Utopia page 45: Three stars to separate thought processes
Yüklə 1,05 Mb.
|
- Bu səhifədəki naviqasiya:
- JESUS! I’M A CYBORG
- MIDNIGHT RWANDA
- Frank Rusesabagina in ‘Humo’, nr. 3365, March 1, 2005
- PLANET OF NO WAR
- TALE OF A GEISHA
- AUTISTIC SAVANT
FASHION A trip to India changed her life. For ever. All that glamour and erotica in the West versus stark poverty in the East. And Abbey Hart was now more than determined to open a charity…in the region of her calling, South Asia. ***** It was Jimmy Vegas’ 40th Birthday and James (Jimmy) Vegas was throwing a grand fashion party at the Plaza Ballroom, Melbourne, Australia. Almost the entire glitterati of Fashion TV including supermodels Lynn Atkinson, Milena Shaparova, Rachel Evans, Fashion TV Oceania Vice President Richard Heyman as well as Fashion TV Baron Michel Adam were all there. In all their finery and finesse so were Brand Ambassadors Kevin Rooney and Ricky Martin, Hollywood Stars Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman and musicians Midnight Oil and Kylie Minogue. There could have been no greater show of nonsensical extravagance and luxury. ***** “Abbey,” she could hear her name being called out from across the exit from the banquet hall. She turned around to find no one in particular. “Abbey.” It was once again the same voice. Could have been a friend calling out to her. Could also have been one of “those”…? Or, simply a lesbian hunkette beckoning her for sex. But there was really no one… There was just wild revelry around her and so it seemed to her and all around…The bar tenders were serving, wine, champagne and vodka flowed in ample, this was just a way of life for most of them, she realized that perhaps all this intoxicating rave was but an elixir of fashion…and as the music played at full blast and both women and men and sometimes the “nethers” stripped, and also as the night was to begin, she found them – women with men; men with men and women with women retiring into anterior rooms to fulfill perhaps their respective objectives in life… ***** “If at all, listen to your conscience and only your conscience…” Abbey’s late grandmother had once told her. “It is true that the kind of money one can make through means such as these can be enormous…but it is also true that we must listen to our purpose in life.” ***** And all this wild revelry nauseated her, though the temptations to sin were always there. Being a supermodel, her major role encompassed lengthy shooting assignments, from photo shoots to beachwear, designers and the “Midnight Hot” which had cast her. Abbey Hart, supermodel from Australia was now sporting elite designers from Roberto Cavalli to Giorgio Armani to Prada. There were also certain additional obligations like the usual (and often nauseating fashion TV parties and those extremely luxurious Diamond Yacht cruises) and Abbey Hart had amassed enough wealth to purchase a dream mansion in Malibu (by the beach). However, she knew following her travels and often excruciatingly painful experiences (nee travails) that she had a mission to fulfill… ***** Abbey Hart daughter of Cecilia and Ronny (Ron) Hart was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on the 25th June, 1981. Her father had had a strictly orthodox upbringing but he was rather liberal as far as his own views went owing largely to the presence of a strong matriarchal influence in his own life, his mother had always taught him that women ought to be treated with equal respect in as far as their personal beliefs, feelings and emotions went. Ron’s father was on the other hand pretty obstinate in his views but the boy chose to follow his mother, something that reflected equally on his daughter’s personal belief systems as well. Cecilia was equally liberal, and so it was never really difficult for Abbey to participate in the profession of her choice… ***** At the age of five, Abbey Hart was sent to Richmond High, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales where she was put in a dormitory setting. Abbey soon made friends easily both in French Class as well in her personal tutoring where she studied music and drama. Following school, she majored in cultural studies at the University of Sydney where she was assigned to a supervisor who specialized in Indian culture. It was but natural that Abbey was to soon evince strong and sincere interest in India, which she was ultimately destined to travel to… *****
***** She was assigned by rotation to different parts of the world but it was by sheer fate that she could travel to parts of Africa, including the Southern Cape and Sub-Saharan Africa where she was traveling as a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF. For the same time, Ms Hart saw for herself the conditions under which the poor were living or more appropriately surviving…These people were worse off than animals. Africa – the food bags, the child corpses, all those stunted, wasted, lean and emaciated bodies and large (water) heads nauseated her, the general indifference and apathy shocked her and the failure of what she considered large international agencies moved her…all in all, her African Safari and in specific Sub-Saharan Africa proved to be a nightmare for Abbey Hart…but it was her travel to the remotest parts of India that were to indeed change her life for ever… ***** Their travel itinerary encompassed the football stitching industries of Pakistan as also the cities of Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi, Sialkot and the Federal Capital Islamabad in Pakistan and Dhaka, Chittagong and Mymensing in Bangladesh following which they arrived in the land Abbey had always dreamt of: India. It was the year 2006. The year of the Mumbai train blasts. The team had just arrived in New Delhi where they donated a huge sum (on behalf of UNICEF) to Pratham, an NGO working in the field of child literacy and education. This was followed by formal visits to Government schools in Delhi and its environs. Abbey Hart and Linda Sims were also now visiting the carpet making industries of Uttar Pradesh. For the first time, Abbey was exposed to the horrors of child labor. She was particularly appalled by what she saw in Mirzapur and Bhadohi. From Delhi, they flew to Chennai where they were taken to Sivakasi, the fireworks factories of Tamil Nadu. Next on the agenda was Eastern India, the Ho, the Birhors, the Mundas and the poverty-stricken states of Jharkhand and Bihar, followed by Chattisgarh and finally Orissa… ***** That was the year Kalahandi in Orissa was facing the worst drought of the decade. The canals and reservoirs had dried up, the cattle were dying and naked corpses stalked the villages at night. The situation in Bolangir and Koraput was equally bad. The District Collector and his army of officers were rather complacent and placid. It was around that time that Abbey Hart happened to be assigned to India. As hunger started to take its usual toll, Abbey decided to meet with a team of leading bureaucrats in New Delhi, the Capital of India. Leading the team was the Cabinet Secretary and there were other dignitaries as well… ***** As the chief dignitaries began arriving at the venue (a convention center) and in all their finery and finesse in extravagantly luxurious vehicles, Abbey could actually make out that a group of child beggars were trying their best to catch the attention of these so-called “important” (nee child rights) people for want of a better life…They had laid out some extremely exotic Thai, Continental, Italian and Moghlai cuisine inside the banquet hall, but this time, Abbey the girl had no other choice but to flee the hall and rush to the washroom where she almost nearly threw up… ***** “Just a bunch of reprobates really, and what are you doing here inside the washroom, Abbey?” The girl turned around to find that Linda, her Goodwill pal had followed her all the way to the washroom. “Nothing, just feeling a bit tired, could be the jet-lag.” “Hey girl, they’re all waiting for you inside the Boardroom.” “I’m just plain sick and tired of these boardrooms and conventions and conferences and banquets…in the end you achieve nothing!” “Sweetie, that’s the way the world goes, honey, now c’mon wash your face and let’s get back to our work.” “You might call this our work, but I simply don’t!” “C’mon, don’t be a spoilsport; remember that sometimes you have to sacrifice your personal beliefs to achieve your professional goals. And yes, as Goodwill Ambassadors for UNICEF, both you and I will have ample opportunities to travel in the region, through India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, all three extremely low on the Human Development Index (HDI) and interact with the poor, as also changing lives in the process…” ***** At Jimmy Vegas’ 40th Birthday at the Plaza Ballroom, Melbourne, Australia, supermodel Abbey Hart announced her decision to her fans: “As a supermodel and Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF, I have traveled extensively. I have realized in the process that there is no dearth to the kind of money one can make…” “However, my travels to Africa and South Asia have made me realize that money and sex do not and cannot in any manner insure everlasting happiness. My African Safari has shocked me, the indifference and the apathy have appalled me, in a gist, my travels to Africa and South Asia and in particular India have changed me as a person from someone who would ordinarily like most others in the Western world lust after wealth, extravagance and status to someone who would now if at all only dream of doing charity. I have amassed wealth in aplenty that I wish to and shall utilize optimally to start an organized and decentralized system of charity. I am no longer Abbey Hart, the supermodel but Abbey Hart, the person…” They gave her a standing ovation. ***** The system of charity that Ms Hart has started has now been entrusted to a group of eminent people over three continents – Asia, Africa and Oceania. Mr. Daniel Woodbridge oversees all trust affairs from its headquarters in Sydney, Australia. Ms Hart and her partner Ted Richardson now live in a small but beautiful cottage they have bought in New South Wales countryside. They also now have a daughter, Emma who is being trained to follow her conscience… JESUS! I’M A CYBORG Is a short Animated Drama, a moving and poignant story of how a stray dog actually rescues an orphan child, pulling him out of where his mother had left him, a garbage dump on the roadside, and raising him as one of her own litter! Captures brilliantly the beautiful relationship between an infant human being and his caregiver dog! There is an excellent portrayal of how a child who has been otherwise betrayed by human society finds compassion in one of God’s other very own creatures! As the child struggles in a socially-excluded environment, the protagonist dog continues to care and raise the child as her own…Once the boy grows up, he decides to throw out the dog…that does not however protest and leaves home in silence…Meanwhile, the boy loses his lower limbs in a serious accident…In a strange quirk of fate, he is also re-united with his mother! Following an adventure in the mountains, the faithful dog returns home to her unbelieving Master…who miraculously recovers as the dog resumes her duty! We see the dog in pain & falling ill as the boy is forced to leave home for higher studies! The now grown up boy (man) finally listens to his inner voice…! ***** “Oh My God!” “Look!” There was no other way Vicente Peron could have reacted to what he saw before him. “What is it, honey?” “Just come and take a look here, mama!” There right before their eyes, was happening the most astonishing thing one could ever see… ***** Vicente Peron was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He graduated with an M.S. in Consciousness Studies from Bhaktivedanta Institute, Berkeley, California. In other words, he was studying the interface between Neuroscience, Artificial Intelligence, Psychology, Quantum Physics, Cognitive Science and Philosophy. The program offered him a unique opportunity to specialize in the expanding field of this multi-disciplinary subject. After completing the M.S. program, which was of two years duration, consisting of four semesters (including three semesters of coursework), his supervisor Dr. Friedrich Muller advised him to travel to Mumbai, India to complete the full dissertation. This would require full-time residence at the Bhaktivedanta Institute in Mumbai. Peron requested that he should be allowed to pursue his thesis either by correspondence or online, and his request was accepted in the light of his mobility restrictions. Peron was now determined to unearth the meaning of the term ‘Cyborg’ and explore the connection between Cybernetics and Spirituality, which had by now come to occupy a pride of place in the boy’s heart… *****
“You can’t do this to me, Ricky!” “You’re going to stop me, are you?” Ricky Peron had once again come home inebriated. “Come to me baby…” And he pulled her to himself and kissed her hard. “Shakespeare was right…what could a frail woman possibly do to stop me, now this is what I wanted in the first place…come baby you want some more?” “Ricky!” “Don’t do this to me…pleassseeeee, I beg of you!” Frieda Peron ran into the adjacent room. Baby Vicente was crying. After wiping her face with a kerchief, Frieda Peron did the inevitable…the baby was now nuzzling at her breast, much to her emotional gratification! Then she laid her baby into the cot, covering him with a warm blanket and closed the windows. There was a cold wind blowing… “No, Ricky NO, I SAID NO…I don’t feel like it tonight!” But he just wouldn’t let go of her. He was now all over her, nuzzling her neck, taking in the smell of her perfume, and in more intimate situations, nuzzling at her breasts… Then he kissed her again, and then nuzzled her neck, brushing against her breasts. She complained of feeling cold but he pulled off her sweater, then undressed and asked her if ... She rose from the table and slipped around to his chair and leaned over him, pressing her breasts against his body and nuzzling his cheek… As Ricky rubbed her breast, her nipple started to harden and then she leaned down…The nuzzling continued as he ran his hands up and down her sides, her tight breasts, and her legs were like smooth, slim wings wrapped around his shoulders... He pulled her towards him and buried his face in the cleavage of her breasts, nuzzling and licking and nibbling. He didn't stop until she moaned and stirred ...and her soft moans could be heard in the breaks of the music, encouraging him on. He looked at her, continuing to drink in her beauty... “No more, Ricky…I’m tired!” “You’re beautiful, Frieda, now can I…?” “Not again!” “I have already given you fifty Pesos!” “Just this one more time, I promise never to do it again!” “Why don’t you just marry that girl and settle down…this will save me all the trouble, by the way have you ever thought about our baby?” “Our baby?” “Remember you have fathered a child, now it’s your responsibility to see to it that the baby gets his due.” “What child, whose child…I am not responsible for anyone, remember I had asked you to…” “Ricky!” “My child will have a decent future, with or without a father’s support and love and affection, COME WHAT MAY!” Ricky Peron stormed out of the female bastion. *****
It came out in the newspapers the following day that a newborn baby had been abandoned by its 15-year old mother in a garbage dump in downtown Buenos Aires until the infant was rescued… But what was not clear to the police was who had rescued Baby Vicente…? ***** “Frisker!” “Frisker, where are you?” It was Octavio Salcedo, the owner. “She was right here, where did she go, ma?” Not successful in locating Frisker, Salcedo returned home for the night. With the police giving up, the chapter was soon forgotten… *****
That night, the temperatures dipped to a chilly 37 degrees. Baby Vicente was still crying loudly inside the garbage dump when Jesus intervened! The Lord sometimes moves in mysterious ways! Frisker was with her newborn puppies when she heard the wailing. Without waiting another moment, she started using her god-given auditory communication skills and every possible signal to trace the origins of the wailing! There he was, neatly wrapped in a piece of warm clothing and huddled close to the extreme right corner of the garbage dump…A strong baby perfume emanated from inside the stink… Not knowing what to do, Frisker for once decided to take the law into her own hands! She lifted and carried the baby some 50 meters from where his mother had abandoned him to where her puppies were huddled and sheltered him throughout the cold night. A resident of the area called police late Thursday evening to report that he had heard the baby crying in a garbage dump behind his house. Daniel Paz, Chief of Police of the Province of Buenos Aires told reporters the following day that the dog (who was also missing at the time) had apparently carried the baby 50 meters from where his mother had abandoned him to where the puppies were huddled. "She took it like a puppy and rescued it," Paz said. "The baby would have died otherwise.” "The dog is a savior to the child." “The problem is the dog has committed a felony, besides we don’t know where both the hero and the rescued are at the moment.” And they all burst out laughing. Dr. Salvatore Alvarez, director of the Centro Medico Vilella in Buenos Aires said police showed up at the hospital at 12:30 a.m. Friday enquiring about the baby. Dr. Alvarez also reported that the infant could get superficial scratches and bruises and bleed from the mouth, if he had indeed been carried by a dog. Meanwhile, there were reports coming in of a child mother who had been transferred to a children's hospital in La Plata, 37 miles from Buenos Aires and was requiring psychological treatment. ***** Vicente Peron was growing up into a beautiful human being, warm and considerate on the interior and magnanimous on the exterior. He had long blonde hair and was smooth shaven. And he deeply cared for society…that very same cold society that had marginalized him in a way by throwing him into a garbage dump… In this case, Frisker was the ultimate caregiver! She was raising the little child as one of her own litter… There was a beautiful relationship between an infant human being and his caregiver dog! A child who had been otherwise betrayed by human society had found compassion in one of God’s other very own creatures! As the child struggled in a socially-excluded environment, the protagonist dog continued to care and raise the child as her own… She would often be the one to fetch ‘food’ for her ‘adopted child’; feed him the left overs of a hostile and apathetic society. It was all about one of God’s very own loving creatures – those most loyal to their masters (but who for reasons best known to her self had decided to desert her master!) and her offspring, both animal and human. ***** “I said leave, Frisker!” Vicente Peron was now nineteen and tired of being coaxed and cajoled into following the canine breed in every matter. He finally wanted to be free in the true sense of the word, not bogged down by some rare species of canine and made to follow orders. There had been no friction until then, and for once the boy did feel guilty…but he was, after all…very much a human being. The hero of our story did not however protest and decided to leave home in silence… *****
By then, the young boy had grown so used to Frisker’s presence in his life that he developed a certain melancholy when she left. And so he decided to go river rafting…After making all the necessary arrangements, the group of four embarked on a journey that was to change Vicente’s life for ever… ***** They had just boarded a raft when a branch of the adjacent tree flipped over and hit Vicente on the feet. The boy was seriously injured and had to be taken to hospital where doctors decided to amputate both his lower limbs. Life was not the same without Frisker, and now without the power of the lower limbs. ***** “Can someone help me get through my days?” Vicente was now on prescription medication (including Prozac) and Dr. Diego Armando, the boy’s therapist was trying his best to work with the distraught boy on to a possible full recovery. “I have prescribed you a sedative as well, you will get some sleep.” The bereaved boy was however in no mood to listen to his Psychiatrist. “Frisker saved me; she gave me a new lease of life…and look what I have done to her. How could I have asked her to leave home?” Vicente was deeply mourning Frisker’s loss and reporting the same to Dr. Armando. “We had bonded so beautifully; and she became a huge part of my life. She was so loving…” “But I never even thought about what it would be like after she had left. It's torture. I have no routine now, everything is out of order and nothing is right…I'm so lost and don't know what to do. I can't eat, I can't sleep, but I can still feel the super soft fur of her forehead against my skin when I would kiss her repeatedly on rising in the mornings. God I miss her so much. Please, someone help me get through this first night without her. I miss my Frisker and can't stop crying. I'm completely lost…!” “You’ll be al right, I’m sure!” The shrink patted Vicente reassuringly on the shoulder. “You know, I feel so desperate now that my lower limbs are gone. I can’t imagine living the rest of my life in a wheelchair…Sometimes, the physical pain goes away, but the emotional one remains!” “You also know perhaps, sometimes life brings in its wake extreme pain and suffering…that is when one should learn to appreciate that one has perhaps been born for a higher purpose…” “Yes, I agree my child, but at the same time, I disagree. You must be wondering why and how? Yes, it is a very relevant question in mind. May be if I would have been in your wheelchair, possibly I would have also had the same question. Ancient religion or call it Philosophy, be it Hinduism or Buddhism, speaks of “Karma”. Karma is a cause and is also an effect. Whatever we are today, it is all because of the karma of the previous life or even in this life. It is like a bank balance. Your life, my lives are because of the past karma. I also firmly believe that each effect has some thing else hidden behind it. This is always a silver lining and which is for our good. May be in the case of your accident, you could have lost your life. GOD saved you. You are living because your karma has saved you to fulfill a purpose in life. What is the purpose; neither you nor I know about this. You will live, you will live and you have to find out what is the purpose. May be one day, in your dreams, this comes out and shows you the path of enlightenment… Yes, the emotional scar remains but the sweet layer of your purpose of life shall make not only your life sweeter but all around you will be basking in your enlightened life...” “But this is so heartbreaking and I still cry when I think of them both (the loss of my lower limbs and the loss of Frisker) and it definitely does not feel the same. Everyone says it takes time, it does and I am still taking it one day at a time…” “You will get through this I’m sure!” “I can understand what you are going through. But believe me; each day will get easier I promise… You will need to take one step at a time. May God be with you during this hard time and give you a sense of his peace. I am always here if you need to talk, God takes care of the rest.” “This applies to you as well, at least Frisker loved you unconditionally before she left home, your life could have been much worse without her. But instead, she saved you and loved you with all she had and I know it hurts you to have asked her to leave, and yet I bet she is not sorry for having spent her years with you.” Dr. Armando continued. “I believe Frisker is in a good place right now. I can understand your pain. If you need to chat, just call me, al right!” The Psychiatrist added. “I think that it is very important to consider, when dealing with loss, or anticipatory grief, or guilt, etc....what kind of life would Frisker be leading without me?” There was an expression of guilt on Vicente’s face. “Now repeat after me…” ‘Aum Bhur Bhuvah Swah’ ‘Aum Bhur Bhuvah Swah’ (the boy repeated) ‘Tat Savitur Varenyam’ ‘Tat Savitur Varenyam’ (the boy repeated) ‘Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi’ ‘Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi’ (the boy repeated) ‘Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat’ ‘Dhiyo Yo Nah Prachodayat’ (the boy continued repeating) “What does all this mean, Doctor?” The boy was now beginning to experience a strange serenity… “This is the Gayatri Mantra consisting of twenty-four syllables - three lines of eight syllables each. The first line (Aum Bhur Bhuvah Swah) is considered an invocation, and is not technically a part of the original Gayatri Mantra as it appears in the Upanishads. There exists a whole family of Gayatri Mantras, which serve as meditative aids to pray for the blessings of a particular personal God.” Dr. Armando seemed to the boy to be well-versed in the ancient Indian scriptures. “A basic translation can be given as...” Dr. Armando continued. “Oh God, the Protector, the basis of all life, Who is self-existent, Who is free from all pains and Whose contact frees the soul from all troubles, Who pervades the Universe and sustains all, the Creator and Energizer of the whole Universe, the Giver of happiness, Who is worthy of acceptance, the most excellent, Who is Pure and the Purifier of all, let us embrace that very God, so that He may direct our mental faculties in the right direction.” “You see, after that accident, my dear friend Dr. Salvatore Alvarez, director of the Centro Medico Vilella in Buenos Aires called me one day to talk about an orphan baby which had been abandoned by his mother but ultimately rescued by a dog. This was in the winter of the year 1982. Around the same time, I had read about Frisker in the local daily.” And Dr. Armando handed over bits and pieces of a paper that he had preserved from around nineteen years back. “Dr. Alvarez called on me yesterday, and we tried and laid out the bare facts of the case.” “Both he and I concluded that you were the boy who had been abandoned by his mother nineteen years ago and whom Frisker, our hero had raised as one of her own litter.” “How did you locate me, Doctor?” “From the mole on your navel.” “With help from Dr. Vicky Barros of the Asociacion Medica Argentina, also a visiting consultant at a children's hospital in La Plata, 37 miles from Buenos Aires, we were able to contact your mother.” “Where is she now, Doctor?” “At the same hospital, undergoing psychological treatment. Has been under the same for the last 19 years. She is about 34 now.” “O My God, can I see her?” “Off course, you will my child, but first you need rest!” And Dr. Armando gave Vicente a sedative. The boy was soon fast asleep. ***** “Mama!” “Baby Vicente!” Both mother and child looked heavily drugged as doctors tried their level best to facilitate optimum communication between a desperate mother and her equally desperate child. “I have wonderful news for you both!” Dr. Armando barged into the room. “We have got sponsorship for treating both of you here. Our Board of Directors has also decided to offer a full scholarship to Vicente to complete university in Buenos Aires and then eventually pursue higher studies in ‘Consciousness’ at the Bhaktivedanta Institute in Berkeley, California, USA.” “Vicente has most certainly gone through a paranormal experience of sorts and higher studies will help him relate to his spiritual roots…” “This is wonderful, Doctor Armando!” “Thank you so much” was all Vicente could say. ***** It took him only a few years to complete a Major in Psychology at the National University of La Plata. The boy was now preparing to travel. He had carefully taken out insurance; was carrying his prescriptions and above all, he had his mother’s blessings… The airlines office was also very helpful, they had arranged for a disabled cart for him and a wheelchair was to be provided to him throughout the journey. Dr. Armando was to accompany him on the journey to America and introduce the boy to his former acquaintance Dr. Friedrich Muller and the boy’s supervisor. “Even with the loss of his lower limbs, there is no cause for worry. I have arranged for all your son needs in America…and it’s a wonderful country with wonderful people. Your boy might get a fresh lease of life there…” Dr. Armando was now consoling the boy’s mother. ***** Meanwhile, all was not well for Frisker. After being driven out by Vicente, Frisker embarked on an aimless journey in the mountains. She was compelled to find her way through uncharted forests. Battling the elements, the terrain and, of course, wild animals in their efforts to find their way home and survive their harsh surroundings. ***** She was now on the edge of a precipice. As Frisker tried to hold on, the branch gave away. She was now swimming downstream with the flow of the current and was soon washed ashore. The dog was now fighting to survive in the rugged wilderness. After all, she was a smart dog… ***** “Look!” It was the local forest ranger Senor Rio Armando. Before long, Frisker had noticed that she was being watched. Not knowing what else to do, the dog started running until she had crossed the fence. The forest ranger’s men were now chasing her until Frisker had been captured. They called in the vet who very soon administered an injection. Frisker was now a Prisoner of War and in alien territory! “Put your hands up in the air!” It was Daniel Paz, Chief of Police of the Province of Buenos Aires. “Senor Armando, I have an arrest warrant for you. I’m afraid you’ll have to come with us!” “Not a word, we have information from the country’s intelligentsia that you have been aiding and abetting local poaching…” The Chief of Police angrily retorted. “Search the premises!” “Chief, is this not the same dog who had rescued the Peron boy about 19 years back?” One of the police officers was now holding up Frisker as if he deserved to be promoted to the next higher rank. “Oh, My God!” “It is!” “And don’t hold her like that; she’s the hero of our story.” Chief Paz was now trying to put all bits and pieces together. “Let’s take her to Vicente now…” Was the Chief’s ultimatum. ***** The faithful dog was now returned home to its unbelieving Master…who miraculously recovered as the dog resumed his duty! The lower limbs were gone, and yet, everything was so different now that Frisker was back again in his life. ***** “I’m feeling much better today, Doctor!” “Yes, you will feel better now that Frisker is back.” “Doctor, I have this feeling I shouldn’t travel leaving Frisker behind in Buenos Aires…” “What did I tell you in the first place, remember?” “You taught me the Gayatri Mantra.” “And you told me about ‘Karma’.” “You also told me that extreme life pain and suffering helps you connect to and discover a higher purpose in life.” Vicente added. “Then you must travel to America, son!” “To fulfill your higher life purpose, you mustn’t back out.” “Who will take care of mama, and how will I leave Frisker behind?” The boy innocently enquired. “We, all of us here, promise to take care of everything back home, while you must travel to America to fulfill your higher life purpose. Your scheduled program in America will also take you places, and you will very soon find the answers to all your questions!” Dr. Armando was truly different. ***** The day finally arrived. They were on their way to the international airport. “Oh My God!” “Look!” There was no other way Vicente Peron could have reacted to what he saw before him as he stepped out of his house. “What is it, honey?” “Just come and take a look here, mama!” There right before their eyes, was happening the most astonishing thing one could ever see… *****
“I think the dog is in pain & has fallen ill seeing Vicente leave home for higher studies!” Dr. Armando was expressing his frank opinion. “O God!” “Mustn’t we call in a vet?” “O/K!” “Now that you are leaving next week, we must honor your personal sentiments. Besides, Frisker needs close attention.” Dr. Armando was now calling up the local vet. ***** “Frisker has remote chances of survival. She needs constant, in other words, round-the-clock monitoring, otherwise I’m afraid she may not survive. I give her a week’s time.” They had roped in the best vet in town. “Can Frisker travel with me?” “I’m afraid she’s not in a position to travel any more. Excessive stress and strain have told upon her, added to a growing feeling in her mind that she would soon be separated from you.” “How do you know all this, doctor?” “I have not only trained in Veterinary Science, but in the Psychology of Animal Behavior from the United States as well. That’s the most progressive nation in the world, you know!” The now grown up boy (man) was finally determined to listen to his inner voice…! “Then I must stay back, for her sake, I will!” “No, my child…there’s no use staying back for the sake of someone who has only remote chances of survival!” “Doctor?” “I’m afraid I have to tell you the truth, Vicente…Frisker has lost so much of blood that there is absolutely no chance of survival!” “Lord Jesus, give me the strength to bear this!” Having said this, Vicente Peron assured his mother and well-wishers (including Dr. Armando) that he would definitely travel… ***** The boy left for America with a heavy heart. Dr. Armando was with him, and everything went on smoothly and as expected. Dr. Muller and his team were at the airport. “The Institute is a long drive from here…I have spoken to the residence manager who will take care of every comfort for my dear friend, Dr. Armando and you. Vicente, you are off for the weekends…enjoy your stay. We begin with classes on Monday.” ***** The boy was being formally introduced to his roommate, Manav Bhaktavar from Mumbai, India when his cell phone started ringing. “Mama, we have reached safely…how are you?” “I am fine, son…but!” “But?” “We lost Frisker…Frisker is no more!” The Peron boy sat down on his bed, flabbergasted. “Vicente, Vicente…are you there with me, my son?” There was no response at the other end. Eventually, the line got disconnected. ***** “I’m concerned about Vicente, doctor!” “O, don’t worry…it might have been too much of a shock for him. But sooner or later, we had to tell him the truth. Don’t worry, Dr. Armando is with him. I’m sure everything will be fine.” It was Dr. Alvarez. The following day, they buried Frisker with all the stately honor and dignity she truly deserved. ***** Vicente Person graduated with an M.S. in Consciousness Studies from Bhaktivedanta Institute, Berkeley, California. In other words, he was studying the interface between Neuroscience, Artificial Intelligence, Psychology, Quantum Physics, Cognitive Science and Philosophy. The program offered him a unique opportunity to specialize in the expanding field of this multi-disciplinary subject. After completing the M.S. program, which was of two years duration, consisting of four semesters (including three semesters of coursework), his supervisor Dr. Friedrich Muller advised him to travel to Mumbai, India to complete the full dissertation. This would require full-time residence at the Bhaktivedanta Institute in Mumbai. Peron requested that he should be allowed to pursue his thesis either by correspondence or online, and his request was accepted in the light of his mobility restrictions. Peron was now determined to unearth the meaning of the term ‘Cyborg’ and explore the connection between Cybernetics and Spirituality, which had by now come to occupy a pride of place in the boy’s heart… *****
“We all knew we would die, no question. The only question was how. Would they chop us in pieces? With their machetes they would cut your left hand off. Then they would disappear and reappear a few hours later to cut off your right hand. A little later they would return for your left leg etc. They went on till you died. They wanted to make you suffer as long as possible. There was one alternative: you could pay soldiers so they would just shoot you. That's what her [Lucia's] father did.” — Frank Rusesabagina in ‘Humo’, nr. 3365, March 1, 2005
Tensions between the Hutus and the Tutsis had led to a war, in a country where moral degradation, corruption, violation of ethics and bribes were routine. ***** “Mama, I’m scared!” Cried the baby boy. “Everything will be al right, baby…don’t worry, come to Mama!” As Lucia pulled her little child into a warm hug, the other children surrounded her. “Frank, I’m worried about my nephews.” “God only knows how they are and where they are at this moment!” “Don’t worry, darling, everything will be al right!” And Frank and Lucia locked themselves in an intimate kiss. This would probably be the last kiss of their lives. “Round up all the cockroaches…no one should escape!” It was the angry voice of Khwame Rutaganda. Before he knew, Frank Rusesabagina had one of Rutaganda’s men pointing a pistol to his forehead. The manager just about managed to get up and get dressed. ***** Since the decolonization of Africa after the Second World War, there had been a great number of wars between ethnic groups in Africa. This had its origins at the Berlin Conference of 1884 where the European superpowers essentially drew lines on a map of Africa and claimed bits and pieces of it for themselves. This was the birth of the modern day African countries; mixing ethnic groups and races that historically hated one another. This caused many problems once the colonial powers were no longer in presence in Africa to enforce peace. The colonial powers had granted certain groups elitist status, generally those who were seen as being more "civilized", i.e. most like White Europeans [i.e. the Tutsi] and these minority tended to rule quite cruelly over the majority, in this case, the Hutus. By granting elite power to the Tutsi (a light skinned group) over the Hutu and the lesser known Twa ethnic groups, the Belgian Empire in Rwanda was creating problems. After the Belgians had left, Hutu rebels rose up and lynched 10,000 Tutsi and took power. Many more Tutsi fled to Uganda to escape annihilation. Habyarimana came into power in the 1970s and he had a very friendly relationship with French President Francois Mitterrand. Mitterrand made very many of his diplomatic decisions in Africa based on what is colloquially referred to as the "Fashoda Syndrome", a mindset that there is an Anglo-Saxon conspiracy to eradicate French culture from Africa (born of a conflict in Fashoda, Sudan in the 1890s). After Habyarimana's death, the relationship manifested itself into arms and armies, military training, and even troops both before and after the RPF invasion that began the Rwandan Civil War and well into the genocide. After all, it was the French that originally trained the Interahamwe. The Belgians also failed to respond. They were a part of the peacekeeping mission and even willing to help out until their 10 soldiers that were peacefully guarding the Prime Minister were tortured, maimed, and killed. Belgium pulled out of the UN mission because the general Belgian public was unwilling to lose any more men. At that point they had no idea that the country was going to descend into an inferno of violence and gore and they were more concerned with preserving public opinion. For the United States, Somalia, another African country where a mission that was to be pretty much a "hole in one" ended in casualties was a bit of a blow. Having invested countless amounts of troops and even more money to peacekeeping missions in Africa, some of which had gone very terribly wrong, the United States was still stuck with "We can't have another Somalia" when the Rwanda conflict occurred less than a year later. They realized how dangerous that could be to the US Government. The US finally voted against sending 2,500 troops as Descartes (the Canadian Commanding Officer of the UN Peacekeeping mission in Rwanda) had requested and, being a permanent seat holder on the UN Security Council, it made a big difference. The British looked the other way for nearly the same reason. The fact of the matter is this, Rwanda had no natural resources and very little to offer to anyone but the French who needed another Francophone country to battle the "invasion of the Anglo-Saxons". And even the French did not care. Francois Mitterrand once said that "in a country like that a genocide does not matter" which, for the most part, fully encompasses how the international world felt about Rwanda at the time. It would only be a matter of time before the massacre occurred. ***** “Can I speak to Air Rwanda Airlines President Mr. Levin?” “Levin here, tell me…Frank?” “We are surrounded!” “There is no means to escape!” “What must I do in this situation?” “Do your level best to save innocent lives, but you must remember that….!” “Remember that…?” “Remember that our people are in there and ought to be whisked out first!” “I am under instructions from…!” Frank Rusesabagina hung up. ***** “Who was it, honey?” Lucia slipped her arms around Frank’s manly shoulders. “Levin.” Paul looked back at his son. “I’m NOT leaving without you!” “Oh My God, our savior!” And Mrs. Rusesabagina buried her face in the palms of her hand in a fit of desperation. “And how do we trace my nephews?” “God alone knows where and how they are!” “Don’t worry, Lucia…I’ve sent Jennifer to enquire about them.” Just then, the telephone rang. “Frank, this is Jenny here. I have scoured everywhere but the boys could not be found!” “Thank you, Jenny…for your efforts!” “I’m sure they’ll not go in vain.” Frank returned with a look of concern on his face following which he related his conversation with Jennifer to his wife. “Lucia, honey…you mustn’t break down, no, not for the sake of the children!” “Remember, God helps them who help themselves. And there is a huge responsibility on us in this precarious situation. Innocent lives are at stake. The militia will spare no one, not even innocent children.” “Behind every successful man there is a woman. And you, Lucia the woman of my life, must help me fight the battle within. Sometimes, it is very difficult, you know. But I am determined not to give up in this hour of crisis. Innocent peoples’ lives are in our hands, your hands, Lucia. You have to live for the children, as also for all those we have or are proposing to give shelter to in our hotel.” “I am a man of conscience and faith, and at this moment, both conscience and faith demand our intervention. I am now determined to fight impossible odds to save everyone I possibly can and create a place where hope survives.” “We have housed over a thousand Tutsi refugees and we must do justice to each one of them.”
The political situation in the country was worsening. Frank and his family could observe neighbors being killed as a routine. Frank often curried favor with influential people bribing them with drinks and cash seeking to maintain sufficient influence to keep his family safe. This time civil war had erupted and a Rwandan Army officer threatened to kill Frank and his neighbors. Frank could just about manage to negotiate their safety, and bring everyone to the hotel. There were more refugees pouring in to the hotel from the overburdened United Nations camp, the Red Cross, and orphanages. Frank thought that his primary responsibility lay in diverting the Hutu soldiers, caring for the refugees, being a source of strength to his family while at the same time maintaining the appearance of a functioning high–class hotel. Meanwhile, the situation became more and more violent, with mobs in the streets just outside the gates. ***** “Office of the Premier!” It was a rather gruff voice at the other end of the line. “Mr. Merkel, this is Lt. Gen. Francois Descartes calling from Kigali, Rwanda!” “Yes, Gen. Descartes, how can I help you?” It was the same tone, the same voice. “Sir, we need more men.” “The situation in Kigali has worsened.” “I regret I cannot give you permission to intervene in the genocide.” “But sir…?” “Please follow instructions carefully. Remember that our own people are to be given top priority in the operation. I am sorry I cannot give you more men. Please manage with the number that you already have, at the same time ensuring complete safety and protection for our own people.” ***** Lt. Gen. Francois Descartes was shattered. As the Canadian Commanding Officer of the UN Peacekeeping mission in that country who was trying to interfere with the Rwandan Genocide, he was visibly shaken by his superiors' indifference to the atrocity. He further witnessed such horrible acts in Rwanda that he later suffered severe post-traumatic stress disorder. ***** The foreign nationals were evacuated one by one, but the Rwandans were left behind. The UN forces tried to evacuate a group of refugees, including Frank's family, but they were ambushed and had to turn back. In an ultimate effort to save the refugees, Frank appealed to the Rwandan Army General, Nkrumah Bizimungu but the bribes no longer worked, so he blackmailed him with threats of being tried as a war criminal. The family and the hotel refugees finally left the besieged hotel in a UN Convoy, and they traveled through retreating masses of refugees and militia to reach safety behind Tutsi rebel lines. ***** The truck set out for Kigali International Airport so they could flee to another country. Frank himself remained in the hotel because the refugees needed him. Rusesabagina and his wife discussed this decision for hours, because he had promised her he would never leave her in this situation. Rusesabagina wanted to stay, fearing the remaining refugees would be killed and feeling that he would never be able to forgive himself. The truck was forced to return to the hotel, never having reached the airport. Everybody in the truck, including Lucia and the children, had been beaten. Lucia had been specifically targeted for the beatings because she was the wife of the manager of the hotel; the Hutu militia knew she and her children were in the truck owing to radio messages sent out by presenter Salvatore Ruggiu. Ruggiu was an Italian-Belgian who was part of the radio station conspiracy to incite ethnic tension and encourage the Hutu population to kill all the Tutsis. Ruggiu called Rusesabagina's family "cockroaches who were fleeing, but would return later to kill all the Hutus". Lucia’s mother, and 4 nieces and nephews, died in the genocide. Her father paid to be executed so he would not die a more painful death. ***** The Interhamwe lynched over a million people. Tutsi rebels pushed the Hutus into the Congo in July 1994, after over half of the Tutsis in Rwanda had been killed. Many children became orphaned and even more were killed after the Interhamwe attempted to wipe out the next generation of Tutsis. Rusesabagina took orphans from the camp behind Tutsi rebel lines with him to Tanzania, to keep them safe and away from Rwanda. Rusesabagina, his wife and children, and the refugees eventually managed to escape to Tanzania, thanks to the Rwandan Patriotic Front. After staying in Rwanda for two more years, Rusesabagina applied for asylum in Belgium and moved to Brussels in 1996 after receiving credible threats on his life. Rusesabagina received the US Presidential Medal of Freedom on November 9, 2005 from President George W. Bush. PLANET OF NO WAR So in the presence of the Secretary and all present international delegates, Clarke C. Madison destroyed the nuclear weapons. After all, this was his planet too. ***** It was a bright sunny morning in Texas. George C. Madison and his wife Laura were celebrating the birth of their grandson, Clarke. As the baby looked up, a strange aura filled the entire room. The soothsayers predicted that baby Clarke C. Madison was the future ‘Aura-man’… In Wyoming, the evil Dr. Ming and his mistress Kate O’Hara were scheming and plotting to destroy the Earth. Following a series of experiments, Solar-man was born of the sun’s radiation. He could only be destroyed in darkness. Solar-man was vested with the ‘Power of Evil’ in him. The war of the worlds was about to begin… ***** Clarke was innocent from a very young age. The sun, the moon, the stars and animals and flora and fauna everything fascinated him. He also often wondered why nations would often resort to arms at the slightest provocation, why men of reason would often refuse to say no to nuclear armaments and proliferation, and why there was no peace in the world. As he grew older, he grew stronger. He also discovered he could remain invisible for a while, besides his power of aura. Aura-man had thought he could rid the planet of war (with his special powers). But he was wrong. ***** Doomsday grew nearer… Dr. Ming had devised a magic potion, a special concoction which had the unique capacity of destroying the Earth and its inhabitants only if sprinkled on buildings and peoples. The Herculean task was to be performed by the evil Solar-man. Through the decoding of the internal structure of physical landscape (for buildings) and the genetic make-up (of peoples) Dr. Ming would control Solar-man’s movements until evil would have destroyed the world. In the end, Dr. Ming would cleverly increase the darkness around Solar-man (by sending him to a dark room and lowering the temperatures around him) and destroy him. Solar-man was completely devoid of reasoning and intellect and Dr. Ming would not want someone more powerful and more evil than him to exist in the galaxy. ***** As Solar-man trampled over vehicles and sprinkled Dr. Ming’s experimental concoction the way farmers sprinkle fertilizers, the inhabitants of the Earth panicked. The streets were now laid with corpses and it seemed everything was over until… Clarke C. Madison emerged out of nowhere. Aura-man and Solar-man were now pitted against each other. Both were equally strong, but Aura-man had an advantage. As the sun set in and there was darkness all around, Solar-man’s defenses weakened. Dr. Ming was not around to protect him. Clarke then destroyed Solar-man. ***** In Wyoming, Dr. Ming and his mistress Kate O’Hara conceded defeat. They surrendered to the cops. Aura-man was now Planet Earth’s hero. And now there was no war. All the nuclear stockpiles were rounded up. The reign of evil was over. Technology would now only be used for good. And the Earth would now be forever at peace… DATE RAPE In 1996, President Bill Clinton signed the Drug-Induced Rape Prevention and Punishment Act. This act punishes for the use of the drug called Rohypnol. Four years later, the President signed another legislation banning GHB. People who use date rape drugs run the risk of up to an additional 20 years in prison. Any possession of Rohypnol, even if there is no intent of using it, has a sentence of up to three years in prison. Every state has legal provisions pertaining to rape. Very often, attackers use drugs to facilitate the rape. The drug can be any substance that is either physical or alters the mind. This is not a new phenomenon. Instances of Drug facilitated sexual assault have been found in the Bible. According to a study conducted in 2005 by the US Department of Justice 73% of sexual assaults were perpetrated by a non-stranger. 38% of rapes involved a friend or acquaintance. *****
“In what?” Nathan led out a huge laugh. I was scared, really scared. Of what might happen then. “We are two different people who surely deserve more than life has accorded to us.” “I’m not complaining.” The shy, coy virgin innocently replied. “Oh No, think again girl?” “I love your body language when you’re playing, you’re beautiful!” Nathan was heavily inebriated that evening. “Your eyes!” The boy added. “I’ve been robbed of everything that was you…care for a drink?” “Ah, well…yes.” “What would you like to have?” “Anything, maybe Vodka!” And the boy slipped a tablet of Rohypnol into the unsuspecting girl’s drink. ***** I can recall the time he tried to force me. I was eleven then. It was dusk, and we were on a (blind) date. The issues foremost on my mind then were -Was I ready for it? -Did I trust him enough? -Did I know the meaning of ‘responsible intercourse’/safe first sex? -What would have been the importance of saying no? -Did I know him well enough? That evening, I got replies to my questions… ***** I just couldn’t wait. Finally, Friday evening arrived. The phone rang. He had cancelled his appointment and was about to meet me in an hour’s time. I got ready soon! The anticipation was so great! I was on my way when I found him. My heart was racing, my hands started sweating and my legs started shaking. It was finally happening! We met at the tent-house overlooking the bay. My loyal dog, Beethoven was with me at the time, but very soon, that brat was busy chasing the cats on the shore, but he was very much within the vicinity, in fact, he had befriended the mother cat and they were all playing in the waters! The first thought that came to my mind was ‘Oh my God! Thank you, God!’ His looks were beyond what I had imagined. He was about six feet tall, with dark curly hair, a muscular physique and a contagious smile! And drop-dead gorgeous! He gave me a warm hug and said that he was so glad to meet me. After having dinner, we strolled on the beach under the moonlight. We had a great conversation. Well, we started talking about the past, things we did when we were younger. Nathan said he used to go roller-skating when he lived in Clearwater, Fla. It was dark. Suddenly Nathan pulled me to him and kissed me hard on my lips... I was so nervous and he took his arm and pulled me close to him and said, 'Don't be nervous, I'll take care of you.' We ended up going to the tent-house rave party of sorts and watching some soft porn. It was so enticing, all this ‘dirty shit’…especially as and when the boy in the Russian video undressed and we could actually see ‘him’… It was as if she had been waiting for him. There were very few dialogues (and they were in Russian) just…Finally; he stroked her left nipple and then the right. It was not long before she ultimately surrendered. The handsome Russian hunk was now making love like crazy to the Russian beauty… ***** Nathan got turned on. As he unzipped himself, I could see his ‘thing’. This was my first tryst with a boy, and something like I had never seen before… But something deep inside me stopped me from going further. He was now completely naked and I could see that he was already aroused. “Well, I’ve had quite a day, and I’m really exhausted. I’m afraid I must go.” “O really?” Nathan stroked his thing. “I must…I must go now. They must be waiting for me at home.” “What’s the big hurry, sweetie?” “Why don’t you bring your drink back to your room and we’ll be together again in the morning?” By now, I was beginning to feel drowsy. “Sweetie…beautiful…pretty, it’s a long night ahead of us. C’mon, let’s enjoy baby, let our bodies do all the talking…instead of just sitting here and…!” “I think you’ve had enough of drinks already!” “One more drink for you, sweetie?” “No…No…I’ve had enough for the evening. Not feeling up to the mark!” “I’ll drop you home, baby!” “Besides, a beautiful girl like you shouldn’t be alone on the beach at night!” I could sense he had a wrong intention in mind. “What is wrong with you, Nathan?” “Nothing, I’m just plain sick of your attitude…!” And he pulled her and kissed her hard. “Please let me go, Nathan!” “I will, baby…don’t worry, there I’ve let you go, run away if you can, girl!” The girl cried out at the top of her voice. “Beethoven, where are you?” “Help, help!” ***** And the loyal dog, who had heard his master’s cries, gnawed on the knots until the entire tent-house came crashing down. And they were all now knee-deep in water. “O My God, look at Nathan!” “What a way to end a party!” The ravers were all badly disappointed but no one knew or bothered about what was happening to the other person. They were all so drunk and many had their torsos exposed, including some of the girls who were topless. “Good work, boy…now let’s get outta’ here!” Without giving a thought to him, I left the scene. I have never seen him since… ***** TALE OF A GEISHA In June 1943, the United States had already started submarine warfare against Japan. In the first week of October, the Japanese had executed approximately 100 American POWs on Wake Island. It was October 26, 1943 - Emperor Hirohito stated that his country's situation was now "truly grave." This is what history has said... It was during this period (as History has shown) that the situation worsened. In order to get first hand information, Colonel Forest Clay, an ex- military journalist, currently a free lance war reporter, decided to go to Japan. He needed not to have to take the approval of his boss, since he did not have a boss and he himself was his boss. He went, cleared all formalities of travel, booked his ticket and boarded the first available ship to Japan. This was some time in July 1944… *****
Colonel Forest Clay put up in a hotel in the suburbs of Tokyo. From various people whom he met, he heard a new word termed as “Comfort women”. True to his profession as a journalist, he wanted to get some firsthand information about Comfort women and took this as seriously as studying journalism. His study continued with talking to people, friends, and fellow journalists and so on and so forth till he got in touch with Atsuko, a Geisha girl living on the outskirts of Tokyo. Initially this was a secret visit. Since Clay was an American, one of his journalist Japanese friends named Mushikawa suggested that Clay should go in the disguise of a Japanese person. Mushikawa was also accompanying Colonel Clay for moral support as well as to work as an interpreter. They continued making visits at different locations while knowing fully well the potential impact and the seriousness of being caught. Many a times, Atsuko disguised herself as a foreigner to hoodwink curious on lookers and passersby. Language gradually became less of a barrier, as both of them gradually realized that everything was fair in love and war, both of which were equally applicable for both these countries and their nationals. Love actually knows no borders… *****
The “temporary and clandestine” meetings gradually built up into a formidable love story of the American ex-military journalist and the Japanese Geisha girl. They would meet each other at unknown destinations and gradually Atsuko thought of changing her life style from being a Geisha to that of a house maker. With each meeting, their love story unfolded as they came closer to each other. They were also planning for a secret marriage knowing fully well the repercussions the couple would face, with one being an American man & the other a Japanese woman with the two respective countries in logger heads and heading for a major war. Japan had underestimated the industrial-military capabilities of the U.S. The U.S. had recovered from its initial setback at Pearl Harbor much quicker than the Japanese had expected, and their sudden counterattack came as a blow to Japanese morale. U.S. output of military products was also much higher than that of their Japanese counterparts over the course of the war. Moreover, the Japanese military and navy realized that Japan itself was highly vulnerable to attack. Atsuko had told the Colonel about her past life as well as about her early childhood growing up in a poor fishing village. At the age of eleven, she was sold into a life of servitude by her elderly father and dying mother. The person to whom she was sold had taken Atsuko to a proprietress of the geisha house. During the next couple of years of her childhood, she was working as a maid in the geisha house under Madame Mamewaha’s guidance and in the strictest sense as an “intern” like in a professional organization. Life became so tough for Atsuko that many a times she tried to run away from the geisha house but was nabbed by the hawk eyed security chums and returned back to Madame for a prospective career and money. A couple of times she even tried to commit suicide, not able to bear the trauma of leading a potential geisha life. Like any other girl of her age, she had dreamt of a loving husband and a couple of plump & bubbling little children. ***** Their meetings & the love relationship continued. Many a times Colonel Forest Clay had also thought of taking her back to the US. There were dreams they both had and plenty of hope of starting a new life. Every time, Atsuko met Colonel, she would plead for finding out ways to take her to the U.S. Hope was never lost between the two. ***** Suddenly the Colonel got a telegram that his ageing mother was very unwell. He told Atsuko that he was immediately leaving for the US and that he should be back by the coming month. He also assured her that he would come back prepared after making all the necessary arrangements for taking her to the US and enabling her settle in to a decent life. The last meeting was a very somber one with each one of them looking in to the eyes of the other and trying to fathom what was going one in the mind of the either. Their ultimate destiny however lay in the hands of GOD. *****
Tokyo is in a part of Japan called the Kanto plain. It faces Tokyo bay. Sumida River runs from the north to the south, and flows into Tokyo bay, whereas Tama River runs from the west to the east. That parting evening, tears flowed from the cute, sweet eyes of Atsuko overflowing the banks of Sumida and Tama rivers. “I love you, Atsuko…” “I love you too, Forest …” This was the last sentence uttered by Atsuko before the Colonel departed…Forest Clay waved all the way and looked back till his huge silhouette (against the dimming sunset) became a drop in the ocean of love…. *****
Since then, there was no communication between the two. Day after day, Atsuko would look at the dimming sunset, expecting the Colonel to come back from the ocean of love as a man of flesh & blood to take her with him to the US. The Colonel was her first love as also the last one… *****
It was the early morning hours of August 6, 1945. A B-29 bomber named ‘Enola Gay’ had taken off from the island of Tinian and was heading north toward Japan. The bomber's primary target was the city of Hiroshima, located on the deltas of southwestern Honshu Island facing the Inland Sea. This was neither the story of Enola Gay nor even the aftermath of the bombing but was a love story epitomizing true love and capturing the devastating effects of the bombing of Hiroshima by the US as well as the powerful repercussions the same had on two unknown citizens of the two countries …. ***** Atsuko could recall the day...a deafening boom and the blast wave. She did not know exactly what had happened. The electricity had gone. She heard that more than thousands had died. But what about the Colonel? Was he still in Japan? Had he gone back to the US? Did a similar thing happen in the US where the Colonel lived? ***** Two days later, the Soviet Union declared war on Japan and attacked Japanese forces in Manchuria. By August 9th, American aircraft were showering leaflets all over Japan informing its people that "We are in possession of the most destructive explosive ever devised by man. A single one of our newly developed atomic bombs is actually the equivalent in explosive power to what 2,000 of our giant B-29s can carry on a single mission. This awful fact is one for you to ponder and we solemnly assure you it is grimly accurate. We have just begun to use this weapon against your homeland. If you still have any doubt, make inquiry as to what happened to Hiroshima when just one atomic bomb fell on that city." Atsuko was severely burnt from head to toe. She could not look at herself. This was the aftermath of the bombing at Hiroshima. She had been reduced to a skeleton with a smattering of black flesh pasted on it. On August 15, 1945, the Emperor’s broadcast announcing Japan's surrender was heard via radio all over Japan. For most of his subjects, it was the first time that they had ever heard his voice. The Emperor explained that “the war situation has developed not necessarily to Japan's advantage,” and that “the enemy has begun to employ a new and most cruel bomb.” Over the next few weeks, Japan and the United States worked out the details of the surrender, and on September 2, 1945, the formal surrender ceremony took place on the deck of the U.S.S. Missouri. Colonel Forest Clay had come to Japan many a time thereafter but in spite of his best efforts, he could not locate Atsuko. ***** Two young lives spent hours brooding over why this happened to their countries and why this had to happen to them. No answer for Colonel from Jesus or any answer for Atsuko from innumerable prayers she offered to God Izanagi, Goddess Izanami and the seven gods of luck called Shichi Fukujin. *****
“Mike Rooney.” “FBI.” “Yes, Officer!” Judith McGuire was clearly startled, if not shocked. “Tim, there’s someone here to see you!” “What brings you here, Officer?” “I have come to report a case of sexual felony committed by the school bus driver against your son, Jack.” “Oh, my God…but!” Before the McGuires could respond, a bullet went through Judith’s head. She collapsed on the spot. “What are you looking at, dude?” And Tim McGuire was shot dead as well. “911…911…911….” As Little Jack became paranoid, the assassin raced upstairs only to find No one. He looked all over the place. The boy had disappeared! As they heard the sound of the cops arriving, the assassins fled the spot. Before leaving however, the primary assassin put his pistol into the boy’s father’s palms and fired a volley of shots, apparently to make it look like a “murder-suicide”… ***** Little Jack was an autistic child but extremely creative and gifted. He loved to use the paintbrush, was extremely good with numbers and puzzles and had rare abilities. At the age of five, Jack was sent to “Gifted Minds”, a school cum neuro-psychiatric learning center in the heart of Chicago, Illinois. Jack would often be asked to “look into his teacher’s eyes” and crack puzzles until it became a major national security concern. Jack’s parents had taught him to keep to friends only and not to talk to strangers. Jack loved it when Judith made coffee for him or whenever his father returned home from his night shifts. Somewhere, in the state of Ohio, someone too had a strange love for coffee, perhaps it was destiny or “Karma” that brought Special Agent John Anderson into the little boy’s life with the sole objective of protecting the boy from harm… *****
Yüklə 1,05 Mb. Dostları ilə paylaş:
|