Shonty's Day Out (short story)

Another day had begun. It was only ten in the human clock, but all the permanent residents of Mangalore Zoo were already exhausted because of the unbearable summer’s heat. Shonty, the monkey was feeling very hot.

“Whew….hmph…”, he said to himself, wiping the stream of sweat streaming down his brow.

Some ill-mannered human children were throwing banana peels at him through the bars. But these things weren’t bothering him today. What he really wanted was something soft and creamy and delicious, something that would sooth his burning throat….the funny looking thing that humans called ‘ice-cream’…

Last summer, a naughty boy had thrown his half eaten ice-cream at him…he had reluctantly tasted it because he had nothing better to do…and voila, he instantly fell in love with the funny taste. He had been craving for more ever since.

But the caretaker of the monkeys, a young lad named Chandu was at his wit’s end trying to understand what Shonty was asking for. For ten whole minute, he jumped in front of Chandu, violently rubbing his chest and licking his hands like a dog. Chandu thought he was probably suffering from over-exhaustation and offered him nuts…eew…if there was one thing he hated, it had to be nuts.

Shonty’s new room-mate, Riggo was swinging on the branches, entertaining the crowds. Riggo seemed to be enjoying the attention.

“Silly fellow”, thought Shonty, ”in a few days, he will also get bored of this stardom”.

Shonty had stayed in the bars long enough to know the pro and cons of zoo life. Yes, food, shelter, security etc. were provided….but the basic need…’freedom’ was taken away. Most animals had become sick of being the centre of attraction all the time. Everyone expected maximum entertainment from them at all hours of the day. Shonty did not bother to entertain the visitors……..after all, he would get his meals anyways, regardless of whether he performed his tricks or not.

Riggo had come just a month back; he used to be in the circus earlier. He still hadn’t got used to the new environment. Poor chap.

The Mangalore zoo had been Shonty’s home for as long as he could remember. His mother, Chakki, had died within few months of his birth. He had understood the mortality of animals at a very young age and this realization had made him very stern and indifferent towards others. Concepts of love, passion and friendship were meaningless to him. So even when all the other male monkeys drooled over the pretty and charming female monkey, Hoomie, who lived in the opposite cage, Shonty was satisfied with his daily meals and male companionship. Shonty was a confirmed bachelor.

Today, he felt like breaking the strong iron bars and running away to some place which would be cooler. Summers were the only time of the year when he pitied himself.

And what luck! Chandu the caretaker had accidentally left the beck door open as he rushed out quickly to bathe the elephants. Shonty saw the perfect opportunity. He slowly sneaked out of the door, making sure that none of the monkeys realized. He saw a boy eating orange ice-cream. He took giant leaps and reached the boy, then suddenly descended on him and snatched the ice-cream. The little boy let out a shriek full of terror.

“What is there to be scared of now?” thought Shonty,”just a few minutes ago you were teasing me though the cage…”.Humans are the funniest animals, he decided.

Shonty finished the ice-cream in seconds, and then continued his quest for more. He had one ice-cream after another….until his belly resembled a miniature pot. Only then was he content. He quietly sneaked back into the cage. This zoo was his only home…he could not even think of living elsewhere.

Later in the evening, Chandu came again to clean the cages. Realizing his mistakes of leaving the door open, he shot a nervous glance at the monkeys…

“One, two, three…..five……phew…..all are there……god saved me today”, he counted aloud. “Extra nuts for you all”, he declared. He patted Shonty and whispered softly, “Good boy.”

that period....between 2a.m & 4a.m

its that time of the night when my brain is at its active best....
although i dint exactly know wat to wite....my fingers seem to have acquired a life of their own and just dancing away to glory (as if to meet their long lost lover)..

i know not wat i am blabbering about;but tis enough that i am their and can feel the air going into my lungs as i breathe, and then following the same journey out ....but lacking one of its components(oxygen) which has somehow decided to stay back and help out my cells to burn mass in exchange of energy...E=mc2......i shall remember Mr. Newton>>>

they sound of the fan rotating( as if crying out for freedom) never seemed so prominent..
vague thoughts just enter my brain and leave before registering my memory...

very soon the birds will begin to chirp again (who the bloody hell tells them the time??)..
and slowly as if out of eternity,the yellow ball of plasma will rise into the sky...WONDERFUL...AWESOMEE (here awesome means a phenomenon which generates 'awe',not to be confused with the manner that we use at the drop of the hat for everything...from the chicken kebeb...to JLo's ass!)

why do we have to kno all the answers .....why did we have to know that the earth is revolving around the sun and not the other way round and exactly how life is created inside the womb????
why cant we let the mysteries be just the way they are.....why are we tryin to master the world.....slowly furnishing our own cenotaphs?? isn't it more fascinating just as it is...?

soon the doodhwallah will arrive....disturbing my blissful slumber with the sound of milk(40%milk and 50%water and 10%chemicals) splashing on the vessel...

very soon it will be time to go the the place which teens call "oh-hmmm-school" nd older ppl refer to as "AHH...YESSS...SCHOOL..."....
hundreds of kids from various nooks nd crannies of kolkata packed in a building for 6 hours...
bonds of friendship....games....gossips....news....canteen......nd yes ,studies. school.

on infidelity

even as there are great debates on infidelity and multiplicity...i wonder whether its animal instinct or ust plainly man's(or woman's) folly to look for greener pastures...
two people(preferably of the opposite sexes) meet...feel a connection...start with friendship....fall in love and "commit" themselves to each other and go on to'commit ' the greatest mistake of gettin married...

first of all...this whole CONNECTION thingie is not only overrated but more often than not,MISUSED....after all it is all in the mind...people usually feel the connection with whomever they want to...maybe subconsiously(the subconsious is a gr8 device b the way...it can solve math problems for you even as you blissfully slumber...i'll get back to that sumday later)
so as i was sayin...this 'connection' excuse is just not happenin guys...we are all humans after all and are bound to have some interests in common.....ATTRACTION is a more appropriate word...
in any case..after a few year they realize that they cant stand the disgusting habits of their partners (which thay had found cho-cute in the initial stages of their relationship)
they quickly grow bored and feel more 'connected' to their secretaries/neighbour/colleague/old flame/friend's daughter/daughter's friend...etc...
they break up...
but wait a minute...what happened to thoe immortal feelings of passion that they nested for their exes,the promises ,the trifles of love??? all gone down the drain....

i usually believe that a normal person cannot stick with one partner...man was meant to have multiple partners...God wanted it so...

but at the same time..concepts like love fascinate me.....i am transported to a different world while watching those lovey-dovey movies(including the slight swelling of jol in the eyes)....but soon the reality dawns upon me...but i cannot help wishing it were all real ...just for lovesake...
hey...i aren't quite expressing myself right..but wat the heck...

jus pouring ma thoughts for later reference when even i get involved with a family,running between work,dropping my older kid to football practice and wakin up at the middle of the night to change the poo of my little sweety....

castles in the air

i fall into that category of humans who cannot suppress the natural urges that are born out of excitement...
i get all charged up for small things...things which uasually end being up not-so-exciting ultimately...but the joy of thinking about somethin usually gives me more pleasure than it actually happening...funny...
i know it happens with most people...for example,planning a movie with friends or a trip/vacation is fun......but things dont exactly work out the way you had thought...do they????
...u knew it even then somewhere in the depths of your mind(obscure places where we rarely bother to venture)....but if the thinking gave you pleasure ,believe me it was worth it....
after all..it is a mind game