MICROFICTION

Just a human. From Kumar's verandah where he sat every morning to read the newspaper, he could see an unassuming teashop bustling with activity right from early hours. Since quite a few weeks, he was also able to see another sight which intrigued him...curious cat that he was. A venerable, well-to-do looking gentleman would approach the teashop almost exactly at 6am. There, an obviously poor gentleman would be sitting on the bench outside the teashop waiting for him. They would exchange a quick smile, then sip the hot coffee served by the teashop owner silently for the next ten or fifteen minutes. After that, they would again smile at each other and go their ways. Not a word would ever be exchanged!. This excited Kumar's curiosity very much. But he hesitated to approach the venerable gentleman who looked quite familiar. Then one day, he suddenly remembered.  " Sir, aren't you the Mathematics professor Viswanathan?" " Yes, sir, but retired." Vishwanathan ...

His only goal. Damu(short for Damodaran), was a man in his late twenties. His only goal in life, apart from praying to his favorite Lord Krishna, was to play football and score atleast one goal. But, being a chronic heart patient, he could only watch others play. Damu lived in a sleepy village in Palakkad, which, like the rest of Kerala, was crazy about the beautiful game. Damu, by now had seen many generations of youth playing football in the village playground. Every evening, he would turn up without fail to watch the game, after praying at the village Krishna temple. He would plead with the boys to let him play, only to be rebuffed by the more callous ones among them. The kinder ones would explain that it was dangerous for him to play. One day, a muscular young man- never seen before-came to watch the game. Seeing Damu, he ordered the boys to allow him in the field, threatening them with a beating if they didn't comply.  The next half hour was pure heaven for Damu. As he played ...

Through the roof. " Rajesh, my dear son, so happy you are back at last!"  Jayan was stunned as the old man sat up on his bed and clasped his hands, tears flowing freely.  Jayan the burglar had just 'landed' from the low roof above when grampa saw him in the moonlight streaming through the windows. The women in the house started sobbing, " Grampa, he's a thief, not our Rajesh, please understand..." This was too emotional for Jayan who muttered, with tears brimming, " I..I am so sorry...Will come again some other day, or may not at all." As he made for the roof, the women said, " You may return through the door." After Jayan left, the women hugged grampa and cooed, " Great acting, once again, grampa!!" " Great acting indeed, grampaji! but sadly I heard everything and am back," shouted Jayan, jumping down from the tiled roof, " Now grandfather, let's start with you...watch and chain please..." ***

Just eyes. Vivek stood at the open door of the stationary train looking down hesitantly at the total darkness outside. Suddenly he heard the voice again bark out a terse, furious order, " Get off immediately, you fool! If the train moves anytime now, you will miss your destination station." The voice belonged to his only co- passenger whom he hadn't seen because of the lack of lights in the compartment. As Vivek was about to practically jump off in a hurry, he felt a hand on his arm jerking him sharply back. " Committing suicide, you idiot? The train is on a bridge and you were about to jump into a river!" It was the TTE. When Vivek told the ticket examiner that a co-passenger had advised him that the train was at his station which had power failure, the TTE demanding to see the latter, found no one else there. Assuming that Vivek was drunk, the TTE told him that his destination was far away and left. After he left, the puzzled Vivek sat down wondering where his...

Mina.  It was almost 9 pm and three year old Mina was whimpering non- stop. Her mom tried to console her but she kept lisping, " Arzun, Arzun". Arjun was a teenager staying in their apartment block just above them and he was a great friend of little Mina.  However it was unusual for Mina to call out his name at this late hour- their friendship being limited to a few minutes in the evening whenever Arjun was free. Mina's puzzled dad thought he would take her to see Arjun though it was quite late, since she was very restless and inconsolable. Surprisingly, Mina continued to cry even at Arjun's doorstep and pointing upwards, lisped, "Terrush, terrush." "Terrace! At this hour! No way," exclaimed her dad, but had to give in, seeing her unusual tantrums. Hoping that the terrace would be left open, Mina's dad took her there and was surprised to see it wide open. A much greater surprise and shock awaited Mina's dad as he saw Arjun standing dangerou...