THE SCARECROW (Decoy used to conceal)

{News flash on radio: “In a sensational escape, an offender escaped from police lockup while being taken to a Mumbai court on Monday afternoon.}

Arvind Kumar is a widower and a self made millionaire graduated in third grade; with a diploma in chemical engineering. Adulteration of petrol by using kerosene with viscosity improver, buying tanks of petrol a day before increase in petrol prices and selling it at inflated prices were his means of getting rich. Arvind had an illegitimate daughter which was at loggerhead with him, for his multiple affairs... one being with her own mother whom he had absconded few years back.

Kevin DCosta a freelance photographer is back from Nepal after his expedition of monasteries & Himalayan subtropical pine forests . High on life with SLR zooming in & out, he approaches Arvind at a party. He’s in need of money as his girlfriend is flying to Australia for a BPO job and a travel agent has promised him an immigration visa for some disclosed amount.

Sunil Anand the topper in MBA Finance works as Sales manager for Fastmoney Bank of India. A manipulator throughout his life, he has climbed the corporate ladder in a short span of time. His bank is launching Mutual Fund IPO and needs a huge investor. This will automatically pave his path for promotion as a branch manager with additional perks, provided he lures the patron for investment. Sunil is also guilty of fleecing his female colleague and is the reason of her termination from the bank for a fraud which she didn’t commit.

Part 1

[Mumbai Pune expressway]

White Mercedes with radio crooning an old Kishore Kumar number, a vegetative person with hands tied is lying on the backseat. The driver has ill fitting suit with a cherubic face with the initials A K in bold on the dashboard and suitcase full of cash. Suddenly the cell phone rings to which the reply is “I’ll be there in 15 minutes”. In the middle of this, we see a Red Maruti 800 following the White Mercedes. The nail polish studded fingers on the steering wheel with luscious red lips give us an impression that there is lady driving the car.

Part 2

[Kevin and Arvind casual meeting]

Kevin attends the Achiever clubs award function from where he comes to know that Arvind is planning a gigantic Ad campaign for his firm.Arvind invites Kevin for a five minute conversation, impresses him with his charming talks and promises Kevin for his career changing break. Arvind’s real reason is the bevy of female models in Kevin’s portfolio and formal introduction with them, to which Kevin agrees reluctantly.

Part 3

[Arvind and Sunil official meeting]

Sunil the charmer with his textbook knowledge has this uncanny habit of selecting a high potential customer and preparing multiple accounts with fake documents. He then activates the card, getting all the credit card benefits with additional sales for his bank.

Sunil proposes an investment plan to Arvind which would lead to an increase in market value and thereby an increase in profits. But Arvind the wily fox does a through market study; catches Sunil’s con, informs the police and gets him arrested.

Part 4

[Sunil and Kevin phone call]

Sunil escapes from jail, heads straight to Arvind‘s farmhouse in Khandla.Arvind in an inebriated state blurts out some abuses for which he is attacked by Sunil and held captive. This is before he receives the password and pin numbers for Arvind’s bank account. Suddenly the phone rings with display name flashing Kevin. Sunil introduces him as Arvind’s partner and tells him to meet at Mumbai Pune highway.

Part 5

[The lethal trap]

We come back to Part 1 where Sunil has assumed Arvind’s identity and driving Arvind’s white Mercedes and poor Arvind is lying unconscious with his hands tied down and mouth stuffed with a kerchief. It’s still a mystery as to who’s the lady, who is following the white car. Sunil’s plan is straightforward. He wants to meet Kevin, assume Kevin’s identity, kill Arvind and Kevin and then he will be a be free man with police assuming it’s Sunil the convict who has escaped as dead.

So Sunil will have Arvind’s money and Kevin’s identity and start his life afresh.

Part 6

[The mysterious lady]

We slowly start discovering the lady in Red Maruti 800 is none other than Arvind’s illegitimate daughter…oh wait! She’s the same girl who was fleeced by Sunil and was terminated from the bank. There’s still more to it. She’s Kevin girlfriend whom he met during his call centre stint to earn that extra money. She’s the one who persuaded Kevin to meet Arvind and informed Arvind via third person of Sunil’s scam.

 Part 7

[The final frontier]

Sunil meets Kevin on the highway and charms Kevin with his smooth talks. The idea is to take the car to a cliff and jump from the car during the last few minutes with the suitcase, so that Arvind and Kevin would get killed as the car falls into the valley. However minute before this Kevin receives a call from the mysterious lady (his girlfriend), he jumps from the car with suitcase full of money. In this mean time, Sunil is flabbergasted and tries to stop the car using the brake. The engine conks up because of the adulterated petrol used in the car. The clutch doesn’t work and the car falls in the pit leading to the end of two smart talkers

In the end what an irony... the lady is smiling with tears in her eyes. The tears for that man who played with her emotions-- her father Arvind and the smile for that colleague Sunil who deceived her. She’s walking down the highway hand in hand with Kevin. The lady killed 2 birds with one stone, using her scarecrow Kevin.

**********************THE END*******************

Air miles (Love story at the Airport terminal)

Moving the strands of hair on her face, black curls trying to caress;

The girl at the airport with bottle green attire, myself fully impressed;

Mesmerising kohl studded eyes like dew drops on leaves in frozen lake;

Burgundy nail polish with the tinge of mascara like icing on the cake.

My snookum lady immersed in the sci-fi novel, B Sterling was the author;

So I skimmed a business magazine, which made no sense thereafter;

Within a few minutes, heart in my mouth made a prompt decision;

Prologue with the girl was the only motive of my joyful life’s mission.

Collided her in food court, the girl buying the McDonalds happy meal;

Here I was talking on the phone discussing my new business deal;

French fries bounced apart, coke spilled on me, she was annoyed;

Sorry was the sweet voice heard by my nascent ears, filled my heart’s void.

Bundles of tissues was making their way, she wiped my jacket and shirt;

As a gentleman offered her my ice-cream, manners and courtesy was first;

In this moment of time, lost my cellphone following give and take bargain;

Was flustered for a split second, searching helter skelter again and again.

Sensing the panic, my senorita offered her cellphone to give a miss call;

The phone started ringing; it was bouncing in my denim pocket wall;

Smirk on my face revealed, the ploy was understood by the urban fairy;

I wanted her cell number which was flashing in bold on my blackberry.

She was smiling at the question I asked which was kind of dicey;

Did the sun just come out or did you just smile at me…miss spicy;

She laughed at my jokes, listening to her stories… running was the time;

Wished the spaces between your fingers are meant to be filled with mine.

With the announcement; along the airport crystal maze we were on our way,

Gorgeous boarded her Emirates flight; my Air India there was a delay;

Landed my native soil, reached my pocket to give a call and SMS to send;

Lost my cellphone for real this time…. My shortest love story came to an end.

Close Encounters (The Hospital)

Waiting in the hospital on Sunday was never so thrilling fun;

A lethargic patient went inside and subsequently was my turn;

Nurses and wardboys, the array of white and red was the trend;

The good part was that the doctor inside was my sweet girlfriend.

Noticeboard had a message which composes sagacity to declare;

If you get a second chance take it, for third ones come very rare;

Weeping elderly man transported in a stretcher to another bed;

He had ulcer problem, but was operated for the injury on his head.

Screams and shouts coming from labor room of a soon-to-be mother;

Doctors debating whether to do a C-section, options there were no other;

Drunken man admitted, removing his contact lenses caused severe pain;

Doctor examined no lens, was trying to rip out his cornea membrane.

Crying in pain, the College student’s bones fractured and condition a wreck;

Proposed to his love after climbing her hostel wall, fell down and broke his neck;

Factual reason of his wretchedness was something else; it’s a different ball game;

Proposal was instead on girl’s hostel warden; load shedding in the area was to blame.

Child Patient was missing; felt like someone had kicked a Structure of Bee Hive;

"Oh god where did this guy vanish, he eloped with someone or finished a quick dive;

Tablets, injections, chaos with the heart flutters and cold sweat on the faces of all;

The child came out smiling out of the bathroom as he had to answer the nature’s call.

At times of misery or events of pain when you don’t know what to say;

A simple touch or an empathy hug in the hospital can make a patient’s day;

Gamut of emotions, one life leaves heavenly abode and another life appears;

Life is like colors of rainbow, faith and hope are discoveries of this sphere.

Rainy Blues and Sultry Hues

The sweet aroma of mother earth when the raindrops pour,

Rainy Blues and Sultry Hues, walking barefoot on the seashore,

Thunder and lightning work hand in hand like opus treasure,

This is a blessing in disguise, undefined joy, difficult to measure.

Green mountains and the chilly winds croon an affable melody,

Odium of departing to school or office but mentally not ready,

Playing football with vigor, getting soiled on the slushy wet ground,

Blame it on the rain, tranquility on the faces of passers-by found.

Chaotic traffic, colorful raincoats and umbrellas in the crowd,

Singing and Dancing in rain, music in the cars, deafening loud,

Kids jumping in puddles, parched birds quench their thirst,

Three friends on a bike, and sipping tea on the highway is a must.

Long drives with her to the nearest hill stations to enjoy the water fall,

Neither pompous nor regal, playing love ballads and having a ball,

The true beauty of a girl is not about the clothes or her facial mole,

But what makes her even more gorgeous is her unadulterated soul.

Rains tutor you that there is no future for those who live in the past,

Eagerness for monsoon with no discrimination on creed, religion or caste,

The poet writes this couplet with all the soreness, aches and pain,

Sadly in Middle-East which is also the Gulf, it never rains, it never rains

Silent anger in our minds (Blast in the city)

Blast in the city, smoke ring high, blood gores everywhere;

Phone lines jammed, transport halted, crowd running in despair;

On the road by my side, amputated bodies are lying with pain;

Atrocious act on common man intended to sow panic, discord and gain.

She was married for two months, being widow was not her fate;

Her companion was the only support to the family, news came late;

These barbarians are insensitive; they have no emotions or heart;

Mumbai city is disintegrated many times in a decade part by part.

The government will compensate and quote “We will look into the matter”;

Somebody tell them it’s not about the money, but the dreams that shatter;

Ministers playing a political football, truly it’s a national shame;

Media coming up with vague reports, rumors for TRP’s and fame.

Black day for the entire nation, updates on social networking sites;

Hypocrisy and double standards of officials, nothing happening right;

A silent prayer for all who lost life, silent anger in our minds without noise;

The normal existence is back at its feet, but do we really have a choice.

Every dog has a day, but these maniac dogs are attacking us from distance;

Rapid action justice and execution of culprits without taking further chance;

Prevent and avoid all scams, corruptions, for truly shining India as it was before;

Clouds of sadness will evaporate and the amazing sunrise will emerge once more.

Footprints in the sands of time

College where million faces with dreams and ambitions sparkle in our eyes

Enrichment of knowledge and the exploration of creativity yet to be realized

Young guns put in all their hard work, and make efforts of various shades

Professors always told us that our ideas - with passion - would never fade

Called my college buddy, from my cellphone at eleven past five

“Hey how are you doing?” and happy tears came rolling by

Lectures, Viva and semesters, nothing could we remember

Except for the buffoonery and madness from January to December

Jam sessions, college sports and Cultural fests

Last day assignments, submissions and surprise tests

Disappearing to the nearby restaurant and getting high

Sleeping on a hostel bed, trying to swim and fly!

Skipping lectures and proxy attendances, our civil birthright

Forever tardy to class, watching all types of movies till late night

Classroom NASA scientists; throwing paper rockets with our hand

Created every possible chaos, we felt like a budding rock band

Love in my college days was all about a smile and a quick look

Keeping it awfully simple, without Twitter or Facebook

Ragging never took the repulsive face of suffering

No sadistic pleasures, just fun interaction was our thing

Discussions about the girl on whom I had a crush

The thought of her always made me pink and blush

Today I’m cheerful that she’s someone’s wife

The gorgeous lady is very joyful in her nuptial life

Let’s rewind the moments and plunge into the ecstatic ocean

Footprints in the sands of time and rainbows of emotion

Realistic or imaginary, breathe life into your childhood dream

Most claim to have put in all their effort, but only a few get the cream

I just love you and there are plethora reasons

Walking on the grass she hears some clatter

My love I say to her it doesn’t matter

So we walk by the side looking at the stars

Without traffic signals and fast cars

Crossing the river hand in hand

With the freezing water and amber sand

No hustle bustle, in life there is no pain

And people utter love makes u insane

Easy to express and very hard to explain

Falling in love with the same person again and again

Moments spent with her are truly worthwhile.

No more tears only blissful smile

Sometimes I wonder how and why

Memories stay & the feelings don’t die

Green meadows with Dodger blue sky

The smile on her face & twinkle in her eye 

Wish we both were birds flying in the air

No territories, no boundaries and zilch to care

The kiss of breeze and touch of your hand

Love makes life easy to understand

Whenever you descend, wherever you fall

In the race of life or examination hall

I’ll stand beside you in all seasons

I just love you and there are plethora reasons