Chapter “the” Quarter

…the previous chapter – pre-notion

Light music plays in the kitchen, it’s my wife’s funky DAB digital radio, it’s a duet, a song which lasts about 3 minutes but manages to encompass the entire worldly feelings of two lovers.  I go to the kitchen first, to get a sip of water; I am feeling a little nervous. 

Once again I stare out to the garden, you see, half our kitchen faces into the garden and has a glass roof and glass walls, it’s something I always wanted, a fantastic feature that simply blows people away.  But we like it best at night, sitting at the dinning table, staring up at the stars, it’s like one giant telescope.  Walking out of the kitchen, I float to the main lounge and venture in.

“Hello” I say.

“Vikram, Vikram, my son”.  That’s my mum, I get a huge hug from her, tight, she get’s emotional, tears in her eyes.  I nearly drop my guard, but I just smile back.

“Mum, so great to see you,  you look different, you’ve lost weight”.  Something’s wrong.

“Hey bro, how are you, wow, so long, I see you have been working out”.  My brother and I shake hands and exchange a tame hug.  My children are ecstatic, clinging to him like he’s a tree.  It’s amazing how kids are so innocent, so easy to forgive and forget.

“It’s so good to see you both, after such a long time” I say.

“You’ve stopped caring altogether, if it wasn’t for my lovely daughter-in-law, your wife, then you would never have wanted to see us”.  She get’s emotional again.  Maybe I am being too hard with this, “loosen up Vikram”, I tell myself.

“Mum, please, relax, have a drink” – I stop her flow of tears.

“It’s so good to see you Vikram, this place is so lovely”.  My mum’s now got a huge grin across her face.

“How far are the other’s Vikram”?

“They should be here within ½ hour Kunal, in the meantime have your drink and we’ll show you and mum around the house”. 

The other’s, they are my extended family, cousins, who I haven’t seen or had any communication with for two years. 

“Your sisters in the States with the family, she won’t be able to attend” my mum informs us. 

“Yes, she got the message to us via our company email address, I don’t think she has our number”  She wouldn’t I tell myself, I never gave it out to anyone.

So why are we all meeting now?  It’s my birthday today, falls on a weekend and my wife thought the moment was right.  There always comes a time when we have to face our demons, our fears, to see if we are ready. 

As my wife does the guided tour of the house, I walk out through the large French doors into the garden, the rain has now stopped and the sun is peeping through the clouds, is this an omen?

I am going to write a story – here’s a snippet

Pre-Chapter, pre-notion

It’s started to rain now, the sun was out not long ago.  I am standing alone, staring out from the large bay window, high up, looking down, I can see people, walking across my pebble-dash drive.  My face is stone cold, its been a long time, I am finding it hard to describe the feeling.  I look around inside, this room is large, empty, it’s covered in teak, only room of its kind, I love standing here, opposite the only one large bay window.

“Everyone’s arriving now”.  My wife suddenly breaks my trance.  I must have been in some sort of out-of-body experience. 

“Thanks darling, I’ll be right there”.

“What is it with you?” She asks.  “It’s been almost two years since you last saw them all and I thought you’d be jumping with joy that I organised this event”.  Her voice sounding very concerning.

“Oh, yes I am excited, maybe nervous”.  I lie.  “Please help them in and ask Shanti to organise the drinks, they’ll be thirsty.  I’ll be there in a mo”.

I walk out of the large empty room and make my way to the family bathroom, I look into the mirror at myself.  I did it myself, I am Big Time now, but instead of smiling, I am left with a feeling of sorrow, I am too scared to recall that moment two years ago…..

My Pics with Crazy Thoughts – The Sword Collector

Day 5 of my pics with associated crazy stories……..

“Do you like it?”. 

It’s a small but rare collection.  Can you believe I used to be so scared of sharp objects.  I never even cut vegetables before but that all changed soon.  It happened just over two years ago. 

My Pics with Crazy Thoughts – The Kang Clan

Day 4 of my pics with associated crazy stories……..

“Have they gone?”

“Yes Boss”.

“You sure?”

“Yes Boss”

“Good. They were in for it but you guys held me back”.

“Boss, but you had your head in the sand with your hairy ass sticking up in the air”

“Shhh..”

Meet the Kang Clan, a force to be reckoned with in this sandy jungle.  They are runners for other clans, or as they put it, transportation consultants.  Deliver things from one destination to another.  Why were they hiding you ask?  They just recently delivered some goods to the Furry Lion Clan, turns out the goods were stolen from the FLC 2 weeks back, oops!

*Image taken in a Safari Zoo in Spain

My Pics with Crazy Thoughts – What’s at the end of the Path?

Day 3 of my pics with associated crazy stories……..

So here I was, standing there, at the foot of The Path.  Whatever they tell you about a bright light, it’s all wrong, you just get “plonked” here.  I look around and can only assume that this countryside like environment means I must have ticked the right boxes.  I don’t see fire, it’s not dark, there are no mysterious noises.  Quite the contrast, lovely sunny weather, I can hear some birds singing, there’s a slight rustle of the leaves.

But I am guessing, assuming…I start walking The Path, there is suddenly activity either side.  On my left, I notice the pleasant memories of my life, times I helped others, received help myself, fun times.  I dare not look to the right, those were not happy times, I was wrong, I was wronged. 

As I continue to walk, I am guessing if the left falls short of what’s on the right, I might be in trouble.  I have frozen now, unable to walk, suddenly I don’t want to know.  What’s at the end of this path? 

*Image taken at Hellingdon Lakes Hotel, Northamptonshire.