When mustaches were fun…!

A short story in school revealed to us something interesting about mustaches, something that even the boys didn’t know. In fact… it would be right to say that our parents and even grand parents were not aware or maybe never gave it a thought.

Well here is what was so unknown yet known to our parents… and for us, the days when mustaches were fun!

It is a short story, A Pair of Mustachios by Mulk Raj Anand. An interesting piece of work that brought a lot of humour in our boring English classes. A story that revealed how mustaches marked the difference among people in society during the time of our grandparents and before. But most interesting of all, this time it became a big activity in school! Suddenly, the students of an all girls’ school were talking about mustaches! And searching them too!!

A boy in an all girls’ school is so rare and one who dares to come in is not spared from the constant stares and giggles of the girls. (Probably the only place where even the most flamboyant of men would feel like escaping from so much female attention!)

And even more now as we were searching for the perfect mustaches!

The 1st to match the list was the Lion mustache – the fearsome mustache worn by Rajas, Maharajas. The best and the highest ranked of all but unfortunately, for us, the most uninteresting of the lot. You could only find it in old photographs. Though we thought one of our classmate’s driver wore them. I still remember, some girls went up to the old driver and asked him “uncle aapki lion mustache hai naa?” and the driver was totally clueless! But we had got the first one on our list!

Now for the most difficult on the search list - the several pointed Tiger mustache. Actually my father had a Tiger mustache but no one in school...

But the thin line of goat mustache was the most exciting! And what made it so was the wearer! Interestingly, our extremely overweight principal’s extremely underweight son wore it. It was the easiest of all to point out as he was the only boy allowed to move around in school. He was a regular sight, regular to the extent of non-existence! And when we pointed this out in the English class, even the teacher had a hearty laugh!

We were busy finding the other mustaches in our list, laughing, giggling and engrossed in full fledged discussion when we suddenly noticed our Tiger mustache!

Our school Judo teacher walked into the school after 2-3 years with his same old mustache which was so new to us now! The Tiger Mustache!

We saw him during the lunch hour at school and all started talking in excitement. And then ran towards him, “Sir… sir… good afternoon sir, how r u sir…” and all smiles.

And there went our last and most searched for name on the list. We had found our Tiger mustache!



Link to A Pair of Mustachios by Mulk Raj Anand.

You & I on a breezy afternoon...

:-)

Lazy Droopy Day...

Lazy droopy day.
Lazing around sitting in front of the computer
Don’t know what to write
And even if words come to the mind
Wish someone else could type.

Looking around with half closed eyes
Wondering if others are really awake.
People sitting in front of their computers
Are they really working
Or just trying to keep themselves awake.

Staring at the water bottle
Thinking if water could break the laze
Guessing if the water is cold
Or need a refill from the water cooler
Which again, is a bit far away.

Wondering what to do that is least effortful
And yaaawning… thinking is such a drain.
And staring and yawning and staring
Still lazing around sitting in front of the computer
Such a lazy droopy day.

What did I see last night?

I looked outside my bedroom window to enjoy the cool breeze and moon light. But it was a night of no-moon and nothing outside was visible to the eyes.

Still I stuck my head out of my bedroom window to feel the cool breeze outside. And then I opened my eyes to see what I could in the dark night.

What caught my eyes was new to me and kept me wondering for a while. A big dark shadow right in front of my window but where was it all this while?

I looked at it inquisitive and amazed when suddenly I felt it moved! It moved? Really? And again I looked eyes glued to the shadow outside.

And again it moved and I panicked as I stood staring from my window, outside. It moved! It moved! And I froze as I looked at the big moving shadow that night.

And then when suddenly I regained my senses, I ran towards my bed. And very soon I went off to sleep, I didn’t even realize.

In the morning I woke, I walked to the window to see the shadow outside. But nothing was there outside my bedroom window so what did I see last night?

A big dark shadow outside my bedroom window, it moved, it moved all night! But still I’m clueless and still I wonder what did I see last night?

Wish I could fly…

Wish I could fly high up in the sky
Far away from the world below, in fresh air and freedom!

Just flutter my wings and take off up high,
And glide and glide closer to the bright sun.

Feel the fresh breeze whistle in my ears when the whole world below complains of the hot sun,
And feel the warmth of the same hot sun when the people below long to see a glimpse.

Wish I could fly high up in the sky
Far away from the world below, in fresh air and freedom!

Sit on a cloud and look down below,
Enjoying all the seasons from a distance.

Just flut… flut… flutter and up up high, perched on my cloud singing and chirping,
Just hold my hand and together we would fly in fresh air and freedom!