Fudge & Brownie !!

This is a story my little one came up with in our girls only time..


Far far away in Guineaville, there lived 2 little guinea pigs with their parents the Cookies. Fudge and Brownie were twins and looked alike.. They we so alike that even their parents had a hard time telling them apart. They had brown fur with little white spots on their back. They also had a little pink heart in their ear. Fudge and Brownie attended  The cabbage patch elementary school. They were in Mr.Whisker’s third grade class room. Fudge and Brownie were the most naughtiest  guinea pigs in class. They visited the principals office more than any other guinea pig in school.

One Sunny Saturday, Mrs.Cookie, planned on taking the boys to the park to play. She packed a picnic basket and off the went saying bye to their father. In the park they saw a few friends and said hello.. The started playing on the swing and then took turns coming down the slide.Seeing a few classmates Fudge and Brownie stopped to talk to them. Before they knew it, Mrs.Cookie called them for Lunch.
In the picnic basket, they had sandwich of carrots, cabbage and broccoli.. They had a cold chocolate milk to go with it. The dessert was chocolate cake with hot caramel sauce on it.. Their tummy full, off they went to play again. Mrs.Cookie was busy talking to Mrs.Butterworth..

Fudge and Brownie were near the sand box, daring each other to jump into the box. Brownie went first.. He did a huge jump and landed in the middle on the sand box. Next it was Fudge’s turn and he took a big leap and jumped into the sand box. Fudge being a little chubbier sent sand splattering all over the place and on brownie as well.. They  found it so funny that they were laughing out loud.. Mrs.Cookie went to see what the noise was all about.. Looking at one of her son’s covered in sand, she was shocked and asked , ’fudge, why r u covered in mud?? Fudged looked at her and said, no mama, I am not.. she looked at the other twin, brownie is that you? She was having a  hard time telling who was who.. Finally knowing it was brownie who looked like a little sand monster, she pulled them both out of the sand box by their pink little ears...
Mrs.Cookie was not happy.. She cleaned Brownie as much as she could and took the boys home. On the way she was giving them a big lecture. Unfortunately the fun for Brownie and Fudge came to an end.. The chubby little naughty guniea pigs were grounded for the rest of the weekend..

The End.

A Piece of Home !!!

  

It was a bright sunny day.. I woke up with a smile, refreshed from my 7 hours of sleep.. But the not so refreshing thought followed pretty soon ..It was only Tuesday..like a kid I spread my fingers and counted the days..Wednesday, Thursday and Friday..Oh no..3 more days for the weekend..(I lived for the weekends, u see..) It is just 3 more days G, I consoled myself and went through my morning rituals before getting to work .. 

After an hour of hectic number crunching, my outlook announced I had a new email.. As much as i wanted to take a peek, I left the email unattended for a few more minutes concentrating on the work at hand..Finally the crunching done and taking a quick peek at the email, I jumped up and ran to the kitchen..I never knew I could run so fast..I had to, after all the email was 30 mins old already and I would be lucky if there was anything left.. The email was from my colleague MM.. homemade chocolate cake in the kitchen, it said..i knew what that meant..DB (his wife) had baked the cake..

 DB is one of the best cooks I’ve known..All of her dishes are sprinkled with something more than just love and passion..a little magic i called 'the touch of home'.... The tastes, smell, sight and flavors always bought back a piece of home and that to me was special, since i lived continents away from home.. Take the chocolate cake for instance..One bite and I traveled back in time to my childhood and the fond memories of mom’s famous chocolate cake..  

In the warm and homely kitchen, mom baked cakes when we came home from school..She started from scratch and all the kneading and mixing was done by hand..Like eager beavers my brother and myself used to wait on our tippy toes to help mom with the eggs and milk..Stepping on broken egg shells and slipping on spilt milk..It was always an adventure..’Throw the blame on your sibling’ game we used to play and the little tantrums we threw, deciding who gets to lick the spoon and who gets the bowl..The number of visits to the kitchen to look at the baking cake and the running commentaries that followed.. The relentless questioning ‘ is the cake ready yet..huh mom..is it..is it?'
Thinking about it now, mom must have been a saint, for she patiently answered the same question a zillion times..  Finally the much awaited cake is ready..The heavenly aroma fills the house..My brother liked the cake with icing but no sprinkles and I liked it with icing and sprinkles..After a few more tantrums, buckets of  crocodile tears and hours of  negotiations, we reached a compromise..Oh..the bliss of parenting..Half cake with sprinkles and half without..Mom must have been very good at geometry.. for her measuring and sprinkling skills were flawless..Even myself the tantrum queen (according to my bro) had nothing to complain about..and then comes the yummy part..The first bite.. It is always the best..

Now back to the present, I’m much older and far away from home..But taking a bite into DB’s cake that tuesday morning, I was transported to the very minute when as a little girl I took my first bite off mom’s chocolate cake.. I had a few smudges of icing on my nose and face, just as I had 23 years earlier..but dint bother to wipe it off, for i was the little girl once again and was home with my brother, mom and her wonderful chocolate cake..Just like my precious memories of home, I savored the very last crumb of  DB's cake with the biggest, goofiest smile on my face..

Unlike before the thought of 3 more days for the weekend, did not make a difference, for the memories of home were fresh in my mind and that was enough to cheer me up for days to come..

Thank you MM and DB.. for saving my just another Tuesday and giving me a piece of Home !!

ME Time..

       
Me Time...It is my time..Getting wrapped up in my own thoughts and doing things that i like is what it is all about.. I dont have to play pretend or behave ..There is no place for sorrow or tears.. No one to judge or to be judged.. A safe haven when the world is a little too much to handle.. A place to rejuvenate and relax .. I find myself smiling more than once..i am at peace with myself.. There are no expectation or do’s and don’ts.. Life's little booboos, i heal them in my ME Time..

Not everyone likes spending time alone or the absolute silence that goes with it..It is an acquired taste..i love the silence and the alone time..The peace and quite.. There are a few things that goes well with the silence that i crave.. Like writing for instance..While writing, i step into a different zone..the undiscovered areas of my life..
Long solo walks while listening to music.. Thoughts of loved ones and unforgettable memories.. Mulling over my little secrets and the smiles that follow.. For my eyes only, pencil sketches..long letters to sanity.. Sharing  the patio with  mother nature.. Books.. And more books..the very long drive to work and my friday evenings with music, candles and a warm bubbly bath..

In my always hectic and crazy days,the Me Times are my silver lining..the little treats of life..i never miss a chance to dive into one no matter when or where...It is a whole different level of imagination and an exit from reality and my usual mundane self..

I believe the human mind is so vast and has so many different levels, it is capable of a lot more things than what we think possible. There is still so much more to discover about our own selves …Since i am a strong believer of this theory, I am always thrilled to meet a different part of myself in every one of my ME Time sessions..Maybe that is what I love about the whole thing..The process of rediscovering myself ..
After all, if i don’t take the time to get to know myself, Who will?

A Haunting !!

        

The land is almost barren and the climate is gloomy and dull..Grey wet rocks are all there is to see..Droopy vines and weeds with no flowers or colors adorn the place..This abandoned world, never been kissed by the sun or its rays, is dark forever..Among this god forsaken place is its only inhabitant..A child of 5..Her once pretty white dress is soiled and dingy. Her once upon a time silky hair is now knotted and dirty.. Her expression is bleak..There is no hope for me says her eyes..If at all she knew how to smile before, she must have forgotten it now, for her mouth is turned down in a permanent frown. Little cuts and scratches on her smooth skin goes unattended.. She stares with hollow eyes and raises her little arm whispering, ‘Help me.. please’..

For the second time that week Mindy woke up shivering and shaking at 2am in the morning.. For the Zillionth time she asks herself..’Who are you little one? Why are you in that horrible place? How can I help you? ‘..But she doesn’t have answers..How many times had she tried to force herself back to sleep just to find out more about the child.. How many times had she stayed awake afraid to go to sleep, fearing the helpless child..All the theories she had come up with for the dream, went nowhere..Nothing made sense..Finally she had learned to live with the little girl..Her own dream companion..Mindy never spoke about the little girl to anyone..It seemed like a breach of privacy doing so..

1 year of dreaming about the child, and I wonder how many more are to come, she sighs getting out of bed..Trying to sleep after the vivid dream would be useless..In her small 2 bed room apartment that she calls home, Mindy puts the kettle for tea..Ginger her golden retriever is awake and is following her every move ..Ginger always knew when she was disturbed..She walks up to Mindy and lays on her feet for a belly rub.. Ginger likes belly rubs and Mindy finds comfort giving those rubs..Treating the dog to her favorite biscuit, she savors her cup of Green tea, hoping it would relax her tense, taunt muscles..

It is 7Am shrieks the alarm clock..Time to hustle and bustle for work..Working as a junior accountant in a posh firm, Mindy cannot afford to be late.. Sitting in the train she cannot get the little girl out of her mind..But all that is put away as soon as she enters her office..The next 9 hours are hectic and mind numbingly busy..By the time the clock hits 8 in the evening, she is tired to the bone..Leaving work she hopes very badly for a dreamless, restful  night..Back in the train and on her 1 hour journey back home, her mind wanders back to the little girl..The dream yesterday was more vivid..She could see the pain and fear in the child’s eyes more clearly this time..The busy day taking a toll on her, she closes her eyes for a short nap. Soon a soft sob wakes her up..She looks around to see where the whimpering was coming from..A seat away from her is a little boy of 6 or 7 with honey blond hair and hazel eyes crying softly..Mindy looks around to see if the child was with a parent or guardian. None being spotted, she looks for the ticket master..The ticket master is nowhere in sight either..The train is almost empty now, and with 30 more minutes for her station to arrive, she walks to the crying child..She manages to sooth the child..His name he says is Kevin..and in the overly crowed station he had missed his mother, but knew that she will be on this train, so had climbed on any available compartment..Mindy’s heart went out to the poor child, as he cuddled with her for comfort and warmth..For a 7 year old, Kevin is smart..He knows the station his mom get off everyday, for he has been traveling with her since he was a toddler..Unfortunately for Mindy it was 4 stops future away from hers ..


As Mindy’s station arrived, finally she finds the ticket master and speaks to him about Kevin..The master being a kindly man, agreed to take care of Kevin and makes sure he find his mother..When Mindy went back to Kevin with the news, his face fell..His eyes filled with tears and his lips trembled in fear..He dint want Mindy to leave..In a very soft voice Mindy explained to him about Ginger and that she would be waiting for her ..Wiping away tears, Kevin put up a brave face and says he would stay with the ticket master, until they find his mom..

With a heavy heart, Mindy got down in her station and waved to Kevin..Eyes brimming with tears Kevin waved back..Making a quick decision, Mindy boarded the train and went back to Kevin, and together they traveled to  Kevin’s station, where his anxious mother waited..Giving Mindy a hug, Kevin ran to his mother and into her arms..The very grateful mother, thanked Mindy more than once, before going home..

The time was 10pm and with no more trains available, Mindy had to take a cab, which she could not afford..But it was fine, for the look on Kevin’s face when she rushed back to him and stayed for the rest of the journey was worth every penny ..Dead tired and worried about Ginger, she rushes to her little apartment to feed and comfort her friend..Dinner being done and safely tucked into her bed, she falls asleep almost immediately...

Her dream companion is back that night..but this time her dream is a little different..Just when the child hold out her hand and asks for help, rather than waking up in a cold sweat, Mindy finds herself reaching out for the child’s hand and holding it tight..Even though the reason for the little one's haunting is still a mystery, at least now Mindy knows what to do..She talks to the child, ‘ it is okay sweetie..your are no longer alone, I am here to help and whenever you are ready to leave there is a bright beautiful, happy world waiting for you..you don't have to be stuck in this world..’..The last thing Mindy remembers before waking up is the lovely smile on the little girls face ..With a dazzling smile of her own, Mindy goes through her very hectic day happily knowing that she had helped the child..There will be no more Haunting..

The Unwelcome Companion..

        

May I come in? She asked.. hesitation written all over her pretty, yet troubled face.. come in.. he said moving away from the door and letting her step in..She looked around the pristinely organized room..Not a book or couch cushion out of place..Not a speck of dust to be found on the window sill or furniture..I hope I don’t make anything dirty, she thought before tucking an imaginary strand of  hair behind her ear..A definite sign of nervousness.. Sleepless nights has taken a toll on her already frail body..Dont faint..dont cry she kept repeating to herself..Do I dare look him in the eye? Sooner or later I should.. So she wills herself to meet his eyes..

His clear steel gray eyes are staring right into her soul. Stormy is the word that comes to mind..The look in them is distracted..His eyes are a little red around the corners..Was his nights sleepless too? she wonders..Does he already know?? Why is this happening, why cant things go back to the way they were?Why me? The same unanswered questions keeps playing in her mind over and over again like a mantra..He guides her to a seat..Hugging herself she sits down, wondering if it was the chill in the air or was it his gaze that was making her shiver..What I wouldn’t give for a Teddy Bear to hug rite now, she thinks..

Have you made your decision? His voice though soft, sounded like a loud gong breaking the tranquil silence..She shivers violently and her response is a reflex. Yes I have..she squeaks..Oh God..she dint want to say that until she explained her decision.. why does he look so intimidating today?? Hours and hours of practicing the well prepared monologue in front of the mirror was all for nothing..

So what is it going to be? He whispers..The voice is hypnotizing..So tender and soothing..Yet haunting and hurting.. She barely manages to sit still and controls the urge to bawl like a baby or run..She takes a deep breath and forces herself to look into those dangerously deep gray eyes..I need to explain a few things before I tell you my decision, she says hoping very badly that her voice is not trembling..I am listening, he says.. Taking a few more deep breaths, controlling the tears that are threatening to flow and clenching her fist tightly, she begins..

I thought about your proposal yesterday and..and..as much as I want to be with u..oh god..this is hard…she chokes up, and tries to swallow her raising panic.. If only the dreadful phone call never happened 2 days back.. If only.. But it did and he had to know..

 Drink this, he says giving her a glass of cold water..Clutching the glass really hard, and reminding herself not to break it, she takes a sip of the ice cold water..A couple of sips later and regaining a little more composure, she sets the glass carefully on the table…

She continues..As much as I want too..i cannot..u need to understand..How I wish it wasn’t so..but I just cannot..she blurts out..The tears stinging the corner of her lovely eyes are shining like gems..A single tear rolls down her flawless cheek..He is mesmerized by the sight..It is hard to take his eyes of her face..A muffled sob, pulls him back to reality.. 

The single tear no longer being single is joined by more tear drops..She blows her reddened nose on a dainty kerchief and wiping her tear stained face, she says.. I cannot accept marriage..i just cannot .. she stops, trying to catch her breath..‘Ok.. if that is your decision.. But why?’ He questions, his face void of all expressions and his voice cold as ice.. because..because..she stammers.. and that is when her brave front and pretty face withers, like a flower wilting on a hot sunny day..The soft controlled sobs turn into full fledged wails..She covers her face and stumbles out of the chair into the corridor and out of the building..All along weeping bitter tears and never looking back..

All emotions and feelings stripped away from him, expressionless he reaches out to pick up the glass of water, left on the table..The glass was out of place..it dint belong on the table and so did the lacy kerchief that she left behind..Picking up the kerchief a wrinkled piece of paper falls to the floor..The flowery scent of her favorite pen and the delicate handwriting brings back memories..With trembling hands he opens the crumpled note..

His clear steely gray eyes, turns misty and he drops down to the floor with the note in his hand..Flooded with emotions and feelings, his heart wrenching sobs of sorrow and lose are unleashed..He did not have to read everything she wrote for all her reasoning, grief and pain were justified in the very first sentence..

Her note read..

I can never share life with you, My Love.. for i am already sharing it with an unwelcome companion..Hades...