The Strange Case of the Strider and Warrior Princess Xana

This story is part of a fiction-writing workshop initiated by two legends of the Indian blogosphere Karthik - The Fool and C.S. Suresh who blogs at http://jambudweepam.blogspot.in/

The plot is credited to Karthik - plot available here.


My story starts below:

Meghana stared at the mirror – she pouted her lips and then smiled. She was 32 but she did not look a day older than 25. Hazel eyes, luscious jet-black hair, she was stunningly beautiful. Aggressive, ambitious and fiercely independent, she was an electronics engineer with an MBA in International Business from IIM-A. She was the vice-president of Integra Solutions a leading player in the Indian I.T. sector with offices across the globe.

Meghana’s no-nonsense approach was treated as haughtiness by many and there was perhaps a shade of truth in it. Meghana had no friends at work as she believed that work and pleasure did not mix. Her only pressure-reliever was the MMORPG – ‘Invasion’. There she was – Warrior Princess Xana and was part of an elite group of warriors headed by the enigmatic shadow warrior Strider! If only she could find someone like the Strider in real life?

Meghana reported directly to the CEO and treated her colleagues with careless disdain it was part of her demeanour – her philosophy was – ‘Come what may! Work must get done!’ Her attitude had won her many enemies over the years, people who could not bear the rise of the young college beauty; as she rose from one post to the other with ruthless ease.

Arup was Integra’s ‘Network Support Engineer’ a simple affable guy, always ready to help anyone with a smile. Arup understood the meaning of ‘dignity of labour,’ his had been a story of hard work, determination and perseverance. His father’s business had crumbled and unable to bear the loss he had committed suicide; with two younger siblings and his mother to take care of – Arup had dropped out of college and started at Integra as an office-boy.

Read the full story here:

http://indifictionworkshop.blogspot.in/2012/09/the-strange-case-of-strider-and-warrior.html

The Sensei and his Disciples

A Zen tale that I think is worth reading and meditating upon :)


Sensei and the monks had gone for an early morning walk, along the ridge of the valley, located behind the Monastery.

As they were walking, they came across a charred, burnt house.

Sensei stopped the monks and asked, "Does anyone know how the house got burnt?"

Knowledge Monk said, "It was a short circuit."

Wisdom Monk said, "I believe it was a forest fire that burnt the house."

Sensei nodded and said, "When will the house get rebuilt?"

Inquisitive Monk said, "The owner will start construction later this year."

Sensei nodded again and said, "Is there anything the owner can do to guarantee that the house will not burn down again?"

The monks concentrated hard on the question but could not think of a correct answer.

Sensei looked towards Head Monk for his reply.

Head Monk bowed to Sensei and softly said, "The only way the owner can ensure that the house does not get burnt again is by not building the house...."

Sensei clapped thrice and said, "Life and its rebirths are like these house fires. They keep happening and the reasons remain mysterious. The only way to break the cycle is make sure that you are not reborn...."

Captcha Removed Finally --- I Hope

To my dear beloved readers who keep egging me on FB to remove captcha and comment moderation - please see screenshot below:

Please let me know if you can post comments without a hitch now!

Thanks :)

Prayers for You

When I saw you,
Frail and tired,
On the hospital bed.
With tubes and needles,
Stuck into your veins.

The pain that was evident,
On your tired face.
Your mom in tears.
And you looking dazed!
I was crying within.

But I stood calm,
Comforted your mom,
Sat next to you,
And held your palms in my hand.
They had gone stone-cold.
And your angelic smile was nowhere to be seen!

As I spoke to the doctor,
And then to your mom,
Patiently trying to explain,
That you will get well soon,
And she should stop crying.
She finally calmed down a bit.

As we coaxed you to eat,
So that you would regain your strength,
I knew you were in extreme pain!
And I felt your pain too.

The four spoons of porridge,
That I managed to make you eat.
As mom looked at you and then me -
In amazement - I just prayed that you would heal soon!
And your angelic smile would come back!

Meeting your family,
And seeing the love and affection,
That they shower upon you;
You don't know how lucky you are -
To have such loving parents and caring siblings;
All of whom want you to get well soon.

Get well soon.
May your angelic smile,
The twinkle in your eyes,
The sweet little,
Sing-song voice,
All come back to you,
With twice the strength, sweetness and beauty.

These are my prayers for you!

Mission Melbourne - An Assignment for The Jackal

The instructions always came in a blue envelope. This time for a change it came in a yellow envelope and contained a photograph, an address, flight-tickets and a crisp message - “It is your time to visit Melbourne, NOW”.

There was a sudden tinge of joy and sorrow on knowing the location - Melbourne - where I found my one and only love and lost her as well. I wondered how Lisa would be now? 25 years is a long time.

Lisa and Me:
The Qantas flight departed right on time and I relaxed in the comfort of my Executive class seat. It was time to reminisce on my only love-story. Melbourne in the 80s was much different from the high-rise super-tech, honey-mooners destination that it has turned into today!

I had landed up at the University of Melbourne on a 1-year student-exchange programme. The summer of 83 - India had just won the Cricket World Cup and I was among the few college cricketers who got a chance to visit Australia as part of a sports programme that would involve the training of fast-bowlers in Australia. It’s funny when I think that now Chennai has the MRF Pace Academy and Glen McGrath an Aussie heads it now.

The University of Melbourne was a lovely place a perfect mix of old-world and new upcoming modernist architecture. The rigorous training that our physical fitness instructor Mr James Larwood would put us through would build and mould me into what I would become in my later years.

Lisa was the stuff dreams are made of - a cross between Diane Keaton and Meryl Streep she walked with a fluidity of a ballet dancer and was studying sociology. I met her at the 'International Student Orientation Programme' where she guided a bunch of us new students about life in Melbourne.

We saw 'Terms of Endearment' at the Astor Theatre and something clicked deep within - me the tall fast bowler and she the fair golden-haired sociology student. It was an affair that we knew might never last but it was a beautiful summer of visiting museums over the weekends. Going cycling exploring the hidden by-lanes discovering some quaint cafe and trying out wines and cheese. Being in love was such a beautiful feeling.

We moved in together and we were contemplating marriage and then I received an international telegram. - 'come back immediately - Das'. Mr Das was our Man Friday and he looked after the needs of me and my elder brother. My elder brother was in the export business and exported handicraft products to the USA and UK. I showed the telegram to Lisa - she hugged me and told me 'Come back soon Honey - someone's joining us soon and smiled at me'. I was mad with joy and took her into my arms and kissed her. She playfully hit me and said 'Hey Tiger go visit your brother and return'.

To Kill a Mockingbird:
Mr Das was at the airport to greet me and when I reached home I was shocked to see Dada's body in an ice-box. I broke down and Mr Das comforted me. I said 'Kaku what happened?' Then the bitter truth came our Dada was an assassin and he had been killed when a hit-job went horribly wrong as someone had double-crossed him. Universal Exports was a front and was headed by the elusive Mr. Ranganathan who sent in details to the group of ten assassins - now reduced to nine.

That's when Mr. Ranganathan walked in - he walked straight up to me and said 'Chottu, your brother did not deserve to go like this - I am giving you an opportunity to avenge his death and take his place!'

Thus started my journey from being a budding cricketer to one of the world's most feared assassins!

I wrote a long letter to Lisa - apologizing for my inability to return to Melbourne! She sent me a reply with a photograph of us standing in front of the Astor! That was it...

Now so many years later when I had decided to retire this last job landed - Melbourne! Would I meet Lisa again? Had she left Melbourne?

To Kill or Not to Kill:
My assignment was to kill a chap named Peter Markham - 24 years old he had made the mistake of falling in love with Supriya Hirani - scion of India's biggest oil company. The two were deeply in love but Mr. Hirani was looking at acquiring Patel Steels by marrying of Supriya to Bhavesh Patel. Who was I to deliberate on love I was just a professional who was paid to do his job.

It was a weird twist of fate that Supriya was majoring in Sociology and Peter was a research associate working on an alternative fuel source project at the University of Melbourne. I had Peter's address and did a recon of the place an old two-storey apartment and that's when my heart skipped a beat - could it be - was old age finally catching up with me - could it really be Lisa?

She had aged with grace those golden strands of hair that smile still intact! The biggest shock was when she unlocked the flat where Pete was supposed to reside - was Pete Lisa's son? And then it hit me - no it could not be...

I walked out slowly and approached Pete's flat and rang the door-bell; the door opened after a minute - and Lisa stood before me. She said - 'Oh! My God is it really you?' and she started sobbing - she hugged me and I stood there bumbling not knowing what to do!

I comforted her and took her inside - 'Lisa tell me who is Peter?' - She wiped her tears away and smiled and said - 'Guess!'

Then it hit me - Peter was my son our son!


How could I kill my own son?
At that moment I decided - enough was enough - I quickly asked Lisa to change and pack her belongings and take her valuables. She was flustered but I told her who I was and then said - 'We need to reach Peter soon' Call him and tell him to remain in the research lab and not to come out till we reach there.'


Universal Exports functioned on a back-up plan always - if one assassin missed there would be another assassin to finish the job. Now that I had deliberately missed my target the wheels would already be in motion - who would be the back-up plan - Panther, Eagle or Cobra?

I asked her where Supriya was - Lisa said Supriya had gone to Sydney for a seminar and would only be back next week.

I took Lisa to my hotel room and asked her not to open the door till she heard either my voice or Peter's voice.

She hugged me and said 'Honey please come back safe and bring our son back safe!'


The Eagle and The Jackal:
I was code-named Jackal and I had to stalk the hunter who would bring down my son. The research-lab at the Faculty of Science and Engineering was on level-1 and I needed a either a student or a lecturer's ID card to get into the research facility. I bumped into a middle-aged man and flicked his wallet. The wallet had the access and ID-card that gave me access to the research facility. I moved inside with ease and scanned the huge laboratory for any suspicious activity. Peter was busy sitting in front of his computer and playing 'Angry Birds' I smiled at my son - I wanted to go up to him ruffle his hair and say -'Kiddo, I am your Dad!'

Then I noticed a red dot on my son's white lab-coat a laser target for an accurate shot - I followed the trajectory and stared above to notice Eagle adjusting the sniper. I had one chance to redeem myself - I took out my customized K-7 fitted with a silencer and shot Eagle the bullet met its mark. Eagle fell down with a surprised look. No one noticed anything.

I walked up to my son and said - 'Kiddo, I am your Dad, we have lots to talk come lets pick-up your Mom and go out for dinner!'

Melbourne gave me back my one true love and my son!

Melbourne the city where dreams turn into reality!

Visit Melbourne - rediscover your love or find your true love!

A Musical Quiz

Conducted a musical quiz at work recently!

The questions from round-2 are here :)

http://www.slideshare.net/areukiddingme/musical-quiz-round-2

Try them!


Image courtesy - My colleague Gandhi Sakthivel! He put in the tags not me :)

RIP - Oh gentle giant!

When the cryptic TOI headline screamed Michael Clarke dies - I was wondering what happended to the Oz captain?

Then to my shock I realized the gentle giant Mike who portrayed an Oscar-worthy role of the prisoner with magical powers in The Green Mile had died of a myocardial arrest!

Son of a single-mother who quit college to help his ailing mother and struggled as a bouncer and bodyguard before landing small roles; wowed everyone as John Coffey in The Green Mile. Tom Hanks was simply over-shadowed!

Other roles include Armageddon, Sin City, The Whole Nine Yards and voice-work in animation movies like Kung fu Panda.

Somehow he never got roles that would showcase his talents; a hulk of a man he would end up playing secret-agent second-fiddle roles or gang-member kind of roles.

RIP - oh gentle giant!

(Image courtesy - thescreeningroom.ca - Copyright reserved with the website administrator)