“One Night” short story contest - English - ‘8:00pm-Nothing2Everything@8:00am’

I did pocket the black ball and it’s the fourth game I won. I looked at my watch. It showed 8:00 pm. I wondered when I had changed the 24hr mode to 12hr mode. The date displayed was 25-10-2020. Somebody has messed up with my watch, I thought. I decided to probe into this matter once I reached my room. It must be my roommates. It’s been 4 hours since me and my friend Ravi got into the Pool Shack. No matter how much Ravi tried, he never won a game of 9 ball pool. Few mugs of beer had reduced my response time by few minutes. I looked at Ravi and waved him good bye.


I made it to the ground floor of Pool Shack. Missed few step in between; hit a guy coming up, carrying a red heavy bag, who looked more sloshed than me. I wondered why they didn’t have an elevator. I felt an elevator is a must when they serve alcohol at anywhere above and below the ground floor. It is generally cold in Bangalore in mid October, but strangely I was sweating already. I thought, may be the beer was messing up my body temperature control mechanism as well.


I crossed the busy airport road and reached the hospital end of the road. It was pretty unusual, because I have been here so many times but never really observed the other half of the road and the hospital. Perhaps I would be too eager to go to Pool Shack and get sloshed. Therefore, never really paid attention to anything else.

I think I heard a siren crying its heart out from few kilometers away. At least I thought it was few kilometers away or perhaps its somewhere in the vicinity and the beer in me is messing up my natural Doppler theory. I looked right and then turned back to check if it was an ambulance coming towards the hospital. The crying became more and more irritating and loud. Now I could hear the sound of chopper as well. I wondered if this was a hi-tech hospital and it has got choppers to get the patients. But the siren sound nullified that theory. I looked in all directions. People on street stood still and they were as amused and confused as my 1 year old nephew in wet nappy.

The sound grew louder and louder. Few kids on the other side of streets were pointing at the sky behind me. I turned around and I couldn’t believe my eyes. 5 choppers flying in a perfect circle formation. In the center of this formation, I could see a white chopper. No, it couldn’t have been chopper. It was triangular in shape. Like those stealth planes we see in television. Now I knew what was crying so loud. It was almost deafening now. People rushed to the roads. Traffic came to stand still. No one moved an inch. Even the street dogs hogging on the free food inside the corporation dust bin, stood still in amusement with straight ears.

The triangular thing hovered over the shack point. The choppers which looked like they are guarding this thing matched its movement. The triangular thing, threw a wide ray of red light. It looked like it was scanning the entire area. It aligned itself to the Pool Shack. The beer effect in me had vanished looking at this spectacle. It seemed to be more evident now that the Pool Shack is going to be attacked. Everyone ran for cover. I tried calling my friend, but the network is jammed. I couldn’t just believe what was happening. I crossed the road and searched for my friend. I couldn’t see him. People were running all around. The triangular thing sent out 3 straight blue lights down towards the Pool Shack, forming a cylindrical shape of probably 2 feet diameter. The light pierced through everything. I put my food forward towards the Pool Shack and suddenly, there was a deafening screeching sound. There was some kind of activity within this invisible cylinder. The entire space within the cylinder exploded into flames, but neither the flames and nor the particles came out of the cylinder.

The entire formation of flying choppers vanished out of sky in no time. Before people could rush to the spot, there were NSG commandos who had cordoned the area. I never realized this.

I ran to my room and switched on the TV. My mobile was now working. I called Ravi. He had followed me outside the Pool Shack to get a cigarette. He shared the same story. I flipped the channels and stood still when the reporter in a news channel announced, “Defense minister of India, will address the media in a short while.” The defense minister looked jubilant, contrary to the recent occurring.



He announced, “Today, at 20:08, India successfully tested its, Unmanned Arial bomb scanner and laser guided diffuser called Garuda. Garuda is placed at strategic locations. It takes less than minute for Garuda to detect, track and destroy the bomb. It also leads the choppers carrying the commandos who then cordon the site and aid the investigation. Garuda detected the bomb at the Pool Shack, Airport Road Bangalore at 20:02. It not only guided the 5 NSG choppers to the blast site, but also cordoned the bomb with its bomb isolation technique. The bomb which was attached with a timer device went off before it could be defused by Garuda, but the high tech laser bomb isolator was used by Garuda to form a controlled explosion. Many defense scientists have been working day and night on Garuda project which was started on 2009, took 11 years and it has been completed at the cost of 200 billion rupees. This is a great success for this developed country which is surrounded by enemies on all sides. Further details on this live test will be provided in few hours. Thank you.”

I somehow knew that bomber was the guy I saw carrying red bag while coming down the Pool Shack. I was too tired to be sure. I was too tired to think anymore.

I was shocked, amused and tired of all the incidents. It was too much for this tired sloshed mind. I went to bed. I couldn’t sleep peacefully. All the events replayed in my mind. I could hear the sound of choppers. It was faint and then loud. It couldn’t be a dream. I woke up. I looked at my watch. It was 6:30. I couldn’t take another similar incident anymore. My heart was pounding faster than my head because of hang over. I ran to the balcony. 4 choppers so close to my third floor apartment flew across the blue sky. I looked at the beach and the blue sea and then at the horizon. I just couldn’t believe this. I ran to the door, grabbed the news paper. On the front page, I read, “39 killed in Baghdad blast”. I glanced at the date on the top. 26 October 2009, Chennai.

It took me time to recap the entire previous night episode. I had been to Pool Shack to play pool. It was on the OMR road opposite to the Life Line hospital. Just when I was crossing the road an ambulance with loud siren had just turned into the hospital gate. Someone burst the rocket which was left over during diwali. The rocket sparked brilliant colors in the sky. Few kids jumped in joy. I took my mobile out to call Ravi, so that I could make out the address. There was no network. That was followed with a big blast of crackers which made a deafening noise and smoke. I wondered why on earth where they doing this in the vicinity of hospital. I was sweating profusely though it was October end and I thought that if was in Bangalore at this time, it would have been cold.

I was tired, sloshed when I reached home. I changed my watch to 24hr mode. I flipped the tv channels and halted at a news channel which showed the breaking news, “Blast in Baghdad”. I switched off the tv and went to sleep.

As I sat their realizing and re tracing everything, I wondered how amazing is human mind. It had weaved a dream for me with all the things which were totally unrelated. I could only admire this marvelous mind which had created EVERYTHING from really NOTHING that happened at 8:00pm. I looked at my watch. It was 8:00 am. I told myself, “huh,8:00pm-NOthing2Everything@8:00am”

Time to stop dreaming and work!!

Yeah you heard me. Stop dreaming, go back to work!!

“Why Drink and Drive, when you can, Drink and Dream”

PUNCH DIAL ogues !! Copy righted: Raj dialogue vendors.

Disclaimers: I dont like this. Escpecially when it is mentioned at the end of all blabberings.

Anyway, for the sake of formality, let me warn you that these might sound like extreme case of PJ attack or you may look like one idiot doing ROFL on the carpet below your seat.

‘If the World is not in my hands, look under my feet”

“If she goes to shopping, beware you may become the shopping cart”

“Entire outer space is my playground, planets are marbles and stars are flood lights”

“Priest said God is everywhere son. My nephew asked, even in bathroom?

“Moral science teacher said, you should learn to forgive. I said, ma’am can I stand down from the bench now?”

“She said I am the master of universe. Btw, Universe, is my dog’s name”

“I said, if you are the paper then I am the pen. She said, oops idiot you just spilled the ink”

“Wife told a tired husband, I want a son. Husband told; keep your eyes to the east. You will see it first thing in the morning.”

“My mom says, I m handsome. My wife says, there is only hands, rest is troublesome”

“Chennai chicks are too hot to handle, they are in tune with climate”

“No wonder Kerala is God’s own country, he has kept all the good ladies for himself”

“Roads to heaven starts at my house, roads to hell begins at OMR”

“When a girl tells you, I love you, please check your wallet”

“If you hear bells ringing when you see a girl, it’s time to visit a good ENT specialist”

“Falling IN and Falling OFF love are not the same, just like Constipation and Diarrhea.”

“If you are pencil, then challenges are sharpeners. You always come out bold and sharp”

“Men like hot women. Not in Chennai, man, it’s too hot here”

All girls are masala queens cos guys need taste in life

All roads dont lead to success, but not everyone has good GPS

If one day I look sad and I am standing alone, don’t come near me. I am busy ….(let your imagination flow)

“Before marraige we used to love roller coaster rides. Now, she is the roller and i am her coaster.”

A jakas movie:

This is playing at PKN5A180. With the only audience who is the writter, director, producer of this movie.

“CAD is the super hero of the city of keys. He falls in love with CL. But before he could propose, WL the villain activates himself. The entire BS, Home, Shift and all the friends are helpless. They all are inactive because of WL. CAD and CL have to Escape and save the city. CAD activates himself and before WL’s friend ENTER, activates himself, CAD’s friend ESCAPE sacrifices his life. Thereby CAD and CL get freed. A statue is made to honor sacrifice of the CAD’s good friend. It is at the top right corner of the city. On it is written, Esc (Extraordinary and Special Character).

A new villain has entered the city. It’s the exact copy of WL. It’s called CCP. i.e in Part 2.

Starring:

CAD: Ctrl Alt Del

CL: Caps Lock

WL: Windows+L

BS: Backspace (guest appearance)

CCP: Cut Copy Paste

Well, now that I have finished and if you feel like relieving your stress then, you may follow the following instruction.

Take the printout of the below picture

Paste it on your manager’s cabin door

Follow the instruction written on the page in the picture.

No No. That’s ok. You don’t have to thank me for this. You are always welcome. Pleasure is all mine, you see.

------RAJ

Did Edison’s AC KILL TOPSY?

Do you see corruption, inhuman activities and close your eyes? Do you feel like you are one of them, so you don’t have the right to talk about these things or oppose these things? Well, I thought so. But there is something that my friend pointed out. This is something that changed the way I looked at things. This is something that I want you to know.




This is the conversation I had with my friend posted as it is without editing.



My friend :


Dude,
Since you are writing Blogs you should probably think about writing about how humans have misused animals in experimentations.
I was watching a video on youtube - Edison’s efforts to show the world how dangerous electricity is - basically tied up an elephant (called Topsy) and electrocutes it.

As the elephant was brought in (considering elephant to be one of the most intelligent creatures after us), would have been going through his mind? He was following his master like how a kid followed his parents only to be killed. It reminded me of an incident a friend narrated where a couple had to throw away their kid to the crocs to save the rest of the people in the boat. That’s one side of the story.

The other side was about the experiment in itself. It extends not just to that experiment but also the various other experiments that even till date man continues doing knowing very well that effects on animals not necessarily needs to be the same on humans,

This is just a suggestion

Cheers


Me:

Well Pabs, I can write on this, but I will only sound like a hypocrite.

I mean, first of all we humans shouldn’t domesticate, elephants or any other animal for that matter. Don’t they hurt them while training? And yet we sit on it and go for ride in safaris. Now you might say that, domesticating is one thing and killing for experiment is another. Well, how do we decide which one is the most sinner thing to do? You may argue that it’s written in bible or any other religious books that taking life of another is the biggest sin. Well, then what do we do in wars? You kill or get killed. Anyway, let’s keep that aside. You may argue that it’s unrelated. Killing for experiments is unethical. But is the life of lab rats less important to that of elephant? Do we test the medicines on humans? Would that be intelligent? I am not arguing that Edison was right (if he had done it).

I have been writing and will continue to write on issues that haunts mankind or animals. The question is where do I begin and where do I end? Man including me has got accustomed to the luxuries of life and has gone blind in all ways. The leather shoes I wear and belt I wear is some animal’s skin. The car seat of the costliest car that you may be dreaming to own is made of croc skin. I can write bro. I just don’t want to sound hypocrite. I am just finding a way explain all this and inspire, in a way which will not sound hypocritical. Because if people feel that what we write is just for reading and nothing, then there is no point in writing. It’s a catch 22 situation. All that I tell others is that. I am doing my bit, are you? If not, please do!!

Thanks,
Raj

My Friend:

Bro,

Domesticating elephants is the worst crime one can do, because the process of domestication is far worse than having an elephant in prison (zoos).

I never take elephants rides for this very reason even during my research expeditions be it Burma or Vietnam. I prefer risking my life than bearing the guilt that I am sitting on an elephant who has been completed “broken down” cos i want to feel more secure.

Regarding rats in labs or monkeys with cosmetics stitched inside its eyes, animal experiments are all terrible. But one would focus on an animal that generates more empathy among humans…..and elephants being a classic case was a great point to start….start because there is a long way to go.

Regarding shoes, I always try to buy fake leather which is pretty much similar in looks and texture. Try it out…. So there is always an option.

Well but end of the day, in more than one ways I am also responsible for causing harm to some animal in some way or the other. But if I told myself that this morning, I had to kill a roach or a mosquito and therefore it would be hypocritical to save an elephant or an almost extinct tiger, I think I would be comparing apples to large melons although both are fruits.

The gravity of saving the elephants and tigers in our jungles and the jungles itself is profound.

Nevertheless, this reply is only to try and help you understand that every one of his in some way is hypocritical if we had to extrapolate the primary issues. But that shouldn’t stop one from doing some good somewhere correct?

It aint gonna be hard to quit taking an elephant ride or refrain from going to a circus or buying ivory in any form correct???? As long as that is done, you are also in this war to save the wildlife dude.

Mind you I am not trying to change your mind about writing a blog; I just wanted to give you a different perception of the hypo u spoke about.

Cheers,
Pabs

Me :

Bro !!
What you explained is true!! In fact this conversation is so intense that, I will blog this as it is. The reason being, that, it has got the issue which you wanted me to discuss. Secondly, it has got the general apprehension that people have in their mind (i.e. the question I asked, will be the question in many more minds). Thirdly, you have explained it very well. I am impressed!!

The idea is to tell things in a way which doesn’t sound like ordering people to follow. For example, last year, we had a campaign going on to make cognizant a smoke free zone. Someone blogged stating that, the decision to smoke or not should be left to individual and no one should be forced. Also, it stated that one should only make people aware of the health hazards but should not force the decision to smoke or not to smoke on them. However, this post was widely debated, with lots of anti comments, because this post was indeed threatening our campaign. However, the government then decided that smoking in public places as well as in and around office premises in not allowed. Also Cognizant was gracious enough to accept it and now it is a smoke free zone!!

So, I think sometimes, things have to be stopped by stringent laws and a system to protect that law. We can ask people to stop wearing leather shoes and similar things, but it will take very long time to change people’s habit. Remember, habits die hard. But hey, what you told is absolutely right as well. One step at a time and some day we might even find some law being made. How knows? Moreover, like Gandhi. “Be the Change you want to see in the world”

Thanks Bro,

Raj

Though I did research and it is known that electrocution using AC (alternating current) was the method only suggested by Edison and the authorities had already decided to kill it by hanging. So, I really can’t blame Edison because he just gave an idea to kill the animal with the least possible pain.

Whatever happened to Topsy, we still live in a world which is inhumanly cruel towards animals. Really, luxury, greed and selfishness have left no good in us towards animal or towards fellow humans for that matter.

Topsy story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/americas/3083029.stm