The Owl

செவ்வாய்கிழமை, இரவு 9.40 மணி..
உணவகத்திலிருந்து பிரதான அலுவலகக் கட்டிடத்திற்கு திரும்பும் வழி...

விளக்குக்கம்பத்தில் அமைதியாய் அமர்ந்திருந்தது ஓர் ஆந்தை..
ஆச்சரியத்தில் நான்.. முதன்முறையாக நேரில் காண்கிறேன் அதை!!

என்னடா இது!! காட்டுக்குள்ளே தானே இருக்கும் இது..
இந்த இடம் என்றிலிருந்து காடானது??

இங்குள்ள பலரது வாழ்க்கை வறண்டவிட்டதாலா?? - அப்படி
இருப்பின் பாலைவனமாக தானே மாறியிருக்க வேண்டும்... - இப்படி

மொக்கையான சிந்தனைகள்....
"யே ஆந்தையே! இங்கே ஏற்கனவே உழைத்துக்கொண்டிருக்கின்றன பல ஆந்தைகள்..
நீ அவர்களுக்கு சகிதனாகப் போகிறாயா??" - என்று வினவ ஆசை எனக்கு!!

வியப்புடன் அதன் இன்முகம் நோக்கி முறுத்தவாறே சென்றேன், கடந்து...
அவ்வாந்தையின் நினைவு அகல மறுத்த்தது, மனதிலிருந்து...

என் உளக்கேள்விகளைப் படித்திருக்குமா, அது?? - அற்பச் சிந்தனை எனக்குள்..
இருப்பின், என்ன நினைத்திருக்கும் தனக்குள்??

"நாள் முழுதும் எந்திரத்துடன் பேசிக் கொண்டிருப்பதாலா,
இவனுக்கு இயற்கை புதுமையாய் தெரிகிறது" - என்றா
அல்லது,
"கணினிமொழி பேசிப்பேசி வாய்மொழி மறந்தானோ இவன்,
தனக்குள்ளேயே கதைத்து நெகிழ்கிறான்" - என்றா??

புதிதாய் தான் இருந்தது அந்த செல்லநடை!
இனிதாய் தான் இன்னும் இருக்கிறது அந்த இரண்டு நிமிட நினைவுகள்!!

Coincidence!!

Yesterday, I had my hair cut in a barber shop nearby my house..
That shop has seen me since my childhood..
The barber, close friend of my dad, is one of those rarest of shopkeepers, I've seen, who are very kind towards others and respect everyone..
I used to call him "Annachi"- word considered respectful in our social class..
Visit to his shop has become a part of my life, as I go there at least once in a month all these years..

Yesterday, when I entered his shop, he was hairdressing an 8-year old boy with his younger brother next in the queue..
As usual, I politely told him, "Annachi, I have an important work. So finish me first."..
"Okay Thorai(meaning landlord - his way of addressing others)!", he acknowledged!!

After he finished styling the boy, I sat on the barber chair and he started haircutting..
Then came the mother of the boy..
She, seeing her kid, said, in an annoyed tone of voice, "Thatha, Neenga eppavume chinna pasangala ukkara vachittu periavangalukku seekirama mudivettureenga. En paiyan evlo nerama wait pannittu irukkan. Idhu niyaayame illa (You are always keep the children waiting and dress the elders first. My kid is waiting for a longtime. This is not fair)!"
He replied, "Your child kept on crying. Else I would have finished him first. Ask him ma!"
The gal(mother) warned her child to obey and turned to the barber, "After that sir(me), do him. We are going out today. It's getting very late." and left.

I, the silent observer of the conversation, noticed two things..
One, "I have grown up".. She referred to me as "Sir".. "Thank god!! Strangely, I am wearing pants, instead of usual shorts, today"..

Two, "the world has also changed".. To my surprise, She called the barber "Thatha"- meaning grandpa. "He does not look like the one I saw some 15 years back - the fact that I haven't noticed all these days. He is well into his 50s.. He has all signs of old age - bald head, white hair, skin wrinkles........"

My heart duly accepted the revelations of the evening..
In the meantime, he continued cutting and voiced his opinions on the upcoming local body elections..
Simultaneously sms-ing one of my friends, I gently nodded every time he expected a word from me..
And eventually he finished cutting and shaving..

As usual, I took 25 rupees out of my purse and gave it to him..
He collected it and, with a smile, said, "Thorai, You have grown up. The world has also changed. But you are still in the same 25 rupees!"..
Dumbfounded by those unexpected words, I silently handed him a 10 rupees note and gracefully signed him off..

It may just be a coincidence but I figured it'd be worth letting everyone know!!

Do They Matter??

I saw a guy, dressed neat with nice pink hat, walking into the woods..
He was doing something strange..
His unusual actions made me curious.. I closely watched him..
He had at least two coins and was comparing the results of flipping 'em..
Concentrating on his doings, I reached him and said "hi"..
In reply, he took his cap off and gave me a cold look..
Inadvertently, my lips uttered some words..
While I was trying to recollect what i just said, in a flash, "Idiot! Why do you think you are incapable of taking decisions? And make me restless??", the guy reciprocated..
For a moment, i had my world blacked out..
"You resemble me".. Three words that I sounded..
"Who is he?? Why he is acting strange amidst the yellowwoods?? And yelling at me?? He is looking like Me"..
While my mind was looking for answers to those flashing Qs, it's 8.30am, 23rd of September '06 and I was awake..

I have no idea what that dream means.. I dont care about it as well.. But, at these hours of the day, it gave me a good reason to postpone my works to tomo and to blog.. :)

It has happened n number of times..
Endless dreams.. Half-baked fantasies.. Meaningless illusions.. I feel they all have onething in common.. They are not worth chasing, are they?