Sunday, May 23, 2010

Phasebook of Love

Chapter 0: Perception phase
A tries to understand ‘what is love’. It is Chaos all around. He sees around the so called ‘love’ly couples. He can see that the meaning of word love is twisted, degraded and taken to new low levels. World says love is without any reason. It is blind. A scoffs at the concept. Trusts his own mind more than anything else.

Chapter1: Conception phase
A is sure nothing which exists is without any reason. So something as important as love can never exist without reason. Then what that reason is? It is when you value someone so highly that you can take on any power in the world for that person. It is when you are able to realise the best in you in that person’s presence. It is when you realise that true happiness is possible on this earth.

Chapter2: Either-Or phase
A falls in love with B. He doesn’t know the reason. He knows B is not the right match. He subconsciously knows that unknowingly he has started walking on ‘love is without reason’ path. A hates seeing himself proved wrong. B as expected doesn’t reciprocate. A hates himself even more.

Chapter3: Non-contradiction phase
A meets C. A falls in love with C. C seems perfect match. He has never met someone so special before. This time there is every reason to fall in love. He is very happy. C too doesn’t reciprocate. But this time A is still happy. Partly because his stand of ‘true love is with reason’ is vindicated and partly because of the knowledge that people like C exist.

Chapter4: A is A phase
A has no intention of meeting D. He would have loved to be perfect match of C, but doesn’t want to worry about something which is not in his control. B seems a distant memory now. Not good, not bad, but a learning experience.

Sunday, May 16, 2010

The last Cigarette

Dash!! Lost in his own thoughts he suddenly lost control of steering wheel and next minute he was thrown out of the car and was lying in pool of blood. There was not much time left. With shivering hands, he lighted a cigarette. That the cigarette is going to last 10 more minutes gave him a feeling of joy. He was very much aware that probably that’s how long his life was going to last.

While watching the burning cigarette, Life started flashing in front of his eyes …so many plans…so many goals… He had always loved the style of gently stroking cigarette bud so as to remove ash from the tip. Lying on ground, he couldn’t do it. Sarcastically, he smiled at himself.

Half way through, the feeling of ‘this cigarette is going to extinguish’ occurred to him. He needed another, but there was not much time left. Life is the ultimate goal, he thought. But in his case it was being cut short. This was not how it was supposed to end.

He looked at the stars in the sky. Someone had told him that your thoughts are disjointed but creative. He started drawing imaginary lines, joining various stars, trying to make sense out of it. Just when he thought he had found some pattern everything seemed to be going dark, stars became hazy. That’s how the life had been to him. Eyes went moist.

It was time for the golden shot. He enjoyed it like never before. He sensed the feeling where one knows he has lost but has no qualms.

Slowly the cigarette extinguished….

Friday, May 7, 2010

Numquam Moribimur...

Two days before the last league match, suddenly that sinking feeling struck me. There is very much possibility of Manchester United not being crowned domestic champions this year. Suddenly those years between 2004 and 2007 flashed in front of my eyes. At that time, a sensation named Jose Mourinho had arrived at Chelsea and threatened Manchester United’s supremacy. There were doubts everywhere about Sir Alex Ferguson’s ability to build a team again. We, fans had the faith. I personally kept believing that the league success is not far away. The re-establishment of Supremacy is around the corner. And United were back!! Sir and his new team managed to exceed expectations and surprise the fans. 3 years full of glory, 3 premier league titles, champions league, a league cup and club world cup. Players like Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo reached their true potential. Arguably the greatest club in the world was again scaling great heights. There were and are financial problems at the club but if there was 1 manager in the world who could have kept football and team separate from all the uncertainties it was Sir Alex Ferguson.

2009 came, and the inevitable happened. Cristiano Ronaldo left the club. It was never meant to be an ever-lasting relationship, it was a romantic, intimate affair. Again doubts were raised on United being able to sustain title challenge. Rooney stepped up this time, and with support from the ageless trio of Giggs-Scholes-Neville, United again challenged on both domestic and European front. Though the European challenge came to premature end, the domestic title challenge went to the wire. The Reddevil in me keeps saying that Chelsea will stumble at home against Wigan and we would win the title by beating stoke. At United, it is never over until it actually gets over. It keeps going till end. Thrice United have been crowned champions on the last day in premiership. The game is full of uncertainties and funny things happen. As Sir said few years back, “Football!!...bloody hell”. Yes it is bloody hell and that’s why it is pretty damn good.

Just few days back, Patrice Evra, on being questioned about Sir Alex’s retirement told that Sir can never sit at home, and watch football on T.V. He would rather die on the bench. This is the spirit which had carried United through for more than 110 years. This is why the banner at Old Trafford saying Numquam Moribimur (We’ll never die) is very special and close to my heart.