He was sitting on his bed and crying. Many people had gathered to console him. But no amount of their reasoning seemed to calm him. In fact, it was having adverse effects on him. The pitying look on the visitors' faces confirmed his worst fears and made him even more afraid.
He had never been this terrified in all of his seventy five years. Nor had he ever been so certain of anything. He had sensed that he was coming to the end of his life but had not guessed it was going to be so soon.
It was last night's dream that had confirmed to him that the countdown for his departure had begun.
It's taken as unusual for one's mother and wife to appear in one's dreams, together. Therefore, his dream last night had been strange because in it, both of them were beckoning him with their arms wide open, telling him to join them, informing him that it was time to let go. In this particular dream, he had even seen the neighbor who had passed away only a few months ago.
Somehow he had managed to awaken himself. Frightful of the dream, he closed his eyes again. But he was also afraid to close his eyes. Terrified that if he did so, he would either have the same dream, or moreover, he might never open his eyes again.
He was a religious man. And religion had also taught him that life, like everything else, too, came to an end; that every journey ended sometime and somewhere. So, his wasn't an exception.
That was what he was trying to tell the people gathered around him. That he didn't plan to live forever. However, he wasn't ready to go yet, either. He still had quite a number of things to do. He had known that the inevitable day would come, but he had always thought that would be in a distant future.
Why, ever since he had been able to understand the law of nature, he had known that nothing would last forever. His own experience had taught him that. The passing away of his parents, close friends and his own wife had convinced him of the fact that all things must pass.
Knowing that he had to pace his priorities in accordance with time, he had been able to accomplish quite a few things. But then, he had also missed out on much and many others.
But for starters, he had completed his studies in time, quickly found a job and got married promptly too. Planning his life accordingly, he had achieved the set targets. A lot of things he had been able to do. He had always made a point to be an obedient son and done his duties. He also never hesitated from shouldering his responsibilities as a father. And for his wife, too, he had always been there. The kind nature in him had made it hard for him to turn down friends who looked up to him in times of need.
But, carrying out all these duties perfectly, somehow, along the way, he had still left a few things to do for later days.
It had all started when he had given up his interests in sports to give his undivided attention to his studies. His father had advised him to take his studies seriously.
“There'll be plenty of times to play once you finish studying,” his father advised him often. So he tried to persuade his own son to take sports seriously and hoped his grandson also would inherit that particular gene.
Another unfulfilled dream was the trekking to the Annapurna region he had planned to do. Somehow he never found time for that. There were other things to do, too, but he never found time for them either. Later, it was the movies he wanted to watch. But he had been unable to find the time as it coincided with his children's annual exams. Then there was the book he had started writing but had to abandon it in the middle to take care of his sick mother. By the time he was free, other movies and bestsellers had arrived to watch and read. But he never found time to come back to these personal indulgences again.
There was always so much to do but so little time. Obviously, his wishes and desires had taken a back seat in his mission to keep everyone happy.
Then there was the vacation he wanted to take with his family up in the mountains. They had tried to take out some time from their busy schedules for it, but no amount of planning had resulted on all of them being free for a week at the same time.
Thus his to-do list had only become longer. He had even denied himself the pleasure of having an ice cream on a hot day. The realization that he would never find time to do it appalled him now. Lamenting was not in his nature and it surprised him to find himself doing so now. Then he realized that he felt better for having done so as if a heavy load had been lifted off his shoulder.
Then he remembered those holy pilgrimages he had made. Thank God for the visits to those temples he had trekked to. Those hectic spiritual journeys were going to save him from hell.
It was then, confident of having booked for himself a place in heaven, a smile appeared on his face. The lifelong habit of adjusting his mind to the situations was working for the last time. He felt calm; now that he had come to terms with the departure of his soul from this world to the other. His argument that heaven was not good enough a bargain to trade for his current state looked foolish now.
Suddenly he was free of complaining and wanted to rest. Those regrets no longer mattered as he smiled a gentle grin and closed his eyes and went to the deepest slumber.

Anamika just arrives at her flat in Newroad after the office. She is feeling tired and aloof. Anamika works as a relationship manager at the Standard Chartered Bank. But her relationship with her husband is evanescent. It has been 2 yrs now that her husband has been abroad at the USA working as a successful businessman. She has a young and pretty daughter who has just enrolled in the school from the kindergarten.
The winter vacation is knocking by the door and Anamika is planning to break the monotony by making it special. One night after returning back from the office, she decides to summon her new friend Sabnam to her place for a dinner. Sabnam is a new recruitment in the office. They have known each other for just a couple of months but they clicked immediately.
Sabnam arrives at Anamika’s apartment, looking charismatic on her low waist tight jeans and a halter top; she is tall, elegant, good looking and hardly 24 yrs old. They make themselves comfortable at the drawing rooms sofa. Anamika on her sexy sari revealing most of her flat tummy swiftly moves towards the bar and fetches a bottle of Black label scotch, thermos of chilled ice-cubes and some snacks.
After the seeming formal official talks, queries about the children and family, Anamika opens up by asking about her plans for vacation and Sabnam replies by nonchalantly saying nothing special. Anamika explains about her plans at Goa assuring her to be special and Sabnam obliges by affirmation.
They reach the Goa airport just one night before the Christmas Eve and head towards the Bagga beach searching for the accommodation. After ample search they find one, dislodging their packing, they throw themselves to a bed which had enough space for two.
After some moment Sabnam rises up and head towards the bathroom for a nice shower while Anamika waits for her turn outside. After around 10 minutes Sabnam comes out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel. Anamika gives a discreet looks to her friend and secretly praises her friend for the beauty she processed.
After finishing their bath and clothing, they head towards the bagga beach. There they find a lot of tourist moving freely in their swim suits. They find a corner in the beach and start unclothing themselves. They hurriedly change into their swimsuits and run into the cold sea water hand in hand. Splashing each other with water and laughing openly with ultimate joy.
Soon after completing their recreational act, they find a bar and settle themselves with a bottle of chilled beer. After emptying a couple of bottles Anamika starts expressing the sorrow of her married life and starts to sober, Sabnam reaches for her friend and starts reassuring her that everything would be all right. She hugs Anamika tightly and Anamika unknowingly brings her face toward Sabnam and gently kisses her lips, Sabnam astounded and frightened moves away with a serene horror. Shy and surprised she moves her head down unable to look into Anamika’s eyes.
It is midnight and both the friends arrive at their place tired and looking for a deep nap. Sabnam unlocks the door and switches on the lights. Both of them change into their night gowns and enter the bed. But after sometime Sabnam is weakened by a crying noise, she hurriedly enfolds her friend on her waist and start caressing her hair pleading not to cry. Anamika slowly turns herself toward her friend and gently starts kissing her friend. Sabnam subjugates and responses back with a more passionate kiss and there they are slowly and finitely fumbling and rolling with each other on their grasps...

Birds in the sky
I too want to fly

Wait a second; let me close my eyes
I land up on earth disappointed

Flying without wings is not the same
Then there are Roses
Alluring me with their sweet smell

I close my eyes and imagine myself
Spreading the aroma in the hell
I wake up disappointed
Roses aren't roses without thorns

unhappy with the knowledge
i want to grow no more

Amazing is the communication we share
Even from far up there
He manages to assure me
That I have a friend in him

And it's no surprise that I believe in him
For in this ever changing world
He's he only one that has remained the same
When I myself have changed
He is the one that has not changed

He assures me that he is there for me
and will always be for eternity
with him up there I am neither lonely
and his presence drives away the fear
That I have of the dark

that is why among the sun and rain
Moon is my friend

A worldwide survey was conducted by the UN. The only question asked was:
"Would you please give your honest opinion about solutions to the food shortage in the rest of the world?"
The survey was a huge failure,
In Africa they didn't know what 'food' meant,
In India they didn't know what 'honest' meant,
In Europe they didn't know what 'shortage' meant,
In China they didn't know what 'opinion' meant,
In the Middle East they didn't know what 'solution' meant,
In South America they didn't know what 'please' meant,
And in the USA they didn't know what 'the rest of the world' meant!