Skip to main content

Grassroots Fix

1992. Virtualia.

“Hello!”

“Tell me mom.”

 “Hello?”

“Hi Mom. Can you hear me?”

“The voice is feeble. And there is a delay. But I can hear you. How did the ceremony go?”

“It was great. The President herself came down and handed the awards over. About a thousand dignitaries, including politicians, scientists and other celebrities attended.”

“I am so happy for you, son. Despite preparations for your sister’s wedding going on, you are the talk of the town back here. Neighbors and relatives are asking me the details of your findings. How shall I explain to them that you and your team are time traveling?”

 “I am not going to bore you with the details, ma. And we have not actually traveled across time like they do in the movies. This is still nascent. But we know it is possible. We demonstrated our work by going back in time by one second.”

“One second? How does it matter? I mean who would even observe the difference?”

“Each second matters to science. One second would also matter to an athlete who finished second in a race.”

“Fine fine.”

“I did see a few guys from our local media covering the event. Did the news appear in the paper there?”

“I did not get to go through the paper yet, but your sister told me that there’s an article in page 8.”

“Page eight? I thought a native winning international laurels were good enough to be front page material.”

“Our front pages have space only for political dramas, natural calamities, murders, or acts of sexual assaults and the lot. You know two kids were caught last night from here, trying to sneak a peak inside our bathroom. Can you believe it? They know a wedding is about to happen and there would be lots of guests – young girls. These kids are only 14, and they are already into this.”

“It is the age when curiosity kicks in. And kids always end up pursuing the wrong means. What can I say?”

“Your uncle would have bashed them if we had not interfered. They were given an earful and let off. Well, do come home soon. We have lots to do before the wedding. Your sister has set her eyes on this hand-woven wedding sari. It would cost us ten thousand bucks.”

“Ten grand? You are talking about the entire cash award amount I received, mom.”

“I know it’s too much. But your sister wouldn’t budge. Today’s kids spend a fortune on wedding garments and then would not even use it again. Such a waste of money. But we cannot really do anything about it, right?”


“Hello, son! You there?”

“aah yeah mom. I am. I was just thinking of something.”

“You will have plenty of time to think on your flight back home. Start packing.”


Beginning of Time. Eden Gardens. (Not the one at Kolkata, India).

Eve: Hey Adam.

Adam: Tell me.

Eve: Nothing.

Adam: Come on don’t be like that. Did I do something wrong?

Eve: No. I am fine.

Adam:

Eve:

Adam: Eve I am sorry if I hurt you. Tell me what the problem is.

Eve: Promise me you would not get mad.

Adam: I promise.

Eve: I want to taste that fruit.

Adam: Which fruit?

Eve: The one over there.

Adam: But God told us not to.

Eve: The crawling guy on the tree told me it is so tasty. Maybe God wants to keep it all for himself.

Adam: I don’t know. Are you sure about this?

Eve: I would be if you are by my side, my love.

Adam: aww. Okay come on. What harm would a simple fruit do?

Eve: I love you.

Adam: I love you too. Now let us go and taste that fruit.

Adam climbs on that tree and is all set to pluck that fruit. At the very moment –

: Hey. Hold on.

Adam: Who is it?

Eve: I do not know. Oh look there is somebody. He has strange stuff covering his body. Maybe he is God. Or God’s friend or something.

Adam: Who are you?

: I..I… it is complicated. Thank God you guys speak the common tongue.

Eve: Are you God?

: God? No! Didn’t you see how I just thanked him? Let us just say I am one of your great grandchildren.

Eve: Children? What is that?

: Umm… Well I came from you.

Eve: From me? When? I just came from Adam.

: I came from both of you.

Adam: What you say does not make a whole lot of sense.

: I know. This is a bit weird. I am from the future. I came back in time to fix something.

Adam: I am confused. What do you want from us?

: Nothing. I do not want anything from you. On the contrary, I am here to offer you these.

Eve: What are those? I see fruits.

: There are fruits, vegetables, milk, bread, cheese, eggs, meat, chocolates, cakes, pasta, rice, curries, noodles, snacks, tea, juices, and all those food items known to mankind. I have come down to offer this to you. This would last you a lifetime.

Adam: Wow! That is gracious of you. Thank You.

: My pleasure. I do have a condition though.

Adam: I thought so. What is it?

: Please do not touch that fruit, ever.

Eve: Again it is about the fruit. This is what God said too. Why are you guys so obsessed with it?

: This is no ordinary fruit. It has the potential to alter humanity’s fate forever. It is because you guys disobeyed God and ate it that we have to spend all our money buying clothes to cover our bodies. To hide our shame and nudity.

Eve: When did we eat it? We were about to, when you interrupted.

: Time travel is a bit too technical for you to understand. Please understand that not eating that fruit is crucial for us. Do we have a deal here?

Adam: Okay. Deal.

: Pinky promise?

Eve: Fine.

: Very well, then. I shall go back. Enjoy your feast.

Adam: God bless you.

: Hold on.

Eve: What is it now?

: Do not get me wrong. I have my concerns. Even if you honor our deal, there is a chance that one of your children might go and eat that fruit in due time.

Adam: Well, what do you propose? Hey, what is that? It looks dreadful.

: It is an ax. I am going to cut down that tree for good.

Adam: Aren’t we being a bit over the top?

: We really cannot afford that risk.

Adam and Eve stares at each other.

: Please? I shall return regularly with more of these food.

Eve: I like the look of those chocolates. Will you bring them more?

: Sure. Now help me bring it down.

Adam: Alright.

: God bless you both.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Annual Filgrimage

Most of the film festivals around us were conceived before a time when the numerous OTT platforms or even the Internet was a thing. Those days, we could only watch the movies that were screened in the cinemas near us. Film festivals were probably the only way to get a taste of cinema from around the world. Now, of course, times have changed so much that a South Korean TV show was the biggest hit of the past year worldwide. We have digital platforms offering carefully curated, critically acclaimed movies. Content has never been more accessible.  In such a time, have film festivals lost their relevance? One look at the huge crowds who turned up for this year’s IFFK would tell you the answer is a big, loud NO. Film festivals are all about movies, and yet not only about watching them. The feeling of a community action that you get when you see co-delegates with their clothe-bags and id tags, the adrenaline rush from the careful scrutiny of the screening schedule to pick the films matching

Out

  “Hey, I don’t see you around these days!” “Ohh hi! Well, I have been quite busy you know…now with the new job and all” “Even on weekends? You know I got a place quite close to your work right? I handle all these spots so that you can hang out whenever you want.” “Umm yea I guess. Maybe next week?” “Next week is what you promised me three months ago.” “Ugh…I will…try to come! My parents are coming every week anyway right?” “Your parents are good people but I care about you as well. Don’t you get it? Is there something you wanna tell me? I have seen you sharing some pretty controversial stuff about me online.” “Wait a minute. I do not think we follow each other on social media. How do you see my posts?” “Come on, you know I work in mysterious ways!” “I am not sure if I am entirely comfortable with that invasion of my privacy” “For my sake do not fret about it! Here, I have a gift for you. Wear this when you come to my place next week.” “What is this? A headscarf? Why? You know I don’t

Movie Review : The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

Title : The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari Language : Silent Movie Year : 1920 Director : Robert Wiene Genre : Horror IMDB Link Watch movie on YouTube Lead Role :   Friedrich Feher, Werner Krauss The movie is widely acknowledged as one of the landmark revolutionary offerings from the long gone era when movies did not speak. It may be technically incorrect to call a silent film German, nevertheless it was made in Germany during a time period when the European nation was in turmoils after the devastating World War I. The story begins with a young man by the name of Francis starts narrating the hardships faced by him and his fiancee (Jane) and the very peculiar, even horrifying doings of a strange man, Dr. Caligari. Dr. Caligari owns a stall at a nearby exhibition, and on display is a somnambulist Caeser, who allegedly has slept for 23 straight years! The doctor awakens him, and he answers questions asked by the spectators. To the horror of the locals, his prophecies comes true. Mean