The Mom of Triplets

I had the most amazing conversation today morning with a mom who recently delivered 3 kids in my house.... We don't speak the same language but we understood everything we said to each other!

I made her feel comfortable on my mat and talked to her softly. It was 6am in the morning - 30 minutes before my usual wake up time. I was still a little drowsy and I hadn't even brushed - but I still made her feel at ease and talked to her openly.

I told her that she and her kids couldn't stay in my house 'cos I'm a working woman and spend very little time at home. And that there was no way that I could look after them. She stared at me with her round grey eyes as if she hadn't understood, but she knew very well what I meant. I finally told her to leave along with the triplets....

She sulked and looked at me with pleading eyes and finally gave up when I let her out along with the kids and shut the door. She sat there outside the door for some more time, hoping that I would come back and take them back in. But I didn't.

She finally picked one of the kids and went on to the terrace. Then she came back for the second one. Then the third. And finally she was gone.
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This mom was like any other mom who wants the best for her kids, who is fiercely defensive of them, who wants her kids to have a safe future. But 2 things differenciate her from the rest of the moms that I know: 1) she is single, and 2) she is a CAT.

Yes, yes, a cat littered in my house - dunno when. I heard one of the kittens mewing in the morning and discovered them in a cardboard box on the attic. I put the box down and the mom cat sprung at me hissing fiercely and threatening to attack.

I sat down and talked to her in Telugu and didn't touch the box again. She understood that I meant no harm, so she also relaxed. I opened the main door for her to leave and she stepped out, but didn't leave. Instead she curled up at the door and kept peeking in. It's then that it struck me that her kids were still inside!

So I brought out the box carefully and placed it outside the door beside her too. Must admit, the kittens were incredibly cute - they hadn't even opened their eyes! She looked at me as if she didn't understand why I was doing that. Then I told her in Telugu again that I can't take responsibility of them and that she needs to leave. And I closed the door. And shifted to my window kitchen from where I could still see her.

She waited for a while staring at the door, maybe hoping that I would take them all back in. After a few minutes, she accepted defeat and picked up a kitten in her mouth and went to the terrace. Then it came back for the second. Then the third. The Third one was the one that was mewing. I bade it goodbye from my kitchen window. And the cat family was gone, leaving me with mixed feelings.

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That's how my morning started today. Just wanted to capture it in my memory and thoughts.

The New Hosiptal Wing....

When a panel of doctors was asked to vote on adding a new wing to their hospital, the Allergists voted to scratch it and the Dermatologists advised against rash moves.

The Gastroenterologists had a gut feeling about it, but the Neurologists thought the administration had a lot of nerve, and the Obstetricians stated they were all labouring under a misconception.

The Ophthalmologists considered the idea short-sighted, the Pathologists yelled, "Over my dead body", while the Pediatricians said, "Grow up!"

The Psychiatrists thought the whole idea was madness, the surgeons decided to wash their hands of the whole thing and the Radiologists could see right through it!

The physicians thought it was a bitter pill to swallow, and the Plastic Surgeons said, "This puts a whole new face on the matter."

The Podiatrists thought it was a step forward, but the Urologists felt the scheme wouldn't hold water. The Anesthesiologists thought the whole idea was a gas and the Cardiologist didn't have the heart to say no.

In the end, the Proctologists left the decision up to some butt hole in Administration.

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Courtesy - my friend, Saravanan who got it as a forward and forwarded it to me.

Eyes Wide Shut....

When I close my eyes I see your face,
I cannot hide it nor erase,
I see how complete I am with you,
and I feel happy 'coz you feel so too.

I see the million dreams we share,
and you show the zillion ways you care,
I see a flowing song of symphony,
with little or no scope for melancholy.

I see our future - warm and secure,
a bright white light - so lucid, so pure,
I see myself melt in your arms,
and you - so besotted by my charms.

I see our parents happy and gay,
and our children growing up day by day,
I see us all being perfect together,
sticking by each other through sunshine and bad weather.

I see all of this with my closed eyes,
till it's almost time to say bye byes,
then it's time to say good morning and start,
but the best part is, this is exactly what I see with my eyelids apart.

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A poem I wrote a few days ago in some....20 minutes I think....

Common Sense - An obituary

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as: Knowing when to come in out of the rain; why the early bird gets the worm; Life isn't always fair; and maybe it was my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.

It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an Aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.


Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents Truth and Trust, his wife Discretion. his daughter Responsibility, his son Reason.

He is survived by his 4 step brothers;
I Know My Rights
I Want It Now
Someone Else Is To Blame
I'm A Victim

Not many attended his funeral because so few realised he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.
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Courtesy: The London Times and my colleague, Gauri who passed it on to me.

A Calvin & Hobbes t-shirt that I painted for Stutay yesterday.

Where are you????

It takes two to tango they say,
but when will my other half come my way?
Twenty five long years I've waited for you,
thirsting to hear, "I love you too."
Do you even exist I wonder now,
will you ever come to take the vow?

But then I smile and console my heart,
maybe you too don't want to stay apart.
Maybe you look at the moon too and sigh,
wondering the common who, when, and why.
Writing poems like this and humming songs along,
blowing every eyelash to cross the distance so long.

All come in pairs says nature divine,
I gloat in this bliss with smiles all benign.
How long will you wander and play peek-a-boo,
you'll surface soon I know 'coz you need me too.
Till then I'll just pray that you're not too afar,
and I'll wait for you my love, whoever you are.

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A poem written spontaneously by me yesterday :-)

A Software Engineer's feelings....

It was raining heavily outside. Dark clouds gathered in the sky and nature was in its ominous best. I took a break from my work and went to the pantry to grab a cup of coffee. I had a sip and went near the window to see the rain pouring down heavily outside the glass structure. I was inside our huge office building, unruffled by even the fierceness of the nature.

Through the heavy transparent glass, I could see a small girl trying to hold on to her umbrella which the wind was snatching away from her. I felt sorry for the girl, and was happy that I was not in a similar pathetic situation. Yes. I take pride for the fact that I am a software engineer.

I have everything which a common man would envy; money, status, respect, you name it I have it. I always wanted to be software professional and here I am, working for one of the best firms in the world. But then, am I really happy? Now, I could see an imprint of my palm on the other glass window, through which I reminisced my past, basked in the warmth of the sun shine.

My childhood was so much of fun. I vividly remember those rainy days, when I hugged my mother tightly during sleeping listening to all the stories told by her. Now, I have a big house here, but then it is just a house, not a home. My parents are pretty far away from me now. I have a cell phone to talk to them everyday, but then I really miss those dinners which I had with my family everyday. I could easily afford to taste all the different cuisines these days, but the best of food there, lack the love and affection which is present in the food prepared by my mother.

I threw a lavish party for my colleagues for my birthday, but then they would never replace the birthdays when my friends secretly brought a cake and at the end, half of the cake would have ended up on my face. The couple of hundred bucks that u save for a long period just to give a treat to your friends in the road side chat shop can never give the pleasure even after spending a few thousand bucks these days.

The scene of me crying and refusing to have dinner on the day when I fought with my best friend came to my mind. Today, she has gone far away from me, taking away my love and with it my life, but I am sitting and coding here with a false smile on my face. Everyday I meet new people, but then I long ceased to make a new friend.

It's true that I have a lot of things now. I have a nice bed, but no time to sleep. Lots of money, but no friends to spend it with. The latest designer clothes, but a worn out body . Quite a few to flirt, but no one to love. Awards for technical excellence, but no reward for the crave for peaceful ambiance. A confident demeanor, but a reluctant and apathetic mind. Full of rain, but no sunshine even in the farthest distance.

Now, I could see the small girl on the road enjoying in the rain with her umbrella firmly in her grip. She might not have all the comforts which I have, but then she has the innocence and fun which I lost a long time back.

I have decided to come out of this false fantasy, even if it is at the expense of losing the tap of the software engineer. I am going to again enjoy my life. I am going to go out in the rain and play with the small kid now. I removed my tie, and went near my computer to shut it down. Just then, I saw a new mail alert in my mail box. I slowly opened outlook and I found a message from my manager with an attachment saying that there was a critical defect in the code and I have to fix it soon. I convinced myself that I am not going to get bogged down again by these pressures and stick to my decision. I ignored the mail and went to the rest room. After a couple of minutes, the software engineer in me came out, his shirt tucked in with the perfect tie knot, sat before the computer, and started typing,

Hi XYZ,

I am looking into the defect and will send the patch files before EOD.

Regards,

Software Engineer.
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(courtesy - my friend, Giri, who got this as a forward from somewhere else and passed it on.)