999 for emergency

The time was around 7PM and I was in office just browsing the internet. It was Friday and still I didn't want to go home. I thought it would be a normal evening but I got the call that would make the day a different one.

Me: Hello! Jey here
Sq: It's me da.
(It's my roommate who left early by 6:30PM)
Me. Yes Boss! Whats up.
Sq: I am in Chobham road and some 12 guys are chasing me.
Me: (Doubtfully) What? Don't start a prank
(He is known to play prank at others)
Sq: Seriously da. I…walking on the road…. Many guys ran towards me…. One hit my neck…. I am in a shop… they are still out there….. I don't know…
Me: Dai… Slow down and tell clearly.
Sq: (Scared) They were trying to take my laptop… I somehow got into the nearby shop…. Should I call the police?
I became totally confused whether to believe him or not. But his tone told me that he is serious.
Me: Hey… are you sure? Who are they?
Sq: Don't know man. There were both white and black guys and from kids to big guys…. They….
Me: ….Just check if they are still out there. If you see them, call the police immediately. You know the number? Its 999
Sq: Wait. I am checking the outside. They were standing on the opposite side of th….AAAAAAAAH!!!!!
The line went dead. That's the end.

I couldn't believe the line went dead. I got tensed and started shouting "Hello" repeatedly at the dead line. Something has happened and I feared against the worst.
I tried dialling his number. It's dead. Again... It's dead.
I have to call the police now. Damn. My fist emergency call to Police.
I dialled 999 and waited for the police officer. I also became tensed and was trying to calm down myself.
A lady voice started speaking….

"All operators are currently busy. Please hold the line. An operator will speak to you as soon as possible."

WHAT?????????????????????? Not this automated message in Emergency calls please. There is a guy who is in grave danger and the emergency line asks me to hold. I was about to burst my anger to that automated message, when the phone was answered.
I started telling the incident directly just to be stopped in the middle, asking if it's a Police, Hospital or Fire emergency. With raising anger, I answered "Police please" and was wondering if the Police phone line would also make me wait. Luckily I got connected immediately.

I somehow got relaxed and explained the officer the incident clearly. He asked my name and details and my room mate's identification like height, weight and color. I had no idea on what to answer. He was bit concerned when I said we are from India. (There were some incidents reported on Asian people in UK recently) I somehow managed and the person was good enough to make me calm and told that he will send police units to that place and my roommate would be fine. I thanked and disconnected the line.

After sometime, one of my colleagues in office called my room mate's number and he got connected. My roommate was so tensed and said that he disconnected the line as he still saw those guys and was calling the police immediately. I felt shouting back at him rather than consoling him. Anyway I felt relaxed that he is still safe in the shop. The police came in 15 mins by which all guys have left the place. Anyway, we didn't plan to file any case and the police dropped him back in the train station as we planned to stay in a friend's house for that night.

Interesting points out of the incident:
Even "Emergency call" lines keeps you wait in the queue.
Does queue in "Emergency calls" mean there is deficiency in staff or increase in emergency cases?
I didn't know the height or weight of a guy who is staying with me for two months. (I don't know even my height)
We learnt that these kinds of crimes are very normal in our area.
It's unsafe to return late nights from office on Fridays and weekends.
I returned from office through the same route at 11PM and 3AM two days back and I thought its safe all the time.
Sq found the perfect reason to get excuse from writing the certification exam on Saturday.

Ithu Oru Tamizh kalavai padam - Part 2

Continuation from Part 1 – Hero is last seen boarding a government bus with a laptop in one hand and waving goodbye to the Heroine. The board on the bus reads "Chennai".Heroine cries till the bus is out of the scene and moves away from the camera.

Hero reaches Chennai and is seen coming out of the Railway station. Hero joins Zipro technologies as a cleaner for night shift. Software engineers ill treat him as he is only a cleaner earning 1000 rupees a month. Anyway, there is a second heroine who dresses…. Sorry …. Who doesn't dress much falls in love with the hero and goes behind him all the time. She is the daughter of the CEO of the Software company and dances for two songs with the hero carrying his mop stick in her dreams. The software company is developing software for a military organisation that looks like Pakistan Army.
There is a big problem in the code and no one knows how to solve it. The Army commander says that if the problem is not fixed in one day, they will launch a military strike on the company. Terrified developers stay all night and still couldn't fix the problem. They all go for a coffee break while the Army commander is enjoying the night with party girls singing "Thoodhu varuma thoodhu varuma". The hero who is cleaning the room opens the laptop given by the heroine and starts working. Before the song ends, the problem is solved and the hero leaves the room silently.
The developers were astonished to find that the software they were creating on UNIX is showing "I AM WORKING NOW" in Micorsoft PowerPoint and the problem is fixed. The developers couldn't find who did the job but the Army commander uses his spies and is shocked to find that his plan for military strike is spoiled by the cleaner. When the hero is talking with the second heroine advising her to look for some other farmer, a fighter jet smashes into the software company trying to kill the hero. When the jet fires with its high calibre machine guns at the hero, the second heroine gets in the middle taking the bullets to herself like a bullet proof vest and saves the hero. She speaks for 15 mins about love before dying in hero's arms. No one attacks the hero at this time. A very sad music is played which turns into hard rockat which the hero gets angry and throws the mop stick at the fighter jet. The fighter jet explodes with three near by buildings blown to pieces because of the effect. No one is injured as they are all safe watching the fight from the canteen.
The Army commander admits his defeat and becomes a good man and leaves the place. Even though half of the company is destroyed in the fight and his daughter is dead, the CEO is proud of the hero and promotes him to the Project manager and declares him as the future CEO. By that time, the news about the fight has reached the heroine and she starts running from her village to the city in jeans pants and tops. She reaches the scene wearing a clean light colored saree with no sign of tiredness. Heroine's father also reaches the place in his Sumo with his rowdy group at the same time.
The CEO asks the hero to stay in the company forever. Hero starts speaking about the heroine, his challenge to her father and says the he loves heroine only and have to return to her. All software engineers in the company return back to work by that time and only hero, heroine and her father with his gang are in the scene.
Heroine's father changes his mind and throws away the knife he brought. He agrees to get both of them married. Hero returns back to village and works as a farmer with the heroine. Happy ending. The movie ends with Hero and Heroine dancing for "Appadi podu" in the software company.


-------------------------------THE END----------------------------

Ithu oru Tamizh kalavai padam - Part 1

It's a small village in the south. Though there is no proper rain in India for the last 2 years and is drought everywhere, the rice fields of our hero are always green and water flows from the well all the time. Our hero who is a very poor person working on the fields jumps into the scene wearing Reebok shoes and Rayban glasses on the fields and starts singing "Oruvan oruvan muthalali". The cattle too sing with him. So does the girls in the fields.
After the song is over, the hero gets back to work grazing the cattle on the road instead of the fields. Suddenly a car's horn sounds at the back of the hero and ultra modern heroine gets out of the BMW car. Hero turns around and gives a lecture about importance of goats and cows to the Indian economy for 1 hour. Heroine gets mesmerized with his speech and fall in love with him. The next day, heroine goes to the fields in her so called dress and tries to seduce our hero. But hero gives another 1 hour lecture on how girls should dress in India. Heroine is seen in Kanchipuram silk saree standing on the 35 degree hot weather. Hero also falls in love with her and both of them dance "Rock and Roll baby" in modern clothes in the rice fields.
Heroine's father, who is the villain of the movie knows about their love and insults that hero is poor and he can't marry his daughter. Hero who has never went to school vows that he will become a software engineer and become rich in 1 year and will return to the village to marry heroine. Hero and Heroine dance for "Kadhal website ondru" in Switzerland before he leaves the village. Hero is seen wearing old dhoti and a towel over his shoulders with a laptop in his hand that heroine has gifted him as a token of their love. The screen shows "Intermission".
To be continued....

It even rained

UNBELIEVABLE

!!!!!!!!But true!!!!!!!!!

 

I didnt party tonight..... but yeah!.... I danced!!!!

Me, my camera and not HIM

I like photography… I like taking photos… but with one exception. I don't want to take photos of him. I hate that job of taking photo of someone who poses the same way every time I try to click. Same blank smile looking into the camera lens as if though trying to tell everyone that he is in the photo. Come on. Give me a break…. Even my camera would have got tired of capturing the same guy.
Sometimes I don't want to see the album with his photo. I get irritated not able to find any change between the photos. Its only the backdrop that changes. And with his staring straight at us takes out the beauty of the photograph. Photograph should convey a message. Not just a portrait. You are not taking your photograph for Passport. When you want to capture a lively moment be alive and be natural. Don't act infront of a camera. Be casual. Be what you are and not what you want to be seen. And to show what you want to be, you need to be an expert in facing the camera and expressing your thoughts. A blank smile wont show that you are happy.
For example, if you are standing by the sea and want to express the beauty of the water, don't show your blank smile at the camera. See the sea, breathe the freshness of sea water, close your eyes and breathe the fresh air, imagine diving into the waves and open your eyes. You will feel your happiness and your face will look cheerful and that's what will be the time to take your memorable photo. Remember, its not your face that smiles, its your mind that smiles and is shown on your face. I can click thousands of photo of the same person who expresses his thoughts and not just stares at the lens. Try to be one of them. And you will have your best photograph taken.

But how can I tell all these without hurting that person. I couldn't do it. He left feeling bad hearing my comments. What to do?

Tale of two other kitties

*******SPOILER WARNING*******

"The British are coming… The British are coming……" Garfield is seen chased by British guards. That's the funniest scene in the movie. To say it right, one of the very few funny scenes in the movie. The first movie itself showed a different Garfield from that of the original character. John was shown as a lucky guy and he found a GIRL for him. But somehow the story was good and it was funny. But come on, you can't take the same formula for the next movie. Garfield plays a dual role in the second movie. And both the characters don't have any resemble to the original Garfield. Please try to think. Garfield enjoying the life by RUNNING AROUND THE HOUSE???? If you say that he enjoys walking two steps from his place, I would suspect if that's the original Garfield. Here he plays with his animal friends and there is a new sidekick too. A competitor to Odie? Nah… It's a bulldog and an intelligent one. For a difference, even Odie acts intelligent in the movie. Odie could spot Garfield in the newspaper and show it to John. What more. Now we have a big group of animals, talking and planning to save the world….sorry… planning to save Garfield. Sometimes, it makes us wonder whether Garfield is the main character in the movie. He is shadowed by the other animals. To make things worse, Garfield even hands over the ring to John. Does this mean Garfield is ready to accept a woman in John's life? No way. I want a full health check up on Garfield soon. He must have got hurt in his small head (you know it's just his tummy that's big). To sum it up, I think the movie name should have been changed from "Tale of two kitties" to "Tale of two other kitties" for there is no Garfield in the movie.

*******SPOILER WARNING*******

Why

I just wonder what happened to me!
I am not the same guy I used to be!

I am not working well now a days.
I am not putting my best efforts these days.
I get distracted easily and
My concentration in work has gone badly.

I just wonder what happened to me!
I am not the same guy I used to be.

There was a time when I would stay
all night to complete the task assigned that day.Now
I feel tasks are just
another part of life and mostly delay in doing that.

I just wonder what happened to me!
I am not the same guy I used to be.

I leave the office so early
with more work of the day left knowingly.
I need to get back to my life
Leaving all these changes far behind.

I just wonder what happened to me!
I am not the same guy I used to be.

Nothing changes

Disclaimer: All characters and incidents told or inferred in this story are fictious. Though this might appear as a real incident to some persons and they may have experienced themselves, this is completely imaginative. Only the underlying theme is real.

"Who is it?" the voice came from the house. It was the familiar voice. A voice that I have heard for more than 10 years in my young age. I didn't say anything. I just knocked the door again. "Cant you hear that I am asking who it is?" the voice came again this time growing louder. I didn't know how to answer. How should I answer? Should I call her in the same way as "Miss" or should I say "I am here to see Srimagal teacher". I don't know. It's been 12 years since I saw her. The door opened and I saw Srimagal miss coming out with an angry look. She saw me. I didn't know how to respond. I just stood there smiling. She has grown older. But still looked very familiar to me. Seeing my smile, she was confused. She might have thought I am some mad guy. Then she raised her eyebrow and began to think. I couldn't control giggling. She started to recognize me. I said "Miss….." to help her know me. Immediately she knew who I am. She felt happy and called "Dai...Vinoth!". I laughed. I was actually surprised she can still recognise me. She opened the door completely and invited me inside the house. I could still remember the days in which she will not allow me inside her house when I come late for the tuition. Our house was only next to Srimagal miss's house. Whenever I go late, she used to shout the same words, "Will it take one hour to take 10 steps from your house to here for you?" . And I will just look on the floor and the dog on the road. I think this is the first time, she is inviting me inside the house.

She was very happy to see me and started asking questions continuously.

"When did you come to India?". "Yesterday", I answered.

"How are your parents?"

"Fine"

"How are you?"

"Fine miss"

"How is the work?"

"It's good"

"Where is your mom?"

"In home"

Watching me answer in single words she laughed and acted like being angry "… dai tell something?"

I laughed. "Miss, what can I ask if you keep on asking questions like the one mark questions in Geography"

She again laughed. "Vinoth… you have learnt to talk well".

I realised that I have never answered in more than one or two words before to her.

I just smiled. And this is the first time she has shown happiness in talking to me. I was always afraid of her in school days and will avoid facing her at any time. Even if I had come to her house to play with Tommy, their pup dog, I would run back to my house if she enters the house. And she would shout "Dog came to play with dogs while there is lot to study" "I would start crying and run to my mom who would laugh and say "That's why we didn't buy any dog in our home". Even I would start laughing at that but will try to cry to show that I don't want to be said as dog". My mom will always make me laugh at the end. Only Srimagal miss's mother used to support me. She would say "Why do you have to scold the small boy even on Sunday?"

We just stood without knowing what to talk. "Vinothu!!" a voice came from behind. It was her mother. She identified me even without seeing my face. "How are you aachi?" I asked we used to call her before. "Everything and everyone are fine. How are you da Kanna?" was her reply. The same old reply. Nothing has changed from her. Srimagal miss asked what I was wondering in my mind, "How did you identify Vinoth, ma?" She answered, "I was in the market and saw Vinoth's mom. I was thinking about him all the way and seeing a big person inside our house thought it must be our Vinoth". We all laughed.

"Then I heard that you are getting married. Is that true?" she asked. Srimagal miss started her questions again.

"When is it?"

"Next month miss"

"Which Place?"

"US only"

"American????" she asked shockingly.

I started laughing. "No! no! Indian only."

"Oh! What is she doing?"

"She is my colleague in office"

"Oh great!.......what….. Love marriage?"

I laughed again. "No… no… actually.. yes.. but no. Mom only decided"

"What yes and no?"

"I liked her. But I didn't propose to her. Somehow mom found out and all was decided"

"Dai….. tell me the truth"

"Seriously, actually it's all mom. Not like a love marriage." Aachi also started to tease me. "I know about you. You will never talk to any other girl".

She was true. When I was a kid, I won't feel comfortable talking to girls. Everyone used to tease me for that reason.

I just laughed.

"You have really grown up" exclaimed my teacher.

"Don't praise too much. It's not good for health", aachi stopped her in the middle. Same old sentiments.

We talked for two hours. She was so happy to hear about my work and achievements in US. Tears fell down from her eyes when she heard that I am taking my parents to US along with me and will get settled there. She said that she knew that I will become like this one day. I don't know what to say. I have only heard her scolding me all the time in my school days. She used to say "That I should buy buffaloes and become a shepherd in the future" Aachi used to support me again "Don't discourage the small boy". Today, she is in happy tears hearing about my work. Seeing her, tears started coming out of my eyes too. She smiled and shook my hair. I stopped her from doing that by instinct. She laughed. "You have never changed". I don't like anyone to touch my hair from my childhood. My hand will automatically stop anyone touching my head. We all laughed. After sometime, I prepared to leave. I came out of the house and said good bye to them. Suddenly, some small kid ran past me faster into the house. He almost knocked me down. Teacher started shouting "Ravi. Go back to your house and study. No playing toda…." She stopped. She turned to me and laughed. "He is the new Vinoth here" He is staying in your old house. I saw him peeping from the door inside. "Ravi, you can play. Only for today" she said to him. The small boy ran again inside the house. I started hearing balls knocking the wall.

I smiled and got into my car. I waved good bye and drove away. Has she changed? No.... Teachers never change. They care even though you never know them.