Help! - Part One

Lena stormed out banging the door shut behind her.  Tears streaming down her cheeks, mingled with the salty air and whirled away into oblivion.  A strand from her disheveled hair swayed with the wild wind, veiling her eyes.  Her footsteps on the soft, slick sand quickly erased behind her by the efficient waves as they surged, nudged by the stronger gusts.

Lena marched on, blinded by her strand and determined to reach the far end of the beach to climb up the cluster of rocks and face the angry waves head on.  She gave no mind to the changes around her as she struggled to take control of the tempest within her.  Her anger had been justified, she kept telling herself.  He had no right to decide what she could not wear.  It was her body and she could choose how much or how little to wear.    She forged ahead brushing off white-tipped waves and clingy sand.  Light diminished and sparkles from the water disappeared as storm clouds began to roll in to cast a dark shadow over the island.

Placing one step after another, her feet dug into the wet sand, while the edges of her long skirt dripped from its close encounter with the constantly moving water.  Reaching the edge of the beach, she skipped over the gravely portion by placing her bare feet one big toe after the other until finally hopping onto the first big boulder of a cluster.  She leaped between rocks, skirted slippery moss, dodged the raging waves as they crashed and sprayed as if determined to soak her.  She climbed head on, challenging the seas, the rumbling sky, and the mighty rocks until a misstep, or perhaps it was not.  A piercing shriek evaporated in the ocean’s rage and thundering anger of the sky.

Sitting down on a solid rock, Lena held her left foot in her hand.  A sharp, rusty object partially stared at her, its other half inside her foot.  She screamed, unmindful of the ominous grayness around her that was gradually fusing into darkness.  Digging deep within her she found a morsel of strength and used it to pull the offending object out of her foot.  Her previous emotions forgotten, her differences with her man suddenly becoming insignificant, she slid back to the beach, rock by rock.  Hobbling on one foot she started her trek home.  Less than half-way up, her legs submitted to the wet sand as she crawled her way up the beach while the storm drew closer above and around her.  Flashes of lightening signaled her to move along, to rush home before the hungry waves start to gnaw at her and the vast ocean consumes her.  She dragged her injured foot, her trail of blood washed away by the over-efficient waves.

 

To be continued…

Reflection

Reflection of a wholesome smile

disappears in ripples

as a full moon sways with the waves

 

expansive blueness of the sky

blends with the corals

as the vibrant sun ignites the surface

 

reflection of sparkling water

acts as a giant, velvet blanket

covered in diamonds

 

until dark clouds cast shapeless shadows

to shroud all beauty into oblivion

 

 

Arrangement - Conclusion

On the second meeting, they sat in the back of his parents’ Nissan as it drove through the bazaars, over the highways, out into the open countryside.  It stopped in front of a resort where they walked side by side on the manicured grounds.  Unaware of their surroundings, absorbed in conversation they ventured into a gated area with a small opening on its side.  Neither noticed the large sign warning everyone to keep out.  Climbing a short incline to the top of a grassy hill, they found themselves looking down to a magnificent view of the city below.  Arun suggested they sit for a while to admire the scene below and the girl happily complied as a slight blush began to appear on her delicate face.

Within a few moments of sitting there, they heard a commotion.  A few men came running towards them and demanded they leave immediately.  Confused, the two stood up and asked what was going on.  The men appeared frazzled and hurriedly herded them out of the gate and pointed the big sign.  They apologized for their mistake and assured them that they did no damage to the grounds, just sat to admire the beautiful view.  The men laughed and told them the reason for the enclosure.  Apparently, Arun had taken his new friend inside a tiger sanctuary and was so embarrassed and afraid that she might turn him down, since he was beginning to really like her.

Thankfully, the girl’s sense of humor exceeded his and her serene composure reassured him of his choice.  That evening he confirmed his feelings to his parents after talking it over with the girl.  It did not take long for the parents to get the formalities together, make the match official and set a wedding date.

While the days crawled for the official tying of the knot, Arun and his fiancé met every day. They went to the embassy for visa, to the market to shop, for long walks in the parks, making sure to see signs of no entry.

Couple of days before their wedding, as they walked along the shores on a sandy beach, he asked her what her favorite time of the day was.  Without hesitation she said morning.  He smiled and looking at her he told her that he felt the same - the sunrise so beautiful and the air clean and fresh and how he loved to see the world wake up before his eyes to a new day.  She shook her head and told him that her reason was more personal.  She loves to start her day with her full yoga routine and that’s what rejuvenates her day, her mind, her body, and her soul.  It’s not just a waking up but an awakening.

Arun smiled and proceeded to tell her about the yoga girl he used to see in the park below his parents’ apartment every morning. He stopped having his tea in the balcony so hadn’t seen her in a while, but yes he truly admired how disciplined she was.  Seeing her expression change he asked what the matter was and she asked, “You watched me?”

“That girl was you?” He cried and then went on to exclaim about the earring, “Of course!”  Apparently, his park was the closest to her home even it meant a 20 minute drive every morning.  They continued their walk, each realizing that this was meant to be, their meeting, his finding her earring and then the arrangement.  Neither knew who reached out first but their hands touched before their fingers involuntarily entwined.  Waves from the ocean rolled in to wash their feet as they walked hand in hand on the beach, two silhouettes against the backdrop of the setting sun.

The end

Arrangement - Part Five

Several days flew with one rendezvous after another appointment, with one hope after another disappointment.  Some girls he met twice, only to be disillusioned with either them or himself.  The lunches and dinners began to weigh him down and he woke early every morning with gloom.  The sun continued to rise at its scheduled hour, the woman in the garden showed up like clockwork saluting the sun on her mat, the vendors crowded under the tree in preparation for a day’s sales.

One morning, Arun decided to skip his second cup of tea with his parents and went down for a walk.  He walked outside the garden on a muddy path, his head bent low as he watched the ground ahead of him before taking each step.  Outside the main entrance to the park, right by the tiny, swinging gate, he spotted a shiny object, partially submerged in a pile of mud.  He picked it up, polished off the dirt and admired an exquisite and a unique piece of jewelry.  It had tiny diamond studs around an amber star with one corner broken off.  He looked around and spotted children in uniforms skipping their way to school and a group of elderly men walking slowly inside the park.  Arun decided to put the little treasure in his pocket.

That evening, for dinner, he met his last appointment from the girls he had shortlisted from the binder.  They met in a café style restaurant with self-service that offered a variety of eastern and western food choices.  As Arun followed the girl towards an empty table in the corner while they balanced their trays, he admired her long, dark hair flowing down to her waist.  They made themselves comfortable across from each other and the girl timidly ran a finger to guide her hair behind her right ear.

A sparkle attracted Arun’s attention and he almost dropped his tray.  The star, unique as the one on his table at home, hung from his dinner companion’s ear. Few seconds of awkward pause later, he asked her about her earring.  She looked at him quizzically, but simply said that she’d had them for years.  Her hand went up to reveal her other ear and Arun noticed two stars in the second one of the pair.  He pointed out to her about the missing piece in the first one and observed her face change at the realization of her loss.   Visibly distressed, she blurted calmly how special these earrings were to her, a parting gift from her grandmother, a good luck charm, how her mother will never forgive her for being so careless.  Arun watched her and admired her button nose, flushed cheeks, round eyes while she struggled with her controlled anguish.  Noticing his amusement, she recollected herself and apologized for her conduct. 

Arun smiled and told her that he had the missing piece.  Relieved, she put her hand out to him to claim his find.  He shook his head and told her that it was sitting at his home and she looked at him, confused.  He related to her the events of the morning when he had found the piece outside the park and declared, “Looks like the stars are finding their way home...”

to be continued...

Arrangement - Part Four

After a quick nap in the back of the car as the driver headed home to pick up his parents, Arun went to his teatime appointment.  They drove through narrow streets skirting playing children, braking for stray puppies or dodging lounging cows idly chewing cud.  Arriving at the main gate, Arun and his parents were welcomed by a contingent of an extended family.  In a tightly packed living room, Arun sat next to his parents on a rattan sofa with floral cushions.  Fritters and samosas crowded the center table dotted with tea cups along the edges filled to the rim with sweet, creamy tea.

Conversations spilled over and around them as Arun and the “girl” sat quietly at great distance from each other, while all Arun could think of was his lunch making its way back up his throat.  He fought off many attempts by their hosts to feed him the fried food, giving in by nibbling on one fritter over the length of the stay.  His parents, though immersed in conversation with the family, felt his discomfort.  Feigning jetlag on their son’s behalf, they excused an early departure.

By the dinner date, thankfully his lunch had time to digest and he felt a little hopeful.  He accompanied his parents to another neighborhood with narrow streets but not as crowded.  A couple, his parent’s age, invited them in and called their daughter to serve the soft drinks with some munchies. After a few polite conversations, her parents offered his parents to show them their garden, leaving Arun and the girl alone.  After a few awkward silences and questions, they talked about their careers.  She showed great interest in his goals and talked of her experience in the IT field.  They conversed at length of the future of the IT industry in America and India and did not even notice when the parents came in.  Throughout and after a simple dinner of daal lentils, mixed vegetables, and panir cheese cutlets, the two continued their conversation like old friends.  Arun savored the rice pudding to complete a perfect meal and to bring a closure to a very interesting day.

On the drive home his parents turned to him and smiled, their eyes twinkling.  He looked back at them questioningly.  They excitedly wanted to know all about his feelings and analysis and thoughts about the girl he was completely engaged with all evening in deep conversation.  He shook his head and raised up his palms before spilling the disappointing beans on them.  He had truly enjoyed talking to this girl and had a wonderful time at their place, but that was it.  He can see her as a good friend, but beyond that, there just was no spark.

to be continued....

Arrangement - Part Three

A party of swallows perched on the balcony railing created such a racket that Arun sat up on his bed before quite waking up.  He rubbed his eyes and scratched through his ruffled hair before jumping off the bed.  He had a hectic day ahead of him with three appointments spread throughout time and space.  He could already see himself sitting in the backseat of his parents’ Nissan, the driver honking his way through one traffic jam after another.

The first meeting was over lunch in a Mughlai restaurant in the heart of the city.  He walked into a darkened restaurant with soft candle lights throwing flickering shadows onto the miniature artwork on the walls.  Scanning the room with squinted eyes, he matched a face from his portfolio sitting under a miniature painting of Jodha bai, the beautiful wife of Akbar, the great Mughal king.  The girl, a complete contrast to the miniature painting, sat with a straight back, her elbows casually resting on the table as her thumb scrolled on the miniature screen of her smart phone.  Her smartly tailored business suit boasted stiff, square shoulders as its dark gray camouflaged in the dimly lit restaurant.  Arun approached her table, and she looked up with sharp eyes through her dark rimmed, trendy glasses.

Obligatory introductions completed, they stumbled through the awkward questions they already knew answers to through their respective resumes.  As aromatic smoke of their sizzling kababs tingled their noses and brought water their eyes, their conversation had turned into dreams and aspiration.  Arun had become quite charmed with this young, well-spoken, direct girl and was eager to get to know her more.  He began to become secretly ecstatic about cancelling all the other “appointments”.

The girl further impressed him by passionately talking about her career goals, her ambitions, further delving into her need to be part of Corporate America.  As a woman she claimed her career aspirations were stunted even as part of a multi-national corporation, and she needed to be in the West.  Arun listened, nodding at intervals as slowly his smile began to curve into a frown as he realized that she was not looking for a husband, just a vehicle to fulfill her ambition.  She didn’t seem to care about him or his dreams, only his place of residence.

They skipped dessert as she had to rush back to a very important meeting.  Shaking a very professional handshake, they parted ways with a quick, “will be in touch.”

 

to be continued...

Arrangement - Part Two

After breakfast dishes were cleared away, Arun’s mother brought out a binder and sat next to him on the living room sofa.  He flipped open the cover and a wide eyed young girl stared back at him.  The girl’s eyeballs seemed to pop out of the picture and he turned the page over.  A sweet looking girl with a rather large beauty spot on her upper lip greeted him.  He observed this picture a while, and leafed the sheet over and over and over for several pages.  Before reaching the end of the binder, he had narrowed down about ten girls based on just their looks.

After lunch, as his parents took in their afternoon siesta, Arun scanned through the resumes of the selected girls.  He narrowed down his choices to seven girls and later as they drank the evening tea, he handed the chosen names to his parents.  This proved to be too many since his time was very limited, so his parents got to work, making appointments.

Some families were comfortable letting their daughters meet the stranger alone, in a coffee shop or restaurant, others insisted having Arun and his parents over for dinner or tea.  Before the day was over, Arun’s calendar filled up for the rest of the week, with lunch or dinner or evening tea, and one even insisted on meeting for breakfast at a newly opened crepes and omelet place.

As his eyelids became heavier before dinner was served, Arun also was aware of the slight flutter in his heart.  He couldn’t quite discern whether it was excitement or anxiety or just plain fatigue from the 24 hour long journey.  His sleep was deep at first, gradually forging into restlessness as images of dark eyes, black beauty spots, round high cheeks, a shy sly smile flew around him as if tiny robotic birds, fluttering their little wings, and buzzing up and over his head.  He woke with a start, beads of sweat settling on his forehead like little jewels.  Re-orienting himself and remembering the yoga woman from the park, he began to take steady breaths as he inhaled deeply and exhaled completely.  Calmed down enough he slowly reclined back and eventually fell into a deep, peaceful slumber.

to be continued...

Arrangement - Part One

Arun inhaled the cool, delicious air as he watched the sun slowly rise above the haze.  Standing on the balcony, the smell of cardamom teased his nose from the sweet creamy tea in his hand.  He took a sip and leaned over to observe the city three stories below as it slowly woke up.  In the community park he watched a middle-aged woman walk to a quiet corner with a rolled mat tucked under her arm.  She unrolled her mat and began her suriya namaskar gently flowing into various other aasans.  Outside the park, Arun watched a man balance multiple large containers on either side of his rickety old bicycle as he made his rounds in the neighborhood delivering milk.  A crow perched on a branch of an ancient tree nearby cawed out in its shrill call, drawing Arun’s attention to the vendors setting up their stalls under it or spraying water on the vegetables ready to be hawked to doorsteps of all the houses.  He sipped his tea and reveled in the feeling of being home again.


He remembered the comforting feeling he got just the night before when he walked out of customs at the airport into the open air to his waiting parents.  A blast of warm air greeted him even in the wee hours when it is neither night nor day.  The stench of car fumes and blasting horns hit him like a slap but then settled into his being as sounds of comforting familiarity.  He saw his parents in the midst of the waiting crowd looking tired and much older than he last saw them several years ago.  A rush of guilt engulfed him for not having visited more often, but looking into their warm, forgiving eyes he melted into their embrace.

Having caught three good hours of sleep, he was up before the city and enjoyed these tranquil moments as he watched the day unfold.  When his parents woke, he enjoyed a second cup with them, sitting comfortably on their large bed as he had always done, dipping Marie biscuits in his tea before each bite.  They spoke of plans for the two weeks he was to be with them, the list they had prepared, even pictures and resumes they wanted him to peruse.  He nodded uncertainly thinking of the gentleness of the woman in the park, her flowing movement from one pose to another.  He hoped his transition would be just as smooth and effortless.

TO BE CONTINUED.....

Stillness in Motion

She moves in chaotic circles

swirling on its tip,

she swirls in constant chaos

whirling by its lip;

The tip, the lip

stay still

She lives in medley of colors

spiraling along the edge,

she spirals in continuous medley

gyrating by its wedge;

the edge, the wedge

sojourn

She breathes in rolling waves

rising high before a fall,

she rises in flowing breath

tranquil as it stalls;

the fall, the stall

total recall

 

She loves with copious joy

huddling within her folds,

she huddles and copes

shuffling for strong hold;

the fold, the hold

lovingly bold

 

         Her moves are erratic

                               love enigmatic

                                               her flow is emphatic 

                                                            core completely static.

credits: beautiful paintings by my lovely friend, Ayesha Wazirzada

Olive Branch - Conclusion

A vibrant yellow bird flew to their tree, perched on a branch not far from them, and proceeded to launch into an aria.  Roma and her guide watched and listened and ate the large green and sweet fruit, until he finally introduced himself.  Lost in all the beauty around them and reveling in each other’s company, they had forgotten the obligatory introductions.

As they exchanged names, a scene from their past flashed in front of their eyes and they lit up with delight simultaneously.  Roma rushed to tell him of the last time she climbed up a tree was with him 10 long years ago, his disappearance having left a void in her adventure seeking years.  She gushed to update him on the developments at the orchard and the people he knew there.  Most of all she told him about her lonely childhood, how there was never anyone like him she enjoyed climbing or discovering new paths with.

Gino listened with admiration, his gleaming eyes freshly observing her beauty.  He looked at her soft dark hair pulled back into a tight knot, the familiar big brown eyes with curving lashes, and her pointy chin that formed the tip of her heart-shaped face.  Her lips kept moving without a chance for him to cut in, but he didn’t mind.  The sound of her voice was as musical to him as the chirping of the yellow bird on the nearby branch.

Her moving lips finally asked the dreaded question and he looked away.  The yellow bird flew away to branches afar, disappearing from their view.  She gave him a gentle nudge and they felt the branch beneath them shake as their upper arms touched.    He looked back into her eyes and told them what his father had shared.  There had been a feud, generations ago which their own fathers had forgiven and forgotten, until that eventful day.  Nobody in his family would tell him the details, something involving his mother and Roma’s father and their long-term friendship and jealousy and rage.
Roma’s eyes widened with each word having been completely oblivious to this version of the story.  She had overheard the grandmothers and aunts drop in words like “loose woman”, “distrustful family”, and other such slander.  She never understood what they meant or to whom they referred, but only knew that these words were connected to her friend’s disappearance. 

Her hand reached out at the same time as his, and they met mid-way.  They squeezed and smiled swimming into each other’s eyes until he sighed deeply and withdrew to his side.  She discreetly reached to one end of her branch and broke off a leafy twig branching out.  She offered it to Gino and said, “It’s the wrong tree, but represents a branch from my father’s orchard and I offer this to you on behalf of my family.”

The end

Olive Branch - Part Three

She felt a nudge, then a push and before realizing what happened, she was in his arms.  Pulling away back on her feet, she put some distance between them and turned around.  She stared into the big brown eyes of a chestnut thoroughbred as he nuzzled his nose close to her face.  She smiled and patted him gently, momentarily forgetting the man behind him, so when he spoke, not far from her ear in a deep voice, she jumped, almost falling back in his arms.

As they patted the beautiful gelding on either side of his neck, Roma learned that the mystery man owned a fleet of horses and ran a business giving trail rides to tourists.  His chestnut was named Aldo, after his father who started the business years ago, but didn’t survive to see it flourish.  His ranch was less than a mile away from her relative’s cottage and he knew them well.
As they walked together with his horse trotting obediently beside him, Roma had the urge to go on a trail ride.  They walked back to his ranch and he saddled up a black Pinto for her.  She leaned on his shoulder as he helped her climb up onto the filly and she tightly held on to the reins.  As she tried to direct her ride towards the trail, Lia bent down and began to graze instead.  Roma kicked, nudged, pulled on the reins to pull its head up, made clicking sounds, but nothing worked.  Her new friend, mounted on his gelding now rode up next to her and gave a gentle smack to her hungry horse on its hind and it obeyed.  They rode side by side as the trails were wide heading towards an open field that smiled with brilliant colors.

Roma spotted purple, yellow, and red wild flowers carpeting the open scape and wanted to roll in the midst of such beauty.  The air carried its perfumes to her nostrils mingled with earthy aroma of her companion.  They rode in silence listening to the buzz of nature around them, the soft padding of their horses’ steps, the sound of their breath, and rustle of the discarded foliage beneath them on their trail, which led them out of the open field into the woods lush with greenery.

The trees around them grew upward and sideway and diagonally with many climbing branches.  Tempted, she pulled on her reins and before her filly halted completely, Roma swung her leg over and jumped down with a thud.  She heard her friend jump off his horse behind her as she made her way towards a particularly intricately branched tree and proceeded to get to the top, one branch at a time.

He followed close behind and soon they found each other sitting side by side on a branch, their feet swinging high above the ground.  He reached out towards a bunch of leaves on the edge of the branch and plucked a green fruit to offer her.  She rubbed it on her sleeve and bit a big meaty chunk off, relishing in the sweet, tropical flavor, and chomping into the tiny seeds.  Her companion plucked one for himself as well and began to sink his teeth into the fruit in his hand.  They both sat together enjoying the sweetness and serenity, as their legs dangled 15 feet above the ground.

to be continued.....

Olive Branch - Part Two

Harvest seasons came and went many times over but Roma’s eyes never stopped searching.  Wandering aimlessly in the vast orchard, she ignored the ripe fruits overhead having lost her desire to climb trees.  Puberty hit her unannounced and over the years her blossomed beauty became the talk of the town.  Days became longer as she felt smothered by her family’s attentions and missed the one person she could seek adventures with.  When her parents surprised her for her 18^th birthday with tickets to spend a summer with relatives half way across the globe, she jumped with delight.

On the eve of her departure, Roma rummaged about in her room fidgety with excitement.  Carefully sifting through her closet, she selected two pairs of jeans, flip flops, walking shoes, several shorts and t-shirts ready to cover new grounds in the unknown terrain.  As an after-thought she reached into the back and pulled out her floral summer dress with matching sandals and stuffed it in a corner of her duffle bag under the clothes she had already packed next to her swimsuit.

Thirty thousand feet above the ground, she didn’t understand why the people around her complained of the length of the journey.  From the time the plane took off and reached above the clouds to the time it landed, Roma’s eyes remained glued to the tiny window.  She spotted shapes in the puffy white clouds as she had done from the earth below, but instead of looking at a vast blue sky through the patches of openings, from the plane she saw a gleaming ocean.  As the magical sunset dropped its rays onto the water below, it sparkled just like her mother’s diamonds.  Her perspective began to change as she tried to imagine looking down over her house, the orchard, their land down below instead of always from within.  Her thoughts travelled to her tree climbing days when she saw things differently, played with the help, ran around in dirt smudged clothes.  Suddenly, she missed those days and thought of Gino and wondered for the thousandth time what had become of him.

No one seemed to know where his family disappeared to after that one frightful afternoon and she had no leads even if she wanted to find her friend.  With unanswered questions, she decided for now to revel in the sweet memories, tucked away in a quiet corner of her heart.

Watching the sparkle of lights from the city below as if in a magical welcome, Roma felt excitement rise as her plane descended.  Her aunt and uncle met her outside the bustling airport and she fell into their embrace.  Speeding down the highway in their convertible, she felt the ocean air kiss her cheeks, lace through her dark hair swaying them over and around, and sending liberating vibrations down her whole body.  Ancient dark rocks with sprouts of grass or short trees lined the roads as if modern constraints did not exist in this warm land surrounded by water.  The car turned towards a steep decline as they made their way into a valley.  Lush greenery greeted them where she spotted horses unbound to any owner running wild or grazing as they pleased.  With a glowing smile she entered her relative’s cottage in the middle of their farmland.

Her mornings in the valley started before the sun with a walk covered under the blanket of mist.  She ventured deeper into the vale, observed the wild horses up close, followed unused trails, and picked wild flowers to bring them back to the cottage.  Other days she climbed up the hill and watched the sun slowly make its ascent before she made her descent in time for breakfast.  On these excursions, she spotted farmers who gave her polite nods or greeted her as they made their way to the fields.  She smiled back and occasionally stopped to converse with them to feed her curiosity about the lands around them, or about a fruit she had picked but was unsure if it was edible.

A week into her vacation, on one of her morning excursions she met a handsome young farmer.  At first, she stood frozen in place unsure of why his eyes held her there.  Then their legs, of their own accord, moved towards each other until only three feet lay between them.

to be continued......