Reaching out, youthful, happy and storytelling

What does one do when someone has genuine intentions to post on his/her blog, but just doesn`t know really what to blog about..?? I do not read as much as Uma, am not as good at telling stories as DreamVendor, don`t see as many movies as Balaji. So what do I do..??

But recently, i`ve read something, seen a movie and thought about writing a story. What i`ve read, the feelings which i`ve had on seeing the movie are things, people throughout the world have already experienced and does not really need much description I guess. My feelings are same as my fellow homo sapiens.

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Kiran studied in the VII standard at Holy Angels School and lived in K.K.Nagar colony. His had always been a simple life. There was just a young little sister, no great rocking group of friends and a not essentially noisy life. He had a loving mother and a hardworking father, who slogged day and night to give his small family a decent life.

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Perhaps due to this simple lifestyle, kiran was always an introvert. He spoke little but thought a lot about life. Being a witness to his dad`s struggle, he had realized the value of money at a very early age and always thought about his house, savings and the need to carve a good future for himself, so that he could ensure the well-being of his family in the future.

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Kiran had a dear friend in Appu. Appu lived in the nearby slum, was a lovable young boy, two years younger than Kiran. His parents were daily wage labourers at a far away quarry and were off to work, the entire day. Appu met Kiran daily in the evenings, when Kiran returned from school. They shared a very special relationship, and unlike most boys of their age, they never started playing or talked about sports or games. Appu, like kiran was very intelligent and they liked to share their feelings, they talked freely about their lives and the society.

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Though materialistically, their lives were worlds apart, they struck an instant chord with each other. It may be difficult to imagine such mature feelings among small children, but truth, they say is stranger than reality and hence their lives were perfectly normal...

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Meanwhile far away, Mr. Vijay Parrikar, a famous hotelier had finalized a deal with a global group of hotels to build a huge mansion like 7-Star hotel in the city. He had always been a very ambitious young man. He had alone taken charge of the small family hotel business his father had and now had built up a reputation as the greatest group of hotels in India. At the mere age of 32, he felt as if he had conquered the world.

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Today was the day, he had met Mr.Chang Lee. They had decided and finalized all the necessary formalities for building "The CityView", a name, which Vijay had himself thought of. The land was all set and ready, except for a small portion of land adjoining K.K.Nagar Colony. where there were a few slum dwellers. He had already requested the help of the local police and the Corporation Authorities to help evacuate the people. As the land was already legally registered in his company`s name, he didn`t have much to worry and went home to sleep, all the time pondering, whether he should marry or not. He just didn`t believe in marriage.

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Perhaps I have made it all pretty obvious as to how the story progresses.. Anyway anything incomplete is not beautiful. so let it continue.

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Appu couldn`t sleep all night.! He was worried. His father was worried and his mother had let out a wail in bed. They were going to lose the protection of the thatched roof above them, in a few days, perhaps tomorrow. What could he do..? Should he ask Kiran for help..?? but what can he do..? He is also just a young child like him.. but perhaps, Kiran`s father could help... No! Appu`s father had mentioned that the land was rightfully theirs.. So it wouldn`t be nice to put Kiran`s father in an helpless situation. Oh! God.. Show me a way.......

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Kiran had a tough day at school that day. He had been punished for not doing his homework. He had picked up a fight with some boys in the class as well and as he cycled home, all that he had in mind was to learn the math properly and make it up the next day. He noticed Appu, as he cycled along.

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He spoke out "Hi Appu, Can we talk tomorrow, today`s been really tiring.."

but appu didn`t reply. Appu was unusually silent and just nodded his head. As he looked longingly at kiran cycle past him, he fought back a tear. He turned back towards home. Appu had always had high self-esteem and just couldn`t get himself to express his difficulties.

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The next day morning Kiran woke up, his cheerful self. The Colony was unusually loud. All people had come down from their flats and were in animated conversation. The police had been all over the place last night, he heard. As he scrambled out of bed and walked towards the drawing room, his mother called out to him "Kiran, do you know that last night the slum was evacuated by the police. Did you happen to see appu..?? I guess they must have also fled... The poor things...!!"..

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Kiran was dumbstruck...! He had not listened to Appu`s inner voice yesterday he felt.. He had felt the scent of sadness in Appu`s presence yesterday and yet he hadn`t cared. As he looked out of the balcony at the remains of the huts and buckets and tarpaulins, two tears strolled down his eyes...

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Kiran slowly walked towards school, his heart filled with guilt and grief. As he walked past the place where once Appu`s home stood, he lost control of his grief and fell down crying. As he lay there, he found himself being picked up by a tall young man in a suit. The young man, looked at him and asked, why he was lying down and crying here, when he was supposed to go to school.

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Under normal circumstances, Kiran would never have spoken out, but today he felt he had to let the world know the plight of his dear friend. He had to let this society know how it had wronged his poor friend. He himself had to shed the guilt he felt in his heart for having not responded to the final beckoning of his dear, Appu.

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Vijay had never previously felt sad. Even when he had realized, that he was an orphan, without anyone in this world, he was only more determined, to make it big, to be successful and show the world, that he shall not get bogged down. But today, he felt a strong tug at his heart. Here was a small boy, crying piteously at the plight of his dear friend, a dear friend, who had lost his home, a small child and a family who had lost their homes, something for which Vijay himself had been the cause. But Vijay had seen to it that they get accommodation in some spare land, temporarily a couple of kilometers away, but still he had been the cause for pain in this small boy`s friendship. As images, of his own childhood swept before his eyes, for the first time in his life, he felt defeated.!

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He embraced Kiran and slowly asked...

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"Shall I take you to Appu...??"

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Kiran couldn`t believe his ears for a moment. He had thought that all was lost, but here was a glimmer of hope, here was an entire lifetime of hope, being promised by a total stranger.. He jumped with glee and yelled eagerly..

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"Yes.... Yes.. Do you know where he is..? Take me to him..! please Uncle..."

Vijay, helped Kiran get into his car and sped away to the place where appu had been accommodated for the time being.

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As they reached the place Kiran jumped out and ran towards the small blue tents.. Hearing all the commotion, people started coming out.

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"Appu...!! Appu, where are you..?" yelled Kiran. Suddenly Appu came out of a tent, surprised.

They rushed towards each other and embraced. Vijay, meanwhile assured the group of people staying there that they would be given jobs in the construction company, which was going to build "The CityView". As those overjoyed people celebrated, Appu and Kiran, with tears on their cheeks and gratitude in their eyes, looked longingly at Vijay. And Vijay, then did something, which he hadn`t really done before in his life.

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He rushed forward and gave them both a big bear hug.!!.....

....... And so the story ends here...

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This may not be the best of stories and I am surely not the best story writer, but I identify myself with these characters much. I share several traits, with each of them, so this story which sprang up in my mind is rather special to me.

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Today`s youth are not just intelligent. They have moral values as well, but they are very open and so can easily be diverted. But in no way are their feelings of love and affection lesser.. Atleast as far as these basic emotions are concerned, things have only improved.