Thursday, April 29, 2010

The Magician's Promise (Part I)

The young girl sat on a rock by the road and waited. She looked up and down the road anxiously, but could not see him. But, she knew he would come, so she waited patiently.

She had been but a child when she had first met him. He was... radiant. His smile lit up the whole world. And his gaze filled her being with love. His voice held the welcome of the relationship they had shared since innumerable lives. She knew she was now safe because she had been touched by the Magician's magic.

From that moment on, wherever she went, whatever she did, the stardust was with her on her travels. And her travels weren't the smoothest. Along with high, airy boulders and levelled roads, she came across thorny patches too. But before she could step on a thorn, the stardust flew and circled over her head. It whispered in her ears and warned her and she was safe.

However, one day, feeling rather rebellious, she packed the stardust in a little bag and walked on confidently, wanting to explore the world on her own. The Magician was not against freedom, but he knew that her confidence was misplaced. Knowing in his wisdom that she needed to learn this bitter lesson on her own, he watched patiently as she packed his gift away and stepped into quicksand.

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My Father's Eyes

Dear Dad,

You tried to hide it. You laughed and turned to your dinner plate. But I heard the slight quiver in your voice. And I saw those 2 precious teardrops slipping out of your eyes.

I saw because I look up to those eyes. Dad, they are so filled with wisdom... about everything - the world, business... and me. I have seen them light up with excitement when I achieve and run home to share the news. I have seen them, exasperated, when I am stubborn and just don't see the point, flinch in pain when you have punished me and quietly cry just after you slam the door and stalk off to your room after a big argument. I have seen them dance when you tease me and also shine with pride when I am at the dais and you are in the audience.

But, today, I saw saw something different in them. We were at the wedding reception of your friend's daughter. The festivities were in full swing - cousins laughing, elders looking anxious, parents and in-laws exchanging niceties, shimmery clothes, flashy jewellery, fancy food... And in the midst of it all, you caught sight of Uncle just gazing at his beloved daughter, who he was going to bid goodbye to. And you thought of me - your little princess. And you, Dad, with your iron will, nerves of steel and heart of gold, gently melted into tears.

I saw you, Dad, and I welled up too. Because, Dad, while you thought of me, I thought of you. And I want to thank you for every little thing. For being 'my Daddy bestest' when I was little, a protector in my teenage and a guide in my adulthood. You have given me every comfort and spoiled me silly. You have cushioned me from every blow, corrected me when I lost my head and most of all, listed - a lot and always patiently. And though I don't often say it, I stand strong because you are there to catch me when I fall.

Thank you, Daddy. With lots of love...

The MBA

The house was small but full. Grandma lay on the makeshift bed in the single room.


Dad, tired after a long day at the factory, stretched his legs out and lay in the recliner. Delicious smells wafted from the little kitchenette where Mom stirred gravy in a steel pot, all the while humming a song from the previous era.


Beta,” Grandma croaked from her corner, “doosri side mudna hai. Ab peeth mein dard ho raha hai…


Promptly, Dad jumped up. Dodging the little side table and the plastic chair, he reached his old, arthritic mother. Gently, carefully, he pushed her soft, wrinkled body. She flinched in pain and he cooed soothingly.


The young boy walked through the open door, wearing his stylishly ripped jeans and half-untucked shirt. The room seemed to brighten the moment he stepped inside. All eyes turned to him eagerly.


“Aha, here comes my MBA!” Dad greeted, proudly thumping his back.


The son smiled and touched his feet. Then, he sat on the edge of the bed and gently ran his hand over Grandma’s withered one. Mom hurriedly lay out the mismatched dishes on the floor, a big smile on her face.


At dinner, the house rang with laughter and brief exchanges of the day’s news. They took turns guiding Grandma’s khichdi-filled hand to her mouth. Dad spoke about the sweat-drenched labourers toiling away in the terrible heat of the steel workshop where he supervised and asked Mom if she could send lemonade for them the next day. Mom nodded and narrated how happy she had made three street children when she treated them to ice candy while shopping for vegetables that afternoon.


The young man stirred the khichdi in his plate. He smiled quietly. Then, he said, “Spenta has offered me a job. I will be Assistant Manager in their Marketing Department. I will be travelling all over India opening up stores for them. They are offering me 45,000 rupees a month plus an annual performance bonus.”


The room was silent. Then, for the first time in his adult life, Dad’s eyes filled with tears. He broke down, he laughed, he exclaimed with joy. He clasped the hands of his only son, his MBA, his pride. Mom folded her hands and sent a silent prayer to the heavens. Grandma’s voice floated over the sudden commotion, “Kya hua? Kya kiya mere laadle ne?” But, she knew it was good news, and her wide, toothless smile almost made her glasses fall off her nose.


And then Dad called the local kirana store and asked him to send a family pack of special chocolate ice cream, with those sprinkles, just as his son liked. And Mom translated the news to Grandma. And the young son stood and watched the ongoings. And his eyes filled with dreams. And his limbs felt energized. And his heart swelled - with happiness and pride and above all, gratitude that finally, he could attempt to give back to the ones that had picked up a lonely orphan from the streets and filled his jholi with food, a roof, education, joy, warmth and above all, a family.

17/2/2006
I was wandering alone
Looking for love in places it couldn't be found
You filled my heart with so much of it
That it burst and overflows
Sometimes in the form of tears
Sometimes as a cry of gratitude
Sometimes as a silent smile
And soon it will fill my whole being
And the whole world will be my own
But I have no use of this world
If you're not the center of it
Because it is you that has made my life worthwhile
I was smart but idle
Could do so much but didn't find the need to
You gave me that needed push
It was just a loving touch
Oh, so Divine and Radiant!
But I was exposed
And all that I had
Now struggles to be used
To please just you
Use me, mould me, dissolve me
Make me yours alone
And make yourself mine
To love and adorn and cherish and please
I want to sing for you
From the very depths of my heart
I want to perform for you
And see you proud
I want to work for you
And inspire
When people see me
I want them to see you
And your glory
That transformed me into yours
Right now, I want to cry for you
So that you'll come
I don't care what my destiny is
And with whom
I'm fated to spend my life
As long as my choice remains only you
As long as the world doesn't come in our way
Except to support and help me in pleasing you
I cannot be happy
But you know how silly I am
How distracted and impulsive
I don't think, don't resist when I should
Of course that will change
But you must do it before it's too late
I don't want to let you down
Or compromise
I'm scared and not so confident
But my wish is true
You are what I really want
Sometimes, when I let you take a backseat,
It may not seem that way
But you know,don't you?
"You are the only one who can make me happy"
And all of us know that
And of course I want to be happy, if nothing else
Is there a way to hurry up and make this process faster
I won't give up hope or stop waiting
But I'm impatient to make you happy
And I don't wanna give myself time to get discouraged and re-start
I want to run
Until I burst into your smile
And sparkle in your eyes
And make you look your most gorgeous.