கனவுகள் தொலைவதில்லை

ரஞ்சனி, கல்லூரி தலைமை ஆசிரியர் வருவதற்கு சற்று நேரம் ஆகும் என்று அலுவலக பெண்மணி கூறியதால் ஒரு மரத்தடி பெஞ்சில் அமர்ந்தாள். காத்துகொண்டிருந்த நேரத்தில் ரஞ்சனி தன் கடந்த கால வாழ்க்கையை அசை போடத்தொடங்கினாள். சுரேஷ் ஒரு பொறியியல் பட்டதாரி. பெண் பார்க்க வந்த தினத்தன்று நீல நிற சட்டை போட்டிருந்தான். ரஞ்சனிக்கு பிடித்த வண்ணம் நீலம். அவள் மனது வேகமாக துடித்தது. தனிமையில் பேச அவன் அனுமதி கேட்ட பொழுது அவள் சற்றும் தாமதிக்காமல் தலையசைத்தாள். சிறுது நேரம் விருப்பு வெறுப்புகள் பற்றி பேசிய பின் ரஞ்சனி தன் மேற்படிப்பு பற்றிய ஆசையை தெரிவித்தாள். அவனோ சிறிது தயங்கிய பின் "பார்க்கலாம்" என்றான். தன் கனவு நிறைவேறாமல் போய்விடுமோ என்ற அச்சத்தில் ரஞ்சனி, சுரேஷை நிராகரித்தாள். இரண்டு மாதங்களுக்குப்பின் ரகுவின் வரன் வந்தது. பெண் பார்க்க வரும் முன்பே ரஞ்சனி ரகுவிடம் தொலைபேசி உரையாடலின்போது, ரகு அவளது மேற்படிப்புக்கு சம்மதம் தெரிவித்த பின்னரே, தன்னை பெண் பார்க்க வருவதற்கு சம்மதித்தாள். திருமணம் முடிந்து சில மாதங்கள் உருண்டன. ரகு அவள் படிப்பு பற்றி பேச முற்படும் பொழுது அவன் பேச்சை மாற்றுவான். ஒரு நாள், முடிவாக படிக்க கூடாது என்று சொல்லிவிட்டான். தன் கனவுகள் தொலைந்ததென எண்ணி, கல்யாணத்திற்கு முன்னதாக செலுத்திய முன் பணத்தை திரும்பிப்பெற ரஞ்சனி கல்லூரிக்கு சென்றிருந்தாள். தொலைவில் ஒரு நீல சட்டை தென்பட்டது. அது சுரேஷ் பெண் பார்க்க வந்த அன்று அணிந்திருந்த சட்டை. பக்கத்தில் ஒரு பச்சை புடவை. அதுவும் அவளுக்கு பரிச்சயமான ஒருவர் தான். அவர்கள் நெருங்கியதும் அந்த பெண் ரேகா என்று கண்டு கொண்டாள். சுரேஷை தன் கணவரென அறிமுகப்படுத்திய பின், வெளிநாடு செல்லும் வாய்ப்பு வர தாமதம் ஆவதால் தன்னை மேற்படிப்புக்கு விண்ணப்பிக்க சுரேஷ் அழைத்து வந்ததை கூறி விடை பெற்று சென்றாள் ரேகா.

ரஞ்சனி சுயநினைவு திரும்பியவளாய் தனக்கு தானே கூறிக்கொண்டாள் "கனவுகள் தொலைவதில்லை ஆனால் தொலைக்கபடுகின்றன"

Why Pappa?????

Vidhya and Vimal were married for 6 years now and were blessed with a son 'Sailesh' and daughter 'Janani'. Vidhya resigned her job as software professional to take care of the two kids. Vimal was a young man working as a software architect for a top IT firm. His recent promotion in spite of the economy recession and job cut downs was a feather in his cap.

I was waiting outside the play area to pick up my daughter. I had purposely left my Blackberry at home. My happiness was boundless to look at Janani play with other tiny tots. I felt jealous of Vidhya because she was the one who drops and picks up the children from school, see them play, sing and paint. It was Janani's birthday and I had taken leave to celebrate the day with my daughter. I came to pick her up from the play school. As I was looking at her, she came running . "Pappa.... Are you on leave today?" Her face glowed with so much joy. "Yes dear. Daddy took a day's off to spend time with my little Janani". She was so happy that she kissed me and recited a list of things that she wants to do with me. I was so surprised to hear the little one having so many plans. I carried her to the car and fastened the seatbelt and started driving.

I felt that the climate of Bangalore had changed a lot since I first set foot on the land 12 years back. With rising pollution levels, global warming had taken its toll on the city's climate. The Garden city was slowly becoming Garden less city, because the atmosphere isn't much conducive for the plants to grow. We were nearing a junction, hoping to cross it before signal turns red. Unfortunately, it turned red and I switched off the engine as the LED display showed 3 Minutes before the next green signal. Janani was fidgeting with the chocolate wrapper, trying to rip it open.

Suddenly there was a girl with a baby, by the window. Begging for food. I was so worried about Janani's reaction. She simply opened the glass and gave the chocolate to that girl and closed the glass. The light turned green and we started. We never spoke anything till we reached home, as she was listening to one of her favorite rhymes CD and singing along merrily. I was enjoying her accent and her language. We had planned for a grand party that evening. Janani was watching one of her favorite show on Elephants in Animal Planet. I was blowing balloons for the party.

Then i thought i heard something. When I asked Vidhya if she said something, the reply was negative. Then I heard Janani mumbling something. I went to her and sat nearby. Her look was intriguing as i had never seen my girl like that before. "What was that girl doing?" She asked. I had no clue what she was talking about. I asked, "Which girl dear?". "With the baby. I gave my chocolate. That girl". I asked her to wait for a minute and returned back with a chocolate. "Here have it my sweetie" I gave her. She took it with a smile. When i was about to get back to the waiting balloons, she said "Why Pappa, they wear dirty clothes? Their mom didn't teach them to be clean?" I casually replied "No dear. They don't know about cleanliness because they don't go to school". "Why Pappa, she asked for food? Their mom don't know to cook?" Her questions were frightening me. I was not prepared to face them and she was still a kid. I was scared to explain the reality and expose her to the darker side of life.

"Hey Jaanu, Look at this lovely pink balloon. Come lets put some chocolates into it and when someone burst it, they'll get chocki rain" I was grinning at her. She asked "Who'll blow balloons for that girl's birthday?". I tried to change the topic. But no use. She was still dwelling on that scene. "Pappa, That girl smiled and thanked when i gave that chocolate. But Why Sailesh is not smiling even if you give big chocolate?" I couldn't evade her questions anymore. I sat beside her and told myself to answer her without hurting the young heart. "Dear, they are poor. They don't have money to buy food. So they smile and thank if we give food. But Sailesh doesn't know to be happy with what he gets because has gets so much to eat. If you give 5 star, he'll not smile because he wants dairy milk." She didn't stop with that. "Pappa, They don't have money? No car? No school?" I was helpless. Vidhya wasn't nearby. "No Jaanu. They are poor. I work in big office na, Their pappa have no work. So they have no money." She thought for few seconds and asked "Who'll give them food and dress?" I replied "People who have money, should help them dear". "Pappa, I want to give my birthday cake to poor. I cry if i'm hungry. That baby will also cry. Come pappa, lets give food to them". All of a sudden she jumped down the sofa and ran to Vidhya. Finally we convinced her by saying that I'll take her to the roadside settlements and distribute the cake to them.

The party went well and as promised early, we distributed cake and leftover food to the poor people. I was so happy that my daughter acquired the helping tendency which Sailesh lacked. I could see her face glow with happiness as we gave away the food to them. She learnt the Art of Giving on her 4th birthday. "Pappa, Wake up. We are almost there" I heard her voice. I realized that she isn't a kid anymore. She is a mother of two kids. It was Jaanu's 30th birthday and we had come to an orphanage to spend a day with them and Jaanu was sponsoring funds towards the education of three children in that orphanage. I was so proud to have got Janani as my dear daughter.

The Derelict Woodhouse

It was the first day after winter, when the sun peeked out to see the beauty of Blackwater and the Irish meadows. Eleanor was taking her Irish Red and White Setter for a walk. She was bewildered when she heard someone shout. "Amber... AMBER... Stop... Listen to me.. I said stop... Amber... Don't run... Come here to me... Look what I've got for you... Freesbee... Oh no.. Amber... MISS.. Look there is a dog that got loose, running in your direction... Amber.. Don't...". She saw the dog and screamed as it pounded on her "Oh My God... NOOOO"... Eleanor woke up with a start and realized that she was dreaming about the day she met Sebastien. She was smiling to herself and blushing too. "Eleanor, Whats wrong up there?" She heard her mother coming up the stairs hearing her scream. "Oh no. Nothing Mother. Just a bad dream. Am fine. Will join you and dad for the breakfast".

Eleanor was feeling so energized after that dream. She got herself ready in no time and ran down for the breakfast. "Hi Dad, Hi Mom. Weather seems to be perfect for a morning stroll. Will take Ruby out for a walk and return in a while". She finished her breakfast and picked up Ruby from the kennel and started walking up the slope. At the edge of the woods, they were welcomed by Amber's barks. Amber was Sebastien's dog. Sebastien was posted forest official to keep a check on illegal lumbering. He was living in a wood house at the edge of the forest. Eleanor and Sebastien became friends right after Amber attacked her. Slowly Love blossomed between the two. Eleanor started spending most of her time in the woods with Sebastien, enjoying the birds chirping and the beautiful river by the side of the wood.

"Elean" called out Sebastien. "Am here. Turn to your right. I wasn't expecting you yet. Care to join me for a cup of tea?" "Of course" The reply was so instantaneous. " He spoke as he was sipping on this tea "You know, it was a long night honey. Couple of idiots were trying to saw a tree. Got them red handed and took them to the police. Returned home only by 3 Am". "Oh Dear. Sorry. You take good rest. I'll see you later in the evening". "Its okay Elean. I want to take you out to a place you would love so much. Am going to blindfold you." They drove for few minutes. When she got down, he removed the blindfold. There she saw a beautiful house perched on top of the tree. With lush green creepers and tiny pink and blue flowers decorating the house naturally. Sebastien spoke clearing his throat. "I present this Childhood dream of the Princess the Helen of Ireland, who is going to be lawfully wedded to the forest ranger Mr. Sebastien Burns." He smiled at her. She smiled and replied "I honor the architect of this building" and kissed him.

Carefully she climbed up and into the house and was so thrilled by the hand made furnitures. and the small library with her favourite books. It was the exact replica of the house she wanted to own as a child. She hugged him and tears filled her eyes. They left the place in silence. But happiness gleamed in their eyes. Few days went by and they spent their time together in the cozy wood house reading out books. She asked him one day "Shall we have our wedding party in the woods with bonfire and tribal music Mr.Ranger?" He nodded his head with a smile.

Eleanor came to the woods as usual. "Hi Sebastien. Whats there beyond this wood?" " I was told that there is a pretty bigger village on the other side. The forest lies between two villages". She looked so thrilled and asked "Can you take me there?" Though he hesitated, "Okay. I'll be back in few minutes Elean". He came back and loaded Amber and Ruby into the vehicle and they started. On reaching the village, "WOW" exclaimed Eleanor. "It is so beautiful. Lovely gardens in front of every house and nicely built houses." Sebastien was feeling happy seeing her so excited about the village. They drove home in silence.

Sebastien was cleaning up the tree house when Elean entered. "Sebastien. I need to speak to you." He found its very unlike of her to speak in such an animated fashion. "Yes my dear Elean. What is it that you want to speak? There is none except you and me here." She started. "I want Amber." He laughed at her and said "We are going to get married in few months. He'll be with you always. We'll also have Ruby with us dear." "Sebastien, Am not here to talk about us." He laughed again "Okay you are here to talk about the dogs. I said you can have Amber and Ruby as your pets once we are married." "Sebastien. Look we were under the illusion that our ways are same. But I realized its not so. Your future lies within the boundaries of this wood. Mine lies Far and Beyond this wood". "Elean, are you out of your senses?" "No Sebastien. Am not. I just came to get Amber because my dog Ruby loves him. Love is beautiful and I've deep respect for Love. So I don't want to separate Ruby from Amber.. Amber come on... Goodbye Mr.Ranger". All that the derelict woodhouse could do was to be a silent spectator of the Sebastien's brokenheart.