side of the road. The unicorn, sorry, the white horse was down on the middle of the road. The dust was beginning to settle down. I got up, it was painful. My right hand and right leg hurt a lot. I looked back at the horse. It got up gingerly and limped off across the road. I somehow managed to start the bike after that and slowly drove back home.
The mirrors were twisted and the front mudguard cracked. I struggled up the stairs and fumbled with the key. Then I got in and dropped my stuff. I slowly got out of my clothes to survey the extent of the damage. Deep bruises in 7-8 places on my right leg and right hand. Not too bad, I thought. Then I thought about the horse, hoped it was alright.
Some Reactions to the incident:
Su: What happened to the horse?
Ni: So did the horse chase you down and kick you? Did the owner sue you?
So: Oh My God!
Da: Why did you go kiss a horse? !!!!!
Many others: Hahahahahahahahah.
See my predicament. :(
Restaurant Review # 4
Today's Restaurant: Aangan
Location: Koramangala, Bangalore, India
Style: Punjabi
Aangan, located in Koramangala, is one of those normal day-to-day restaurants most of us encounter. But what probably separates Aangan from the rest is the fact that the food is not so-so, it’s quite delicious. The quantity of the curries/sabzis is good and filling. But one drawback you would find here is the size of the Rotis etc. They are really small and command a bomb of a price for that size. The place is quite noisy at peak hours. Service is decent though when I asked for a Peas dish I got Butter chicken. :(
The thali was decent although the sabzis in the thali were not very inviting. So I wouldn’t recommend the Vegetarian Thali. Just order a la carte and fill up. :)
Overall, a good decent place for a quick and filling bite.
Avg. Cost for 2: 400/- INR (Meals for 2: 200/- INR)
Rating:Locale: 8/10
Ambience: 6.5/10
Service: 6.5/10
Food Quality: 9/10
Food Quantity: 7/10
Vegetarian Variety: 7/10
Non-Vegetarian Variety: 8.5/10
Menu Card: 6/10
Value for Money: 7/10
Recall value: 7/10
Overall Rating: 7/10
Location: Koramangala, Bangalore, India
Style: Punjabi
Aangan, located in Koramangala, is one of those normal day-to-day restaurants most of us encounter. But what probably separates Aangan from the rest is the fact that the food is not so-so, it’s quite delicious. The quantity of the curries/sabzis is good and filling. But one drawback you would find here is the size of the Rotis etc. They are really small and command a bomb of a price for that size. The place is quite noisy at peak hours. Service is decent though when I asked for a Peas dish I got Butter chicken. :(
The thali was decent although the sabzis in the thali were not very inviting. So I wouldn’t recommend the Vegetarian Thali. Just order a la carte and fill up. :)
Overall, a good decent place for a quick and filling bite.
Avg. Cost for 2: 400/- INR (Meals for 2: 200/- INR)
Rating:Locale: 8/10
Ambience: 6.5/10
Service: 6.5/10
Food Quality: 9/10
Food Quantity: 7/10
Vegetarian Variety: 7/10
Non-Vegetarian Variety: 8.5/10
Menu Card: 6/10
Value for Money: 7/10
Recall value: 7/10
Overall Rating: 7/10
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Restaurant Review # 3 - The Dhaba
Today's Restaurant: The Dhaba
Location: Outer Ring Road, Near Marathahalli Junction, Bangalore, India
Style: Indian
The Dhaba located on the first floor of Malgudi Restaurant is a very different experience and definitely the place to be. The whole place is setup like a roadside dhaba with tyre tubes hanging outside... The first surprise you will find is on entering the restaurant. The back end of a lorry greets and immediately has you in a smile admiring their ingenuity. Tables and chirs are comfortable and quaint. One table even has the honour of being placed right in front of a lorry. Talk about creativity. This place was simply superb.
And if you thought that was all, wait till you see the menu card. A Lovely menu card created by joined two pieces of blackboard slates which we used to carry in kindergarten. Wow!!!!
Well now was the big question!!! Would be food be this good too??? And you wouldnt be disappointed. The paneer and tava dishes are simply superb and so is the hospitality and service. A huge feeling of satisfaction and heavy stomachs are guaranteed after a trip to the Dhaba. So what are you waiting for???!!!!
Avg. Cost for 2: 450/- INR
Rating:
Locale: 7/10
Ambience: 8.5/10
Service: 8/10
Food Quality: 8.5/10
Food Quantity: 8/10
Vegetarian Variety: 8/10
Non-Vegetarian Variety: 8/10
Menu Card: 9/10
Value for Money: 9/10
Recall value: 8.5/10
Overall Rating: 8.5/10
Location: Outer Ring Road, Near Marathahalli Junction, Bangalore, India
Style: Indian
The Dhaba located on the first floor of Malgudi Restaurant is a very different experience and definitely the place to be. The whole place is setup like a roadside dhaba with tyre tubes hanging outside... The first surprise you will find is on entering the restaurant. The back end of a lorry greets and immediately has you in a smile admiring their ingenuity. Tables and chirs are comfortable and quaint. One table even has the honour of being placed right in front of a lorry. Talk about creativity. This place was simply superb.
And if you thought that was all, wait till you see the menu card. A Lovely menu card created by joined two pieces of blackboard slates which we used to carry in kindergarten. Wow!!!!
Well now was the big question!!! Would be food be this good too??? And you wouldnt be disappointed. The paneer and tava dishes are simply superb and so is the hospitality and service. A huge feeling of satisfaction and heavy stomachs are guaranteed after a trip to the Dhaba. So what are you waiting for???!!!!
Avg. Cost for 2: 450/- INR
Rating:
Locale: 7/10
Ambience: 8.5/10
Service: 8/10
Food Quality: 8.5/10
Food Quantity: 8/10
Vegetarian Variety: 8/10
Non-Vegetarian Variety: 8/10
Menu Card: 9/10
Value for Money: 9/10
Recall value: 8.5/10
Overall Rating: 8.5/10
Action of the Day # 7
Be aware of what you speak! For you may hurt the ones you love even without knowing!!!
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Action of the Day # 6
Make an effort to make someone smile today... Its the best thing that you can do to anyone...
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Action of the Day # 5
Don't worry too much about the past. Learn from them in the present and make your future better.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
A FIGMENT OF MY IMAGINATION
A Figment of my imagination
It was a night that was creepier than usual. Timmy, Sandy and Mikey were on their way to their aunt’s place. The drive was supposed to take only four hours. They had left home early in the afternoon. But traffic and bad weather ensured that they were still at least an hour away from their destination. And now this had to happen?
All four tyres of their 1982 Dodge were flat. Their father had given them the dark brown vehicle last fall. It was dark and was raining quite heavily. They had gotten off the freeway into a quaint little town for fuel and snacks. They had tanked up the vehicle and their tummies. Soon they were off again when it began to pour heavily. Visibility was low. They had just driven for 15 minutes when Mikey lost control and swerved off the road into the mud nearby.
“Just our darned luck!!” thought Mikey. Four flats and only one spare. Sandy and Timmy got out too. They were clearly 20 miles away from the town and roughly 10 miles from the freeway. What were they to do?
They decided to call for help. “Well now, somebody please tell me how this happened!” said Timmy to Mikey, “My mobile has no signal.” Mikey and Sandy looked at their mobiles and chorused “Ours too!” Now they were in a fix. Sandy checked the map. They were miles away from anywhere on the map. They decided to walk to the freeway and hopefully hitch a ride…
Fifteen minutes in the rain….
“Hey, look over there. There is a light across the field.” “Looks like a little house over there”. “Maybe they have a phone” and saying so the threesome trudged towards the house. The fields were barren as it looked like the harvesting had been completed awhile back. They reached the house and sprang up the steps. The steps made no sound. Sandy found this surprising. She jumped on the last step again. No Sound. “Well that was creepy, lets see who’s home” said Mikey. They knocked on the door. No answer. They knocked again. Still no answer. The wind howled through the rickety old building.
“Well, let’s go out to the back and see if anyone’s there!” As they turned, the door swung open with a slow creek. Inside sat an old man on an old chair facing the door. “Come in, my young friends.” Surprised, they walked in through the door. “I see you youngsters had a flat and you need to use my phone”. They were taken aback. How could he know? Before anyone could speak, the door banged behind them. They turned around and turned back to face the old man. All they saw was an empty chair.
“Well! Are you just gonna gape at the chair or what?” said the old man from the foot of the staircase. They turned towards him and a wave of relief washed over their faces. He had walked onto to the staircase. “The phone is up on the first floor. Follow me up the staircase. Watch your step” He smiled and began to climb. They climbed the staircase slowly following the old man. Soon they stepped into a long hallway. “The phone is at the end of the hallway. The portraits you see around you are painted from real instances”
They looked up at the portraits one by one. They were now scared for what they saw totally wiped their senses clean off their minds. The first portrait was of a man biting the neck of a crow. The second one was even scarier. The same man was plucking the ears of a rabbit with his hands. More gruesome photos followed as they realized that the person in the portraits looked like a younger version of the old guy.
As they turned to ask the old man, their eyes fell on the last portrait. They were shocked. The old man turned back at them and said “Here is my greatest masterpiece” A shrill scream pierced the silent night. There standing in the portrait was the same middle aged guy holding Timmy’s head, severed off the body, blood dripping all over him. A sickle was in his other hand. Mikey and Sandy turned to look and found Timmy missing. A shiver went up their spines as they slowly turned towards the old guy, only to see themselves facing a blank piece of wall. A phone was on the table nearby.
Mikey and Sandy began to sweat profusely. They had heard of terrifying experiences in lonely houses in horror movies and stories but now it looked like they were bang in the middle of one, themselves.
Sandy reached towards the phone and as she touched it, the phone rang. She jumped backwards crashing into someone. She turned around, saw Mikey and screamed. “What happened?” asked Mikey. “Nothing, I guess I am lil fidgety”, she said sheepishly.
They turned again and looked at the phone. It had stopped ringing. Mikey went towards it and lifted the receiver. It wasn’t dead. Surprised he quickly dialed 911 and the phone at the other end began to ring. Four rings later, somebody picked up the call and he heard a male voice telling him “Thank you for calling 911. You are not leaving this place alive. You are the last one. So die!!!!”
Shocked Mikey dropped the phone and turned around. Sandy was gone. He turned back towards the phone and staggered back. Looking at him was sandy’s face minus the eyes and ears. Her tongue was slit into two and her head was held by the man in the portrait.
He composed himself. This was another painting. He had to get out of here. He turned around and ran. As he ran, blood began flowing from all the portraits onto the floor. He slipped on the blood and fell face first. His face became red from the blood. He slipped and slided all the way towards the other end of the hallway. Then he stopped.
A brick wall stared scornfully at him. He looked around frantically. He was trapped in the hallway. He heard footsteps on the stairway but couldn’t find any way to the stairway. He looked around. He felt trapped like a caged animal. He suddenly saw an umbrella nearby and picked it up. The footsteps were getting closer. He looked around turning and caught the wall panel sliding open in the corner of his eye. He swung around to face his fate. In walked the middle aged man of the portrait. As Mikey stared at him, he thought again that this guy and the old guy were one and the same.
It was an old fashioned standoff: Mikey with the umbrella and the man with the sickle. The man rushed towards him, sickle raised in his hand. Mikey stepped forward and in one stabbing motion put the umbrella into the attacker’s eyeball. A hoarse scream filled the air. Mikey ran, slid forward and through the attacker’s legs straight into the entrance of the stairway. He got up just in time and looked back to see the assailant. All he saw was the old man looking at him with one eye. The other eye was bleeding profusely. The umbrella lay at his feet. He turned around, ran down the staircase and straight into the front door. The door opened automatically as he approached it and he found himself sprawled on the porch steps.
The footsteps began behind him. He got up and ran. A sharp pain rose in his right arm and a thin stream of blood began to flow from his eyebrow. He ran across the fields and towards the road where the Dodge was.
Ten minutes later…
He found the Dodge and stopped in his tracks. Timmy and Sandy were standing by it. A mechanic was near them and he had just fixed all four tyres. “Where were you?” asked Sandy, “You said that you were gonna get help and there has been no sign of you for the last two hours. What happened?” Mikey didn’t respond. He looked at himself; there were no signs of blood on him. “Nothing!” he replied.
They got back into the Dodge with Timmy at the wheel and Mikey alone in the back. The rain had stopped and they were back on the road. As they drove a bit, Mikey saw an old house in the distance. A little nearer to the road, he saw the old man with one eye smiling at him. A sharp pain rose in his right arm. His face became pale as he grabbed Timmy’s shirt. Timmy stopped and asked what happened? Mikey pointed in the direction of the old man and then Timmy said “I don’t see anything. Must be a figment of your imagination” and drove on.
“A figment of my imagination?” thought Mikey as he looked at the old man. The old man had a sickle in his hand!!!
It was a night that was creepier than usual. Timmy, Sandy and Mikey were on their way to their aunt’s place. The drive was supposed to take only four hours. They had left home early in the afternoon. But traffic and bad weather ensured that they were still at least an hour away from their destination. And now this had to happen?
All four tyres of their 1982 Dodge were flat. Their father had given them the dark brown vehicle last fall. It was dark and was raining quite heavily. They had gotten off the freeway into a quaint little town for fuel and snacks. They had tanked up the vehicle and their tummies. Soon they were off again when it began to pour heavily. Visibility was low. They had just driven for 15 minutes when Mikey lost control and swerved off the road into the mud nearby.
“Just our darned luck!!” thought Mikey. Four flats and only one spare. Sandy and Timmy got out too. They were clearly 20 miles away from the town and roughly 10 miles from the freeway. What were they to do?
They decided to call for help. “Well now, somebody please tell me how this happened!” said Timmy to Mikey, “My mobile has no signal.” Mikey and Sandy looked at their mobiles and chorused “Ours too!” Now they were in a fix. Sandy checked the map. They were miles away from anywhere on the map. They decided to walk to the freeway and hopefully hitch a ride…
Fifteen minutes in the rain….
“Hey, look over there. There is a light across the field.” “Looks like a little house over there”. “Maybe they have a phone” and saying so the threesome trudged towards the house. The fields were barren as it looked like the harvesting had been completed awhile back. They reached the house and sprang up the steps. The steps made no sound. Sandy found this surprising. She jumped on the last step again. No Sound. “Well that was creepy, lets see who’s home” said Mikey. They knocked on the door. No answer. They knocked again. Still no answer. The wind howled through the rickety old building.
“Well, let’s go out to the back and see if anyone’s there!” As they turned, the door swung open with a slow creek. Inside sat an old man on an old chair facing the door. “Come in, my young friends.” Surprised, they walked in through the door. “I see you youngsters had a flat and you need to use my phone”. They were taken aback. How could he know? Before anyone could speak, the door banged behind them. They turned around and turned back to face the old man. All they saw was an empty chair.
“Well! Are you just gonna gape at the chair or what?” said the old man from the foot of the staircase. They turned towards him and a wave of relief washed over their faces. He had walked onto to the staircase. “The phone is up on the first floor. Follow me up the staircase. Watch your step” He smiled and began to climb. They climbed the staircase slowly following the old man. Soon they stepped into a long hallway. “The phone is at the end of the hallway. The portraits you see around you are painted from real instances”
They looked up at the portraits one by one. They were now scared for what they saw totally wiped their senses clean off their minds. The first portrait was of a man biting the neck of a crow. The second one was even scarier. The same man was plucking the ears of a rabbit with his hands. More gruesome photos followed as they realized that the person in the portraits looked like a younger version of the old guy.
As they turned to ask the old man, their eyes fell on the last portrait. They were shocked. The old man turned back at them and said “Here is my greatest masterpiece” A shrill scream pierced the silent night. There standing in the portrait was the same middle aged guy holding Timmy’s head, severed off the body, blood dripping all over him. A sickle was in his other hand. Mikey and Sandy turned to look and found Timmy missing. A shiver went up their spines as they slowly turned towards the old guy, only to see themselves facing a blank piece of wall. A phone was on the table nearby.
Mikey and Sandy began to sweat profusely. They had heard of terrifying experiences in lonely houses in horror movies and stories but now it looked like they were bang in the middle of one, themselves.
Sandy reached towards the phone and as she touched it, the phone rang. She jumped backwards crashing into someone. She turned around, saw Mikey and screamed. “What happened?” asked Mikey. “Nothing, I guess I am lil fidgety”, she said sheepishly.
They turned again and looked at the phone. It had stopped ringing. Mikey went towards it and lifted the receiver. It wasn’t dead. Surprised he quickly dialed 911 and the phone at the other end began to ring. Four rings later, somebody picked up the call and he heard a male voice telling him “Thank you for calling 911. You are not leaving this place alive. You are the last one. So die!!!!”
Shocked Mikey dropped the phone and turned around. Sandy was gone. He turned back towards the phone and staggered back. Looking at him was sandy’s face minus the eyes and ears. Her tongue was slit into two and her head was held by the man in the portrait.
He composed himself. This was another painting. He had to get out of here. He turned around and ran. As he ran, blood began flowing from all the portraits onto the floor. He slipped on the blood and fell face first. His face became red from the blood. He slipped and slided all the way towards the other end of the hallway. Then he stopped.
A brick wall stared scornfully at him. He looked around frantically. He was trapped in the hallway. He heard footsteps on the stairway but couldn’t find any way to the stairway. He looked around. He felt trapped like a caged animal. He suddenly saw an umbrella nearby and picked it up. The footsteps were getting closer. He looked around turning and caught the wall panel sliding open in the corner of his eye. He swung around to face his fate. In walked the middle aged man of the portrait. As Mikey stared at him, he thought again that this guy and the old guy were one and the same.
It was an old fashioned standoff: Mikey with the umbrella and the man with the sickle. The man rushed towards him, sickle raised in his hand. Mikey stepped forward and in one stabbing motion put the umbrella into the attacker’s eyeball. A hoarse scream filled the air. Mikey ran, slid forward and through the attacker’s legs straight into the entrance of the stairway. He got up just in time and looked back to see the assailant. All he saw was the old man looking at him with one eye. The other eye was bleeding profusely. The umbrella lay at his feet. He turned around, ran down the staircase and straight into the front door. The door opened automatically as he approached it and he found himself sprawled on the porch steps.
The footsteps began behind him. He got up and ran. A sharp pain rose in his right arm and a thin stream of blood began to flow from his eyebrow. He ran across the fields and towards the road where the Dodge was.
Ten minutes later…
He found the Dodge and stopped in his tracks. Timmy and Sandy were standing by it. A mechanic was near them and he had just fixed all four tyres. “Where were you?” asked Sandy, “You said that you were gonna get help and there has been no sign of you for the last two hours. What happened?” Mikey didn’t respond. He looked at himself; there were no signs of blood on him. “Nothing!” he replied.
They got back into the Dodge with Timmy at the wheel and Mikey alone in the back. The rain had stopped and they were back on the road. As they drove a bit, Mikey saw an old house in the distance. A little nearer to the road, he saw the old man with one eye smiling at him. A sharp pain rose in his right arm. His face became pale as he grabbed Timmy’s shirt. Timmy stopped and asked what happened? Mikey pointed in the direction of the old man and then Timmy said “I don’t see anything. Must be a figment of your imagination” and drove on.
“A figment of my imagination?” thought Mikey as he looked at the old man. The old man had a sickle in his hand!!!
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
A Second Chance
2007…
There he was, a smart young fellow of 27, earning a decent five figure salary in a FMCG company. He was a happy guy, wife, two kids (twins). A typical normal middle class family with hopes and dreams of making it big. A small happy family.
Then it all came down as the hard raindrops in a thundershower. The glass of reality shattered their existence. It was but over. But what happened?
He lost his job. He was fired on the spot. Why?
One reason: He had been to prison. He pleaded with all his managers. He had realized the sins that he had committed and he had been punished for the same. He said that he had turned over a new leaf since then. No one believed him. Why??? He was lost. He didn’t know what to do.
He left the company and slowly walked home. What was happening to him? He was very depressed and distressed. Hadn’t he been punished enough for his sins? Hadn’t five years been enough? Five years for what?
2000… His Story
I had fallen into bad company. Well actually to me it wasn’t all that bad a company though everyone around me told so. We were having fun and enjoying life. Gradually we began to realize that the fun part was getting really expensive. We were running out of money…and fast. We couldn't ask our parents too much more. I was still twenty with a billion dreams and aspirations in my head. J insisted that to get to our dreams we shouldn’t give up on our lifestyles. So what do we do? M suggested that we rob the newly opened bank and diamond store ZZZ.
Well. To be frank, we found it to be really funny. A big Joke but, as we thought more about it, we realized that this was the only way. Hard work took ages to provide fruits of success.
So we decided to rob the store. We chuckled to ourselves the concept of having a diamond store and a bank at the same location. More loot for us at one shot, we thought.
The plan was laid out for a day where there would be visibly less crowd, sometime mid month. We were 8 guys. The plan was laid out like this:
2 to rob the diamonds' section, 3 to rob the bank, one of whom was to hold the manager hostage, one lookout if anything went wrong and two guys in separate vehicles for the getaway.
And there we went….
It was a lazy Thursday afternoon. We arrived on schedule. Before you knew it, we had the whole situation in our hands. Everyone co-operated beautifully. Everything was going on great. We got the loot of diamonds and cash. Millions worth. Whoa! we were rich.
We were so happy that we made one crucial mistake. We forgot our hostage. Fifteen minutes was all we got of enjoying ourselves like one of the TV shows when suddenly the screen went blank.
Our tyres burst at a spike strip and before we could gain control, twenty police vehicles surrounded us. We were hauled up and taken away. In an instant, everything was gone. From Dawn to dusk, as they say, it was all over.
I spent five years behind bars. My original sentence of seven was reduced to five due to good behavior and I was released on Independence Day. The prison sentence had done its work. I didn’t want to go back. I decided to reform myself. Enough was enough. In the next few months, I got myself a decent job, got married as well. Atleast I hoped that a family would ensure that I didn’t stray again, no matter what.
The following year we were blessed with twins. Everything seemed to go so well. And then this happened.
2007…
Well isn’t the prison system designed to reform… Well then why don’t people accept it? If someone has been to prison, does that mean he is a criminal for life? Our hero continued his walk home. He didn’t know what else to do. Why didn’t anyone believe that he had reformed? He had a family for god’s sake!!! And the worse part is that there was nothing wrong in his job. He had done everything efficiently enough, even better than most people. A promotion was replaced by a dismissal. For what?
Thoughts of suicide entered his mind. But no!!! What would happen to his family? He decided that he would not give up. It wont be easy but he decided to keep trying. He got home and told the news to his wife. She was very supportive and encouraged him to go on trying. And so he kept on trying….
-------------------------------------Author’s Footnote-----------------------------------
The prison system everywhere is designed for reform. Then why is society so intent on not accepting a reformed ex-convict. Justice must be done. These people must be given a chance. Would you… yes you…not give your kids or loved ones another chance when they did something wrong? Then why not these people. A chance is what most of them ask for and a chance is what I think they need, nay, deserve in order to excel. Let us give them that much atleast.
There he was, a smart young fellow of 27, earning a decent five figure salary in a FMCG company. He was a happy guy, wife, two kids (twins). A typical normal middle class family with hopes and dreams of making it big. A small happy family.
Then it all came down as the hard raindrops in a thundershower. The glass of reality shattered their existence. It was but over. But what happened?
He lost his job. He was fired on the spot. Why?
One reason: He had been to prison. He pleaded with all his managers. He had realized the sins that he had committed and he had been punished for the same. He said that he had turned over a new leaf since then. No one believed him. Why??? He was lost. He didn’t know what to do.
He left the company and slowly walked home. What was happening to him? He was very depressed and distressed. Hadn’t he been punished enough for his sins? Hadn’t five years been enough? Five years for what?
2000… His Story
I had fallen into bad company. Well actually to me it wasn’t all that bad a company though everyone around me told so. We were having fun and enjoying life. Gradually we began to realize that the fun part was getting really expensive. We were running out of money…and fast. We couldn't ask our parents too much more. I was still twenty with a billion dreams and aspirations in my head. J insisted that to get to our dreams we shouldn’t give up on our lifestyles. So what do we do? M suggested that we rob the newly opened bank and diamond store ZZZ.
Well. To be frank, we found it to be really funny. A big Joke but, as we thought more about it, we realized that this was the only way. Hard work took ages to provide fruits of success.
So we decided to rob the store. We chuckled to ourselves the concept of having a diamond store and a bank at the same location. More loot for us at one shot, we thought.
The plan was laid out for a day where there would be visibly less crowd, sometime mid month. We were 8 guys. The plan was laid out like this:
2 to rob the diamonds' section, 3 to rob the bank, one of whom was to hold the manager hostage, one lookout if anything went wrong and two guys in separate vehicles for the getaway.
And there we went….
It was a lazy Thursday afternoon. We arrived on schedule. Before you knew it, we had the whole situation in our hands. Everyone co-operated beautifully. Everything was going on great. We got the loot of diamonds and cash. Millions worth. Whoa! we were rich.
We were so happy that we made one crucial mistake. We forgot our hostage. Fifteen minutes was all we got of enjoying ourselves like one of the TV shows when suddenly the screen went blank.
Our tyres burst at a spike strip and before we could gain control, twenty police vehicles surrounded us. We were hauled up and taken away. In an instant, everything was gone. From Dawn to dusk, as they say, it was all over.
I spent five years behind bars. My original sentence of seven was reduced to five due to good behavior and I was released on Independence Day. The prison sentence had done its work. I didn’t want to go back. I decided to reform myself. Enough was enough. In the next few months, I got myself a decent job, got married as well. Atleast I hoped that a family would ensure that I didn’t stray again, no matter what.
The following year we were blessed with twins. Everything seemed to go so well. And then this happened.
2007…
Well isn’t the prison system designed to reform… Well then why don’t people accept it? If someone has been to prison, does that mean he is a criminal for life? Our hero continued his walk home. He didn’t know what else to do. Why didn’t anyone believe that he had reformed? He had a family for god’s sake!!! And the worse part is that there was nothing wrong in his job. He had done everything efficiently enough, even better than most people. A promotion was replaced by a dismissal. For what?
Thoughts of suicide entered his mind. But no!!! What would happen to his family? He decided that he would not give up. It wont be easy but he decided to keep trying. He got home and told the news to his wife. She was very supportive and encouraged him to go on trying. And so he kept on trying….
-------------------------------------Author’s Footnote-----------------------------------
The prison system everywhere is designed for reform. Then why is society so intent on not accepting a reformed ex-convict. Justice must be done. These people must be given a chance. Would you… yes you…not give your kids or loved ones another chance when they did something wrong? Then why not these people. A chance is what most of them ask for and a chance is what I think they need, nay, deserve in order to excel. Let us give them that much atleast.
Question of the day? # 5
Would you like to live in a real world or in a virtual world? Are the two worlds different?
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Question of the day # 4
Are there good people and bad people or are there only good actions and bad actions?
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