Between Damodaran and Me. .അഥവാ ദാമോദരന്റെ ക്രൂര കൃത്യങ്ങൾ...

Damodaran has been one of my biggest enemies in the past one year..

Now, the catch is that I don't know Damodaran..I don't know if he is short or tall, dark or fair... I don't  even know if he is a good or bad person.. But all that I know he has been troubling me for the past one year..

It all started when I took a prepaid mobile connection, upon my return from Belgium in March of 2012..  I made sure I spent enough time looking for the best number, one that rhymes, easy to remember and even tried some astrological advices to ensure that it is the best number.. You don't get a lot of choices when you search for a mobile number.. It is not like getting a registration number for your car.. I can pay some half a million and get the number of my choice.. But paying such money for a mobile number.. Naah.... Who would do that...? So I had to search, again and again, and found one that perhaps matched 6 out of my 10 criteria..

Two days after the number got activated, there was an SMS from Globus stores on a promotional sale.. I felt so happy that I am being pampered for taking a mobile connection.. But was crestfallen when the message read " Dear Damodaran, please avail this 50% discount.. Please don't forget to bring those coupons we sent you by mail.."

Well, though I spent few years outside India, that does not mean the government can change my name... I am still Mr.X, the same Mr.X that I was before leaving the country... I have the same passport where my name is Mr.X.. And about sending coupons via mail.. No one sent me anything.. I felt so humiliated and chose to ignore the Globus guys..Even took a pledge.. Will never go there, even if they offer me a 100% discount n everything..

And then after two days, there was another SMS.. This time it was from Twin Courtz apartments, and read " Damodaran, please pay the maintenance dues immediately as you have not paid for last 10 months.. Else we will be forced to take legal action.."

( SMS messages won't be so long., will they ? Well guys, this was also not so long.. But when you narrate a story you can't mention short ones like "Damn, pl pay mtce imm. Else police.. " and leave the readers guessing what that meant..)

Well.. Coming back to the story.. This was when I was really perplexed.. I never stayed at any such apartment, leave alone not paying maintenance amount.. By nature , I am normally a good person, honest and truthful, though sometimes my close friends would disagree.. But , honestly , I am such a guy..And the mention of "police" , "legal" et al, normally gives me the jitters..

That was when somebody told me that if one does not use a mobile number for 6 months, it can be re-assigned to some other innocent guy.. And this exactly has happened in my case..

This was just the starting point.. There were many threatening messages from HDFC credit cards, ICICI personal loans, some loan sharks.. It seemed these guys knew my real address , except the Globus guy.. I even thought I saw some odd looking guys, like the one you see in movies wielding knives or guns,  roaming outside my apartment.. The Globus guy still sent me SMS on discount sales and as always, sent coupons to Dear Mr.Damodaran..

And then, one morning at around 0430AM, there was a call in my cell phone.. Cursing the early morning caller, I took the phone and said hello..

The 70+ voice of a woman at the other end was weak.. But it was overflowing with affection and it called me.. "Damoo..", it said.. " Damoo, where are you..? Why don't you call?"..

I did not know what to say.. I knew very well that I was not Damodaran.. But then would the 70+ voice at the end, believe that ?.. I chose best to disconnect the call..

It called me again, and again.., when I was in meetings, or busy with my work, at lunch and early mornings when I was sleeping.. The loan sharks and the credit card guys still sent me messages and threatened to find me.. But there was nothing like this old woman looking for "Damu"...

I haven't found Damodaran yet. I don't know him at all.. I don't know if he is short or tall, dark or fair... I don't  even know if he is a good or bad person.. But all that I know is someone is looking for him.. Someone, for whom , he means a lot..

I haven't thought about changing my mobile number.. I am afraid of those guys looking for Damodaran, who might find me in the end.. But still, I think some day, I will have courage to tell that 70 + old woman that I am not Damodaran, but that I would help find Damu some day..

Love by the coffee cup..

The Cafe Coffee day on top of EB2 was not so crowded on Friday morning and I found myself to be a lone customer.. The coffee was not so hot, but I thought of sipping it slowly to delay getting back to work..

 And then, that pretty girl standing opposite, smiled at me.. All spring bloomed in and there seemed to be some song I the air..(an old Yesudas one... Don't remember which)..

 It grew more vivid, when she walked towards me, stood near and said "Hi".. All time frozen for a moment.. What do you normally do.. ?

 And then, when she threw the coffee cup in to the trash can behind me, and walked away, continuing to talk on the blue tooth, all spring vanished, and reality was back.. Back to MCFP..

Ghost of 2nd Cross Street

I've never believed in the supernatural.. The experience of spending my childhood in my 300 years old ancestral home filled with dark corridors and musty cellars and tell tale stories have left a mark on me, which always makes me think someone(thing) is there in the shadows. I've been always afraid to stay alone.. But never believed that there is something like the supernatural..

It was one of the... usual days in MCFP where one stays till 0200 am and returns home sleepy and groggy.. The drive back home through OMR went in a haze, trying to focus on the road lighted up with neon lamps that diffuse light and trying to listen to Iron Maiden playing "Can I play with madness".. 

The turn on to 2nd cross street leading to the apartment is mostly dark.. Though the village demigod stays nearby, the street lights don't light up on many days or they blink.. Turning sharply on to the small mud road, a white form suddenly passed in front of the car and I had to brake hard.. There was nothing but darkness.. But peering out in front, one could be sure that there was a white face in the shadows, or not sure if it was a face at all.. Apparently it did not care about me and was motionless..

The security guard does not work at night and I was not sure if I had the courage to open up the gates myself..

Finally after mustering the courage and entering the apartment half running, I was unsure if the apparition was still there.. Did I intrude in to a different world..? Or was it an illusion.. ?

Weeks later, I still slow down and look around at the turn, lest I should disturb something which tries to find its space while the demigod and the rest of the world sleeps.. I still do not believe in the supernatural, though..

While it rained....

Part - 1 - The rain

I've always felt the rain is like a pretty woman, just that her nature changes from place to place...

In Chennai, she comes lightly treading, all dressed up in her dark pattu pudavai, careful not to disturb anyone, with filter coffee in hand, never hard, but slips and makes a mess of everything.. And you feel like sitting in the balcony and sipping that coffee..

In Kerala, she is full blooded and enchanting, incessant and never stops chattering, as if she's met her long lost lover.. And you feel like getting drenched, feeling each drop as it falls on you and drips down...

Part - 2 - The Dream

I am driving.. It's raining and the heavy drops are pattering against my windshield and window panes... The road is empty, not a soul.. I am alone in my car too.. Dido was singing " I want to thank you, for giving me the best day of my life.. " 

And then at the turn, suddenly there is no road.. Seems I lost control.. I've not been speeding.. The car goes roller coasting.. I can't see anything.. Ev...erything goes blank..

And then I wake up.. I am lying in a bed.. There are lots of tubes on me.. I can see lots of faces, blurred, but faces.. It's paining.. And then I see a beautiful face, clear , smiling at me.. And everything goes blank again..

And then I wake up again.. I've been in my bedroom, sleeping.. It's still raining.. The heavy drops are pattering against the window panes, slightly kissing me through the partly open windows.. I don't know whether I've been dreaming or whether the dream's still on...