Sangeetha Kamath

SOMETHING BORROWED, SOMETHING BLUE The snide remarks… The cackles… The name-calling… The singling out… Because he was different. He looked different. He walked different. He talked different. He was of the wrong colour. His hair was different and so was his skin… Barbeque night was here and he looked out of his window which faced the neighbor's backyard. There were all there. Now is the time. It's now or never! He went to the garage and flipped open the lid of the canister. The odor was pungent and acrid. He hauled it all the way to the neighbors'. The aroma of slow-smoked briskets, charcoal grilled over lychee wood was tantalizing. He smacked his lips in anticipation. They were too busy to notice him entering stealthily.  After taking care to spill the ethanol in a natural spill pattern, he lit a piece of fabric and dropped it. Dark was the night. Molten and ferocious liquid flames danced and sent red sparks in the October breeze… Volatile…  Consuming… Engulfing.. The ear-...

                   IT'S MY LA-LA-LAND "Snakes alive! *Cough cough* Where did you appear from, stranger? Creeping up on me like that ! I say, you'll send me to my grave, you will!" "Cor! A talking caterpillar! How wonderful to meet you, Sir! I'm Alice…how do you do? A very balmy morning, eh?" "*Puff puff cough*...What's so good about it, anyway? The Queen will roll your head by sundown!" "Why is that, Sir?" "Good Lord, you've trespassed her kingdom! You don't know the mad Queen…Ahem! Ahem! I mean Her Royal Highness…you must seek pardon!" "Not if she doesn't know I'm here. Now if you'll let me uproot some of these plants…" " Blasphemy! Uproot plants of Wonderland? Over my dead body! I'm the Great Garden of the Queen's Guardian…*hick hick…cough*...the Great Guardian of the Queen's Garden…!" "Oh come now, caterpillar, you can't be serious! A few plants and I'm ...

                          THE DIARIST  Seremban, Tanah Rata " Strawberry Fields Forever…" When at the land of umpteen Strawberry farms, it would be a folly not to taste their indigenous Strawberries 'N' Cream topped with juicy, chunky bites of the ruby red fruit, a huge scoop of vanilla ice cream and an even bigger dollop of whipped cream! It takes 2 to finish the generous portion. Don't bother to count the calories!  Negeri Pahang  Hiking up a Mossy Forest at 6900 ft...and...I did it ! It's an adventure and a thrill of a lifetime which truly lives up to its name. Trees covered with fuzzy, thick moss,bulky roots jutting out of the earth strong enough to use as a foothold and thick vines to grab on to.  'Twas an accomplishment to reach the top after veering through the steep, narrow, slippery path going upwards and downwards alternatively. Mist covered valleys and greenery peeking through it. The view ...

                         THE FIRE-OAK The fire-seed that you had swallowed, festers in your belly and grows into a fire-oak in the terrarium of your mind. It branches out, conjures things up, replays, rewinds scenes which sets your heart racing and blood boiling. There is no vent to let the steam out and let it dissipate. It takes deep roots. Anchors itself and refuses to let go of you. The sparks which fly out of your eyes threatens to reduce anyone who crosses you into cinder and ash. No dragon has ever spurted flames and inferno as you, who nurtures a fire-seed. You explode verbally and sometimes make a spectacle of yourself and regret in leisure after the damage has been done.  What cyclones and hurricanes tear through your mind? Why does it reach a momentum and tempo of no-return? You're asked to go for counseling and therapy, but no! You pride yourself with this intimidating demeanor and stick to it. Store-clerk...

                  OH ME! OH MY MATHS! At the age of ten, Mid-term exams are nothing sort of a trial when expectations from your parents are more than that of your teachers'. You walk on eggshells when your father tests you during revisions. A simple calculation fails you when you see his stern, disapproving look. Your mind goes blank and you stare daftly, all the while hoping for a miracle, for the right answer to  thaw through your brain-freeze.  'Daydreamer', you're nicknamed just 'cause you go into a deep thought without blinking. That gives you a moony look and you shutdown totally when people fire away questions over your head. So, a simple question of 'How would you solve this problem if 20 apples are to be given away to 100 children equally' garners answers which are totally out of this world, and the whacks that follow brings you back to earth! The next day is the Big Day! You're a nervous wreck! The chatter in your head do...

              DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER  I sat on the shores, the vast Arabian Sea facing me. My mind was in a whirl and as turbulent as the waters whooshing on the sands. I wished the earth would swallow me whole or the sky to draw me in! How could this happen! How could I be so careless! I had lost the only souvenir and memento of my dear late maternal grandmother. A Teardrop-diamond pendant.  It meant a lot to me, not because of the material value, but for the fact that it held a lot of memories…and a story behind it. During the great exodus, my ancestors fled their native land, leaving behind all possessions and wealth. This was the only piece of jewellery which was shielded from the thugs.  Grandma would tell me how they had mortgaged this diamond over and over for expenses and survival, and everytime they regained possession of it. It was a lucky charm. As a newly-wed years later, she inherited it from her parents as a bridal gift. It b...

                         PUFF & STUFF  " PUNNU! How many times have I told you not to spill droplets of water on the floor?!" Punnu, the househelp almost jumped out of her skin when she was caught unawares. "Memsahib, it's only a few drops from the spraying mist bottle. I was cleaning the window panes. "Few drops? What if I had slipped and taken a bad fall?" Ritu was flaming mad. "Memsahib, it's not even on your path. You aren't walking here..." Punnu was highly perplexed. Ritu wasn't going to be placated. "Well, what if I was? I could have twisted my ankle. How would I walk then? What if I was rendered cripple all my life?..." Punnu was getting exasperated and just looking at Ritu made her breathless. "Memsahib…Memsahib…listen to me…" Ritu was oblivious to anyone around her or that Punnu was trying to get her attention. She was into her own ranting. "Or worse still, I could have landed on my rump and fract...

  THE NEGOTIATOR Rathod walked briskly in the sun-caked alley of a hamlet in Rajasthan. His footsteps spoke of authority and urgency. A team of armed men followed close behind him. The village folk parted to make way and stood on the sides with folded palms…almost pleading with them to get them out of this ordeal.  " How many people are inside?", Rathod's voice boomed. " Sahib, there's an entire family of 4…2 children and a stranger with a menacing look. Never seen him in these parts." " Okay, let me handle this", Rathod reassured them. He rapped on the intricately designed door. " Rathod here! I heard you have some demands. I'm here to make the deal. Are you listening? " Footsteps shuffled inside and inched closer. " There's no bargaining. Get me what I want or else I'm going to horrendously execute these people one by one without any mercy." Everyone's blood ran cold and there was chao...

                       WRONG NUMBER? "Sorry about those texts I sent you last night. My phone was drunk!" "Sure it was. It called me by the wrong name." "Oh I'm so sorry!" "Now 'I know what you did last summer!" "What do you mean? Whattt…did…I…do??" "Look at you, going into a cold sweat hahaha. Relax, I'm just kidding. By the way, did you add Vodka to the Pina Colada or Rum?" "What do you mean?" "You said your phone was drunk, what did it get high on?" "Nothing…nothing…I…uh…it was just a joke" "If you say so. Were you at the La Paz yesterday?" "You're a creepy one! What are you trying to get at?" "Me? Nothing at all. Your drunk phone texted me. So who's texting me right now? The sober phone or the hungover phone?" "The sober one. What's with all these questions? I already apologized…" "Awww, what a nice cover-up…hahaha. You were...

                             LION MOM "For goodness sake, Pippa! Can I just have some time for myself? The minute I sit down for an alone time , you're breathing down my neck with nonsensical chatter! What do you want?!" I snap and vent uncontrollably. It's been getting to me with my husband away on business trips quite often and I'm the unofficial single parent by all standards.  The chores are neverending, the errands are backbreaking and child rearing is exhausting.The whooshing of the waves and lapping of the surfs didn't calm me down.  I had brought Pippa along to the beach for a Sunday outing. While she played in the sand, I thought I'd read my book which I'd put away for a long time now. But there was never a moment to myself.  Pippa bawls out loudly drawing attention of other beach goers. How embarrassing! "Pippa, sorry darling, mummy is sorry. Stop crying so loudly. People are looking..wha...

                         ROCK-A-BYE  The car juddered to a halt and refused to budge an inch forward. "Luke, I thought we had a full gas tank and the car was serviced just this weekend…what's wrong?" "I have no idea, Amy…We're in the middle of nowhere and my phone has no signal! But look there. It says 'Baby Museum' on the signpost. Shall we go in and see if they have a landline to get us out of this mess?" "Guess we have no choice. But I'm very uneasy, Luke. I just want to go home and rest. Our baby's due in a couple of weeks." "I'm so sorry, honey. But look at the brighter side. We can check out this place in advance." At the entrance were standees of Tinkerbell and Peter Pan. The lobby glowed with pastel pink shimmering lights. Mannequins of fairies lined the walls. Luke approached the front desk.  "Yes sir, we will have it arranged. Meanwhile, why don't the both of you take a tour of our museum?" Amy ...

                     BIRD-OF-PARADISE  "Yikes! Mandy! What have you done to your hair, you brat?!" Mom's jaws dropped to the floor and her temper hit the roof! How I enjoyed being a rebel in this 'madhouse'. "Yes ma'am, it's what I wanted to do for a long time now. If you don't like it, well, sorry, I'm not sorry!" I flashed her a defiant grin. Mother looked on, aghast. Yes I had gone to the salon and they did a perfect hack-job out of my long, golden, silken tresses. The hairdresser did have second thoughts as my hair cascaded through her fingers. "Miss, are you sure?"  "Most certainly I am. Just do it!"  Finally, I would show everyone that I'm no goody-two-shoes.  Mom was raving mad, pacing the floor and fuming away. "Look at you, you punk! And your jazzed up hair with shocking purple, neon green and garish blue! Spiked like a porcupine or what…what…" She was sputtering a lot and losing it.  "... y...

                     CRACKLE N'GLOW  It was bonfire night! The winters were delightfully cold and the warmth from flames was equally welcome. As the sparks flew into the night sky like orange-gold stars in the hope to meet their diamond brethren, the flames crackled and danced away in celebration of this star-studded night. The winter chill sizzled as the golden halo spread heat on our palms and in our hearts. The fiery orange in our backyard made it seem like the sun had settled in there instead of disappearing behind the mountains.  Dad chopped the branch of fir into twigs with precise rhythmic swings of his axe. Mother set up chopping boards and sliced potatoes into thick circular wedges, wrapped them in foils along with sweet snow peas and tossed them into the bonfire. How my brothers and I loved roast potatoes as midnight suppers. Our faces had lit up with the frisson of pure joy on that starry December night. It was ...

                               DESERTED The warm grainy expanse was all there was after being hit by a massive sandstorm. It must have been a tsunami of crusty winds blowing into their eyes and lungs. Half the city is buried underneath this sandy grave. What we call ground level now used to be the 10th floor of a high rise! Seems like an apocalypse had struck them. There's only one big orange sky, hot summers and an endless stretch of nothingness as far as the eyes can see. Inside this derelict, abandoned structure are hulking sand dunes around which I have to maneuver. What a wreck! The doors are almost dangling out of their hinges and the windows are totally non-existent. Where was everyone? There was no escape from this desert-baked town. We've been sent on a rescue mission but I think we all have to return with a heavy heart. There's unlikely to be any survivors here…what a terrible way to go! The draper...

                   TICK-TOCK...TICK-TOCK  Somewhere over the Atlantic, a violent storm shakes a Boeing 747. The pilot is giving it his best shot to navigate. Driving rains come down in sheets and the storm has whipped up into a wild frenzy. The powerful gales toss the plane like a stray kite. Panic stricken screams and cries from children and adults alike rent the air. Outside, a wing is up in flames, fast engulfing the windows.There's an explosion in the cockpit. A short circuit has ripped the engines off with a bang. The plane is losing altitude by thousands . 10000 ft  Jamie faces her worst fears! Oxygen masks drop down and she takes a deep gulp… Is this how I'm fated to die? 7000 ft Time itself slows down.  I'd read that a crash in the waters had a similar impact of that of the ones on concrete…. I’d read it takes 170 seconds for a plane to plummet to its doom from 30000ft. 5000 ft Inside, there is a crunch of glass, s...

SASS IN THE CITY The masks that she wears, her face that emotes like a marionette were desperate measures to fit into a world which doles out cookie-cutter shapes and commands her to conduct herself. She's always on a tight leash.  When she led from the front, they called her domineering. When she zipped her lips, they called her a snob! When she laughed, she was labelled raucous, when she spoke her mind, they called her violent. Strong words, yes? Violent?…Huh! When she was aloof, they walked all over her, when she rose to the fore and showed them their place, they said she had 'flaw in character' or a 'lack of it!' Strong words again or maybe they 'lack knowledge of the English vocabulary'! She lived in a world where cliques, clouts and nepotism were rife. If you didn't fit in or fit in right, consider yourself as thrown to the wolves as black as the night. Keyboard cowards don't intimidate her. People-pleaser she wasn...

WHAT A SPREAD Running a cafe was no cakewalk… Breakfast had to be huge! A meal fit for a king. The coffee was brewing. The bitter rich aroma wafting in the kitchen set the tone for the day of  zip n' pep. The butter knife glinted in the early morning golden sheen which filtered through the east facing window. Four cranberry wholemeal buns were set to toast in the oven. The pan on the stove was broiling with scrambled eggs lightly salted and garnished with freshly ground pepper.  With that checked, next in line were pancakes. The batter was whisked briskly to make it smooth and fluffy. Blueberries! Halved, and a smattering of these blue beauties on top of it gave it the right tang and zest. The griddle was searing hot and it sizzled as the pancakes were cooked to a golden brown. A plateful of them heaped and drizzled with maple syrup would be the perfect centrepiece. The day was hot and humid. Sweltering in the tiny kitchen was inevitable. The customers would be pour...

NUMERO UNO The dull ache is a constant throb at the back of my head. My vision is blurry and the light hurts my eyes. What just happened?! Did the roof cave in or was it an earthquake? With great effort, I manage to open my eyes a little. Some people are sprawled on the floor, some in black and masked faces are wielding guns and moving menacingly. I must have been walloped on the head.  The wave of nausea is overpowering and the world is swimming. The voices seem to float through a thick shroud—" NO TIME TO LOSE!" I'm just on the verge of blacking out when I see a girl lying a few inches away from me. Bloodied face, broken nose but her designer gown and jewels are recognisable anywhere.  Kimaya, the superstar…unmistakably dead!! Whimpers of panic ensue from people sprawled face down on the floor. Has anyone called the police or an ambulance?  Through a hazy vision I see Kimaya being changed into quite a dowdy dress. Just as another wave of d...

                TO...FRO... CAN'T LET GO... The gray mists of my memory part to that high summer August day when I'd left the classroom to stop by the water cooler. My eyes had wandered to the school playground and the swings. I never got a chance to play, with the roughshod kids making their way there first. Jerome, the school bully beat everyone to it and hogged it for the entire recess. Now was my chance to take a swing or two.   Mid-afternoon hunger pangs were gnawing at me and I'd longingly looked at the school garden. The wired fences were entwined with Strawberries, BlackBerries... Raspberries! I thought I could do with a bite of those. The tangy juice and wholesome bites of the fruits refreshed me. Lost in a reverie, I had pushed the garden gate and ventured inside.  Corn cobs! My favorite snack!  As soon as I pulled a ear, I heard hysterical screaming and another one hollering instructions. The voice was unfamiliar an...

                DANCE AWAY THE BLUES She speaks in the language of emotions which needs no words. It's only when she flows in dance that her body truly knows how to speak. Being verbally inadequate as a child, she had found an immense outlet to express herself as an ice-skater. "Cassidy! There you are! " I went up to her and even as my heart pounded like a million hammers, I handed her a note.  Did I catch a slight hint of a blush or was it her make-up? She looked like a fairytale! Her satiny ice-blue sequined leotards hugged her svelte form like a second skin. "Read it after the event", I flashed a toothy grin and took my place in the front row. The audience was crackling with excitement. She took her place in the middle of the rink with her partner and as soon as the haunting music began she glided on the floor like a feather. Her dizzying pirouettes, every pose and arch of her back held me mesmerized. She was going for the gold!  Lik...