What is the biggest mistake a story writer can do? Its not the punctuation and its not the grammar. Word processors take care of stuff like that. Its not the cowardliness and the lack of imagination shown by being inspired from his own life. It is creating a character so convincing that he starts believing that the character is real. Making a real person out of pen and paper; sketching a life out of smoke rings and whiskey. Believing in what is not and all the while neglecting and denying what the reality is. The biggest mistake a writer can do is fall in love with the person who does not even exist in the same universe as he.

But how can he stop himself? The resistance is futile. Whole of his day is spent in dreaming about her. In picturing her roam around her house. Taking care of the smallest of things. He sees her going to her job and trying to do her best in something she does not relate to. He imagines her preparing her dinner and smokes with her when she lights her cigarette before going to bed. The temptation to kiss her when she lies down on the couch is irresistible. When she finally retires for the day he looks at her peaceful face and smiles. She is beautiful and he pines for her touch. He can not kiss her, he can not make love to her and he can not say it to her that he loves her. He knows that it wont matter. He knows her destiny is being charted on the next page. He knows that she can not stay with him and he can not stay with her. The story has to end. Happily for her but always and always sadly for him.

A barrier must be maintained. Dreams should not be mingled with reality and reality should be kept as far away as possible from the unreal.

Mere Din Raat

wo behke behke raat din
har sham nashe mein duubna
mere hoth nam tere hoth nam
har jaam unpe tootna

hum bekhudi mein iskadar
khuda se khud pe aa gaye
bas tere maeqade mein mumkin
khuda se khud ka chhootna
wo behke behke raat din…

zaeb kuch amal bhi na kar saka
apni aarzoo pe aye sanam
fir kis zulm ki hai ye saza
bin baat tera roothna

In memory of the days when we were together and life was beautiful.

Ta Da…

Lets Sober Up

Its been a long long time. We were drunk like this for ages. The hope clouded our vision and the promises of a beautiful morning one day, had destroyed any trace of reason we could have used to save ourselves. The lemon twirls of false assurances hid the taste of the bitter liquor of what really was coming our way. Our steps got fuddled and we spoke a strange tongue. No one understood anyone. Everyone just smiled. Sang songs. Made merry.

But slowly a delirium is setting in. The psychedelic is changing into psychosis. The laughter that can be heard in the courtyard, is turning into cries of dreams being shattered against the hard walls of truth. Everyone is poking finger in their own puck and looking for that piece of luck that once was inside our guts. Too much hope, they say, fucks you up too much.

Lets wake up now, from this stupid dream to the nightmare we have created around ourselves. Coz we went to sleep when the promises were being made, coz we closed our eyes to the unfairness of the deal , we now have to save our souls from this mire of lies and deceit. Lets wake up to reality for just this once. Lets sober up to the truth.