Another Poem, Another Story

Childhood Memories


Rising was the dust as the sun slowly disappeared
seeping into the breeze was the redolence of jasmine 
flying past the clouds was a flock of chirping birds
curiously looking were the squirrels on the branches
stomping away bare foot on the strewn dried leaves 
scaring the ants to scatter from their long winding line
hands on her hips and nose high up in air
nodding  fiercely she heaved a loud sigh 
suddenly a sound and she went dashing away
holding tightly , she leaped on the tall gate
 bending over,twisting and turning her head 
looking far away and hoping to catch a glimpse
of a silhouette that was fast approaching
the clearer it became more stranger it got
broken hearted she slowly started to walk away 
two big pearls of tears rolling through her cheeks
going back inside finally she decided to stop waiting
then a familiar creak,a melody she was waiting to hear
spinning on her feet roaring with joy she went running
noticing a tear he hugged her gave her a kiss
his little princess had again fought his fatigue away
--
Lakshmi




The White One With a Blue Stripe

“I told you we'd make it in time!” Gopi said, grinning cheerfully. Sourav rolled his eys.
“That's only because I poured half the Bay of Bengal on you to wake you up. Now shut up, and tell me the seat numbers.”

Gopi walloped the back of his friend's head with an empty plastic bottle. “Thirty two and thirty three.” he said. The two were sweating and panting, as they waded their way through the narrow passage of the bus to their seats.

The bus driver had told them they were a good twenty minutes early, for the bus left only at noon. The driver had looked as though he was in no hurry to leave as he calmy smoked his noisome cigarette with disadain. He sat with one leg stuck jauntily out of a window.

They stuffed their bags into the narrow space under their seats by beating them into submission. “Let's go get something to eat,” chimed Gopi, “I'm starving!”

They made their way to the crowded and filthy restaurant that had monopoly over the bus stand. They bravely battled their way to the counter and ordered for idli's and tea. Fighting off the surging mob behind them, they swam the crowd to the “self-service” counter and claimed their food. When they got out of the crowd to a seating area, Gopi had lost half his chutney and an idli, while Sourav feared he was missing an ear.

They gorged their breakfast down, threw their steel plates at the nearest waiter and made their way back to the bus.

“Umm.. dude? What colour was our bus?” Sourav asked.
“White one with a blue stripe. Only one in the bus-stand with that colour.” came Gopi's reply.

“So.. does that mean the bus leaving through the main gate right now is ours?”
They stared dumbly as the white-one-with-a-blue-stripe sped through the main gate a hundred metres away. Gopi was the first one to scream. Sourav was the first to run. By the time they had gone ten steps the bus was a speck of dust in the distance.

“Okay.. okayokay.. calm down.. deep breaths..” panted Sourav.
“I'm quite calm dude,” panted Gopi.
“I was talking to myself idiot. Why, why, WHY did I leave my watch in my bag?” he asked of the high heavens.
“Forget that now, we have to do something!”

Sourav saw sense in that. They raced to the information booth, and informed the gentleman at the window of their plight in broken words and vigorous actions. The gentleman at the window slowly stirred, got up and left the booth. The two stared as he walked to a spittoon nearby and delivered a stream of red paan to it with vigour. He strolled back into the booth, sat down and stared at them.

“Nothing you can do about it, son.”
“What?! There has to be something, this must happen often, right? Right?!” Sourav squawked.
"There's a proverb about this bus service," the gentleman wisely preached, "once the bus starts moving only the Driver, the Conductor or God can stop it. In decreasing order of authority."
"Please bhai sa'ab, don't joke..."

The gentleman's face grew dark. He beckoned them closer with a finger and spoke. His whisper had a conspiratorial tinge to it.

“There's only one man who can help you now, my son...”
“Who? Who?!”
“His services don't come cheap.”
“We'll pay, damn you, just tell us how to get our bus!”
The gentleman sighed gently and let out a violent shriek.
“OYE PANJU!”

A huge mountain of a man walked up grinning, clad in an auto driver's uniform.
“These two nice boys have missed their bus,” spoke the gentleman, “help them out.” With that, he slammed the booth's window shut.

Panju's grinned widened as he looked at the two. “Only one way sa'ab! Bus will stop at petrol pump two kilometre away! Bus reaches there in twenty minutes in traffic, but Panju will take you there in five! Shortcut!” he exclaimed.

“Let's go!” said Gopi and darted forward.

Sourav caught his collar and pulled him back. He had his bargaining face on. “How much?” he whispered leering at Panju.
“Only two hundred!” declared Panju, rubbing his hands in glee.

Sourav thought about it while Gopi acted. He pointed authoritative fingers and made authoritative statements, the essense of which was we're willing to pay, so will the kind auto-man please lead us to his auto. The three ran to the auto and dove in. Just as the engine spluttered to life, Sourav screamed.

“Stoooop!!”. He jumped out of the vehicle and ran wildly back to the bus stand.
“Dude, its just two hundred rupees-” began Gopi, and then he saw what his friend had seen. The white-one-with-a-blue-stripe was slowly making its way back into the bus stand. Panju and his auto were soon covered in the dust that Gopi's sprint made.

He screeched to a halt beside Sourav who looked confused as he looked at the scene unfolding in front of them. Their bus had halted in the middle of the road leading from the main gate.
In seconds, the passengers of their bus had thrown themselves off it pushing and shouting for mercy. The driver was already standing next to Sourav, looking at his vehicle philosophically.
“Bomb scare,” he said, “two unidentified bags were found on seats thirty-two and thirty-three. One of them was making a ticking noise.”

Sourav and Gopi looked at each other.
“Um, sir.. why don't you come with us, and have some nice idli's while we explain everything...”
They each caught one elbow of the man and pulled him along to the restaurant. The driver, for his part, put up no protest and walked along without a care in the world.