The Paper and the Message

Jignesh finished the studies and went home and the first thing he did was to put the cell phone on charging. His dead cell was regaining life and then pops a message. It was from Vodafone. You have 25 missed calls between 8:30 pm and 10:00 pm. Send GET as reply to the message to get the details. Jignesh was pleasantly surprised. He hurriedly replied GET to know the call details. He got a reply back and jumped to his feet knowing that Jahnavi had been frantically trying to contact him. He was feeling ecstatic, and at the same time grew wary of the situation for he was not sure as to why Jahnavi was trying to contact him. May be she was angry with him and as usual Jignesh was confused, but he knew he should not contact Sid this time as now the situation had to be handled as per Jignesh’s and Jahnavi’s understanding. He went to sleep and thought to take up the issue next morning in college.

Jahnavi, on the other hand, had set the Vodafone office on fire in her dreams. Exasperated, with her frantic efforts of trying to reach his cell, she went to sleep but sleep eluded her and then she realized that today she is disturbed as she wants to talk to him, and can talk to him, but is not able to because of technical and logistical constraints, how would it have been for Jignesh who might be so disturbed with the turnout of the day’s events and equally suffocating must have been those nights when he wanted to emote his feelings to her but could not due to some stupid limitations. She did not realize when she fell asleep thinking about her Jiggu.

When they reached college, the following morning, the same thoughts were making rounds in the minds of both. Jignesh was in a fix, whether he should go and talk to her and Jahnavi did not get a chance to speak to him. She spotted Jignesh during the lunch break, and walked straight towards him without wasting a second. But Lady Luck was smarter today. Just when she was about to reach him, a classmate took Jignesh along towards the principal’s cabin. Jahnavi cursed her like hell. She could no longer take the fate since morning, all she wanted was five minutes with Jignesh and she was not getting it.

The day ended and now she was looking for Jignesh, but he was nowhere to be found. She spotted Sid and asked him.

Jahnavi: “Hi Sid.”

Sid was not sure how to face her as he knew Jahnavi was aware now and he still did not know whether Jignesh and Jahnavi had talked or not. Somehow he managed himself and tried to act normal, as if he was not aware of yesterday’s development.

Sid: “Hey Jahnavi, what’s up? How was the day?”
Jahnavi: “Hey I am OK. Day was normal. Yet another day. By the way did you happen to spot Jignesh, I looked around for him, he is not to be seen anywhere.”
Sid: “Oh is it? Let me call him up.”

Jahnavi was so intrigued in looking for Jignesh around the college; she completely missed out calling him up. But it worked fine in a way for Jahnavi as now Sid’s call will be definitely answered; also Sid had noticed her eagerness to talk to Jignesh. This made Sid happy. Jignesh picks up the call.

Sid: “Where are you?”
Jignesh: “I am home, have to leave for Delhi, my paper on ‘Genetics: The unique presence of Mathematics in Biology’ has been selected for presentation at the “National Seminar of Combination Sciences”. The principal told me in the lunch break, so I came home, will be leaving in half an hour. If you see Jahnavi, just inform her as I will not be in a position to speak to her, you know.”
Sid: “OK, bye. But when will you be back?”
Jignesh: “3 days.”

They hung up. Sid apprised Jahnavi of the situation. She was shocked beyond limits. Jignesh did not even consider it necessary to tell her about the paper, his supposed journey and then today’s sudden travel. She was hurt very badly. She had not expected this.

Jahnavi: “Don’t you think he should have at least told me that he was supposed to travel. I just don’t understand why do you guys take everything for granted? So what he had taken your help in understanding a girl’s behavior and how to talk to a girl. He could have at least tried to talk to me after that. Like a fool I have been frantically trying to contact him since yesterday evening. Today also I did not get a chance to speak to him and now I come to know that HE has told you to INFORM me. FINE THEN, YOU also inform him that he is going to have a tough time when he comes back in cajoling me. And this time if he takes your help, he be better prepared for a tougher fight. God only knows why you morons carry useless brains with you when have to waste them just like your life.”

She left the place fuming. She was feeling bad for having blurted out so badly to Sid, but she too was human and had her own limitations. Sometimes enough actually meant ENOUGH to her. Sid, on the other hand, was in a fix now. Jahnavi knows it that Sid is now aware of yesterday’s happenings. He thought he should inform Jignesh about Jahnavi’s reaction, but he better keep mum till Jignesh presented his paper. But then he also thought, it will not be fair on Jahnavi’s part to keep her waiting till 4 days. Already she has tolerated a lot of nonsense from Jignesh. So he texts Jignesh asking him to drop a message to Jahnavi as she had been looking around.

Beep goes Jahnavi’ cell. She sees a message from Jignesh. It read:

Hey Jahnavi, I am so sorry I did not get a minute to inform you. Please grant me a couple of days, will take all your queries then. I hope you understand. Bye Jignesh.

Jahnavi knew Sid must have asked him to text, but she was happy receiving the message. She was waiting for his return eagerly.

The Rose and the Stem

All the characters referred to in the below blog are fictitious and bear no resemblance with anyone living or dead whatsoever. Any co-incidence is purely co-incidental and unintentional.

Mary was in a fix. She loved Aditya very much and he too loved her and both of them had decided to tie the knot. But she had not told her father about it. Being motherless since childhood, her father meant her world to her. He had been both a mother and a father to her. Mary wanted both Aditya and her father Joseph, but the possibility looked remote as Joseph had a wish to get a good Christian husband for his daughter and it would be hard to convince him for Aditya, but Aditya was irresistible for Mary. She could no longer take the guilt of having let down her father for falling for a man outside Christianity, as Joseph had always boasted about Mary’s principles in the community. She decides to confess and heads towards the church. Her mind is set on fire, a tsunami raging in her breaths; she is racing through the Saint Anthony’s Church and finally reaches the confession box. She looked around the walls of the confession chamber, they seem to be cursing her you have befallen yourself in your father’s esteem; they seemed to be telling her. The walls seemed enclosing her and she was getting drowned in her own self-remorse and guilt and from inside her conscience was biting her. She felt like running away from the confession box, when a voice soothed her down. Father John’s voice was like honey to an ailing patient.

Father: “Tell me my child, what pesters you?”
Mary: “Father I want to confess something, I have done something terrible. I can’t believe I could have done something like this.”
Father: “Relax my child, HE is very generous. Spell out your heart. HE is there, HE shall guide you.”
Mary: “Father, I lost my mother in childhood, I do not remember her face now. I was just 2 years old when she died in an accident. Since then my father has taken care of me and he has been a darling father any daughter could have. I have never felt the loss of my mom as he has been both a father and a mother.”

She stopped for a while. She had to gather strength to spell her heart out. The priest consoled her.

Father: “Do not worry my child, have faith on HIM. Tell me whatever you want to. I am sure HE will guide us.”

The words poured lifeblood into her suffocating soul. She regained strength.

Mary: “He always taught me values, principles, truthfulness and strong adherence to Christianity. He had also cherished a small wish to get me a good Christian Husband. But I love Aditya, Father. I love him very much and he too loves me very much and also respects my father’s wish a lot. Now I am confused how to convince my father about Aditya as I know he might agree if I act stubborn but he will be torn inside. But my love for Aditya is pure father. I am feeling so bad that I failed myself as a daughter.”

Her tears, breaking the dam of self-control, reflected the shadow of her pain and her agony. Father John tried to pacify her.

Father: “My child you are just in love. You have not done anything wrong. HE does not teach you just to love people from your religion nor does HE teaches you not to love people outside Christianity. HE is the messiah who is here to spread the message of love. You have not committed any SIN my dear child. Come out of the self-remorse and guilt. Love is a very great and pure feeling, my child, and it knows no boundaries in terms of caste, creed, religion and such man made human dividers. So please do not think you have not acted as per HIS wish.”

Mary was feeling a little better but still she was thinking as to why life had become so difficult for her.

Mary: “I know Father, I fully agree with you. But why is Life so difficult. I had taken it lightly; I was blindly following the fragrance of the rose and forgot that it has thorns as well.”

Father: “My child life is very much like a rose. It is beautiful, spreads fragrance and adds grandeur by its presence and is a symbol for the establishments of new relationships but it has thorns as well.”

Mary was listening dumbfounded. Father John continued.

Father: “The beauty, the fragrance et al of the rose is the happiness in our life and the thorns symbolize the unwanted grief in our life. So if you see the flower of rose, its beauty, fragrance and its thorns are always present. Similarly, happiness and grief are always present in life. We are so much astounded by the goodies of the rose that we tend to ignore the thorns until it pricks us when we take it in our hands carelessly. Same with life, we take life so easily that we tend to ignore the problems in life. Had we viewed the rose flower in its totality, taking into accounts its beauty as well its thorns, and had handled it carefully holding its stem properly, we could have enjoyed its beauty and at the same time escaped the pain of its thorns’ prick. Similarly if we take life seriously, and not ignore its problems and take into account the fact that problems and happiness are part and parcel of life and they just need to be handled properly. So now coming back to your problem all I can say is remove your guilt from yourself as you have just loved and that is no SIN my dear. Your father also loves you very much, tell your heart to him sincerely and he shall understand. Give him his time as he will be parting with his life’s savings.”

Mary: “Thank you very much Father, I shall remember your words. You have lightened my burden. Thank you so much Father.”

Father John gave a sweet smile and left from there.

A new and transformed Mary left the premises of the Saint Anthony’s Church that day. She was beaming with joy as she had learnt so many things today. Indeed problems and happiness are always present and we just need to handle it properly. Hold the stem at the proper place, enjoy the beauty and escape the thorns.

It is in the genes

All the characters referred to in the below blog are fictitious and bear no resemblance with anyone living or dead whatsoever. Any co-incidence is purely co-incidental and unintentional.

First time readers, please refer to the post Life or Years? for reference.

Dr. Suresh was a veteran on psychology and had gained useful insights into the human psychology; his wonderful take on the subject was the result of his 25 years of experience in this field. Being an open minded person, everyday was a learning experience for him and he used to discuss his readings and observations with Dr. Amitesh. Today was no special. So they meet over the coffee.

Dr. Suresh: “So how are your ischiophagus conjoined parasitic twins?”
Dr. Amitesh: “It does not need to be that funny.”

The medical camaraderie between the two was marvelous. Amitesh was a cardiac surgeon while Suresh was a psychologist, yet both of them shared a common belief that the human anatomy works more on psychology than medicines.

Dr. Suresh: “I know, so where do we stand at their position, are we in a position to answer their relatives confidently?”
Dr. Amitesh: “Such occurrences are rare in our life.”
Amitesh grinned. Suresh agreed, Amitesh continued.
Dr. Amitesh: “Well here we are in a pretty sound position, we have been successfully instrumental in isolating the vital shared organs like, lungs, kidney, gall bladder and small intestine and restoring blood flow in them, but she is still in a critical condition, on incubator.
Dr. Suresh: “Hmmm, sounds sweet, hopefully success should follow after this.”
Dr. Amitesh: “What’s the situation at your end? How are the alters?”
Dr. Suresh: “Well, I have sent her on a vacation for now, we need to do a hypnotic session on her using Sodium Amytal and talk to her alters so that we can get to know, the causes behind their emergence and occurrence but for that Natasha will have to undergo a lot. Also if she admits that she has a problem and is ready for treatment, all the more easy. You know what, Amitesh, I envy you guys sometimes. The fine line between mine and your patients is that your patients come and tell you your problems and they are aware that there are some problems that need treatment. My patients have to be convinced first, in majority of cases, that there are some problems which need treatment. And once they are convinced about the illness, we have to convince them that it is curable and the cure largely lies with the patients. We need to be more patient than the patients and at times we ourselves feel like one.”
Dr. Suresh grins, Dr. Amitesh follows suit in agreement.
Dr. Amitesh: “I agree, Suresh. If a problem is physical, it’s easier to handle. Mental problems are very difficult to handle as they need evidences to be proven otherwise or vice-versa which may not be so handy in many cases, like cases of delusional disorders or hallucinations.”
Dr. Suresh: “It’s all in the mind and the genes you know.”

Now this startled Amitesh, the mention of genes jostled him.

Dr. Amitesh: “I beg to differ on your take on genes.”
Dr. Suresh gives a smile.
Dr. Suresh: “It’s all there in the genes. They are not just the blueprint of a person and a species but they are much more than that. They are carriers of information across generations. Whatever has been endured and experienced by the previous generation will be immunized in the current generation. Its nature’s rule, this is the way evolution works. You see these days we see more and more girls shedding the typical domestic engineer’s role and accepting challenges and working towards their empowerment and financial independence. We see more and more youngsters rebelling against their parents to take the career of their choice, to marry the person of their own choice and leading a life of their own choice.”
Dr. Amitesh: “I agree. But that should again work for a particular community or a person.”
Dr. Suresh: “We need to understand the genetic codes and its mechanism. My vast experience on psychology related cases and my own observations compelled me to dig deep into this. Genes work at various levels and dimensions like personal level, species level, chronological dimension, spatial dimension and of course at the intersection of the inheritance level and dimension. At a personal level, the genes as transferred evolve according to the experiences and the off springs are more developed and advanced. At a species level the change is very slow and the whole species over a span of multiple generations evolves to a better species with better survival strategies, for e.g. the mosquitoes, you see with the advancement of more and more techniques to control them, the species has also become immune to these repellants. And we need stronger repellants to drive them away effectively. This is genetic evolution.
Dr. Amitesh: “Interesting. Nice take on genes I agree. Also as we are expanding in urbanization and we see more and more people travelling and settling down in new places, a new trend is coming up. People from far off places are coming in touch with each other and when they get married and produce prodigies, this new generation has a far better intellect and grasping power. This again is a result of cross-breeding of various cultures and the intermixing of wide and varied and geographically spanned genetic historic recordings. And what do you think is the cause of the rise in psychological cases these days. On a lighter note this trend should entertain you, but how do you like to put it in terms of genes?”
Dr. Suresh: “As far as my bread and butter are concerned, I have had enoughJ, but this is an alarm. We are on the verge of a genetic revolution. It will be hard to put everything in words here, but I got a nice analogy from my son who is a Computer Science & Engineering student and was discussing that day with me an interesting problem. In their jargon they call it The Producers and the Consumers Problem.
Dr, Amitesh: “Wow I see the rivers of different knowledge domains mixing to give a sea of realization and information. So what have you deduced from The Producers and the Consumers Problem.
Dr. Suresh: “This problem simply says there is a producer that produces some entity and there is a consumer that consumes the entity and there is a buffer that maintains the gap between production and consumption. The producer produces the entity and places it in the buffer and the consumer consumes from that. Whenever the rate of production supersedes the rate of consumption we have the Buffer Overrun problem and whenever the rate of consumption surpasses the rate of production we have the Buffer Underrun problem. Both of these are fatal in appropriate scenarios and need to be handled effectively for their systems to run flawlessly.
Dr. Amitesh: “Nice.”
Dr. Suresh: “The relation between the genes and psychology is also similar. The tepidity with which the evolutions and the environmental conditions are changing, the genes are not able to respond properly and they start behaving abnormally and hence we see whatever we are witnessing. More delusional disorders, more hallucinations, more Near-Death-Experiences, more stress levels, more tensions, more blood pressure related problems, and in short more mental and hormonal disorders.
Dr. Amitesh: “True and it seems the solution is far lagging behind in the race as compared to the problems. But anyways had a nice discussion today though. Quite an enlightening one. I will have to leave now, let’s see how are the twins doing? Catch you up later.”
Dr. Suresh: “Yeah sure, carry on.”