Years Gone By

I am often scared to look back.

For whenever I look back

I see nothing but years gone by.

The memories are clouded and jumbled.

And they leave me confused.

‘Did I really visit that place?

Or did I dream about that place?

How did I spend my days when ten or fourteen?

How did days pass when school was off?

Did I have any friends in neighbourhood or school?

Did I play games or just went around like a fool?

What did brothers do when they were kids?

Did we fight or have fun like silly kids?

Did mother have time for us or was she always immersed in chores?

Did father talk to us or was he too busy making both ends meet?’

The memories are endless and leave me confused.

I can’t figure out reality from dream

If I look back, I only see an endless stream.

**********

A post for A to Z challenge. This one is just random rambling.

Today’s letter Y

You may like to read my earlier post here Xerus

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Xerus

The squirrel received a telegram early in the morning. She got super excited when she read the message. She rushed to her neighbour’s house and loudly knocked at the door. The rabbit was her neighbour.

He opened the door and asked, “What’s the matter? What’s happened? Is everyone fine?”

“My friend, Xerus, is coming! She is coming from Africa. I am so happy. We are meeting after ages,” said the squirrel.

“Oh! The way you were knocking I thought your house was falling.”

“You don’t know how happy I am? I love my friend. I love Xerus.”

“Good. It would be nice if we could meet your friend. I think you should have dinner with us tonight,” the rabbit felt happy for his neighbour.

“No, I would host a party in the evening and invite all my friends. Yes, that would be a great idea. You can all meet Xerus and we will have some fun games too.”

The squirrel invited all her friends.

In the evening when her friends arrived at her home, she introduced Xerus to all of them.

The deer looked at Xerus with knitted eyebrows.

“Xerus? I think she is just a squirrel like you. Only she has no stripes.”

“I am not a squirrel,” Said Xerus proudly.

“No…...,” said the deer.

But the rabbit interrupted the deer and said, “How does it matter? She is our guest and we should all respect her and not argue with her.”

“Yes, let’s enjoy the sumptuous dinner that I have arranged for all of you. And after dinner, we will play games,” the squirrel said.  She was super excited.

“Yes! Yes! Yes!” everyone shouted.

And they all had a wonderful evening.

When the squirrel’s friends were leaving, the deer again looked at Xerus with knitted eyebrows, “Are you sure, you aren’t a squirrel?”

“Not again!” everyone shouted and laughed at the deer.

******

A post for A to Z challenge

Today’s letter X

You may like to read my earlier post here Well

 

  

 

Well

“Dadu, what’s a well?”

Old man looked curiously at the boy. “A well! It’s deep hole dug in the ground. People draw water from a well.”

“Don’t they get water from the taps?”

“Yes, in many places people don’t get water from the taps. Well’s water is also used for irrigation by some farmers.”

“Have you seen a well? Was it very deep?”

“Yes, I have seen one. When I was your age, we lived in Srinagar. There is a temple on the Residency Road where I saw a well. It is narrow and very deep.  But its water was very tasty. I don’t think any other water tastes like that.”

“How can anyone live in a well?” the boy surprised his grandpa with this question.

The old man looked at the boy, his eyebrows knitted together.

“Who lives in a well? You mean that ghost? Has he not moved to the banyan tree?”

“No, the monkeys don’t allow him to live on that tree. He is very sad and unhappy.”

“Did you meet him again? And did you give him your tiffin again?”

The boy made a face and just nodded.

“You seem to have become friends?”

The boy again nodded.

“I think I would like to meet this ghost. Perhaps I can help him to move to the banyan tree.”

“No!” the boy almost shouted. He looked flustered. “He is a very shy ghost. He will not meet you.”

The grandfather smiled. He knew that the little boy was up to some mischief.

*********

A post for A to Z challenge

Today’s letter W

You may like to read my earlier post here Violet Vase

 

 

 

 

 

 

Violet Vase

The phone rang. Rinkoo, the monkey, picked up the phone promptly.

“Rinko, I have lost my violet vase,” said the rabbit. Rinkoo could feel that the rabbit was badly upset.

“Relax, just search for it carefully. You may have forgotten where you had kept it.”

“No, I haven’t misplaced it. It has been stolen. You know, yesterday I hosted a dinner party. Many guests had attended. Some workers had also come to help the arrangements. Someone must have stolen it.”

“Is it very expensive?”

“No, it is not expensive. But I love that flower vase. I must have it back. Please find it for me.”

“Send me a list of all those who were present in your house yesterday. And a picture of the vase.”

The rabbit sent him the list.

Rinkoo looked at the list and mumbled, “They could be the culprits. But how do I catch them? Yes, I think I know. They are very greedy fellows. Yes, that’s it; greed is the  key.”

Next day an advertisement appeared in all local newspapers along with a picture of the violet vase.

‘I am a collector of rare historical items. I am looking for a Violet Vase from the Mughal era. I am willing to pay a generous price for this valuable item. Please contact me on 8686868686. The identity of the seller will be kept confidential. All payment will be made in cash.’

Two days later Rinkoo received a call from an unknown number.

“I know a person who has the item you want to buy. How much are you willing to pay?”

Rinkoo smiled. He knew that the thieves had taken the bait.

“If the vase is in a good condition, I would pay five lakhs. But if there is any scratch on it, it is of no use to me.”

“No, no. It is in a very good condition. But I think owner would not be willing to sell it for less than ten lakhs.”

“That’s more than a generous amount. Let me think it over. Call me after one hour.”

Exactly after one hour Rinkoo received a call from the thief. Rinkoo agreed to buy the vase.

“Where should we meet?” Rinkoo asked.

“I have to leave by a train at one. Why don’t you come over to the railways station? We can conclude our business and then I can board my train.”

Rinkoo agreed, “But how will I recognise you?”

The caller fell silent. Rinkoo suggested, “I will wear a violet hat. You also come wearing a violet hat.”

“That’s very clever of you. I agree,” said the caller.

At the railway station, Rinkoo came wearing a violet hat. But he was not alone. The rabbit and a police officer were with him. But the two were hiding behind a pillar.

Rinkoo looked around. There was no one there wearing a violet hat. But then Rinkoo saw the wolf entering the railway station, wearing a violet hat.  The jackal was behind the wolf. Rinkoo approached them.

“I am the collector of rare items. Can I see my item? I have an expert with me who will check and verify if it is a Mughal-era vase.”

The wolf opened a box and gave him the violet vase. The rabbit appeared from behind the pillar and took charge of the vase. He examined it and said, “Yes, this my vase.”

Suddenly, the police officer came forward and handcuffed the wolf.

“What does this mean? Why are you handcuffing me?” Wolf growled.

“This means that you are a thief and this is a stolen item,” said the police officer.

“No, I am not a thief. I didn’t steal it. Jackal stole it…”

“But you are his partner-in-crime,” said Rinkoo. At that moment the jackal tried to run away but the police officer caught him.

The rabbit was very happy getting back his violet vase.

“You should have known that it is not a very expensive vase,” Rinkoo said to the thieves. “Why would anyone pay you ten lakhs for such an ordinary vase? It was a trap and you fell for it,” said Rinkoo.

The wolf and the jackal knew that they had been outwitted by the monkey. But now, they could only rue their fate.

********

 

A post for A to Z challenge

Today’s letter V

You may like to read my earlier post here Umbrella.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Umbrella

One day a baby elephant found a colourful umbrella.

He rushed to his grandma and showed her the umbrella.

He looked at his grandma and said,

“Why do people use an umbrella?”

Grandma felt a little confused.

‘Where did he get this funny thing?’ she mused.

Then she answered in a voice sweet and soft,

“Whenever it rains at night or in the day,

Men use umbrella to keep the rain away.

They are so scared of getting wet,

It makes them sneezy and sick, I bet.”

Baby elephant thought it was funny,

“How can anyone be scared of rain?

How can anyone get sick in rain?

I love the raindrops, all and one,

Getting wet in rain is such a fun.

I don’t think I need an umbrella.”

And he flung away the colourful umbrella.

********

A post for A to Z challenge

Today’s letter U

You may like to read my earlier post here Tiger’s Tale

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tiger’s Tale

Tiger looked at the animals who had assembled to listen to the next episode of his tale.

There were two monkeys, one jackal, two deer, one elephant, one giraffe, one bear, a pair of wolfs, one buffalo, a few rabbits and some small animals.

“What was the incident about my tail that I narrated yesterday?” the tiger asked, unexpectedly. He just wanted to have some fun.

“You said that the hunter had caught hold your tail with his bare hands,” one monkey said.

“No. You had said that your tail got stuck in the iron trap,” the jackal said.

The tiger growled angrily.

“I always suspected that you do not come here willingly and do not listen to my tales attentively. Now, I know for sure that you are not listening, not at all,” said the tiger.

“No, no. We are all ears, all the time. Please don’t be angry with us. We hear very attentively,” said the elephant.

“You don’t even know the difference between hearing and listening.  What innocent fools you all are,” said the tiger.

“For me it is one and same thing. What I hear, I listen. What I listen, I hear,” said the buffalo and laughed loudly.

“Well, if that is so, then from tomorrow onwards, I will ask you questions about the tales I tell you. Anyone who gives a wrong answer will become my next meal,” said the tiger in a loud tone.

Everyone in the assembly was taken aback. They looked at each other. Even before the tiger could start his tale, almost every one vanished.

Only a few squirrels kept sitting. They were happily munching the nuts they had brought with them.

“Why did everyone run away? I was only trying to have some fun,” he asked the squirrels.

“Perhaps they don’t have much sense of humour,” said one squirrel.

“Perhaps!” and the tiger left for his hill.

And, thus ends the tiger’s tale.

**********

 

A post for A to Z challenge

Today’s letter T

You may like to read my earlier post here Scent of a Thief

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scent of a Thief

“I can catch a thief even if he does not leave any clue at the crime scene,” bragged Rinkoo, the monkey. The bear and the giraffe and the jackal looked at him in surprise.

“What is a clue?” asked the giraffe innocently.

“Anything like, a fingerprint, that helps a detective to catch a criminal.” Said Rinkoo.

“If there is no clue then how can you catch him,” asked the bear.

“Every thief leaves his scent at the crime scene. I can smell the scent of a thief and catch him.”

The monkey looked at his friends proudly and they were all impressed.

Few days later, the monkey got a call early in the morning. Someone had broken into the house of the fox.

The monkey rushed to the fox’s house.

“What things have been stolen?” he asked.

“Well, the thief has taken away some jewellery and some cash and even my brand-new shoes.”

“When did you learn about the theft?”

“In the morning, when I came back from my morning walk, at about five. The main door was open. I knew something wrong had happened.”

“When did you leave for the walk?”

“I go for my walk early in the morning. I get up at three thirty and leave by four.”

“Someone must have known your schedule and he must have broken into your house between four and five. Don’t worry I will catch the thief.”

The monkey searched everything carefully. He noticed a strange smell in one room. It was the smell of dried fish.

“Well, that is a good clue,” thought Rinkoo.

Just then the jackal came. The fox had called him. They were neighbours.

“Did you get the scent of the thief?” the jackal asked eagerly.

“I think so,” Rinkoo answered.

“Let’s catch the thief,” the jackal said enthusiastically.

But the monkey did not encourage him, “You leave it to me.”

Rinkoo recalled that he had seen the wolf buying dried fish in the market. He went to the wolf’s house said, “Where have you hidden the stolen things?”

“What do mean? You think I am a thief?” the wolf growled angrily.

“You can’t fool me with your bravado. You are the thief who….”

The wolf quickly grabbed the monkey by his neck, “How dare you call me a thief?”

“Because you bought dried fish yesterday, you stink of fish and you left that stink in the fox’s house when you broke into his house and….”

The wolf interrupted him, “There is a stink in his house because I gave half of the dried fish to the fox.”

The jackal and the fox had followed Rinkoo to the wolf’s house.

“He is right, he gave me some dried fish yesterday,” said the fox.

Suddenly the jackal laughed loudly.

“We had planned to make a fool of you,” said the jackal to the monkey. “Nothing has been stolen; no thief had broken into his house. But still you got the scent of a thief. Isn’t that wonderful? What a great detective you are?”

The wolf and the jackal and the fox laughed at the monkey.

The monkey was too embarrassed to say anything; he just ran away.

***********

A post for A to Z challenge

Today’s letter S

You may like to read my earlier post here Rats