Songs of the not-so innocent

It was a gesture for formality’s sake. Every one of them knew he wouldn’t... couldn’t refuse. And felt a twinge in their hearts… pity, empathy, frustration. Not one of them, though they envied him at random moments, really wanted his job or his life. It therefore came as no shock when he accepted the invitation to the party and the only consolation was that he’d never be accused of doing so, cheerfully. Not that it was going to absolve him later of course. That was out of the question. But at least history would decree that he was consistent. Or so he hoped. At the party itself, he found himself with his usual group. They seemed unusually tense, but he put that down to the rather hostile atmosphere that palpably floated around them. He wondered why the whispers & sniggers seemed so loud, but fought the feeling of panic by passing it off as mild paranoia. He’d never really liked coming to his relatives’ place, but couldn’t say so because etiquette had been drummed into him p...

I don't know whether it's me or the beer, but it occurred to moi that there are less than 3 weeks left to the end of the semester & possibly, my stay in this apartment. Sure, this place is nothing special. It has the required number of walls and windows, strategically placed, with the kitchen and bathroom thrown in. But, this house was home for 2 years. And, it takes a few things, events, people etcetera to make that transition. I shifted here from my temp accommodations on a Sunday afternoon at 4:00 pm. I remember a flutter of trepidation in the pit of my stomach as I contemplated the front door to Building 1509 - Parkview Apartments, no. 6. Having never stayed by myself before, I wondered whether things would work out... I'm afraid that vague thought cannot be elaborated upon further. I opened the door, expecting to be greeted by the typical 'new place' smell and instead reeled back a couple of steps, having been assaulted by the fragrance (if one could call ...

The first thing one will notice on reaching Birmingham is the absense of people on the roads. Or the footpaths. Or the... never mind. The point is, coming from a place like Pune or a country like India, it throws you off. Your equilibrium, or whatever is left of it after a 30 hour journey, is not really equipped to handle the mausoleum-like atmosphere. Your alleged knowledge of 'Amreeka' is based on a a strict diet of Hollywood movies, which show lots of people hustling and bustling squawking "Time is money, people... chop, chop, chop!" or a bunch of attractive, scantily clad women strolling about the beach. You quickly realise that you have been cheated... that there are no people around, much less semi-nude dames. No, in the real U.S, everyone and their dog drives some sort of auto-mobile. Walking is an exotic form of exercise only beaten out by Yoga and Tai Chi. Effective public transport is relegated to places like New York, Seattle, Chicago etc. so the only thing...