The Mad Woman

The Mad Woman

I walk a kilometre or so to school every morning. Sometimes I come across a mad woman dressed in a dark dirty sari. She probably has not had a bath for years. Her hair is matted, teeth stained red with betel-nut and eyes blood-shot with the look of madness. I always keep my distance from her for my own safety for I cannot be sure what she will do next. Also she smells terrible up close. It is never pleasant when I see her standing by the roadside. She is by no means violent but she has the nasty habit of following people who pass by. Normally when I see her I cross over to the other side of the road just to avoid her. Usually that works. Sometimes she crosses the road too. So I run. Fortunately she cannot run very fast and gives up after a while. One morning, as I crossed the road to avoid her, she tried to cross too. I started to run. She started to run too but tripped on her sari. She fell down hard on the road and lay there in a heap. I wanted to keep running but I saw that she was in great danger of being run over by a car. So I ran over to her to pull her to the roadside. As much as I disliked it, I had to help her. The other passers-by did not seem to bother. So I held my breath and pull her by her arms towards the roadside. By now people and cars had stopped to watch. No one helped but at last I managed to drag her to safety. She opened her eyes and gave me a smile. I could only stare at her dumbly. Then I turned and hurried to school to wash my hands. I am going to get a bicycle to cycle to school. It is much faster this way. Also I will not have to contend with the mad woman again.

sari, saree   a dress, worn especially by Indian and Pakistani women, consisting of a very long piece of thin cloth wrapped around the body       matted   twisted into a firm, untidy mass       contend with to have to deal with a difficult or unpleasant situation

A Nightmare

A  Nightmare

"Don't eat just before going to bed !" my mother used to tell me. "You might get a nightmare." How right she was. I never believed her until it happened to me. It was on a night when I felt hungry just as I was about to go to bed. So I made myself a peanut-butter sandwich and a large cold glass of milk. After consuming them I went to bed. Soon I drifted off into a troubled sleep. I dreamt that I was with a group of people looking for an old woman. I was not sure why we were looking for her but we all seemed afraid of her. Somehow we had to find her. So there I was, searching high and low for her in frightful places I had never been before. Sometimes I seemed to be flying while at other times I seemed unable to move. The whole atmosphere was one of fear, like a dreadful horror-movie in which I was a victim. After some searching I entered a darkened room and saw a figure sleeping on a bed. As I got nearer the figure suddenly threw away the blanket, got up and stared at me. It was an ugly old woman with shiny golden teeth. She raised her claw-like fingers and walked towards me. I wanted to run but was unable to. I tried to scream but found that I could not. In horror I struggled and struggled to get away from the frightful woman. The next moment I gave a muffled yell and found myself panting on my bed. My goodness, what a horrible nightmare it was! For a minute or so I lay on my bed not daring to close my eyes for fear of falling asleep again and continuing the nightmare. Then I sat up on my bed until the horrible feeling passed. From then on I never eat just before going to sleep.

drift off   to gradually start to sleep       search high and low   search everywhere for something       muffled a quiet and less clear sound

A Picnic by the Sea

A  Picnic by the Sea

Teluk Kemang is about 12 kilometres from Port Dickson town in Negeri Sembilan. It is a popular beach where many people go to and relax on. It was on one of the days of the Chinese New Year holidays that we had a picnic at Teluk Kemang. I went there with my uncle and his family. There were five of us, my uncle, his wife, their two young children and me. My uncle drove us there in his car. We arrived there at about ten in the morning. The beach was already crowded with other holiday-makers. Anyhow we managed to get a place in the shade of a large tree and we put our things there. My aunt laid out a mat for us to sit on. In double-quick time we were enjoying ourselves in the sea, except my aunt. She just sat on the mat watching us. The water was cool and refreshing and I loved splashing it on my cousins. However the hot sun above can be quite uncomfortable. So after about an hour or so, my uncle told us to sit in the shade for a while. The sun was getting increasingly hot. So we reluctantly came out of the sea. In the shade of some trees we built some sandcastles. Time passed so quickly. Soon we heard my aunt calling us to have lunch. We ran to her and helped ourselves to the delicious curry she had brought. Then we had several glasses of ice-cold drink from the Thermos flask. After lunch we played a while more in the sea. The sun was just too hot. So we walked over to one of the hotels nearby and washed ourselves with clean freshwater. When we returned, my aunt had already packed everything in the car. So all of us got into the car and my uncle drove us back home to Seremban.

lay out   to arrange something on a flat surface       mat   a small piece of cloth       In double quick time very quickly

A Journey by Car

A Journey by Car

My father bought a new car one day. We were all very excited. He promised to take us to Melaka to visit my grandparents the coming Sunday. Sunday morning was bright and breezy. We hopped into the brand new car and soon we were heading out of Petaling Jaya towards the expressway. My mother sat in the front passenger seat while my father drove. I sat behind with my younger sister. As it was Sunday the roads were not very busy. Soon we were on the expressway travelling at a leisurely pace. My father is a careful driver and he does not drive too fast or dangerously. This proved to be good for there was a speed-trap manned by the police along the expressway. I saw some cars stopped by the police. They had obviously been speeding. Driving along the expressway tend to be monotonous. I actually fell asleep once we passed Seremban. When I awoke, we were already at the Ayer Keroh toll gate. My father paid the toll and steered the car towards Melaka Town. On the way we passed many interesting sights. My father promised to stop by on our way home. We had to visit our grandparents first. We left Ayer Keroh and all its factories behind as we journeyed into the town itself. Like all towns, there were many cars and other vehicles. Also there were many tourists. Melaka has many places of historical interest and thus this was not surprising. Finally we arrived at my grandparents' house in Klebang Besar. The journey had taken about two hours. We stepped out of the car. My grandparents greeted us happily.

My favourite time of the day

My favourite time of the day

My favourite time of the day is between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. This is the time when the sun is setting and the air is cooling down. At this time I either go for a stroll, play some games or sit quietly watching the activities around me. Sitting quietly doing nothing in particular is what I like most. The compound surrounding my house is a fairly large one. So my father has planted many trees in it. Birds of all sorts come to the trees in the evening to sing their sweet songs. I just sit under my favourite rambutan tree and listen to these lovely songs. However I cannot just sit quietly all the time. My parents sometimes ask me to mow the lawn or help them in some gardening tasks. These I do gladly for the air is nice and cool. Working under a hot sun is one thing I do not like. In the evening the sun is soft and gentle. It is pleasant to potter around the garden then. Other times I might go out for a stroll or play games with my friends. Again it is pleasant to stroll around or play games when the sun is not hot in the evening. In fact many people come out of their houses to breathe in the cool evening air and to relax a bit, unless it is raining. This is the time of the day when the playing fields, parks and other recreational areas are filled with people. I guess it is not only my favourite time of the day. It is many people's favourite time as well.

My neighbours

My  neighbours

Many of us live in housing estates. I live in one myself. The one thing about living in a housing estate is that we have many neighbours. Next to my house on the right lives a family whose parents seem to be always scolding the children. I do not know them very well because they always appear angry. Never a day passes without hearing the children crying and the parents shouting at the top of their voices. On the other side of my house, however, lives a very quiet and polite family. Mr. Verghese is a quiet man who seems to manage his family very well. Though he has four children, which is one more than the other family, I never hear him scold his children. So his children never cry. What a wonderful family they are. Further down the road is a family whose radio is switched on most of the time, except late at night. His immediate neighbours must have a tough time putting up with the noise of the radio. Then there is a family whose members seem to live in a world of their own. Many times we have met along the road and not once has any of them even nod his or her head in acknowledgement. They are not blind or deaf. Yet they can walk straight past as if I am not there at all. I would not say that they are unfriendly. I guess they are simply not interested in knowing their neighbours. On the opposite side of the road live Mr. Lim and his family. Mr. Lim is a bird-collector. So everyday a dozen or more birds sing melodious tunes right beneath his front porch. It is preferable to the blare of the other neighbour's radio. However the bird droppings can give off an awful stench. These are some of the neighbours living near me. There are others that I have yet to meet. However I am careful not to intrude on their privacy. The friendly ones smile or raise their hands. The not-so-friendly ones look away. I have to live among them, friendly or not.

My Classmates

My  Classmates

We are a noisy lot, that is what our teachers say about us. This is largely due to Ah Keong. He is the noisiest of us all. His voice is like that of a bull frog but volumes louder. It seems that he cannot talk softly. Actually he does not talk, he shouts. Perhaps his living with his family of ten children has something to do with it. In this noisy bunch lives a boy who hardly ever opens his mouth. This is Padma, the boy who sits next to me. He is such a gentle and soft creature that one would think that he is a sissy. This is not so. No one dares call him one for he is a member of the school's Karate Club. Then there is Doris, our class monitor. She sits right in front of the teacher's table. She is such a model student that all the teachers love her. We all love her for she does not boss us around. She has given up doing that long ago. All she does is to make sure that the teachers have sufficient chalk and that the classroom is clean. Right at the back of the class sits our class sleepy-head. Mat seems to need more sleep than others. He catches cat-naps in between lessons. The astounding thing is that he can fall asleep almost instantly. The moment the teacher leaves after a lesson, Mat's snores start up and we know he is at it again. Remarkably he wakes up when the next teacher arrives. Every class has a clown. Our class has Jack, otherwise known as "Jacko The Clown". He is always up to some prank or other, putting tails on the boys' pants, frogs in the girls' desks and powdered chalk on the teacher's chair. So when we hear a girl scream or see men-teachers strolling around with chalk on the seat of their pants, we know that Jacko has struck again. The other classmates too have their own unique personalities. Each contributes his or her part to our class. All in all we are a group of young children who perhaps are a bit noisy at times, but on the whole are well-behaved and pleasant to be with.

An unforgettable experience

An  unforgettable  experience

Carrying a passenger on a bicycle is an offence punishable by law. Everyone knows that but still some of us do it. I had done it many times before until something happened to teach me never to do it again. It was not the police. Rather it was an unforgettable, and unpleasant, experience. It happened one evening when my friend Segaran and I wanted to go and visit another friend who lived some distance away. I had a bicycle. Segaran did not. So, as usual, he sat side-saddle on the horizontal bar of the bicycle while I pedalled. We had done it many times before, so it should not be any problem. Near my friend's house, we got onto a gravel path made slippery by the recent rain. Still we managed to wobble along, thoroughly enjoying the rough ride. As we passed by a stream, I made the mistake of going too near the bank. The rain had softened the soil and it could not hold our combined weight. One moment we were going along merrily, the next we were tumbling head over heels into the stream as the bank gave way beneath us. Splash! Splash! Splash! We plunged into the river bicycle first, followed by Segaran, then me. Normally the stream is only a few centimetres deep with clear water. When we fell in, it was a metre deep with foul black water. The water prevented us from getting badly injured but we also had to pay the price of gulping some of it. It tasted horrible. Segaran got the worst of it for being sandwiched between the bicycle and me, but it was not too bad. We had only a few cuts and bruises. Our pride was far more hurt. We retrieved ourselves and the bicycle from the stream. We were both dirty and soaking wet. Obviously we were in no condition to visit anyone. So we decided to go home. We walked all the way home. I had to push the bicycle because its front wheel was bent out of shape. From that moment I vowed never to carry anyone on a bicycle again. Never again do I want to be dirty and wet with cuts and bruises all over my body. Once was enough.

Caught in a storm

Caught in a storm

Black clouds gathered above us, but we were too intent on playing football. We hoped that the clouds would go away so that we could continue playing. Our hopes were dashed when suddenly heavy rain began to pour. In a few seconds we were all soaked to the skin. To make matters worst, lightning flashed dangerously close to us. The deafening thunder and howling wind did not help either. We ran towards a large tree under which we had parked our bicycles. The tree provided some shelter from the rain and we were tempted to remain under it. However we knew that it was dangerous to stay under a tree during a thunderstorm. So we got on our bicycles and pedalled off. There was no other shelter available nearby. So I, for one, decided to go home. Since I was already completely wet, I might was well to go home instead to seeking shelter. It was just about the fiercest storm I had ever been in. The driving rain made cycling difficult as I could not see more that a couple of metres in front of me. A car flashed past me. It was too close for comfort. Perhaps the driver did not even see me. So I thought it was better to stop somewhere before I got hit by another car. Luckily I found a bus-stop with a roof. I hurried gladly under the roof even though I had to share it with a dozen other people who were also soaked to the skin. It was a bit of a squeeze but no one complained. For an hour the storm lashed everything around us. We were silent spectators to an awesome display of power by nature. I felt very small and vulnerable, even afraid; but I could do nothing but watch. Finally the rain slowed down to a drizzle and the wind died down. I could still hear distant thunder but the worst of the storm was over. So happily I got on my bicycle and pedalled home.

A visit to the dentist

A visit to the dentist

My tooth hurt through the night. I had to take a painkiller to lessen the pain. Worst of all I did not get a wink of sleep the whole night through. The next morning. I told my mother about my toothache. It was obvious I could not go to school. So instead she took me to the dentist. I was horrified, but I had no choice. At nine o'clock we waited outside the dentist's office. The nurse came and opened the door. I was the first patient. She wrote down my particulars and told me to wait a moment. The dentist had not arrived yet. Meanwhile the tooth still ached like mad. The burly dentist arrived and I was ushered to the dentist's chair. Normally I would run away from the frightening surgery with all its horrible drills and pliers, but I did not. I had to get the offending tooth out. So I sat down on the reclining chair while the dentist kept saying some reassuring words. I relaxed somewhat. He asked me to open my mouth. I did so. He said that the tooth had to come out. I nodded dumbly in reply. I felt a slight prick of pain when he gave me an injection, but that was nothing compared to the toothache. Soon, miraculously, all pain disappeared. The anaesthetic definitely worked very quickly. Then before I knew it, the dentist told me that I could go. I looked at him quizzedly and he told me he had already pull the tooth out. What wonder, I did not even feel it. The dentist put a wad of cotton over the wound and he told me to keep my mouth shut for a while. I nodded, smiled and went out into the waiting room where my mother was waiting for me. The visit to the dentist was not too bad after all.

Road safety

Road  safety

Everyday many people are involved in road accidents. Some are killed. Many more are injured or maimed. So it is important for us to learn to use the roads properly and safely. No sane person would like to be involved in an accident. As the roads are very busy nowadays, we should be very careful when crossing one. It is safer to use a pedestrian crossing or an overhead bridge whenever one is available. Never cross a road by dashing across it. That is inviting trouble. If there are no crossings, then we must look carefully right and left and cross only when it is safe to do so. Some of us take the bus to school. It is important that we do not try to get on or off a bus while it is still moving. I tried to get on a moving bus once. It dragged me a short distance and nearly ran over me. I was lucky to escape with only some scratches on my legs. Also we must not fool around while in the bus. A suddenly lurch can send us knocking our heads against something hard. Using a bicycle can be dangerous too. We must pay attention on the road and never cycle too far out to the middle of the road. We must obey all traffic rules. Also we must make sure our bicycles are in good condition with working brakes, lights etc. These are some things we can do to avoid accidents. However there is no guarantee that we will never be involved in one. The important thing is to stay alert at all times while using the roads. We must know what is happening around us. In that way we can take necessary action to avoid danger whenever we see one. Road safety is very much up to how we use the roads. Use them carefully and we may be able to use them for a long time. Use them carelessly and we may never be able to use them again.

My first day at school

My first day at school

My mother accompanied me to school on the first day. Other parents accompanied their children as well. We all waited in front of the school office. Soon a teacher came and led us to some classrooms. There we were put into four separate classes. This was when some children began to cry as the parents were not allowed into the classrooms. I did not cry because I had been to kindergarten before. Actually my mother went home soon after for she knew I would be all right. It was an enjoyable time for me as I got to know my new classmates. The teacher was very busy writing down our particulars so we had plenty of time to ourselves. Meantime some children continued to sob while their parents looked in anxiously through the windows. Soon recess came. Some of us headed for the tuck-shop while the rest headed for their parents. I bought a drink with the money my mother gave me. Getting to know my new friends had made me thirsty. After recess we went back to out classroom and my new friends and I managed to coax two boys to stop crying. In fact, soon we were laughing and playing together. Once in a while the teacher had to tell us to keep quiet as we were making too much noise. Still some parents looked in anxiously through the windows. Finally the bell rang for us to go home. Some of us were very relieved to be reunited with our parents. I too was glad to see my mother waiting for me at the school gate. I had made many friends. It had been a wonderful first day at school.

A Fault Confessed Is Half Redressed.

A Fault Confessed Is Half Redressed.

A Fault Confessed Is Half Redressed. :

We are all human beings. It is quite natural for us to commit mistakes. All of us must have committed some fault or other in our life. There is nobody who has not committed any mistake. But once we know that we have done something wrong, we should be ready to admit it. Admitting or confessing a fault means that we are prepared to correct it. If we don’t care to admit a fault, it only means that we are not prepared or willing to correct it. Willingness to self-correction is made easier by admitting a fault. If we admit a fault, we have come a long way in correcting it. Without admitting a fault, it is impossible to correct it. So, the first step in correcting ourselves is to confess it. Only broad-minded persons are able to confess their mistakes. People respect and appreciate those who admit their follies.

A Drowning Man Will Clutch At Straws.

A Drowning Man Will Clutch At Straws.

A Drowning Man Will Clutch At Straws. :

A straw is a frail thing. It cannot bear the weight of anything. But if a person has fallen into a deep lake and is drowning, he will desperately clutch at even a floating straw. The only thought in his mind will be to catch something that will save him. To him, it does not make any difference whether it is a boat or a straw. A man may be facing a serious problem. The problem may require urgent attention. In such a situation, the person facing it will grab any opportunity in the hope of solving it. To him, it does not matter if it is a small change or a big one. The person in this case is like the man who is drowning. Just like the drowning man who clutches at even a straw, the man facing a desperate situation grasp any opportunity irrespective of its worth. A frantic person is one who will go to any limit for solving his problems. He is not different from the desperate man who is drowning.

A Contented Mind Is A Perpetual Feast.

A Contented Mind Is A Perpetual Feast.

A Contented Mind Is A Perpetual Feast. :

We engage ourselves often in the pursuit of pleasures. There is no limit to the pleasures one can have. The more money we have, he more we wish to have. The more happiness we have, the more we want them. But such material pleasures can give us no real and ultimate satisfaction. They can give us only temporary happiness. The very next moment, the happiness lessens and we are again on the lookout for more. But this is not the real purpose of life. For life to become meaningful, we should have real and ultimate contentment. Real satisfaction means the contentment of mind. If the mind is satisfied with what it has, it is happy. Such happiness will be long lasting. It will be ultimate in the sense that it will not wish for anything more. So if one wants to have peace of mind, he should be contented with what he has. Only a contented mind can give continuous and real happiness. Worldly pleasures and comforts only make up a part of the real satisfaction in life. They are not lasting. It is in fact a contented mind that would give us real satisfaction like a perpetual feast.

A Bird In The Hand Is Worth Two In The Bush.

A Bird In The Hand Is Worth Two In The Bush.

A Bird In The Hand Is Worth Two In The Bush. :

A bird which one has got in the hand is always more valuable that two or three birds which await one in the bush. That is so because, the birds in the bush can always fly away and leave the person with nothing while the one in his hand cannot escape. So if the person lets the bird in his hand go free and tries to catch those in the bush, they may also fly away leaving him a complete loser. It is always wise to utilize whatever opportunity is at hand than look forward to some other opportunity that may come in future with more advantages. It is better to be satisfied with whatever change is there and make the most out of it than wait for a better one which may never come. This applies to people also. Those who are near to us and willing to help are more valuable friends that those who are away. Those who are away might not be willing to help at all. So it is foolish to reject whatever help is at hand. The wise man always relies on the present instead of laying his hopes on future gains.

A Bad Workman Always Blames His Tools.

A Bad Workman Always Blames His Tools.

A Bad Workman Always Blames His Tools. :

People can generally be classified into two groups those who have talents and those who have not. A really talented person succeeds in his work. He makes use of his abilities properly and achieves good results. He is confident of doing his work. He uses his tools in the right way, even if they are not excellent. At the same time, if a badly talented person even if given excellent tools, fails to achieve good results. His talents are limited. He tries to find lame excuses for his failure to achieve good results. He blames his tools for the bad work he has done. He does not want to admit that he is a bad workman. He deliberately forgets the fact that his talents are limited. Even if good opportunities are provided for the less talented person, he fails to exploit such chances and succeed in life. But if the talented person is given the right opportunity, he makes use of it to the full, thereby achieving his goal in life. While the former blames the opportunities and people around him for his failure, the latter without complaint utilizes them and succeeds in life.

A Scene at A Railway Station

A Scene at A Railway Station

A Scene at A Railway Station :

Travelling by trains is very cheap and comfortable so a railways station is a place full of great hustle and bustle. Here we come across people form different parts of the country in different fashions and colors.


Last Sunday, I went to the Chennai central station to see off my friend. He was going to Calcutta by the Howrah Mail. The waiting hall was crowded with all sorts of passengers. There was a long queue in front of the booking window. Everyone seemed to be in a hurry. A passenger’s pocket was picked. But the pickpocket was caught red-handed and handed over to the police. I bought the ticket and came off. We soon reached the platform. The scene there was very interesting. Passengers were waiting eagerly for the arrival of the train. Some were sitting on benches and smoking or reading newspaper. A few were pacing up and down the platform. The vendors were having a busy time. There was rush at tea-stall. The coolies in red uniforms were sitting in a line.


The train stamped in. There was noise and commotions everywhere. There was a great rush at the doors of compartments. Many passengers got down and many more got in. Coolies were seen carrying heavy bundles of luggage on their heads. Children clung to their parents in the great rush. The whole platform was full of noise.


Luckily, my friend got a comfortable seat near a window. Soon all were settled. It was time for the train to depart. The guard flew the whistle and waved the green flag. The engine whistled and the train began to move. There was waging of hands and hand kerchiefs. The train gains speed and kept the stations. The platform looked a deserted place once again.

A Bad Journey

A Bad Journey

A Bad Journey :

“Travelling is a sort of educations among the younger people”, said Bacon. Perhaps, he had a disappointing journey in his mind. For it gives more experience and enables to develop more courage. Hazlitt, in one of his essays, says that a journey becomes enjoyable if one hopes to get a good meal and a good rest after a tiring journey, and adds that traveling hopefully gives the maximum happiness perhaps he had no experience of a disappointing journey which is more instructive.


It was a day of disappointments. And being an optimist I did not attach much importance to bad omens. First of all the auto I hired to the railway station rattled noisily and emitted more smoke than an ordinary vehicle can. But I had limited time at my disposal, so I decided to travel by it.


After a short distance I was panting like an extremely tired person and came to a sudden stop. It was the first disappointment. Somehow I reached the station jumping into anther auto but I found a long queue at the ticket counter. There were only a few minutes for the train to leave, yet there was no hope of reaching the ticket window. This was the second disappointment. I decided to travel without ticket and pay the fare.


Boarding the train was itself an ordeal. Despite my healthy body I was sandwiched and my luggage was mercilessly trampled upon. Still I managed to wriggle into a corner. There I found some persons smoking cigarettes. And I could not rather stand that smell nor could I move an inch. I covered my nose with my handkerchief, but the bad smell was choking me.


As expected the ticket checker came and I willingly told him about my inability to buy the ticket. He looked him about my inability to buy the ticket. He looked at me with strange eyes and all passengers stared at me. The ticker checker was not going to allow me to travel but I protested and told him that if a passenger was prepared to pay the fine, he could be allowed to travel. After much discussion, I convinced him and heaved a sigh of relief.


As I reached my destination, I was thanking god. I was thinking that I would meet my uncle and aunt with a broad smile and their hospitality would make me forget the ordeals of the journey. I was dreaming of it, while the rickshaw-puller was pulling the vehicle in a half sleep manner. To my great disappointment, I found that my uncle and aunt had gone to Chennai for a month and the house was locked. This was the greatest disappointment. I did not have much money for return trip. I did not want to recall this disappointing journey further because that makes me extremely sad. That was A Bad Journey.

A Scene at A Common Water Tap

A Scene at A Common Water Tap

A Scene at A Common Water Tap :

Water taps are installed by Municipal Committees in different parts of the town for public use. The supply of water at such taps is suspended for some time. So there is a great rush in the mornings and evenings.


There is a municipals tap in our street also. Early in the morning, people flock to it to fetch water. Soon there is a long line of piles and pitchers. Small groups of men and women are seen standing by waiting for their turn. They talk about politics or social and domestic affairs. They keep a strict watch lest someone else shall usurp their turn. Some people are in a grant hurry and want to draw water out of their turn. It is resented. It often leads to quarrels. Ladies are very unscrupulous in this respect. Hot words are exchanged. From hot word they come to blow. People standing nearby try to pacify them in vain. Some mischief mongers enjoy such quarrels and encourage them.


Some women are seen sitting near the water tap, washing dirty clothes. It is annoying. Stray cattle come there to quench their thirst.


The tap keeps running for some time. All have their turn and carry home their buckets full of water. At noon the supply of water runs short and the place becomes lonely.

A Detesting Career

A Detesting Career

A Detesting Career :

Hold your breath my friends. I am going to tell you that I hate a career for which you aspire and dream and my dislike for it. I am sure, it will compel you to hate me and dub me a stoic. These fears do not frighten me to say that I hate to be a film actor. You will surely say that there is much glamour about it. There is good money in this profession and above all it will qualify you to win elections. You will try to silence me by quoting the examples of M.G. Ramachandran, Jayalalitha, Lata, Amitabh Bachchan, Vijayantimala, Sunil Dutt, N.T. Rama Rao and above all Ronald Reagan.


Now before you get me all wrong, let me add that I have my own reasons to dislike it. I dislike glamour, consider it nothing else but hypocrisy and shame. Big money has no fascinations for me because it brings trouble, mental tension, baseless arrogance and what not. Only honest and hard earned money can give real satisfactions. Similarly fast jet set life does not go down with me as I prefer a quiet, tranquil life having reconciled to the type of life.


I do not like the working conditions of the actors. The arc lights, the murky smell of the studios and the layers of make up one has to put on repel me. I dislike fan-mail and I see no logic in going around appending my signature in everybody’s autograph-book. I shudder at the thought of being mobbed should I go out shopping. I would be most unhappy to have gossip writers write all scurrilous news about my private life.


I honestly feel that the actors lead a miserable life. They spend one half of it in trying to get a break and in scaling the ladder of success and the other half in coping with the onset of age and the downhill journey. Indeed there could be nothing more pathetic in life than to be a faded film actor.