ஒரு புல்லாங்க்குழல் அடுப்பு ஊதுகிரது

"அம்மா என்றழைக்காத உயிர் இல்லயே" ஜெசுதாஸின் குரல் காற்றில் கரைந்து கொன்டிருன்தது. கல்யாணிக்கு இந்த பாட்டு ரொம்ப பிடிக்கும். ஒரு வெளை இந்த பாட்டின் ராகமும் அவள் பெயரும் ஒத்து போனது கூட ஒரு காரணமாக இருக்கலாம்.

கல்யாணிக்கு தன் வீட்டீன் ஞாபகம் வந்தது. சின்ன வயதிலிருன்தே கல்யாணிக்கு இசை மேல் ஒரு பிரியம் உன்டு. சாஸ்த்ரிய சங்கிதம் பயின்று 10 வயதில் அவள் கச்சேரிகளில் பாட ஆரம்பித்து விட்டாள். அவள் பள்ளியிலிருன்து கல்லுரி வரை எல்லா நிகைச்சிகளிலும் கல்யாணியின் பாட்டு இல்லாமல் இருந்தது இல்லை.

21ம் நுற்றான்டை எட்டினாலும் எவளவு தான் பெண்ணுரிமை பற்றி மெடைகளில் முழங்கினாலும் இறுதியாக இந்த சமுதாயம் ஒரு பெண்ணுக்கு திருமணத்தின் போது தான் அங்கிகாரம் அளிக்கிறது. திருமணம் என்பது வாழ்ககையின் ஒரு பகுதியாக இல்லாமல் அதுவே வாழ்க்கை என்று பெண்ணுக்கு பாடம் புகட்ட படுகிரது. என்னத்தான் ஒரு பெண் நன்றாக படித்தாலும் இல்லை வெலை செய்தாலும் இது ஒரு மறுக்க முடியாத உண்மை.

ஒரு லதா மங்கேஷ்கர் அல்லது ஒரு சித்ரா போல் ஜொல்லிக்க வென்டிய கல்யாணி இதோ ஒரு 4 வயது குழந்தைக்கு தாய் மற்றும் இல்லத்தரசி. பெண் பார்க்க வந்த போது மாப்பிளைக்கு பாடி காட்டினாள். அதன் பிறகு அவள் கச்செரியாக பாவித்து பாடியது அவள் குழ்ந்தைக்கு பாடிய தாலாட்டுதான். தன் பெண் குழந்தைக்கு சிவரஞனி என்று பெயர் சுட்டி அழகு பார்த்தாள்.

ஜெசுதாஸ் இப்பொழுது "மனதில் உறுதி வென்டும்" பாடி கொன்டிருன்தார். சிவரஞனி தன் மழலை குரலில் அந்த பாட்டை பாடி காண்பித்தாள். கல்யாணி அவ்ளை இறுக்கி அணைத்து முத்தமிட்டாள். அவளுக்கு ஒரு புதிய நம்பிக்கை பிறந்த்து. அவள் நினைவுகளை அடுப்பில் இருக்கும் பாலின் பொங்கும் சபதம் கலைத்தது.

Loves me...Loves me not

Arvind was not able to concentrate. However hard he tried, he couldnt stop thinking about Divya and he was not able to think about anything else.

For long he had liked her and he couldnt fathom why. In their tour the
previous week, he was very happy when she sat next to him for their
group photo. She touched his hand accidently and it was as if some current
had passed through his body. His joy knew no bounds and he didnt even bathe
for 2 days after that.

Whatever she did, whether she laughed, smiled, spoke or listened, it
appeared beautiful to his eyes and he found it hard to take his eyes off
her. She was his best kept secret as he had not even told his best
friend Ashwin about how he felt about her. He saw her walking now towards
their room now and they all sat erect.

Just as she entered, they rose and said "Good Morning teacher" in
unison. She smiled charismatically as usual and waved them to sit down and walked near the register sheet. He opened his 8th standard Chemistry Text book but continued to stare at her.

The Loaded Gun

Aamir Toub could not take his eyes off the new gun. It was a new Smith and Wesson .38 calibre gun and it was heavier than he had expected. His daughter Afsana could still not believe that she had done this. They had been from Persia and were mistaken for Arabs in America and were always a subject of humiliation. Her father was always of the view that they were never SAFE in this country and it was on his repeated nagging that their antique shop was always under threat that she got him a gun and a red box with bullets.

Micheal Pena was surprised that his daughter is not in her bed. A mexican-American, he knows that he would always pass for a crook though he makes a decent living as a locksmith. He finds his daughter Venessa sleeping under the bed and smiles to her.

"Daddy, i am afraid that someone will attack us just like they did us in our previous house" says 6 year old Venessa.

Micheal "I should have told you. You know, once i met an angel."
Venessa "Really. And what did she say?"
Micheal "She gave me this invisible cloak which will prevent me from any attack on earth. See, Daddy was into so many fights and still he is alive because of that cloak. Would you like to wear it?"
Venessa "Sure daddy."
Micheal acts like he is untying the knot of the cloak and ties it to Venessa.
Venessa "Shall i take it off when i take bath?"
Micheal "No honey. Just have it on. Good Night Sweet heart."
Coming out of the room, Micheal felt embarrased that he had to dupe his child with such fairy tales.

Micheal "Your lock is repaired sir, but you will have to replace the door."
Aamir "Ok. Do it."
Micheal "Sir. I am a locksmith. Please find some door repairer."
Aamir "OK. I get it. You want to get a job for your friend who is a door repairer. How dare you dupe me?"
Micheal "Sir. Please give me my money"
Aamir " No i wont. Repair it and then i will give you the money."
Micheal gets angry and walks out of the antique shop.

The next day Aamir walks to find his Antique shop ransacked. Angry and humiliated he picks up the gun and waits outside Micheal's house.

Micheal walks nearby his house and is surprised to find Aamir outside his house.
Aamir "Give me my money"
Micheal "What money? I dont have any money"
Aamir "You stole in my antique shop and i am going to make you pay for that".

Just as Aamir shoots at Micheal, Venessa dives towards him from her school bus. Aamir is shocked and drops the gun. Micheal is full of tears and his daughter's cry still linger in his ears.
Venessa "Its ok dad. Youre cloak has saved my life"
A confused Micheal kisses her cheeks and they walk past to the house living a bewildered Aamir.

Aamir could still not believe it and tells the whole account to his daughter Afsana. He is now a releived man that he didnt become a sinner by killing a child.
Afsana comorts him and asks him to go bed. She walks to the drawer and picks up the loaded gun with one bullet less. The words "EMPTY BULLETS" seem to smile at her and she returns it back.

P.S: This is one of the stories in the movie CRASH.