'Shoulder Saroja !'

I met Saroja aunty in the neighborhood.
She was in severe pain.


Not because her son left to the U.S of A.(She is an emotional person,no doubt.) This time it was more because her shoulder pain.


She was talking with her neighbour Lalitha ,when I met her.

Did you imagine Saroja aunty like this?
I'm sorry!
BTW,she cannot take her hand like that now.
Can you?

I enquired,"How are you aunty?Has your son left ?"


"Yes sweety. He left yesterday."


I smiled at Lalitha .She returned the courtesy and left ,promising aunty to meet her in the evening.They watch the serials together.Sorry,cry together!(I never get the hang of this.)


 "Why are you in so much pain? Is it because your son has left?He had come for his holidays and you knew he had to go back to join his job."


"No sweety,it is not about that."aunty said.


"Then?",I enquired.


"My left shoulder is paining a lot.I am not able to do much with it.
I have to call uncle repeatedly to help me.I have never done so even in our younger days.
I feel very bad.
Have I become that old sweety?"


"No aunty.Don't worry.
Did you see the orthopedics doctor?"


"I told uncle about this .He enquired from his 'walking friends'.They had told him that the doctor will move the hand forcefully and it will be very painful.So, we dropped the option.


I am not able to bear pain like before.More so, after Raja left to the U.S.
I think my loneliness could have aggravated this."


Just as we were talking, uncle came back from his evening walk.


"Hello uncle."


"Hello sweety."


"How are you uncle?You look fit."


"Yes, all thanks to my morning and evening walks.I keep telling aunty to accompany me atleast once a day.But, she always has something else more important to do.Like seeing T.V.serials.


I feel that if she would have gone on walks regularly, she would not have landed herself in this shoulder pain problem."


"Shoulder pain has nothing to do with walking.We walk with our legs and where do we move our shoulders when we walk.
Moreover, I keep walking the whole day at home.So much of work to be taken care of.
What more walking do I need?"


"Aunty, walking inside the house and going for walks are two different things.I will tell you about this a little later."


"See I told you",uncle teased her.


"You mean to say that I got my shoulder pain because I dind't go on walks?"


"This is partially true.
Actually what happens is: when we don't do a few movements with certain muscles or joints,they start to become hard and immovable in those positions ."I said.


"What are you saying?I do all the work at home .Then I should be doing all the movements in my body."


"It is not like that aunty.
We used to sit on the floor everyday to have our meal, when I was a kid.But, now-a-days we sit on the dining table.Sitting down with folded legs has become so difficult."


"Yes. Right.I feel difficult when I sit for long poojas. I seem to concentrate more on my leg pain than the mantras now-a-days",said uncle.


"That is because we have not trained our leg for that movement for quite some time.It has lost touch of that movement."


"Then how do we remind it?"


"We have to take care to remind it everyday atlest once by doing almost all the movements of all the joints."


"How do we know what are all those movements in each joint?"


"There are physiotherapists and orthopedicians to help you with that aunty."

The love spot!

"Do you mean to say that Saroja's shoulder pain can also be cured like that?"


"Yes.But, it will take sometime and it needs regular exercise to her shoulder."


"Then will I get alright?I won't need any injections or medicines?"


"That depends on how stiff your shoulder has become,how much you exercise it and how much you can move it still."


I told you to do regular exercise.If you would have joined me in my walks you would not have suffered this much."


"Uncle is right to an extent but, just walking could not have averted this problem.She has to do regular movements to her shoulder too, to avoid worsening this."


"Will you have the time to help me out of this pain?I am scared to go to anyone else.You know me best."


"Ok.But, promise me you will start going on walks with uncle whenever possible."


"I promise. But, when can we start with my shoulder?It is paining me a lot."


"Take a pain killer at the moment.Don't worry .
We will meet tomorrow at my clinic."


Uncle said worriedly,"Thank you very much.
Aunty started getting nightmares because of this pain.She thought she is going to loose her hand .She started to behave more like a psycho than a person with pain."


"Don't make fun of me.You will understand only if you had such a crippling pain."


"Now, are you cursing me?"


"You are never taking care of any of my pains.You have always been like that."


"What a liar!"


I let the elderly couple enjoy their fight by themselves.
I left the place after I shouted out a bye to each of them.


 They were so engrossed in their fight that...
But, I knew aunty and uncle will be there in my clinic tomorrow.


So long guys!

Snippet 6

Popat and Nanu are neighbors and they have been friends for a decade now.

Popat goes visiting Nanu .

Hi Popat,good morning!

Hi Nanu,how are you?What brings you to my house today?

Today is our wedding day and she sent sweets for you and your family.

Thank you very much.I hope you are not in a hurry.Long time since we had a chat.
Anything new?Anything spicy to match the laddus.

"Yesterday night I read something interesting in the internet."said Popat.

"Wow.Real hot news?"Nanu enquired.

"Hey, not what you think.Listen to this.
All of us have something humerus about us?"Popat quizzed.

"I know.Otherwise how do we fall in love and get married?"Nanu said with a knowing look.

"No,I am not talking about that.


By the way,I have promised my wife,I will not tease her atleast for today.Today is our wedding day.Remember."Popat reminded.

"Okay I will try to remember.I tend to forget seeing the smile on your face,"said Nanu.

"Let it be yaar!Everyone has to learn a bit of acting down the line.Saves your skin many times.

 Now,back to the humerus bone."said Popat.

"You mean skin, muscle, bone.That bone.
But, how will a bone laugh?

You are a humorous person, maybe your bone will laugh.

You mean I should also be having one?Where is it?

I will hold on to it tight every time my wife gives me the scares. She makes me shiver.Any little bit of support will help,"Nanu said.

"Humerus bone connects your shoulder to your elbow."Popat said.

Every time we touch it ,will we feel like laughing?What an elixir?Good medicine for hen-pecked fellows like me.

I see. that is why my neighbour's son smiled ,when that girl pinched him on the arm,"Nanu concluded.

"No. That is for a different reason.Now...Now...I think you will get me into trouble.


This humerus bone is not actually 'humorous'",Popat clarified.

"Okay... I understand this perfectly.

 My wife's name is Khoobsoorat.
(Khoobsoorat in hindi means beautiful).

I fell for the name.Poor me,"Nanu sighed.

"Always thinking of your wife.Can't you think of anything else?"

How do you expect me to think of anything else.If you had a wife like mine,then you will understand.She occupies the whole of my life."he said.

"Okay.Now...
there is actually a nerve,that which controls your sensations at the elbow which winds around this humerus bone on the outer side of the bone.
so, any small hit on this nerve causes a tingle along the whole length of your arm"said Popat.

Just then,Nanu's wife comes from within.

She is a tall lady with a tough face.It seemed as though she had lost any trace of a smile.Popat handed over the laddus to her and gave her a smile.

With a wiff of her hand,she took the sweets and (he thought)she gave him a smile.She went into the house once again leaving both the men at peace.

Nanu took sometime to settle down.Now,Popat understood his problem.

"Popat,whatever you say,I somehow feel there is a close connection between nerves and wives.

They control all our sensations with just one look and what more, anything affects them ,they see to it that it affects the whole length of our day and night.What say?"

"I am not into this. Atleast for today.So,see you tomorrow"winked Popat.

'The yogi'

One of my readers wanted to accompany me on this escapade.

Scene 1:
My office :


"Today's hero is Mr.Shanthanu. We will be going to his house to meet him ,"I said.


"What is his speciality?"asks Mr.Reader.

He is a very strong and healthy man.Most importantly, he rarely gets angry.
In today's world, it is surely an advantage.

"But, how did he develop this?"Mr.R again.

To know this , we will have to go his house.

So, one fine day Mr.R and me went to Mr.Shanthanu's house.

Scene 2:
Mr.Shanthanu's house

The door is open and Mr. Shantanu is doing his daily routine of yoga exercises.
He will even forget to eat or sleep but, he never forgets his yoga.

 "Why?"my reader asks.

"Wait ,we will find out"I said.

As I call out to him, he is standing in the tree pose.He seems to be preoccupied with something so, he did not hear me.

Suddenly a plate or something similar, comes flying from the right side in full speed.He immediately ducks and goes down on another pose.

Then ,there is a shower of words from the same direction.
Mr.Shanthanu should have thought that it is easier to manage flying words than flying objects.
So, he sat down and started his breathing exercises.

After about half-an-hour,all the sound dies down and things seem more normal.

Now, Mr.Shantanu sees us. (poor guy, he was busy evading the missiles.I don't blame him.)

"Hello, madam. How do you do?When did you come?"he asked.

We came some time back,but you were busy....er....doing yoga!(We could not hide a chuckle.)

"This is my reader.I told him about you.He is interested to know how to grow strong with yoga. His idea of yoga is very different.

He is getting into trouble very often because of his short-temper.So, it amazes him that a bad temper can be controlled by yoga."

Mr.Shanthanu said,"Don't worry.We usually have fights like this at home.It is normal."

This brought more fear than the ease that she intended to bring.This is normal?

He said,"I will tell you all that you want to know.Just give me a second.I will change my clothes and come."he asked us to be seated and went in to change his clothes.

Meanwhile, his wife came out of the kitchen with two cups of coffee.

We could not manage but,jump up from our seats in sheer ....er....respect.We felt like two small goats in a lion's den.We barely gave her a smile.
I think she would have made out how we felt.

Mr.Shantanu was back and this somehow gave us more courage.

"What do I tell you?My yoga give me all the good health.I always practice it .It helps me in more than one way."

Seeing the cups of coffee in our hands he continued,"Behind every successful man there is a woman.
My success is also mainly because of my wife.But, I cannot say where she stands.Today it was to the left of me.
Anyways, it helps."

"Sir,we would like you to teach us a few yoga poses for stress reduction."Mr.R said.

He starts to lie down in Savasana just when his eyes meet his wife's.

"I think now is not the right time.Why don't we do it on the weekend.It is time for my office now."he said.

We understand his predicament and move out.We don't forget to thank his wife for her co-operation.

As we leave the house,we hear familiar sounds.His wife says,"it is already so late to office,but you are ready to talk to them.

Whenever I ask you to go to the market,you always escape by saying you will be late to office.
I don't understand how you always have time for others and not for me."

Mr.Shantanu is used to this by now.He silently goes to his room and starts on his deep breathing exercises.He says it helps him to calm down his mind.

My boss in one of his rarely good moods.

Many of us face similar conditions ,or maybe little different situations at home or in office.

Scene 3:
Back in my office:

Once we were in the privacy of my office,Mr.R said,"I think I will try the breathing exercise.It looks to be very effective."

My report for the day was not ready.I am not sure whether I will have to face an angry boss or a very angry boss.

I better do the breathing ex. before I go into  his office.If it helped Shanthanu ,it should help me too.

I have a meeting with my boss in about half an hour.
"I have to do the breathing exercise.

Even if I can't change my boss or the soup that I am in now,I can at least prepare myself to take the inevitable."

Bye guys, have to catch you later.

Beauty

What is beauty?
Beauty is a very relative term.What is beauty to you maybe ugly to me.
It all depends on the personality and mood of the person.

Something that seems beautiful to you today may not seem as beautiful tomorrow.
(I am not speaking about your spouse. Believe me.)

Okay.Then you will say,something that seems beautiful to many people may seem beautiful to us.for example: Taj Mahal,

Aishwarya Rai (hey,hey,i can see you smile!)

But, how intensely a man may feel about her beauty may not be felt by a woman(play of hormones ,you see!)

Then what survives the test.Feelings!

Right feeling at the right time to do the right thing.

                                             Many of us saw pictures and videos of the plight of people in Haiti ,after the earthquakes changed their lives forever.

A few of us were there physically, to help.

Many of us helped by funding the rescue organizations which helped those people.

Few of us could not help monetarily,so, the best we could do, was to pray and wish for their goodwill and speedy recovery.

But, in all these groups of people there is no-one who has not felt the need and beauty of a timely help.
The thought of a timely help by someone or the lack of it, in some juncture in our lives,brings tears to our eyes.

What can be more beautiful ?Can anything else by just the thought of it,bring tears to your eyes?

Yes, there are a few of such beautiful abstract feelings which do.

These delicate feelings are what connect all of us as human beings,in whichever part of the globe we are.

So,please do your part in keeping the world as beautiful as it can be.

Smile

A smile is contagious.
So contagoius that if you look into a person's eyes and smile ,the person may not even know you.
But,the person will smile back at you.
What magic?It works.Try it.

I

Hey,hey,wait I have a word of caution for you.
Be careful at whom you smile.don't smile at any Tom,Dick and Hary or Reema,Seema or Mary and come back with complaints that the reaction was very different(The boys would'nt do that.I know. They are more forbearing in these matters.)

There is a saying guys:"a smile is a small curve that sets many things right."

Once when i had gone shopping to the grocer's, it was quite late.I was in a hurry and after I had picked all that I wanted,I went to bill it.

Lo and behold!There was a looong queue.I would have to wait for looong time for billing .Obviously, the queue was also very looong,you see!

I saw that there was another cashier counter.
So,I asked the man at the other counter,"Sir, why is this counter closed?Everyone is crowding at the other one."

The man at the counter said,"We work on shift and my shift finished a half-hour before.I am leaving now."

I requested the man,"Will you take my bill?My children will be waiting at home and I am getting very late.

Then, I flashed a smile.Mind you!I flashed a smile.

Believe me .It worked, the man agreed.

I can hear some of you saying"I don't beleive it"

"Why?",

I hear my conscience again,"Cause the last time you did it the crowd left you just short of being beaten."

Forget the conscience. Believe me.

I paid up the bill soon afterwards and left homewards.

"What?You again?No.No.I did'nt pay a single penny extra.I just tipped him for his good nature."

Especially,when the smile is on
 Brittany's face.Right?

See,a smile is so pleasing.

So, the moral of the story :"a small smile goes a long mile."
My new quote.he...he...

Have a nice day guys!