Manasa and Meghana aged 6 and 2 respectively, were the apple of their father's eyes. Bringing up the girls alone was a difficult task indeed for Mahesh. His wife passed away the moment Meghana came into this world. She was a replica of her mother with the same big fish like eyes and a dimple on the left cheek. Little Meghu always reminded Mahesh of his wife. He showered all the love in the world on his little girls. He didn't want them to feel the absence of their mother. But, Manasa was the mother's darling. She felt empty and always believed that she lost her mother because of her little sister. She used to take sadistic pleasure in pinching Meghana and seeing her cry. She wanted to be the centre of attention. But she found her father spending more time with her little sister and felt as if he was ignoring her. Manasa secluded herself from the two and spoke very less.
One fine morning, Mahesh saw Manasa steathily walk upto Meghana's room. Suspecting his elder one's actions, he followed her and saw her poke Meghana with a sharp pencil. The little one immediately shook out of its stupor and started wailing. Mahesh stopped Manasa in her tracks and slapped her for her insensitive behavior towards the child.
"I demand an explanation from you Manasa and I want it right now. " said Mahesh in a firm authoritative tone.
Manasa vented all her built-in fury. She screamed pointing at the wailing child "She sent Mummy to God, she killed my Mummy and ever since she came you have started hating me. You didn't congratulate me for coming first in class, you didn't come for my school anniversary program, you didn't....." and she burst into tears.
Mahesh immediately understood the girl's insecurity and kneeled down in front of her. Cupping her cherubic face in his hands, Mahesh said- "You are always special to me Manu, my eldest sweetheart. Its not that I don't love you, your sister needs my attention right now. I thought my Manu has become big enough to manage on her own. Both of your are like my 2 eyes, I can never say that I like only my left eye. You had your mother's love for 4 years of your life, your sister is deprived of that too. But she is so lucky to have a lovely big sister like you. Don't you have to make her feel special?"
At that very moment, Meghana climbed down her crib and tugged Manu's frock and in her baby language said "mama.. maaa"
Meghana picked up her little sister wiped her tears and said -" I'm sorry for everything Meghani, I'll be your mama from now, you're the angel God sent instead of Mama"
Mahesh looked at his 2 girls and a small tear escaped his eyes.

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Me: Why now pa?
Dad: Why not now ? Earlier the better.
Me: Seri ok, but still I won't have the time for it.
Dad: Its just for 45 minutes a day, not the whole day ramya !
Me: But still, I'll have to wake up early every morning pa.
Dad: You can always sleep after you come back na?
Me: err... But still...
Dad: Epdiyum leave la vettiya thaane irukka? Car oatta kathunda enna ?
Me: !!!!!

And that's how my dad coaxed me into going for car driving lessons during my semester holidays and today; a month later, I'm typing this post with a beatific and proud smile on my face after clearing the driving test and holding the laminated card in one hand !

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From atop the bed, little Anandita asked her mother "Amma, do I really have to go?"
"Anu, it'll be great, trust me! You'll love your new school" said her mother as she parted her little one's hair and tied a ponytail on either side.
As she picked up the crisply ironed new grey and black pinafore and matching grey sock, Anandita remarked again, "Amma, will you come to pick me up in the evening?"
"Sure darling, I'll be there at the gates at 2 sharp" said the mother quickly stuffing chutney coated idlis into the constantly talking mouth.
With her water bottle sling on one side and a new bag hoisted firmly on her shoulders, Anandita said her prayers and before she could open her eyes, her father was carrying her to the car.
At the school gates, Anandita couldn't contain her tears.
"Big girls don't cry" reminded her mother.
Pulling her crutch together, little Anandita walked through the gates to her "School for the Disabled"

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The more I try to be committed to blogging, the more enforced seem the posts. But for quite a while I seem to be suffering from what most of the fellow bloggers also do at some point or the other- the writer's block! I really appreciate the commitment with which certain people put up posts every single day without fail and kudos to the ones who religiously read them and comment!
But I promise to come up with something during the weekend and hopefully not a rusted piece of nothing !

A tag sounds so promising now !

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I've come across several characters in the last 18 years of my life. Some have made an impact, some have influenced me, some have just passed by, some have incurred my wrath, and a few are slotted in the top rung of my ladder of friends. A special place indeed.
According to me, friendship doesn't mean to be sticking together all day. The real test of friendship is the ability of a friend to rekindle the fire even after ages.

A bit of ego we might have had,
Numerous fights, some happy some sad,
Those lovely moments,
The many quarrels,
The various squabbles that are yet to come,
Making friendship even stronger in the long run.

I'm sure there will be more people walking in and out of my life. The above statements were made out of my little encounters with the souls branded as friends in my time of existence.

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She sat in anxiety, waiting for her beloved,
Days crossed plenty, emotions vast and myriad.
Said he-"I'll be back soon"
She kept waiting, never did come soon.

The last step towards the point of no visibility,
Words played traitors to their own hearts
The sharp sting of seperation like darts
Was too ravenous to counter their patient ability.

Bound they still were by words of hope,
Times were getting tough and hard to cope
Having lost their self to the other,
Still she waits, with just words to smother.

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