Som

“Hi folks!
Remember me? I am Mrids…I mean Mridul. Well, now I’ve grown up to be a teenager reading in standard IX. Mama and papa are as usual busy being the top honchos of big corporate houses. And let me tell you pals, I have got everything in my life….I mean all the luxuries – you name it and I have it. I have an Esteem, a Motorola razor thin cell phone, a handsome monthly pocket money of Rs.4K and a credit card of max Rs.50K for emergency purposes. It has been almost 4 years that Amma (my granny) passed away. Bruno (who was more of a brother than of a doggy) died a natural death. He was actually too old to live to live by the time he died. Moreover, I’m faring well in my studies. So, you see everything is spic and span, well set in the framework of life. Its just so picture perfect!

“But you know guys, I always feel so lonely. It seems that no one to listens to me. Papa doesn’t have time to look back on family matters. Mama, too, is quite busy these days with the financials of her company. Why on earth do people work? Is it to live happily or to draw themselves away from life and become some robots? Well, I think it’s a tough question to answer. Actually I’ve tried to answer this question since my childhood and have come to the conclusion that people start working to live a life of their choice and ultimately live a life chosen for them by their work – and believe me friends, it happens so furtively that people don’t even realize this!

“Well friends, time at school is the most enjoyable time that I usually have in a day. Lots of friends, lots of jokes and loads of fun! Though the classes tend to get boring sometimes but the presence of some of our teachers (who are pathetically hilarious!) make it nevertheless somewhat entertaining. You know people! Kaz (Kasturi) and I are the best of buddies. She understands me much better that the others. The other day when I got a bit too emotional in the games room, she controlled me in an unique way – so softly yet so firmly. She is simply great! At times when I look into her sea deep eyes and keep on searching myself, I feel completely cut off from the rest of the world. I just love searching myself in her eyes. Its far better than going back home and spending the rest of the day all alone.

“Last Sunday, Kaz gave me a buzz and we drove off to a lovely park outside the city. We had a nice time together. We freaked out, ate ice creams and also went on a roller coaster ride. There was a mono-act competition going on at one of the corners of the park. Kaz took part in it and won the third prize. I just don’t understand how some people are, God damn, so talented, yaar? Anyways, the rest of the time we sat together side-by-side and gossiped a lot. I shared a glimpse of my loneliness with her. I was so deeply immersed in my own story that I completely lost the track of the time. When I stopped, Kaz held my face amidst her soft warm palms, kissed my lips with a lot of care and asked me not to worry. She said she would be there with me by my side. It was after a long time that I started crying like a baby – I don’t know what happened to me on that day...

“It was almost 7 in the evening when I returned back home. I was surprised to see mama at her study. I walked upto her and quietly stood by her side. She was so absorbed in her paper work that she didn’t notice me. I broke the silence and asked her in a confused voice, “Mama, why is it that I lose all those who give me company, love and tries to understand me like Amma and Bruno”. She said, “Beta, it happens with everybody and that’s why we make new friends to go on in life”. I almost questioned her back instantly, “Does that mean that I will also lose my new friend someday in the course of life”. She looked at me very affectionately and kissed me on my forehead. Some answers are better left untold. Kaz’s face flashed in front of my eyes and a drop of tear trickled down my cheek.”

“Hi everybody! I am Mridul Arora. I study in upper K.G. in St. Mary’s school. I stay with my mom, dad, amma and my sweet doggy Bruno in our bungalow in Mumbai. Ours is a small family. I have heard papa saying so to Sharma uncle. He called it as nucle…. – I didn’t remember the word exactly. Does not really matter for me. I like to play a lot. I play with Bruno other than the school time. I also play with amma a lot. We three are real close friends.

“Papa and I leave the house everyday by 9 o’clock in the morning. We have got two cars – one is big and black, the other one is small and white. Papa usually drives the big one. He drops me at the school gate and then drives off to his work. Mama drives the white one to her work sometimes after that. My school starts at 9:30 in the morning and ends by 1 o’clock in the afternoon. Mama then picks me up and drops me home. She then drives off to her work again. I take my lunch with amma and Bruno and then I go to sleep. When I wake up, I play with both of them.

“Sometimes, amma asks me not to disturb her and even Bruno hides under the sofa too. Then I feel very lonely. I had asked papa a number of times to be my friend, to play games with me. However, he says that he is very busy. Everybody says so. Amma says that papa works at a higher post. I have seen the letters “CEO” written under his name on the top left hand corner of his writing pad. He says that on weekends we will be playing together. But such weekends never comes to me. Sometimes, he flies to other countries in an aeroplane! He brings so many chocolates and toys for me. But I want him to play with me. Rohan’s papa plays with him. Even Rakhi told me that her papa is her best friend. Then, why not my papa becomes my best friend?

“My teacher told me that if anyone prays to God daily then He listens to the prayer. Earlier, I used to pray to God once a day. Believe me, now I pray twice a day. Still then, nothing happens. So, next time I pray to him, I will surely tell him to get his ears checked by doctor uncle.

“Mama also says that she is busy. She returns home everyday by 9 o’clock at night, takes her dinner with amma and me and goes to bed. She hardly reads me a story. Amma also falls asleep soon after that. But I stay awake. Sometimes, I get out of my bed and look through the pictures of “Robin Hood”. However, I cannot read it. Amma does not all this, nor does mama. Sometimes, I talk to Bruno about all this. He listens to me and licks me. I love Bruno a lot.

“The other day I heard mama telling to Sharma aunty that she and papa are quite “successful”. I asked her the meaning of it. She said that when I get what I want, I become successful. Perhaps, papa gets what he wants and so he is successful. So is mama. However, I neither get to play with my papa nor get to listen to bedtime stories from mama. So you see, I am not successful. May be next time that I pray to God, I will keep my prayer short by asking Him to make me successful. Or can you all suggest me something? Please help me out folks, as I too want to become successful like mama and papa.”