The Dentist

This is a poem I wrote way back in 7th standard...was running out of time to submit an assignment and came up with this gem in just 10-15 minutes in the middle of a class. Its based on a true experience and I hope u enjoy it. To all my dentist friends who are reading this, no offence meant yaar, but here it goes:


There is a creature called a dentist,
I must say, the greatest sadist.


Looking hideous in gloves and mask,
doesn't care to answer what you ask.


Sit on his chair and open your mouth,
and there's no worse place from north to south.


Probing your mouth with a tiny mirror,
your head is full of movies of horror.


Come what might, he takes a drill,
the moment gives him the ultimate thrill.


He says, "All your cavities I have to fill",
and acts as a soldier ready to kill.


During the surgery he takes a recess,
and leaves your mouth - a bloody mess.


Then the assistant, who's rather stout,
tells you to spit the whole thing out.


Just when you think the nightmare is over,
comes back, the reckless rover.


Wroom, Wroom, Wroooom,
Crash, Bang and Boom.


Finished, is his terrible job,
you cannot help but let out a sob.


At that point, he hands the bait,
Oh look, its a bar of chocolate.


Why wait till tomorrow,
today was the ultimate sorrow.


OH!! And by the way,
start new cavities today.

All Grown Up

          If you happen to know me well enough, you'd probably know how I absolutely hate visiting temples. However, this was not always the case. As a kid I did in fact love visiting the temple. It wasn't for the tasty prasadam, it wasn't to pray to the deities (I had no clue who they were) and it certainly wasn't to hear the chanting of hymms (most of which i don't know or understand even today). I went there for myself, to see if I was "all grown up". My criteria - To see if I could ring the biggest and highest bell at the entrance of the temple.


           Yes, that was the prized catch. The highest bell, just hanging there, tall and proud, far above my little reach, mocking me like a perennial nemesis. Well, accept the challenge I did. Starting by stretching my arms out as far as they'd go, then jumping up and down like crazy, to finally running starts, I tried everything. Ultimately, tired and dejected, I'd head up to my dad who'd promptly lift me up and with the clang of that bell....Mission Accomplished!! The childish joy in me knew no bounds but also a resolve set in, to do so on my own one day.


          
          Well eventually (and inevitably), I was able to ring that bell on my own. At this point, the realization struck (little) me:"Well, I'm surely "all grown up" now", (You have to admit, in his little shoes, probably you'd think so too). However, an incident that occurred about an year back showed me how misconceived this notion was.


          Accompanying my cousins to the temple one day, I saw my little nephew trying to reach for that same bell the same way I did many years ago. Jumping like crazy, running starts, he tried everything. Tired and dejected, he looked for his dad (you'd probably guess why by now). But with his dad not in sight, his youngest "chachu" (me) decided to step in..:). Lifting that little brat high above the ground, I felt a strong sense of deja vu. Once again I thought,"Well NOW, I certainly am "All Grown Up" for sure".


        
  But such is the beauty of life, you can think you are "All Grown Up", but it has its ways of proving you wrong always. Twice, I've thought so, and twice been proven wrong. So until next time, remember, you ARE "All Grown Up". For now at least.....

Writer's block and our Education System

          I've been thinking for the last 7 days about what to write for my next blog entry. Every time I'd sit in front of my laptop and wonder - "What should I write about next?" Analysing my state of mind this morning my situation appeared to be a case of mild "writer's block" and thus, after a lot of "soch-vichar", the reason was clear. 

          I'd been thinking too much about what people want to read rather than what I want to write about. To hell if its not interesting enough. After all, if you are reading this, it means that there has to be something interesting about a guy ranting on and on about his problems and not getting to the point. So finally, after 7 days and a spark of insight I found something truly worth writing about, which gets me to the crux of this story.

          And the point, I realize, is this:

          Consider your average school classroom. Now imagine a 12 year old in it. Its the day of the dreaded English exam and the task at hand is to write an essay on some absurd topic (at least for a 12 year old) like "Global Warming" and given the time constraints, must be finished in 30 minutes flat.

          Some may argue that this is a fair test of one's writing abilities. After all, in the words of Bill Gates - "Life is not fair. Get used to it." After all testing should be all about taking a person out of their comfort zone and putting them in a high pressure atmosphere. In today's highly competitive world, it seems like a fair assertion.

          However, I beg to differ. As any professional writer (and amateur blogger like myself) would tell you, there's more to writing than just putting together a string of words together in a grammatically correct manner to constitute a sentence. It is a passion that comes from within us, a spark, an idea, an emotion, words being but a medium for the same.

          Now consider another scenario. Imagine a world where today's slaves to textbooks (read: students) are given the freedom to write about anything that interests them. Not surprisingly, we may end up with a whole lot of essays about the exploits of Superman, Hot Wheels cars or whatever the latest fad may be. But remember, this is the kids expressing themselves in the way they like to be seen in. And isn't that the very purpose why yesterday's cavemen came up with language in the first place?

          
          The process doesn't have to end there either. Let's take it a step further. There is a saying that "Small minds discuss people, average minds discuss events, great minds discuss ideas." The internet gives these kids a fabulous medium to share these diverse thoughts and interests with the rest of the world and most importantly, with their own peers. This will give kids a way of transforming into great minds (like this guy on the right) and rise beyond the ordinary.

          With that I rest my case . Educators, the ball is in your court now... 

Mumbai Meri Jaan

         Ahh...Mumbai!!...a.k.a the Mayanagari, the City of Dreams. Where the phrase "Time is Money" takes on a whole new dimension. The city that never sleeps, the city in a perpetual rush. Punctuality is key to success in this fast-paced life and keeps life in this city ticking with the precision of a Rolex timepiece.

          If you are a Mumbaikar and travel daily by its its perpetual network of trains, buses, auto-rickshaws, etc, you definitely know what I'm talking about. Its an OCPD (Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder) of sorts. A place where single minute's delay means the difference between catching your beloved "7:42 Panvel" or "4:27 Virar Fast" (and meeting a group of friends unique to Mumbai - "Train buddies").

          I'd say that Mumbai is one giant organism where everything (you have no clue how) just works. But behind this beehive of activity is a vast army of people, essential cogs in keeping the life-lines of this city running non-stop, 24/7, 365 days a year.

          Mumbai is home to it's fair share of legends. From the nightingale Lata Mangeshkar, to the Little Master Sachin Tendulkar, to Bollywood superstars of the past, present and future and billionaire businessmen. But hey, I'm talking about those of us here with more mundane existances. So here it is, a little tribute to those countless people without whom this city would just grind to a halt, for whose efforts we can proudly say "Mee Mumbaikar Aahe".