He had given me a pen. My father. He was a visionary! He sent me to school. The school was away from home. Five miles. I stayed at the school. That was the style. As a child, ten years old I wanted to go home and see my father and mother, brothers and sisters. But that is not the school style. As the school was providing all facilities and as I did not have all facilities at home, my want to meet my other family members was not severe. But the yearning was there and it lingered!
Then one day, father came to see me. He was happy. In his white shirt and dhoti with his white muslin 'neriathu' (the whilte shawl type cloth used in olden days by elderly people in Kerala) around his neck he was elegant. Father and son met! He was a tall well built guy with a kind look. He stood close to me and touched my hair and asked are you well. When I said 'yes' he said "I have brought a present for you!" My eyes were wide with surprise and happiness. Then he brought it out: An ink pen in brown colour. It was a great pen. The clip on the cap had the inscription "President". He said "This is your weapon. Use it to make a life!"
Many years later, when things had changed a lot, I wanted to write, when writing is almost vanishing! Now in a normal day, I only punch the keys or the seeds on my lappie, saying this is easier. The old time ink pen! Whenever it is referred I looked at it sadly and said "it is a lot cumbersome!" But that was costly as all other throw aways! Then came a Tamilian Inventor called GD Naidu who was heard saying "Wonderman, GD Naidu, anything for twenty five paise" In his wide range of products one was the ball point pen. People naturally loved it!
Then came the talk of computers, then the computers, then the lap tops and now the net books for the old and the android phones for the youth! And now I want to write!
My inspirations came from the renowned writers, OV Vijayan and Madhavikutty, both carrying me through phases of life! Both are no more, but have left their legacies for the posterity to scoop up. Great visionaries, great scholars and great admirers of life! They looked at life from beyond life and still enjoyed life on this earth, allowing others to look and introspect themselves and lift them to a higher level of life!
That is when I wanted to pick up my pen once again! I had lost my Dad given pen long back. The ink pens normally made of plastic would start leaking at the neck after a time. Many times we used it with a little application of soap or oil at the neck. But after a time, it won't stop leaking. Like human life the ink will start flowing out wetting your fingers in its blue tinge which will taint your dress! That is when they are slowly kept away and forgotten like, sadly, like old people!
(to continue)
Then one day, father came to see me. He was happy. In his white shirt and dhoti with his white muslin 'neriathu' (the whilte shawl type cloth used in olden days by elderly people in Kerala) around his neck he was elegant. Father and son met! He was a tall well built guy with a kind look. He stood close to me and touched my hair and asked are you well. When I said 'yes' he said "I have brought a present for you!" My eyes were wide with surprise and happiness. Then he brought it out: An ink pen in brown colour. It was a great pen. The clip on the cap had the inscription "President". He said "This is your weapon. Use it to make a life!"
Many years later, when things had changed a lot, I wanted to write, when writing is almost vanishing! Now in a normal day, I only punch the keys or the seeds on my lappie, saying this is easier. The old time ink pen! Whenever it is referred I looked at it sadly and said "it is a lot cumbersome!" But that was costly as all other throw aways! Then came a Tamilian Inventor called GD Naidu who was heard saying "Wonderman, GD Naidu, anything for twenty five paise" In his wide range of products one was the ball point pen. People naturally loved it!
Then came the talk of computers, then the computers, then the lap tops and now the net books for the old and the android phones for the youth! And now I want to write!
My inspirations came from the renowned writers, OV Vijayan and Madhavikutty, both carrying me through phases of life! Both are no more, but have left their legacies for the posterity to scoop up. Great visionaries, great scholars and great admirers of life! They looked at life from beyond life and still enjoyed life on this earth, allowing others to look and introspect themselves and lift them to a higher level of life!
That is when I wanted to pick up my pen once again! I had lost my Dad given pen long back. The ink pens normally made of plastic would start leaking at the neck after a time. Many times we used it with a little application of soap or oil at the neck. But after a time, it won't stop leaking. Like human life the ink will start flowing out wetting your fingers in its blue tinge which will taint your dress! That is when they are slowly kept away and forgotten like, sadly, like old people!
(to continue)
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