Walking

No Trespassing, But I Trespassed

Flash Fiction

**Walking and listening.**
[Source – Pixabay]

Someone (amused) – “Really! I didn’t know, oh, so that is why that day she didn’t come? Oh, hmm, I didn’t message or anything, just saw on the group… what, her boss what? Now am feeling bad for her… yeah, she deserves it, but yaar, she too lives from pay-cheque to pay-cheque… oh, what!”

Another one (expressionless) – “Hmm… hmm… No, no, you see it, see it for yourself… hmm… hmm… you see it. No, oh then sell it for free, what’s it to me… hmm…”

A jogger walks briskly, she is listening to music or a podcast.

Two pals sitting on the bench-

“In our days, things were better ji, no race, now it is all a race, take my son-in-law for example, switching jobs so frequently, is it a joke? No loyalty ji towards an organisation, only loyalty to ‘package’.”

Big yawn!

“No-no, you’re very right…”

“But I don’t say anything, I just said, this is not right according to me, rest it is up to you.”

Stray dogs bark. Gets quiet then, one can hear the birds.

“You love me or not?”

“Don’t start again!”

“You take a stand then, what ‘don’t start again’, decide, I am clear, but you’re not. Please!”

“Come-on! I am tired. Hey, hey, wait!”

“Leave me!”

“Okay-listen, listen! Hear me out.”

“They didn’t fire me, okay!! I have decided to quit, enough is enough. No, I am fine, you don’t need to do anything!!! I am fine!! Yes, I am crying, but you don’t need to worry about me, I am fine.”

“Yeah, but fruit juices… hmm, yeah, it is sugar-rush, no fibre, yeah… of course, better, but hmm, yeah, soups and add some lentils, in small amount, yeah, trust me, that tastes so good, and so healthy, yeah, yeah, yeah… nuts of course, but soak them overnight, only then, yeah…”

“It is all over now! I said it, had to. Yesterday, hmm, we met, same place, said it directly, had to.”

“I am so proud, she worked so hard… yeah, it is one of the bests in the US… we… sure, this weekend… right, will keep that in mind, you just make up your mind… ha-ha-ha-ha!! Hmm… oh, she will be leaving next month…”

“Is Vihaan coming?”

“Na, he isn’t!”

“Rishika, you’re coming right, I need company ya!”

“As if, you won’t be alone there.”

“No, come on!”

“Nidhi is coming too.”

“She is? See!”

Giggles and laughter.

Some joggers before leaving stop to have chaat right outside the garden. Some swiftly and some slowly walking souls keep entering and exiting. Wind blows and the trees sway, leaves fall and that fragrant flower bearing tree lets go off its beautiful burgundy-coloured flowers, look another one is dancing its way down.

**Burgundy-coloured reality!**
[Source – Pixabay]

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Regina Spektor’s Musical World and the Ephemeral Moments of Joy – Part I

Posted on January 13, 2022 by Jagriti Rumi Colour Dance Anthem In Retrospect Joy Life Melody Memories Mind-Pond Moments Music Musical World Musician Pianist Regina Spektor Song Song Wave Starry-Eyed Star Walking

Coverage

**Delicate dance anthem…**
**[Source – Pixabay]**

Walking down the street with old heavy memories, frozen and hazy, not bothering for a while and the unknown liveliness of the fresh sounds greeting us from all around – the dripping thaw, the golden sunny warmth, the tiny twittering birds, the ‘oh my god’ honking of a dashing car’s ghost that passes by, the hearty smiles and laughter – we blush with hope teasing us, giving us bright ideas, gleaming as we experience our quiet, still mind-pond.

These ephemeral moments of joy, so true and innocent, are hard to capture, harder to sustain, probably that is what makes it so special for and loved by all.

Regina Spektor, the star singer, songwriter, musician, the starry-eyed star, the star magician, knows how to hold such moments very well. She doesn’t capture it, na-na, she only knits a pretty, sweet and soothing melody and then soaks it into such warm moments, letting the melody take this ephemeral colour.

To this colour, she adds free-play, emotions and her pianist-self and, voila, a Regina Spektor song wave is ready.

Listen to “Ne Me Quitte Pas (Don’t Leave Me)” before reading further –

…And down on Lexington they’re wearing
New shoes stuck to aging feet
And close their eyes and open
And they’ll recognize the aging street
And think about how things were right
When they were young and veins were tight
And if you are the ghost of Christmas Past
Then wont you stay the night?
Ne Me Quitte Pas, Mon Chere
Ne Me Quitte Pas…
Regina Spektor

She amalgamates it all so well, life’s experiences, cut both ways and so gently she allows herself to smile an honest smile. How beautifully this song captures time and lets it go.

And she loves Paris, especially when it rains there and so do we all (at least the rasiks* do).

Listen now to “Dance Anthem of the 80’s” –

…I’m walking through the city
Like a drunk, but not
With my slip showing a little
Like a drunk, but not
And I am one of your people
But the cars don’t stop…
Regina Spektor

This is nothing but a memory, cold, harsh, but funny in retrospect; one that glares until you glare back at it, acceptingly. And Regina Spektor handles this mixed emotion so peacefully and at the same very eagerly, probably eager for it to evolve.

Also, listen to the live performance of “Dance Anthem of the 80’s”, how sweetly she thanks her audience.

Here, at Chiming Stories, the blogger will be covering Regina Spektor’s musical world in the coming posts, trying to live and relish her songs in your company, so dear readers ‘ne me quitte pas mon chere’ (don’t leave me, my dear).

*A rasik, in Hindi language, is a passionate and thoughtful being.

Check out the full series here –

Regina Spektor’s Musical World and the Assured Presence of the Antiquity – Part II

Regina Spektor’s Musical World and Perceiving the Emotion Called Love – Part III

Regina Spektor’s Musical World and Addressing the Hero – Part IV

Regina Spektor’s Musical World, the Random Wise Talk and Creativity – Part V.

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Zigzag Lines

Posted on February 14, 2020 by Jagriti Rumi Fuel The Mind Future Heart Memory Monsters Messy Exuberance Mind Path Rush Structured Confusion Swoony Transparent Wintry Zigzag Lines

Flash Fiction

**Thai Mural**
**(Source – samforkner.org)**

Running lines, zigzag running lines fuel the mind often. Like lost in a busy city, burning with shiny lights, where no one knows whether it is day or night, I am lost walking, running, gliding on a zigzag path.

Neither snow white wintry nor swoony soft summery winds can be heard here, who knows why.

All I can hear is the hub-dub of my heart.

Trapped in this maze, facing dead ends and memory monsters, I solemnly walk ahead. And after an endless time passes by, I walk out of the maze. Exhausted, yes, but hopeful, why, for I kept walking.

Looking back from the mountain top I can see a cloud of zigzag lines, an imprint of time, a link between battles and victories, between a structured confusion and a messy exuberance. Ah! It goes on and on.

My heart is eager and my mind alert for the future to reveal itself.

I am not afraid anymore for the zigzag lines are transparent and always in a rush.

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Queue to Meet Rossetti and His Friends

Posted on February 10, 2018 by Jagriti Rumi God Knows Why Goodbye Old Lane Queue To Meet Rossetti And His Friends Red House Walking Whispered

Literary Nonsense

Walking in that old lane by the red house, who is that, oh, that is me. I turn left and bump into someone. Someone who happened to be a part of a long queue. Queue to meet Rossetti and his friends.

Don’t push, I said out loud, so that ten people before me and ten people after me could hear it. I said so in advance. And when the twenty some whispered, I shushed them.

**Frontispiece: Rossetti in Childhood**.
**[Source – Wikipedia]**

**Rossetti’s Name Is Heard In America.**
**[Source – Wikipedia]**

From the Frontispiece: Rossetti in Childhood to the last one, Rossetti’s Name is heard in America, I maintained the same attitude. I warned and shushed with an irresistible polite smirk on my face.

Walking in that old lane by the red house, who is that, oh, that is me. Allow me to bid goodbye now, I am in a rush, for those twenty some, god-knows-why, are following me.

Read about Rossetti and His Circle by Max Beerbohm here.

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Walking A Gatha

Posted on May 26, 2017 by Jagriti Rumi Changing Free Light Mind Mountain Music Ocean River Rocks Search Shadows Times Trees Walking A Gatha

Flash Fiction

**Dancing shadows and light…**
[Image by Kanenori from Pixabay]

Walking straight, walking on the mountain listening to ‘The Times They Are A Changin‘ I saw nothing, neither the trees nor the rocks, neither the shadow nor the light, and just kept walking ahead. Mountain spoke, I didn’t hear, until I bent a little.

It said, ‘You will reach your destination, you will, for sure’, and happily I smiled, crossed my hands behind my back and continued walking.

Swiftly I moved forward, there was no stopping me. Dashing ahead I crossed jungles after jungles, I played with the shadows and the light, I didn’t even wait for the wind.

Like a curse, definitely a curse, a disaster hit me – I started panting. It had never happened all this while, why now?

Then I remembered faintly of what the mountain told me… I pleaded it to guide me again, the mountain listened. It said, ‘Know patience and its power’, I bowed down and stopped walking. I stopped for the first time in my journey; I learned the art of deep breathing. Ages passed there; then I left in search.

In search of what I was looking for. I was looking for what I was in search of.

**Sing and walk along the river.**
[Image by Sergio Cerrato – Italia from Pixabay]

Familiar with the pace of the trees canopying me, stopping and listening to the rocks and their untold gathas, attuned with the shadow and the light, I kept walking when I reached near a ferociously musical river. It carried along the ocean’s depth and waves’ nimble notes… ‘Will merge with the ocean, I do not wait for anyone’, replied the river to my question – ‘can you please let me pass?’

So I changed my path and followed the river. Who said you can’t? Change… change and move ahead.

Right where the river met the ocean, where it all seemed to end, where the trees, rocks, shadow and light all disappeared, music stayed by my side and showed me a narrow, slippery way to cross the river. I stepped in, the water was cold, but shallow and so I could cross easily.

With joy and cheer I continued along, I danced on the way, I slept peacefully and then walked leisurely. I sang, the tune echoed. My mind envisioned a valley of flowers and pink clouds when suddenly I tumbled down.

I was hurt. My dream shattered and cold winds bruised me badly. It started hailing. Troubled, I shouted angrily… who knows at whom?

The weather opposed me and pinned me down, I accepted defeat.

Lying half dead, I waited for the weather to change…

When it did, I woke up and saw as the fog disappeared that there was a huge mountain standing in front of me. I couldn’t stop smiling, a new journey was going to begin.

**Majestic, towering and free!**
[Image by Joe from Pixabay]

Climbing the mountain I listened again to Dylan’s ‘The Times They Are A Changin‘. I didn’t know it, but I was free.

I have always been free.

Listen to ‘The Times They Are A Changin’ by Bob Dylan now –

And read the lyrics here.

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A Stream

Posted on August 29, 2015 by Jagriti Rumi A Green Leaf A Paper Boat A Stream A Yellow Flower Time

Flash Fiction

First there came a yellow flower, flowing like silk on a surface. The stream turned into silk. It told me a short story about the silk thread that draped the yellow flower. They swayed together with the wind. Then someone came and took the silk thread and threw the yellow flower in the stream. ‘A happy ending’, were the last words of the yellow flower.

Then a green leaf floated by and said, ‘I always thought where the stream goes… I’ll get to know it now.’ It danced away with the flowing water.

The stones quietly listened to the stream and stayed there for a long time. Now each stone, of every shape and size, carries a story with it. If heard sincerely, the stones narrate the stories beautifully.

A paper boat rushed quickly and embraced the whirlpool. It then lowered the anchor forever.

The stream is musical; I have been sitting here for a long time now and enjoying the melodies. I dipped my feet in the cool, clear water. Then, suddenly, the stream started talking about the flow of time. I got up immediately.

I am walking along the stream. Twists and turns welcome me here and there, but we are walking.

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