Utopia page 45: Three stars to separate thought processes

Meredith Johnson (played by Demi Moore) replied:

• 
  Let's get down to business.
  

• 
  [Meredith passionately kisses Tom] There... Now that wasn't so bad, wasn't it?
  

• 
  Now you got the power. You got something I want.
  

• 
  …you get back in here and finish what you started. Do you hear me? Do you hear me? You get back in here and finish what you started or you're dead. You hear me? You're DEAD!
  

I could also recall a few other dialogues from the film:

Catherine Alvarez: [to Tom] Sexual harassment is not about sex. It is about power. She has it; you don't.

Catherine Alvarez: [to Meredith] It proves, Ms. Johnson, that a woman in power can be every bit as abusive as a man.

Bob Garvin: The Chinese say, "May you live in interesting times." Well this has been the most interesting merger since my second marriage.

Bob Garvin: This is America, goddammit. The legal system is supposed to protect people like me!

Meredith Johnson: [looks romantically in his eyes] You remember that...don't you?

Tom Sanders: Yeah, I remember that.

Meredith Johnson: And you miss it, don't you?

Tom Sanders: I have my compensations.

Meredith Johnson: Oh course...that's life. A series of trade-offs.

Meredith Johnson: Remember all the things we did?

Tom Sanders: Yeah, I remember.

Meredith Johnson: Things nobody knows about you and me.

[They kiss passionately]

Meredith Johnson: All... our secrets.

Tom Sanders: [Looking at a mirror] Oh God, I can't do this.

Meredith Johnson: Come on. I want you inside me.

Tom Sanders: Oh no no no. I can't do this. I'm not gonna do this.

Meredith Johnson: Now, Now!

Tom Sanders: No. No. NO! NO!

Meredith Johnson: You can't stop. You just can't stop!

Tom Sanders: I did NOT have sex with her!

Susan Hendler: Oh, then what was it Tom? She was trying to quit smoking?

Susan Hendler: Did you have sex with her?

Tom Sanders: No! No! No!

Philip Blackburn: It gets worse. His lawyer is Catherine Alvarez.

Bob Garvin: Oh, great. She'd change her name to "TV Listings" just to get it in the paper.
*****
Next day, it was all over for me. I had lost my job. Because sex can be powerful…
Here I was, Feroze Poonawala, the highest paid Company Secretary in India MCOM LLB ACS and I had been forced to quit my job with a financial institution for no fault of my own… 

GOODBYE

Rita & Joy were in intense love with each other. They had planned to get married and were now waiting to see Joy settled. Joy was working as a probationary officer with an MNC, placed at Mumbai. Rita was in the process of completing her BA (Hons) in Social Science and was in the second year of college.

Rita lived in Borivali & Joy in Kandivli (both in Mumbai). They spoke on the mobile for hours altogether whenever either or both of them got the time.
Rita & Joy had mutually decided to go on a motorcycle trip down the Lonavla /Khandala highway. Rita had already started dreaming of the place. She knew that nature accompanied us in its different manifestations. Lonavla was one such place where nature was present in its entire splendor. Lonavla had become famous because of nature’s gift. She had been blessed with valleys, hills, milky water falls, lush greenery and pleasant cool winds. Words wouldn’t be enough to describe the beauty of this place. The whole place was covered with a thick blanket of fog early in the morning; that is how the day began there. Rita however couldn’t afford to come early morning & stay. That was something she would think of after marriage, may be as part of a honey moon package.

Rita knew that Khandala neighbored Lonavla. Although comparatively small, she was equally blessed with natural beauty and bounty. A deep valley on the one side and high hills on the other side divided Khandala and Lonavla. While traveling on the Mumbai Bangalore National Highway, one had to cross the arduous Khopoli - Khandala Ghat. This was the famous Borghat. Within a short distance of 8 Kilometers, one had to climb a height of 369 meters. This would be a difficult Ghat to climb. Khandala was one place where anyone would fall in love at first site. This was some thing resembling Rita’s meeting Joy on the Kolkata Mumbai flight. That was of course two years back & there was no looking back thereafter, when Joy got a job at Mumbai and started living in Kandivli.

Rita dreamt of pleasant weather throughout the year, beautiful vistas of the Western Ghats, ancient caves to explore, and myriad streams and waterfalls but obviously, she couldn’t enjoy all this as the planned drive was only for a day. Suddenly she realized that she had to tell mom regarding where she was going, who all were going with her. She also realized that she had to lie to mom, whom she loved very much.

But finally she told herself, “O/K, I think GOD will pardon me, since this is the only time I shall lie in years. After all, Juhi, Lisa, Sarita, in fact all her

friends, have been lying to their parents on the slightest plea to go for an outing with their respective boy friends.”

The day (Sunday, 15th Nov, 2009) finally arrived!

*****

Rita had been excited from the previous night. In fact, she could hardly sleep. Those internet pictures (of Lonavla /Khandala) were repeatedly coming to her mind. In fact, at one point of time, she even saw a motorcycle driven by a bulky chap, bearded, with a husky voice and the face had “pug marks” with Rita sitting on the pillion.

No!! This could not be and Rita jumped in her dreams. This ugly chap would be a devil. I could never ever be a pillion rider to him. Joy, he was so cute, young, and lanky, with curly hair, smooth shaven and smart. There was absolutely no comparison.

Mom knew that Rita was going out with her friends Juhi, Lisa and Sarita to Esselworld. This was not far off. Rita had managed to lie to her mother. What a sweet lie it was!!!

*****

It was 9:00 in the morning.

Joy was there on his Pulsar motorbike. Rita jumped on to the pillion. Zoom! The mobike roared & went past the coffee shop towards the Mumbai Bangalore National Highway.

It was cool and pleasant. Hundreds of tourists were traveling towards the same, some on motor cycles, some in cars or convertibles, and some in luxury buses. Following a long drive, the couple reached a place from where the arduous Khopoli - Khandala Ghat (called Borghat) started. They read the notice “…In a short distance of 8 Kms one has to climb a height of 369 meters. This is a difficult Ghat to climb. Be careful while driving. DO NOT overtake. DO NOT over speed...”

Joy stopped for a while and parked his mobike at a safe place. After all he was a very careful driver. What mattered more to him was the fact that his fiancée was with him. Joy had bluffed at home.

Both looked at the lush green valley on the right and the hills on the left, so typical of any Ghat. Both wanted to enjoy every moment of togetherness. It was a breathtaking & heart-stopping view of the valley on the one side and the mountains on the other. This was far from the noise of Mumbai and the endless hustle-bustle and the pollution of the Mumbai metropolis.

*****

Joy started the mobike and with a ‘grrrrr’ sound it sped off and proceeded towards the hill. It was a slope. As the speed increased, so was the fear with Rita. Joy suddenly realized that something was wrong. He was no longer able to control the bike. The speeed kept on increasing on the downward slope. Joy now realized that the situation was beyond control. The sheer feeling that both of them would die shortly had induced a shriek through his spine. He was doing everything he possibly could to bring the bike under control. The speed went on increasing. Both had a few moments left for them. Some thing had to be done, some thing had to be done, some thing had to be done ...was Joy’s internal feeling.

“Slow down, I'm scared” said Rita.

“No, this is fun” replied Joy but his spine was shrieking.

“No it's not. Please it's too scary! Why are you increasing the speeed? Pleeeeeeeeeeease slow down!”
“Then tell me you love me.”
“Fine, I love you. Slow down! Pleeeeeeeeeeease,” shouted Rita.
“Now give me a BIG hug.” Joy knew that this possibly could be the last hug between the two of them.
Rita hugged Joy .The speeed had increased. And yet, there was absolutely no control over the bike then. Joy did not have anything under the sun to help him.
“Can you take my helmet off and put it on yourself? It's bugging me.” Joy made the last effort.
Rita bowed and said:
“Alright, now slow down, Joy. Pleeeeeeeeeeease...”
“I love you babe...” Joy murmured knowing fully well that that might very well be the last sentence to Rita.

Rita held Joy tighter and exclaimed “I love you too, please just slow down now! Pleeeeeeeeeeease!”

No one knows what happened thereafter. NO one spoke thereafter.
*****

It is said that Lonavla was an epic poem created by God. None other than the Lonavla /Khandala highway were mute spectators on the 15^th Nov, 2009.

Times of India, Mumbai, 16^th Nov 2009 reported a small news clipping (P Khandalkar reporting from Khandala)

“A motorcycle had fallen down the valley about 1000 feet, because of a brake failure. The name of the boy was Joy and the name of the girl was Rita. The body of the boy was not yet traceable. The girl had survived but with multiple fractures on the skull. Doctors at JJ M Hospital said that chances of the girl’s survival were minimal but even if she survived, she would be in coma life long.”

It was also reported that… “The truth was that halfway down the slope, Joy realized that his brakes did not work, but he didn't want to let the girl know. Joy wanted Rita to live. For this, he had her say she loved him and felt her hug one last time, and then he had her wear his helmet so that she would live even though it meant that he would die…”

While driving down the Lonavla /Khandala highway, some tourists say they hear the ‘grrrrrrrrrrrrr’ of a mobike and some one saying… “…Rita, I love you. I want you to live. GOODBYE…”

Possibly Joy still hovers around the place.

MARTYR OF KARGIL

The Kargil War, also known as the Kargil Conflict took place between May and July 1999 in the Kargil district of Kashmir and elsewhere along the Line of Control (LOC). The war was caused by the infiltration of Pakistani soldiers and Kashmiri militants into positions on the Indian side of the LOC which serves as the ‘de facto’ border between the two states.

The war was carried out at altitudes in mountainous terrain, which posed significant logistical problems for the combating sides. This was only the second direct ground war between any two countries after they had developed nuclear weapons, after the conflict between China and the Soviet Union in 1969; it was also the most recent. (After India’s nuclear testing at Pokhran, Rajasthan in 1974) The conflict led to heightened tension between the two nations and increased defense spending by India.

Casualties for both sides were enormous. Pakistani claims gave two figures. The figure of 357 soldiers dead was challenged by some Pakistani officials, who claimed that 4,000 Pakistani soldiers were killed in the conflict. Pakistan also confirmed that more than 665 Pakistani troops were wounded and 8 were captured. According to India, Indian losses stood at 527 soldiers killed, 1,363 wounded, and 1 captured.

Major Sanjay Kennedy was one of these ‘Martyrs’.

*****
Scene:

The event: The funeral and mark of respect to Major Sanjay Kennedy’s martyrdom in the Kargil War. Major Kennedy was someone who had laid down his life for the country.
Those present: The GoC, Army Command & other official dignitaries, friends & family of Major Sanjay Kennedy, the Late Major’s Mathematics teacher, Ms D’Souza from St Lawrence School, Chandigarh and currently the Principal of the school and the Pastor from the local Church.
A 21 gun salute marks the start of the eventful but somber ambience at the cemetery. One by one, all official dignitaries pay respect to the martyr. The coffin of Major Sanjay Kennedy is being gradually laid to rest at the cemetery. The Priest sprinkles holy water and prays.
The GoC, Army Command notices that Ms D’Souza is standing at a distance constantly crying. He can make out that the tears from her eyes have so
many words that Ms D’Souza cannot forget. Nothing, not even the fact that the departed soul has found a permanent abode in the House of the Lord can console Ms D’Souza.
The funeral service continues in the memory of the departed soul as devotional songs are sung and readings from the Holy Scriptures and the Bible continue softly. The Pastor delivers a simple message and the attendees follow with a mass prayer.
The body is laid to rest; the ground is being leveled with heaps of flower, holy water & hymns of Amen. The whole atmosphere is so soft, so tender, and so touchy.
May the soul remain in peace & tranquility...Amen…., prays Ms D’Souza internally...
*****
Scene:
Ms D’Souza unfolds the previous day’s event at Major Sanjay Kennedy’s bungalow to the GoC, Army Command.
“11/12 years back, when Major Sanjay Kennedy was studying at St Lawrence School…then he was a boy full of life & energy...that day was the last Thursday at the school, thereafter each one was to concentrate on studying for the final School Leaving Exam. Ms D’Souza wanted a small game with all the boys & girls that day.
She (Ms D’Souza) had asked her students to list the names of the other students in the room on two sheets of paper, leaving a space between each name.
Then she had told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each of their classmates and write it down.
It took the remainder of the class period to finish their assignment, and as the students left the room, each one handed in the papers to the Maths teacher.
That Saturday, Ms D’Souza wrote down the name of each student on a separate sheet of paper, and listed what everyone else had said about that individual class mate.

On Monday Ms D’Souza gave each student his or her list. Before long, the entire class was smiling. 'Really?' she heard whispered. 'I never knew that I meant anything to anyone!' and, 'I didn't know others liked me so much,' were most of the comments.

She could see light on every face of every student. Suddenly all the boys & girls got a new lease of life as if an elixir has been given to each one of them The whole atmosphere was so charged, lively and exciting.
Classes closed, the year ended, the boys & girls graduated and many of them gradually went in for careers in Engineering, Medicine, Sociology, and the Armed Services etc etc. Sanjay Kennedy had gone for the Armed Services.
No one ever mentioned those papers even on the last day of the school, or even on the Valedictory dinner evening. Ms D’Souza also did not know if anyone of them had discussed with their parents, but it didn't matter.
Ms D’Souza was happy that the game/exercise had accomplished its purpose. The students were happy with themselves and one another. Life moved on for every body.
Then there was the 'Kargil' War. Many lost their lives. Major Sanjay Kennedy was one of them. Being the Principal of St Lawrence School, Chandigarh and being the teacher of Major Sanjay Kennedy, she came to their bungalow to pay her last respects to her noble student planning at the same time a special funeral for that special student. She was proud of him. In fact, she had never attended the funeral of a serviceman before. Major Sanjay Kennedy looked so handsome, so mature in the army uniform in the photograph. May his soul rest in peace, murmured Ms D’Souza internally.
The bungalow was packed with his friends. Many had come with their wives and from far flung places. One by one those who loved him took a last walk. The teacher was the last one to bless.
As she stood there, one of the soldiers who acted as pallbearer came up to her. 'Were you Sanjay's math teacher?' he asked.
She asked “How do you know?”

“Ma’m, I have seen your photograph with Major Sanjay Kennedy. That was the school’s last day dinner function.”

Ms D’Souza nodded: 'yes.'

Then he said: 'Sanjay talked about you a lot.'
Ms D’Souza felt emotionally proud and saluted the photograph of Major Sanjay Kennedy internally.
That evening, most of Sanjay's former classmates were present. Sanjay's mother and father were there too, obviously waiting to speak with his teacher.

'We want to show you something,' his father said, taking a wallet out of his pocket. 'They found this on Sanjay when he was killed. We thought you might recognize it.'

Opening the billfold, he carefully removed two torn pieces of notebook paper that had obviously been taped, folded and refolded many times. The teacher knew without looking that the papers were the ones on which she had listed all the good things each of Sanjay's classmates had said about him. There were 32 points of appreciation from his buddies, if her memory served her right…
'Thank you so much for doing that,' Sanjay's mother said. 'As you can see, Sanjay treasured it.'
*****
All of Sanjay's former classmates started to gather around. Naresh, who smiled rather sheepishly and said, 'I still have my list. It's in the top drawer of my desk at home.'
Patnaik’s wife said, ' Patnaik asked me to put his in our wedding album.'
'I have mine too,' Tanuja said. 'It's in my diary.'
Then Julie, another classmate, reached into her pocketbook, took out her wallet and showed her worn out and frazzled list to the group. 'I carry this with me at all times,’ Julie said and without batting an eyelid, she continued: 'I think we all saved our lists.'
That's when the teacher finally sat down and cried. She cried for Sanjay and for all his friends who would never see him again. She cried because a small game had touched so many hearts …
*****
The density of people in society is so thick that we forget that life will end one day. And we don't know when that one day will be. Ms D’Souza never realized that the small game she played about twelve years back had such a profound impact on all of them.
The GoC, Army Command closed his eyes…One could now see drops of tears rolling down the cheeks of the Army Commander…

THE MALLS OF NEW INDIA
(NO PLACE FOR THE POOR IN THE MALLS OF NEW INDIA!)

It’s evening time.

The new mall is just about to be inaugurated by the local counselor. High lumen lights, a psychedelic LCD display and high decibel music have created an exotic ambience. The security at the entrance has a last look at the glass door to see whether any atomic sized strains are visible or not. In fact, he shows extra energetic behavior moving from one end to the other end of the huge, large sized glass door. This is all the more important to him because the proprietor of the new mall is standing in front of the door, (suited & booted from top to toes), all smiling and “hi”ing every one he looks at, irrespective of whether the responded is at all interested in the “hi” or not. The security is also over enthusiastic, as if the proprietor of the new mall were to like his initiative & drive (as do think all employees in the corporate sector!!!); he may get even one advance increment during the coming festive season.
There are a huge crowd-children, young men, and women – all neatly dressed as if everyone has come to attend a marriage reception. The aroma of highly priced perfumes & body sprays (many could be “imported”, some smuggled, and some others could even be “country” made stuffed in “bideshi” bottles) has not added any color, nor any decibel but a charged atmosphere.
The crowd keeps on waiting for hours for an additional reason. This is because the bill board says “BUY TWO, GET TWO FREE”. This is for all items in the mall. This is a huge attraction for obvious reasons. You pay much less than the tagged price. At the corner, two young school going boys are in a hot debate as to what is the percentage discount the mall is offering, whether it is 50 percent or less, and if so how much??? There is no conclusion arrived at, but the argument continues.
*****
At the other end, the “golguppawallah” is quite happy for the brisk business & fast bucks he is collecting, so much so that at one point of time, he starts tapping his feet to the Bollywood numbers he is listening to.

No one knows what time the “Guest of Honor” will come.

A young boy enjoys every moment of his time standing close to the “golguppawallah”. He is Raju. He is not one of those who has come for the inaugural ceremony with branded dresses & shoes with mobile in hand and surrounded by equally elite classes. He is a street urchin with dusty and slightly tattered clothes, unkempt hair and wearing a pair of cheap Hawaii slippers. He is a street beggar and collects money. At the end of the day, his entire day’s collection is picked up by the “boss” and a paltry 10 paisa per rupee is handed over to him. Raju does not grumble or make any noise, nor does he resent his fate as nothing is tolerated by the “boss”. If the mood of the “boss” is not o/k, even this 10 paisa does not come in to his hands...The boys get either a bashing or a slap. These are the rewards (for all Rajus) at the end of the day.
Life for Raju continues this way for years, since the time he ran away from home. Once in a while and very rarely, if the “boss” is in a happy mood, he gives a five rupee as a reward for the good job done during the day. The story is the same for all his friends---Arjun, Hari, Amar, Rajesh and others.
Today he is enjoying whatever is going on at the new mall inauguration, knowing fully well that the reward at night (from the “boss”) shall be one of the few possibilities. Evening is the “high income” period and not begging during this time can lead to obvious repercussions, but he is prepared for the same. After all, such occasions are far too rare in this city. He is also not bothered as to where Arjun, Hari, Amar, Rajesh and others are at that moment. Possibly they are busy with their professional pursuit.
The “Guest of Honor” arrives. He delivers a small lecture. Nothing is audible in the crowd. Raju is not interested in the lecture. He only wonders whether he will be allowed in once the gate is opened. His collection has been virtually nil today, since morning. Added to this, he is on his own terms today in the evening. He is now confident that this day will be a bad day for him. It does not matter. After all, such occasions are far too rare in this city. He enjoys every moment and also is totally prepared for one of ‘those’ terrible possibilities that night from the “boss”.
Once the formalities of ribbon cutting are over, the crowd at the gate crashes into the new mall along with the counselor and proprietor of the new mall. Raju comes closer stealthily near the glass door. By this time, the crowd at the gate has thinned down. The security at the entrance immediately shouts “Hi!! Hi!! Hang on. You can’t get in. Who has called you? Has not even a

single penny, in the pocket but has come to the mall. Get out!! Get lost!!” … (Obviously, the security has used plenty of “country” language as adjectives, but these are beyond the comprehension of the innocent author).

Mr. Tobaccowalla, a decent Parsi in the late fifties, is just about to enter through the gate but stops midway seeing the pandemonium. Taking a deep breath, he moves closer to the security to understand the reasons of such behavior.
“Why aren’t you allowing this boy to go in? After all, there is no entrance fee; no gate passes are required for entering.”
“Sir, you do not know. These boys have no money in their pockets and create scenes and fights on the slightest pretext. Not only these, some of them are petty thieves and pickpockets by profession, you do not know,” responds the security with an attitude of years of experience under his hat and expecting a pat on his back and not knowing Mr. Tobaccowalla.
“What is your name?” asks Mr. Tobaccowalla.
“Raju, sir,” responds Raju without batting an eyelid.
“You have money on you,” asks Mr. Tobaccowalla.
“No sir. I just wanted to see inside the mall. I have never seen any mall in my life, Saab. I thought I might as well see today,” replies Raju in one breath.
Mr. Tobaccowalla feels pity for this boy. He takes out a 50 Rs. note and hands over the same to Raju. Raju is flabbergasted. He never expects this from any one. In fact, he has had to beg for weeks to get this amount from his “boss” as commission. The security is surprised as to how a 50 Rs. currency note has been pocketed by Raju. He thinks he deserves the same…being so professional…
“Saab, I am poor but neither a thief nor a pick pocket. I have never seen such an amount in my life. I shall buy plenty of toffee for all my friends with this money from this mall…” Raju does not remember what all he said in gratitude to this elderly Parsi.
Mr. Tobaccowalla moves about inside the mall. After all, today is his birth day and he is a happy man. Raju now also gets into the mall through the

glass door. The security man cannot stop him. After all, he has money in his pocket.

Raju moves around the new mall, hoops from one floor to the other, makes couple of trips up and down on the escalator just for fun, looks at the fountain and looks up to the roof of the mall. What a gigantic structure? As pre-determined, he purchases 50 Rs. worth of toffee from the mall for his friends Arjun, Hari, Amar, Rajesh and others.
He comes back to his shanty and shares his experiences of receiving a 50 Rs. gift from one elderly person. His friends at first do not believe this. The toffees are shared, the fun and frolic continues….The toffees are then strewn on the floor for friends to pick up. This idea is just like a Casino as Raju has seen in a Hindi movie… Raju realizes that if money is there in the pocket, even the poor can go to any mall in new India…..
Suddenly… the “boss” comes in, inebriated. He is neither in the mood nor in his senses to believe that 50 Rs. has been given by …This is all a cock and bull story to him. The “Boss” concludes that his earnings of Rs. 50 have been swindled away...
Raju has been mentally prepared for one of those possibilities that night from the “boss”. Blood oozes from his lips as he gets a number of brutal slaps on his face from the “boss”…Raju does not repent. This is part of the routine in every beggar’s life. But, in spite of the shrieking pain, he thanks that “elderly” person who has allowed him to be a part of such a rare occasion in this city.
Raju again realizes that if there is money in one’s pocket, even the poor can go to any mall in New India…..