Those Innocent Times...

Today morning just after my work out as I went to the outer balcony of our flat, I met Yash; our neighbour, a smart child of 7-8 years (probably) who was leaving for school. And I started joking with him to not go to school today. And his reply was "No, I want to go to school as I will get the chance to play with my friends" and we laughed and he left. That was nostalgic. I mean that reply of his left me amazed about life.I became very emotional about my past, my childhood days, my school days... I mean how simple it was then. And the freaking truth is that those times will never come back. The wee hours of the morning especially during winters getting out of blankets seemed so tough and our secret wish that everyday was a Sunday always used to knock our tiny brains. The reason behind this was we did not want to go to school.

As we grew up and managed to get promoted to higher classes, we started waiting for the day we will be leaving school for good and get rid of those homework's, projects; that most of the times did not give even a bit of interest, classwork's, teachers scolding us every now and then, mom's poking and what not... Hardly we could wait to grow up and the sooner possible leave the school for ever and enter the next exciting phase of life (as it seemed then). And today when we are out of those hard times;(at least that's what we used to think then), I mean the school days, we cry every now and then wishing we could go back to school days, wishing we could go back to our childhood and live it again. We get emotional when we start talking about our school friends (with whom we have lost contacts), our favourite teachers, the recess time, sharing tiffin, gossip etc., and we miss each and every moment like hell today...How so easily we used to take those simple and easy things for granted for which; even if we beg today, no one is going to grant them back. How badly I wish, not only I, I guess most of us in their heart of hearts wish the same too. Just like the song depicted in the movie 3 Idiots (2009):

Give me some sunshine
Give me some rain
Give me another chance
I wanna grow once up again...

Manchester United; The tunnel seems too dark!!!

It was I guess the noon of 8th May, 2013 by Indian Standard Time. Rumours were doing the rounds and finally we got to know an era, one of the biggest era in English club football is going to end. I swear, like an idiot I cried and could not have my lunch properly. Everything seemed dark around. And the biggest question cornering the mind was;"Who will be the next manager of Manchester United?" And like me millions of fans around the world were having the same thing in their minds too... How will be United without Sir Alex Ferguson? And who will be the next man in charge of United?

It took a couple of days for the news to sink in. And the last game against West Brom sealed the event. The guard of honour, the standing ovation, the loud claps, Sir Alex saluting the fans, everything materialised his retirement and we had to chew this piece of news. Till then it was known David Moyes was handed over the charge to manage United. I was a bit pessimistic about the news, but then Sir Alex obviously must have known what was he doing and we had to be behind the new manager. But then the Moyes era did not last even more than a year. It turned out to be disastrous and United; the champions of 2013 Barclays Premier League ended the year in the seventh position;even out of the top four. And to add to the woes, of course out of the Champions League. As a crazy and sincere fan I was really worried as I did not want United to be in the "You Will Never Walk Alone" list.

And then some ray of hope crept in, Even after finishing out of the top four we could secure the services of Louis Van Gaal. Besides guiding the Netherlands to the second runners up medal in the then just concluded World Cup, he has achieved various laurels with great teams like Ajax, Barcelona, Bayern Munich etc. And I was like on seventh heaven. Signings like Angel Di Maria, Ander Herrera, Falcao etc seemed like the icing on the cake and I regained all lost hope. After an awesome pre-season Manchester United seemed to be back on the track. But the premier league success script of Louis Van Gaal is yet to be written if LVG and his men seriously mean to write one. We are yet waiting for the era to begin the way Fergie left it at, an era of optimism, an era of hope, an era of positivity, an era recreating the fear for which Manchester United was known to be. Until now the results have been very mixed sort of and what I feel the performances (even the wins) have not been that convincing as they should have been. The tunnel seems too dark and am yet to see that kind of light. We fans are waiting for you gentlemen to really pull up your socks, give everything on the pitch what it takes to be an United player, what it takes to be a red devil and then reap the results. I want a new era to begin and do not just want to sit back on the glory of the past.

#GloryGloryManchesterUnited

Some Fiction, Some Truth; A series (Short Stories)

The Thatched Roof

And the roof turned ready...Straw, water reed, sedge, heather all headed together, all layered upon one another and the thatching got done and we started living happily. We thanked the Almighty everyday for everything HE had given us. We were a family of seven. We used to thank HIM and gather blessings for us from HIM; from every faith or religion; whatever names the world loves to put into them. And this was a rarity which distinguished us from other villagers and gradually it became the talk of the town.  But something happened very unexpected one fine day. Someone came in and tried to withdraw the straw, someone came the other day and tried to withdraw the reed, on hearing the news another guy turned up and tried to wreck the layers. And suddenly everything around us seemed shattered.

We begged before them. But they did not listen. Each one of them had some conditions applied if our prayers before them were to be listened. So we requested them to put their conditions forward one by one. The first guy warned us that if we do not start following his faith, their community would not allow us to live in here. The second guy cautioned us with the same fate if we do not agree... And none the less to say the third guy was no exception.  My elder son dared to ask them why should we do so? And they were like blank faces for a few seconds and  through the corner of their eyes were staring at each other... Then post some time one of them stood up and started explaining the righteousness and morality we would achieve if we start following his faith. Another one joined in and the argument suddenly heated up. All three of them became busy trying to showcase their doctrine was better than the other and we should convert to their religion.

My elder son requested them to come outside and have a look at the roof of our house. They were quite surprised. He tried defining them the making of the roof our home. The dry vegetation used for crafting the roof is the soul of it and the straw, water reed, sedge, heather etc all of them when layered then only they gave the final shape to it. My son said to them, "Sir, with all due respect to your individual divinity, I beg to differ on the ground that if we try to separate any of these layers the others will also fall upon and the roof would tear down. You trust and follow your faith and I have mine, What is the point in converting and wasting time and energy? Your teachings and mine are the same and eventually they all teach us to be a better human. Because all these will lead us to the one and only Almighty. One day our bodies will meet the dust eventually and through some or the other path we may meet HIM. Humanity is above all Sir."

They all shook their head and in belief or disbelief we do not know, went away.

(Please pardon for all my ignorance)

Just for Reference:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/asaduddin-owaisis-pitch-for-reverse-ghar-wapsi-sparks-political-controversy/articleshow/45760995.cms

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Ghar-wapsi-is-natural-process-RSS-leader-Vaidya-says/articleshow/45743075.cms