A dog once started a Business. The market was big, and the profits were good. The local fox asked the dog to put his money in the fox's Bank. The dog agreed. Then, with expansion plans in mind, the dog asked the public for more money. Shares were sold. Intelligent owls put their coins into the Business. The dog, fox and owls were all happy. Enter the Big Bull.
The Big Bull showed the fox the huge money to be made in stocks. He persuaded him to lend the Bank's money to him. With this money, the Big Bull bought lots and lots of shares of the dog's Business. Its shares increased in value. The owl community was stirred. Many more flapped their wings and joined in. They also started buying. Everyone was happy. Enter the Bear.
The Bear also bought lots and lots of shares. Prices kept rising. And then, suddenly, he sold it all. New owls bought these shares eagerly. But the old owls felt uneasy and started selling too. Now the new owls got scared and wanted to back out. Everyone started selling. But noone was left to buy. The Bear made money. The Bull suffered losses, could not repay the fox and had to go to jail. The owls flew away. The fox was fired from his bank. But the dog it was that died. AbNQ
Train-Waiting
The fat one checked out the list of reserved seats on the Gorakhpur Passenger. Without his reading glasses, he slowly fingered through each of the names and checked the spelling to see whether it was his name. All this while, he squeezed the wind out of a puny boy in front of him.
The thin one, who had been picking his teeth with utmost concentration till now, spat out the masticated remains of his dinner. He eyed everyone else on the platform with a look of suspicion, but which actually was the innocent look of a naturally cross-eyed man.
Meanwhile the familiar sing-song voice crackled over the public address system and announced to anyone who cared to listen that the concerned train would be arriving an hour late.
"What was that?" the fat one asked, widening his eyes to relieve them from squinting.
"Who knows what they say?" replied the thin one, plunging the toothpick back into his mouth.
Ten minutes later, a Garibrath chugged into the station. "Is this ours?" the fat one asked again.
"Must be," the thin one replied. "It should have been here ten minutes ago. Let's move."
"But wait. Let me read the name of the train. G... R... ok. Good. Only ten minutes late. Will do..."
The thin one, who had been picking his teeth with utmost concentration till now, spat out the masticated remains of his dinner. He eyed everyone else on the platform with a look of suspicion, but which actually was the innocent look of a naturally cross-eyed man.
Meanwhile the familiar sing-song voice crackled over the public address system and announced to anyone who cared to listen that the concerned train would be arriving an hour late.
"What was that?" the fat one asked, widening his eyes to relieve them from squinting.
"Who knows what they say?" replied the thin one, plunging the toothpick back into his mouth.
Ten minutes later, a Garibrath chugged into the station. "Is this ours?" the fat one asked again.
"Must be," the thin one replied. "It should have been here ten minutes ago. Let's move."
"But wait. Let me read the name of the train. G... R... ok. Good. Only ten minutes late. Will do..."
Building Permit
Ziyad awoke to the familiar ugly rumble of a bulldozer. It was sitting right in front of his gate...
It was a joint family of fifteen that Ziyad headed. The ancient single-floor house with three rooms was beginning to appear smaller everyday. Another floor above would make things easier. But that needed a permit. He had been to the city on many occasions to arrange for it. But it was always the same denial. Eventually, after two years, he gave up. Meanwhile, a stone's throw away from his house, a beautiful and luxurious "gilo" came up in no time. The land had not been bought, just taken. Families from outside had come and settled down.
In desperation, Ziyad had gone ahead and built two rooms above his house...
Far away in Atlanta, the CNN newsreader read out, "Israeli bulldozers demolished a Palestinian home under construction. Authorities said that the owner had no building permit..." AbNQ
It was a joint family of fifteen that Ziyad headed. The ancient single-floor house with three rooms was beginning to appear smaller everyday. Another floor above would make things easier. But that needed a permit. He had been to the city on many occasions to arrange for it. But it was always the same denial. Eventually, after two years, he gave up. Meanwhile, a stone's throw away from his house, a beautiful and luxurious "gilo" came up in no time. The land had not been bought, just taken. Families from outside had come and settled down.
In desperation, Ziyad had gone ahead and built two rooms above his house...
Far away in Atlanta, the CNN newsreader read out, "Israeli bulldozers demolished a Palestinian home under construction. Authorities said that the owner had no building permit..." AbNQ
Sunrise Before Dawn
The drone of the aircraft's engine was like a lullaby. And predictably, almost all the passengers were asleep on the overnight flight. The flight was eastward bound, so that it would be flying into the sunrise...
The view from the window was surprising. It was not yet three in the night (or in the morning), and the sky was turning light. There were no clouds, and it was mesmerising to see a blue curtain getting bluer by the minute outside. But of the sea beneath, there was only darkness. It was like someone shining a torch over a wall. Above the wall's shadow, everything was bright, but what lay below remained dark. In the thrill of this spectre, little did the curious young child realise that his bright new watch displayed the time of a timezone left far behind. He wouldn't have cared had he known. It was magic. And magic is not to be understood...
So it was, that on this summer night, the sun came early. It came before dawn. AbNQ
The view from the window was surprising. It was not yet three in the night (or in the morning), and the sky was turning light. There were no clouds, and it was mesmerising to see a blue curtain getting bluer by the minute outside. But of the sea beneath, there was only darkness. It was like someone shining a torch over a wall. Above the wall's shadow, everything was bright, but what lay below remained dark. In the thrill of this spectre, little did the curious young child realise that his bright new watch displayed the time of a timezone left far behind. He wouldn't have cared had he known. It was magic. And magic is not to be understood...
So it was, that on this summer night, the sun came early. It came before dawn. AbNQ
The Party
The sun went down after a sluggish preformance. The old beggar at the corner of the road pulled the ends of his ragged shawl around himself...
The lawns were done up beautifully. Flowers hung from the main gate. Tiny lightbulbs glowed prettily between the bushes. The party started slightly late. The guests trooped in in twos and threes. All of them were dressed up for the occasion. The woollens were out in full glory. Silk shawls, cashmere coats, leather jackets could be seen everywhere. Faux-fur was also spotted. The warmth and the cheer was infectious. There was laughter all around. Piping hot kebabs were served on fine china. A Kashmiri chef brewed pots of kahva. Guests lined up to fill their glasses with the pink concoction. As the cold intensified and dew began to fall, a bonfire was started. People huddled around it to warm themselves. It rarely got this cold in the city. And everyone was determined to make the most of the chilly night...
When the fog lifted the following morning, the old beggar was dead.
The lawns were done up beautifully. Flowers hung from the main gate. Tiny lightbulbs glowed prettily between the bushes. The party started slightly late. The guests trooped in in twos and threes. All of them were dressed up for the occasion. The woollens were out in full glory. Silk shawls, cashmere coats, leather jackets could be seen everywhere. Faux-fur was also spotted. The warmth and the cheer was infectious. There was laughter all around. Piping hot kebabs were served on fine china. A Kashmiri chef brewed pots of kahva. Guests lined up to fill their glasses with the pink concoction. As the cold intensified and dew began to fall, a bonfire was started. People huddled around it to warm themselves. It rarely got this cold in the city. And everyone was determined to make the most of the chilly night...
When the fog lifted the following morning, the old beggar was dead.
Spotted Enigma
Dark silhouette
Lonesome sight
Noble blood
Form sublime
Regal poise
Measured stride
Lazy elegance
Husky voice
Fearsome presence
Silent eyes
Stricken targets
Stampede wild
Hapless prey
Futile flight
Lightning speed
Fatal strike
Feline grace
Absent smile
Spotted enigma
Nature's pride
AbNQ
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