Life After Death

 

It was peak autumn. 2041.  I woke up late & felt tired as if I was awake the whole night. Everyone has their thing. It was my thing to feel like this every Sunday morning. As my eyes opened further I realized my yoku was still on & I was wearing it. I must have slept wearing it. The latest in technology, gifted by my cousin from the States, is such lightweight & thin specs that sometimes I forget to take it off even! As I was about to switch it on, I realized it already was. I entered into my favorite metaverse – MIKO. It notified me of an unfinished shopping that I left yesterday. I went into the store and looked at some ethnic clothes to wear for the upcoming wedding of my friend, Keev. That’s the thing about shopping for a wedding. You feel tired even before attempting to shop. But I was determined to do it this time. Took all the favorites & went to the counter. I scanned my eyes for the payment but it failed. Another attempt went in vain. What’s wrong? Another attempt was made, and a failure. I threw all the clothes on the counter & left the shop frustrated. “I anyway don’t want to go to a wedding. I will send an expensive gift to the couple later. Who’s gonna notice my absence at the wedding anyway”, I thought.

 

Roaming around in MIKO is my favorite pastime. In a bid to lighten up my mood, I started walking aimlessly. With clean surroundings, colorful alleys, and pleasant weather, I can see beautiful bridges over the canal running beside & towering hills touching the nice blue sky. It was a custom skin I built for myself by fusing Venice & Himalayas. The theme got so viral that it crossed 100K subscribers within a year. Around 10K people visit this skin daily. So, I choose ‘public’ & meet people instead of walking in ‘private’. It’s more fun.

As I was walking past a smoke zone, I saw a distant friend sitting alone. At first, I avoided going near, but when I saw his avatar crying, I became concerned. It was unusual in the metaverse. Who chooses a crying avatar? Even the most depressed people walk with a smile. Almost like real life. But this is the worst. 

So I went up to him & asked “Sorry to bother Dale, but are you Okay?”. 

No reply. 

“Let me know if I can be of any help, mate”. 

Still no reply. 

I turned around & he replied “Is there any way I can kill this digital avatar?!” 

I looked back & said, “But Why?”. 

He instantly replied, “because I am bloody tired of this all. I wanna go back & get rid of all this.”

I asked “go where?” He replied “anywhere but here!”. 

I reverted “well, I think you can put your avatar on AI mode. It will gather your mannerisms, and idiosyncrasies, and remain active on your behalf. You can leave & visit whenever you like. This way you will be socially active digitally & choose to do whatever else.” 

I continued, “but try not to make it a habit, man. It’s good to stay connected. So try to come as often. I hope it helps.” He nodded. 

I asked if he wanted a smoke. He nodded again. I asked for two cigs nearby & as I was paying, it failed again! He noticed, & paid instead. I thanked.

“So what are you up to these days”, he asked. 

“Nothing man, just passing time, went to buy some clothes for Keev’s wedding, but these goddamn payment failures, I don’t know, will check later”, I answered. 

He reverted, “but hey, isn’t the wedding canceled?”Seeing me surprised, he continued, “yup. I received Keev’s notification that he sent early this morning. One of his close friends died” he confirmed. 

Unusual, I said, “but I didn’t receive any such message, idk”. He said, "yup, it's canceled, so don’t bother shopping & all."

He got up & said, “will take your leave now; thanks for stopping by”. “No worries, mate”, I said smilingly. It felt good that his crying avatar has a smile in return now.

So, there I was, sitting comfortably on a bench, thinking not-so-much but the thought of not receiving Keev’s message & stupid payment failures evoked me to look at my yoku’s phone folder. And that’s when I found out; I was that friend who died. Holy fuck! That was why I woke up in the metaverse, with payment failures, and no notifications! It struck me that I had put my avatar on AI mode…and now I will live forever in MIKO.

It is mid-winters. 2074. Almost 30 years after I died. Today, I’m almost completing my 18th novel titled “forever sucks”. Holy fuck :-)

"Nothing Happens Until Something Moves" - Albert Einstein

  

**Includes Real Life Events**

October 18, 2003. Somewhere in the North Indian city of Gurgaon. Peak autumn evening. The clock said half past 4.

The teacher stopped while writing on the board. Marker fell first from the hand. The teacher was looking blankly at the board without any movement. Within a few seconds, he fell. While falling down, as we all were seeing, he was holding his chest, face got red and sweaty, the scream was silent as if the vocal cords have stopped working while the body is in immense pain, eyes filled with water. Students screamed. Footsteps approached outside the class. The teacher was finally lifted away by the family member & few students.

.........

'So, what happened yesterday was shocking, to say the least yaar', Amit broke the silence when I, Karan, and Ria were eating our burgers at Neesho's in the evening. We usually come here after our tuition gets over to have some refreshments before going to our homes. 

'He recently got married, man', Ria said & extended the topic. 

'So what?', Karan jumped into the conversation. 'Yes, he is young but a heart attack can happen to anyone I think, plus the way he was so into these classes after classes since early morning, especially near exam times, & unable to take any breaks, it is not surprising', Karan spoke his thoughts. 

'Agree', Amit said & continued, 'but whatever it is, we hope he gets well soon, so we can start our classes as exams are near & we have to cover a lot yet. 

'Are you kidding me!', Ria interrupted. 'Even if he gets discharged, forget he'll taking any classes soon. It is a heart attack, guys', said Ria while looking at Amit. 'Fair point', said Karan. 

I ate the last bite of my burger & we all started moving. 'We got to find a new Physics tutor for us', I said.

'Forget it!', said Karan while lighting his cigarette he use to have on the way back home. 'There are no better Physics teachers anymore except our hero at the hospital right now', explained Karan. Amit took the cigarette from Karan as they two walked ahead of me & Ria. Before taking a puff, Amit said, 'What about Laxmi Ma'am from C block? Heard about her?'

Karan smirked & said, 'Yes. You can go there. Your father has a lot of money, so wasting a few is no concern'. We three laughed.

Ria opened a bottle of coke and took a sip before handing it over to me. 'Aur Sharma Sir?' Amit took another chance in a bid to get a positive reply.

 'Unke 4 students fail hue unit exams mein', Ria said with a smile & asked Amit, 'Do you want to help him increase his tally of failed students?' And we three laughed again. 

But we all knew, we won't be able to score in Physics without a good tutor.

 

 * Next Day at the school *

Ria told us that her mom heard about a young professor who has recently shifted from Varanasi to Gurgaon & teaching at a nearby college. And he is looking for a batch of 11th & 12th standard students to teach Physics. 

'I think we should go & visit him once', Ria said in a positive tone. 

'I think not', reverted Karan. 'Taking a chance with someone new is worse than going to Laxmi aur Sharma I think', Karan shared his viewpoint. 

'Do you have any solution, then!?', asked Ria even when she knew he has none. 'All I am saying is let's go there once, talk to the person, ask for fee structure & all, and see how it goes', Ria asserted. 

'I'm in', I said quickly. Amit reverted, 'Me too.' We all three looked at Karan as he already sensed it. He looked at Ria & said, 'Chalo fir! But I'm telling you, it will be a waste of time.' She rolled her eyes.

At 5-ish in the evening, we reached the house of the new teacher. Ria's mom has helped us get his address from the Beauty Salon where she usually goes.

There was a board hanging above the main gate saying 'Physics Simplified' and in small text below, it was written - Looking for students from 11th & 12th who want to understand Physics.

I immediately got impressed with what was written as I have never seen a more confident ad than this. I looked at my friends & sensed that they have also read & liked it. We rang the bell with hope. A young man, presumably in his mid-thirties, wearing a white shirt, blue jeans, & a smile, opened the door. 

 'We are students in 11th standard & came to meet Krishnan Sir,' said Karan pointing his finger slightly up towards the board. 'Oh. Hello. I'm Krishnan. Venkat Krishnan. Please come inside,' he said & opened the gate, and gestured us to move inside. 

 

* 1 hour later at Neesho's *

  'Ek sandwich bhi kara le, Amit', Karan hollered at Amit who was ordering for us at the counter a few meters away from where we three were standing.

'The fact that there is no board & he'll teach us in a huddle, like older days, is one thing I find beneficial. I like it that way. It helps me understand better,' pointed Ria. While I disagree with her & find board-learning far better, I stayed quiet & waited for other opinions.

'What do you think, Karan?', I asked.

'The guy seemed nice. Fee is fine, plus he calmly answered our queries, & room setup is better on the first floor; I think we should be good here', Karan reflected upon his thoughts.

'For once you are on point, Karan!', teased Ria.

Meanwhile, Amit barged in, but empty-handed. Unamusingly he said, 'What do you guys think about burnt, pasted, or stapled currency notes in our country?'. Karan took the opportunity instantly & said, 'So you hated the teacher so much & realized you will fail & your family disowns you & you started creating career ideas out of such currency notes, Amit? You are too quick, Man!'.

As we were laughing, Amit showed us the only 500-rupee note he had that day which was pasted with a cello tape from the middle.

'Papa ne diya tha kal', said Amit in a sad tone. 'I don't understand, I mean what if everybody decides on taking these notes, not only its value will remain the same, there will be no hassles, no embarrassments!', he continued.

'..And no hunger as you will be able to purchase our junk, right Amit?', asked Ria. And continued, 'No! Because then it will promote fake currencies, duffer!' 

I quietly went to purchase the decided food items & came back with it. We finished eating our junk & started moving. Karan lit a cigarette & started moving ahead of me & Ria along with Amit, I opened our coke & took the sip before handing it to Ria. We have mutually decided to give it a try at Krishnan's tuition tomorrow. 

 

 * 5 PM on the Next Day *

 We all reached his house on time. Rang the bell. An old lady opened the door & said smilingly, 'Aa Gaye!' as if she was expecting us. We greeted her. She said to go upstairs & Krishnan will join you shortly. We silently move to the first floor. It was a small house. There was a single room on the first floor, and with it attached was an iron staircase at the right that ends on a small terrace holding a big water tank. There was a wash basin behind the staircase attached to a, presumably, toilet.

We opened the half-opened door to the room. Switched on the lights & fan. A center table surrounded by two wooden desks was waiting for us. We two sat across, facing the other two. And waited for Mr. Venkat Krishnan to arrive. He came within five minutes. 'Good Evening', he greeted & continued, 'Good to see you guys.

 'Good evening', we all reverted.

'As we are not expecting anyone else, let's start with our studies,' cleared Krishnan. 

The next 30 minutes went smoothly. He asked us the time of our exams, what syllabus to cover, how & when we will plan to study which topics & every other important stuff regarding our common goal - to understand Physics & score fairly well in the exam. 

As we were studying the laws of motion, Krishnan Sir suddenly stopped speaking. A few seconds of silence made me look up to him. He was gazing into the book we all were sharing. His eyes were not moving at all. I looked at Karan, sitting right in front of my sight. Then Ria. Then Amit. We looked at each other for a second, unable to figure out what happened. I look at Krishnan Sir again and found he was still staring hard at one point in the book. Eyes wide open, but no action. Suddenly it flashed into my mind that it exactly happened a few days back, with our last tutor, that too while studying laws of motion. WTF?! I got worried. My heart started racing. Hundreds of thoughts came racing. What if it is a pre-heart attack sign? Why are we not doing anything? Or, is it something else? 

Is it a breakdown? He recently moved from another city. Or, is it a Eureka moment for him, a comprehension of life's purpose or meaning.  Or, What if he realized that he was teaching us incorrectly. He forgot to pay any bills due?! Goddamn! Has he suddenly remembered that he has put the milk on a stove which he forgot to check? Happens to me often, but only when the milk has spilled. Is there some issue with Physics? Never have I ever liked the subject! Is he trying to feel if any insect or rat is crawling on his body? Are there bloody rats in here! My train of thought was unstoppable.

And finally, in a split second, he shouted his lungs out – Paani ki Tanki Bhar Gayi Hai. Motor Band Kar Doooo!

We four chuckled.

FIN.

55 Fiction: The Love That Was....

Cutting my wedding cake, smiles all around, clapping started and there she was, standing with her better half, smiling as tears leaving her eyes. I took the first piece, ate the half, selfish I am. Offered the remaining to her……..& tears found other eyes!

Happiness is a Choice!

The stall is 2 km away from my house. Some adrenaline rushes into my body when I merely think about having a cup of tea there. Still remember the first day, the first cup, the first change!

The air was cool. Fan was at it's highest speed. Sun shining at peak outside. First sip was cool, of-course it’s hot but in a way it was cool. Then the second, the third, the fourth. Now the poison started to show it's intensity. Eyes went blur. Couple of guys sitting besides. I could see them but couldn’t hear. I could hear the traffic outside but couldn’t see it. I could hear the different kind of horns, and associate them with people. They all were running. Running for their destination, some running home, some running to their office or somewhere else. Everyone  was running. In a hurry, losing time but the speed of time is same for everyone. But I realized that this noise of traffic don’t bother me anymore. Someone must be crying somewhere, some is laughing their heart out at the same time, life goes on! The aura was suddenly getting diminished. I quickly took another couple of sips. And again I was not alone anymore.

The clear blue sky with little white clouds, chirping of birds rushing for their food, swaying of trees, all were under my sight.  I felt so close to nature while sitting inside that tea stall. It was just beautiful. I don’t want to go back to my world. The world where lies are told as a universal truth, where running away from your responsibilities is dominated by some amusing excuses, where money is considered everything for majority of the people. The list is too long.

Suddenly the retina of my eyes went crystal clear. Now I could listen to what people on the table besides me, talking. I could see a big traffic jam outside. And it was then I knew I needed another couple of sips. 

Such an amazing feeling one could only dream of. I considered myself lucky to have experienced it. Avalanche  of thoughts running into my mind have generated a smile while I was looking outside. A smile of assurance that I’ve found a place where you come and go straight to heaven for a while or may be much more than that. Where only love resides, smile besides and  you get happiness of every size. I realized the intensity of the poison got doubled as the tea is about to end. 

Finally took the last sip. It was a little warm as compared to hot sips before. But the taste was same. Simply perfect! I stood up with a little smile. Really wanted to see the man who’ve made all this possible, who’ve made this change in me today. He looked fat. 50-55 yrs of age. Watching television which he has fixed in a small box fixed to the wall in front of him. Some daily soap may be. While smiling he looked at me. I didn’t ask the cost of that tea which I drank, for much obvious reason, but he demanded. While giving the said amount I looked up for a shop name or something but there were only two rates mentioned. And then I realized that it was not just another cup of tea but they call it as a ‘Special Ghota’. Indeed, it was special! He smiled. I reverted. As if we both knew that i was leaving with such a peace in me but it'll not last. The happiness will not last, sorrow never did. But we know that a life has been lived in that moment of happiness. And I turned back with a promise that I’ll come back here again & went away. Now I’m a part of that traffic, but with a change!

Happiness do comes in small packages. Enjoy the moment which deserves to be enjoyed!

P.S. The tea stall is located at New colony, Gurgaon, Haryana, India. :)

Part I

Part II


"Can I have a drag or may be an extra cigarette you got", I asked.
"Sure", she said with the live cigarette clutched under the lips as her hands went searching for the packet of death rolls in the bag she was holding.
"Here you go", she said while putting the lit on as I sucked the first puff of a new roll.
Though I too saw the visual of tar clinging on my lungs but as I took the first drag the visuals slowly vanished in my mind like smoke in the air.
I quickly took another drag and realised that whatever I was thinking few minutes back was nothing more than bull shit and here lies the life full of pleasures, between my fingers.
"Want a joint?"
Her voice broke my euphoria.
"Sure as hell", I said.
"We can't prepare here"
"Let's get off the next stop"
A Little smile came to our face when we looked at the bus conductor's expression after getting off the bus three stops before the actual stop we paid for. Our eyes went searching for a nice, silent and lone place to actually prepare an illegal stuff we were holding.
"You keep looking around while I prepare", she said. I nodded. But soon realized I couldn't let my eyes of her. She neatly tore apart two cigarettes and pull all the tobacco in my palm. Then she took two match stick with a small clayish ball held to the flamesh part of the stick. She took out the lighter and burn the ball for few seconds and then crushed the ball into small pieces over tobacco. She looked experienced. The mixture is taken from me soon. Few of the particles get stucked into the hands as if they were saying not to smoke us. I tried to rub my palms to get the remains of tobacco and put it on the bundle which was now in her hand. She neatly took out a rizla paper, a filter was set at the bottom of the paper as she started pouring the mixture in it. Finally we had a joint prepared. Just a three inches tall, had such powers inside it, can't just imagine.
"Initiate", she said to me.
Without wasting any more time I took the joint, put into my mouth. She lit with her lighter and smiled.
The first drag was cool. It gave the hint of herbs inside my mouth. It felt as if I'm doing a bonefire in the middle of jungles and that scent of trees with wet soil you get. I took another drag before passing the joint to her. She was still smiling. Her smile soon faded away with a look of desperation as she took a deep puff inside her.
We didn't talk for next fifteen minutes. And the joint finally started talking.
"Goooood stuff", I said.
"Yea, can imagine from your eyes", she witted.
I put on her black aviator which was resting by my side. She laughed which ended in a cough.
"Famished as hell. You wanna eat something", I asked.
She started laughing aloud and coughing hard. I put off the aviator in a hope that she would stop laughing. My naked yet influenced eyes saw a rainbow on the road.
"What is this rainbow doing on the road? Who threw it down", I asked while scratching my head.
She was still laughing. The trees nearby started laughing too but they were not coughing like her. The flashy green leaves seemed as if someone just washed them. The nature around us seemed so sparkling as if I was watching a lucid dream. I wanted to ask her if this seemed only to me. I looked around but she was no there. I was still hearing her laughs but she was out of my sight. The rainbow had gone too. Instead there was this lizard. A big lizard on the road. The big lizard was crossing the road slowly. I looked around if some heavy vehicle is coming. That could be dangerous to lizard. I was worried untill I heard her voice.
"Come here you"
"Well, O.K but ....where the hell are you!", I inquired
The laughing started again. This time the bench was laughing too, with the trees. I looked around and finally I could see her waving hands to me. I signaled her that I'm coming. She was still waving.
"You disappeared! How have you been?", I asked.
"I just met that bus conductor, he came to refund our money", she said. Her voice blur.
"You are high", I said as I laughed,"And I'm hungry"
"I just saw subway across the road. Hey, see, see its moving. Let's go", she said excitingly and started running  . I grabbed her arm.
"Wait....wait....Its written on the bus and the bus is moving", I clarified. "But I think a market is back there. Let's go"
Some kind of waves were floating all over my face and going into the head and coming back to the face and settling at somewhere in the back of my eyes. Eyes felt heavy. I knew we both were high. But hungry too.
"Hold my hand and be careful while crossing the road. Lizards are out there", I warned. She laughed.
We crossed the road.
"Look, there is the place", I said signalling forward and a little above our heights.
"Nahhhhh, they are giving joints, we already had one", she replied with her eyes closed and face tired.
"Its a Food Joint", I said ....'Food' in a high tone.
She didn't bother. I went to the food joint and ordered couple of burgers and a large coke. Why is it when you don't have any change in your pocket and the bill comes in an un-round off value. As I was high so I didn't bother. Though it felt like giving tip while on a self-service. As I took the plate and turn around, i saw a huge crowd close to the road. As I was high so i didn't bother. I feel like the best part of being high is that you just don't bother. I look around for my accompanier, that girl for whom I wasted my bus ticket, moreover my time, my money, my body and my lungs. But most importantly i was feeling like heaven. She was out of my sight, again. I again forgot to ask her name. I looked around but she was not there. After few minutes of intoxicated-eye searching, i heard a voice from the crowd.
"Is she drunk"
"This seemed to be a suicide"
"There is no note"

A ran into the crowd and saw a body lying on the road. The body was upside down. That black jean and that blue top were the same color combinations she was wearing. I was in doubt. I wanted to see the face. I looked into the crowd. After couple of minutes I saw her standing right in front of me as a part of the crowd. I felt a sigh of relief. I closed my eyes and thanked to god. She was smiling while looking at me. Then I realized that i'm seeing her face in everybody's face. I turn around and she was everywhere, smiling like she ate both burgers and i'll die famished. Then I heard someone saying that the vehicle which hit her just ran away.
The traffic police approached few minutes later following an ambulance. They declared her dead. I had her burger in my hand. And a half coke. As they turn around the body I saw her vanished into the crowd and rather laid over the dead body. The face was as fresh as hour ago when she was preparing the joint for us.

The police were trying to get in touch of someone who knew her. They opened her purse with a motive to search some clues about her. A packet with black clay came out as if it wanted to fly away to someone else. I suddenly forgot about the demise and wanted to get hold of that clay. Though i realized that this is thing which made me holding those burgers while she died. This was the power of herbs.

I curse myself of stepping back from the crowd that day. I ate the burgers alone with teary eyes. I threw away the coke though. And went back to my house and pretend nothing happened. I never knew this thing would change my entire life.



To be continued.........

A Roll of Death

A Roll of Death-

(Part I)

Odd things come handy to eyes. An uncomfortable scene or a different picture grabs your eyes and attention. Something similar happened few minutes ago. She had one clutched in her palms. Pinkishness of her lips were holding a roll of paper which can turn them black, she never knew. She watched a small, yellow flame settled, and when the end of her cigarette glows she puts the lighter into her bag. Sucking all of it in and her cheeks pull it in so tightly, her bones looked like a scrawny chicken wings. Her eyes went closed and so deeply sunken into her forehead you can barely see them. And when she breathed out, her whole body shivered and I wondered Why? Pleasure? What kind of pleasure? It's hard to tell. Even though the live cigarette was beneath her lips, she was smiling. It was like she was getting a sweet taste of hard grey smoke. The dimples at the corner of her mouth were visible. The smoke-machine was placed in between her middle and index finger as she blows out a small cloud of grey smoke. She coughs!

One, twice....thrice!!

It became intense as she clutched her stomach and coughed. I thought she might get sick.

Good.

Finally it stopped, the coughing. And she was sucking on her cigarette again. Pleasure floating all over her face and settling somewhere in back of her eyes. But her eyes are closed. I closed mine, too. I was visualizing how the tar clinging to her lungs and slowly luring her to death. I see the smoke suppressing her heart, making the face look grayish black and enveloping it in grey dust. How something so small can do this much to you, I wondered. Its just two or may be three inches long. But actually its not the length but the matter inside it what matters, when burnt, can lessen the organs inside the body. Its practically Death In A Paper Roll. A Death, in a roll!

I opened my eyes and found her eyes were open too., and she was watching me. Our eyes locked as she was gazing me, took a slow drag and puffs out the smoke as if to my face. She was disgusted by me, and I by her. But that was how it should be. She quickly took another drag and threw the bud before puffing out the smoke inside her mouth. Throwing the cigarette bud looked to me as if her body was throwing her lungs out.

Suddenly she reached inside her bag and before I could turn my back on, a cigarette was in her hands again, a lighter was in the other. I closed my eyes after seeing the contents on her hands and started walking towards her as if my body got reflexed. Now faster, more faster untill I was there. Right beside her, so close that I can see stubble underneath her eyebrows where she was in need of another wax. She grinned, smirked.


TO BE CONTINUED.......

An Untimely Visitor- I N S P I R A T I O N

Why? Why must inspiration come to me at such an inconvenient time?

I can't write right now. I'm busy. This is neither the time nor the place for you to visit. Inspiration, can't you see I'm in the middle of doing something else? Moreover, I've no pen! No paper! No laptop, no desktop is within my reach now. Go away and come back later. I won't speak to you now.

"Think Big Thoughts But Relish Small Pleasures"

Seriously, why couldn't you come to me on Saturday after-nights or may be Sunday afternoons. That would have been the perfect time. I was all set to write- besides nobody was at home. Pure silence, full concentration, the focus was there too. You liked him. No? I know. Or Are you both meeting at some other place and not mine?  This focus always keep silent when you're not with us. I was ready for you, then. I had everything prepared. I really wanted you to come. But I just waited....

But nooo, you had better things to do. No? Did you have fun?. Oh, don't you even try lying to me. I know you were with Chetan Bhagat. Do you think I'm blind. I saw what he posted on twitter that day. He just completed his fifth novel and is releasing in October named 'Revolution 2020'. Novel? And I ask for short stories. You ought to be ashamed of yourself.

"You Can't Please Everybody. Don't Let Criticism Worry You"

Now, go away. I don't have the time or desire at the moment. See, this is me, ignoring you! Leave. Now!

********

Well....on second thought, wait! I want you to stay. Yes, stay! You owe me, miss. Stay right here until I'm done with my work. I don't care if you never come on time.You stood me up before, and you're gonna do the same thing now. Stay! I'll be back.

"The Person Who Really Wants To Do Something Finds A Way. Others Find Excuses" 

******

Alright, Inspiration. Now I can pay attention to you. So, what have you got for me? Inspiration? Are you there? Inspiration? Where did you go? Oh hell, come back. I didn't mean it. I wasn't actually mad at you, I promise. Inspiration, please....you can have all of my love and attention from now on. My love is better than Chetan Bhagat's, I promise! Inspiration? Inspiration.........