In my opinion, the squad should be selected by considering the PSL 9 performances. I could have preferred Pakistan’s local T20 tournament National T20 Cup but I emphasize PSL because that is the latest competition when the form of the player must be determined.
So I forward you my ideal WT20 Pakistan squad with short details:
Even if he had not performed or played the PSL, having him would be the priority. The matter of argument is obviously his captaincy that was the weakest amongst all the captains who led their teams in the PSL. In fact, Lahore Qalandars was the first team not to qualify.
Even he is not my choice, Mohammad Rizwan is. But the only reason I have considered him to continue is, (A) It is unethical and very harsh for the Pakistan Cricket Board to select Shaheen as the captain of the format to lead the WT20 and then drop him after one series. And (B) We cannot judge his captaincy from one international series. With the announcement, he should be trusted, given confidence, and the team must be united under him.
407 runs in 12 innings that included 4 half centuries BUT at the strike rate of 122. Due to this reason, he must bat in the middle-order. The biggest plus is his leadership quality, Shaheen will be lucky to have his output on the field.
Pakistan’s no.1 batsman in all formats and the leading scorer in the PSL. Thankfully is back in form and will be under less pressure because he will not be relied as a captain. The edge over Rizwan is that his strike rate in the PSL (142.6) was far better than Rizwan (122.22). So he must either open or come at 3.
Doing heavy duty at such a young age and naturally a quick bowler. Returned from injury with 15 wickets in the PSL and that too at an economy rate of 7.56 (the second-lowest among all Pakistani bowlers who took minimum 10 PSL wickets).
A unanimous choice and the brightest prospect in batting who can bat in all three formats. His shots-selection, powerful hitting, and his amazing opening-run with Babar has cemented his place. Saim scored 345 runs at a strike rate of 157 in 11 innings. He also hit most sixes in the tournament (21). He also turned out to be a handy part-timer who took more wickets (8), with better average (22.37) and economy rate (7.45) than Faheem Ashraf (6 at 46 and 9.85 respectively).
One of the key players whose lack of form disturbed Pakistan’s performances in the ODIs and T20s last year was one of the best captains in the PSL, scored over 300 runs and took 14 wickets too. Shadab led Islamabad United to PSL glory and was declared Man of the Series.
259 runs in 11 innings including 7 not outs! A strike rate of 193.28 which was the highest among the top-scorers with minimum 200 runs. He hit 17 sixes which was the highest after Saim. He is the most-wanted hitter any team would rely at 6 or 7.
Easily the most improved T20 player who was also the leading wicket-taker in the PSL with 24 wickets at an economy rate of 8.13. The only genuine spinner of my ideal squad has only one competitor, Abrar Ahmed who took 16 wickets at a better economy rate (7.82).
The big show is yet to impress in T20I but his franchise T20 form keeps pressing the national side to give him more time. Why? He is unarguably one of the biggest smashers from Pakistan for T20 games. And in the PSL, he proved once again why Pakistan still needs him. He scored 226 runs at a heavy strike rate of 171 which is the highest among the top scorers after Iftikhar. He was also declared the wicket-keeper of the tournament.
Second-highest wicket taker with 19 wickets. There is no reason I will not include him in the bowling department. With Shaheen and Naseem, he is the most ideal fast bowler to start the match.
In the last few months, Agha Salman has build some reputation as a batsman. He is quite a favor in all three formats and offers all kinds of shots. With a given situation, he is flexible to bat at any position. Scored 310 runs at a strike rate of 140.27.
Pakistan’s Hasan Ali reacts during the ICC men’s Twenty20 World Cup semi-final match between Australia and Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai on November 11, 2021. (Photo by Aamir QURESHI / AFP)
My ideal choice was Zaman Khan but the reason why I chose Hasan over Zaman is because not only that he had more wickets (14) than Zaman (11) but also had a better average (22.42 > 28.72) and a better economy rate (8.26 > 9.87). Hasan adds more aggression and spirit in the team and is a handy slogger.
Saud Shakeel is another impressive consideration to rival Sahibzada Farhan for opening with Saim. In comparison, Saud Shakeel scored more runs (343) than Farhan at a better strike rate (141). He can easily be played in the middle if Pakistan decides not to play Azam Khan in the match. Then having Saud, Rizwan, and Iftikhar in the middle will boost run-rate acceleration.
Now that is the most discussed player since the knockout phase of the PSL until now. He has retired from international cricket but hold on! He is from Pakistan and our cricketers don’t take retirement seriously. Jokes aside, what matters is that when a major cricket event is scheduled and Pakistan is expected like every other participant to shine, the pride of the country comes first.
After this PSL, is there a doubt or a question about his being a better all-rounder than Mohammad Nawaz and Faheem Ashraf? I don’t even remember when was the last time any of them clicked or did any favor to the national side. And here is this guy, who won four consecutive man of the match awards for his multiple clutch performances! It is about making your team a world champion, do yourself and us a favor, drop your retirement, and make yourself available for the upcoming series.
CLOSING REMARKS
The chief selector must take the responsibility to shape a perfect T20 squad. No matter what squad is finalized, the best interest of the team should be prioritized. It will be highly annoying to see controversial picks that has mostly been the custom of national selection committee for announcing the squad. I say good luck for the preparations and may we see Pakistan champion again.
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Promotional still shows the cast from the American television show ‘All in the Family,’ Los Angeles, California, early 1970s. They stand in the doorway of their television address, 704 Hauser Street, Astoria, Queens, New York, and are, from left, American actors Jean Stapleton, Rob Reiner, Carroll O’Connor (1924 – 2001), and Sally Struthers. (Photo by CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images)
All In The Family is about Bunker’s family situated in Queens, NYC where the patriarch Archie Bunker (Carroll O’Connor) is the only source for bread and butter. With that source comes Archie’s heinous bigotry which let down many verbal backlashes and neverending arguments at home. Wife Edith Bunker (Jean Stapleton) is a sweet woman, a hardworking housewife, and a typical example of a faithful wife. Daughter Gloria (Sally Struthers) is recently married to her jobless husband Michael Stivic (Rob Reiner). And they all live together.
Archie being a proud ‘white’ American, pro-Nixon, intolerant towards the blacks, Porto Ricans, and Jews, and his unacceptance to multiculturalism leads to many racial backfiring and hate consisting many dozens and dozens of episodes showing a reality about the society hesitant to change in the politically troubling decade of the late 60s.
But the best part is that this family of four is an example of tackling many sensitive issues in the most humorous writings ever. A tv show from 1971 speaking about racism, homosexuality, Vietnam War, women empowerment and liberty, atheism, rape, and so many sensitive subjects, it was way ahead of its time. Not only the writing of the show but the direction and performances of all the four leading casts made this sitcom and overall an American tv show of any genre one of the greatest shows of all time.
Not only was All In The Family culturally and politically significant in the US but was also successful in building its own universe where the supporting characters of the show got their own sitcoms as spin-offs and became popular sitcoms ‘Maude‘ and ‘The Jeffersons‘. Maude was Edith’s cousin and The Jeffersons were Bunker’s neighbors.
LOS ANGELES – JANUARY 1: ALL IN THE FAMILY featuring (clockwise from top left) Rob Reiner, Sally Struthers, Carroll O’Connor, (baby as Joey Stivic) and Jean Stapleton. Image dated January 1976. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)
All In The Family won 22 Emmys from 55 nominations and is the first of the only four sitcoms in which all the leading cast won the Primetime Emmy Awards for their respective categories (Best Leading Actor and Actress, Best Supporting Actor, and Actress).
All In The Family was also the beginning of the legendary writer and producer, Norman Lear on television who convinced CBS to run this show after two failed pilots.
America’s groundbreaking sitcom of television history is easily the greatest sitcom of the 70s and one of the greatest American shows of all time. Both TV Guide and Writers Guild of America has ranked the show 4th in their ‘greatest’ category.
There is a lot to write about this show as my fondness stretched to infinity episode by episode. I just loved Archie’s bigotry, Edith’s innocence, Gloria’s emotional fluctuations, and Mike’s scuffle with Archie. On a personal note, All In The Family is now convincingly one of my favorite sitcoms (either American or British).
Toofan is a fictional sports drama of a local extortionist Aziz Ali (Farhan Akhtar) in Dongri who begins to take boxing seriously and face challenges while trying to make his name.
Okay, first of all, this is Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra‘s film who has the distinction to have directed some critically acclaimed Dilli-themed pictures like Rang De Basanti, Delhi-6, and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. So you expect him to deliver another masterpiece remembering how excellent those films were. Unfortunately, that is not the case this time. Something is wrong with Toofan. Not something, a lot of things.
The Rakeysh-Farhan magical combo from Bhaag Milkha Bhaag had too much at stake to surpass the hype of presenting another sports drama on the same line of sublime artistry. But perhaps Rakeysh overthought about the consequences and lost in execution.
One thing about Toofan being a sports drama is that in the first hour, you as a viewer ask yourself do you actually need to watch just another boxing story with stereotypical content. Why am I watching? The first half an hour makes you think how is it any different from any other boxing dramas you have watched. It is sooo sooo predictable.
And then the love angle, where you get the obviousness of the sub-plot connections for the next 30 minutes in rolling. The best friend of the leading character being the most best friend thing ever. The strictest coach rejecting the boxer in the beginning and getting impressed later enough to take him to the competition. The dialogues are less-inspiring.
The score is okayish and the tracks (besides ‘Ananya’ track) sound like some old unused tracks from Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy‘s warehouse finally getting played. The reason I say this is because Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy to Excel Entertainment is what A.R.Rahman is to Madras Talkies, mostly giving top-class music and tracks throughout their career.
Even Rakeysh’s direction lost grip on many scenes where he could have made an impact. He badly missed using Farhan and Paresh‘s talents to use in the tragedy scenes when Farhan sees the body at the platform and Paresh throws the ashes in the sea. They could have done wonders there. And Supriya Pathak is terribly wasted in such a short character.
After an hour when the coach realizes who Toofan loves is exactly when the film gets interesting. Out of 160 screen minutes, it is the middle part that is the heart of the film that has nothing to do with boxing. A Muslim boxer marrying a Hindu doctor and breaking stereotypes is something I wanted to see in the film and has been depicted so well. The rising conflicts of an interfaith marriage is a subject less challenged in writing.
Farhan’s body transformation and those exercises are also the best portions of the film. In acting, Farhan didn’t come up to the Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara levels. It was Paresh Rawal who played an excellent supporting role.
For the sake of the middle portion of the plotting, Toofan deserved better writing, a potential screenplay to run on the sensitive blades of the content which the film terribly missed.
In 10191, the desert planet Arrakis gets colonized when the Emperor assigns the ruler of the ocean planet Caladan, Duke Leto of Atreides to rule Arrakis. As Leto wishes his son Paul to succeed him, their rivals Harkonnens return to claim the land.
Dune is Frank Herbert‘s gift to the sci-fi readers in the literary history that was published more than 50 years ago. It was adapted more than once with time. But Denis Villeneuve‘s one is the highly awaited film with a budget of $165m as a lot of expectations from the sci-fi can be built thanks to a friendly heavy-productional budget that can justify the demands of the true sci-fi content now.
Although this is the first part and we wait for the announcement of its sequel, the 156-minute film held a strong promise to keep its soul pure and close to the book. I haven’t read but in the picture, I must say there was a blend of praiseworthy artistry and sharp criticism at the same time.
Many viewers complained about the film being very slow. It is true but those who have watched Denis Villeneuve’s previous works will understand that it is in his artistry. He keeps the picture slow and grows on the viewers.
I felt that Dune was easily the case of two eggs in the same basket. As much as the first hour maintained the superior quality of sci-fi epic, the second hour visibly began to fade in its pace. As much of the story moved in the first half, the other half took way too many minutes in setting the dust and reaching towards the mark.
The biggest plus of the film is undoubtedly the stunning visuals, the camera work, and the very detailed presentation of the fictional planets. Honestly, the sandworm should not have been revealed in the first trailer. Forget the nomination, the film deserves to win in either VFX or sound recording/mixing. I was expecting a lot from Hans Zimmer but I feel he did just a decent work but not as much worthy as we remember his past scores.
The presence of ensemble casting is another reason for the film’s magnitude of visual presentation. Timothee Chalamet has risen to fame in just four years and at age 25, he is one exceptional talent we will see building his acting career on the advanced level, all depending on the choices he will make while playing his part.
Denis Villeneuve was the right man for this job. If he was not hired, I would have picked Guillermo del Toro for this epic. The wait for the next part begins with the first part’s conclusion. Watching this film is a necessary exercise for the peers and pupils of science fiction.
“Being alone with fear can rapidly turn into panic. Being alone with frustration can rapidly turn into anger. Being alone with disappointment can rapid turn into discouragement and, even worse, despair.”
My jaws drop. My handbag too. I sense that my soul has departed already. My body is cold like dead meat for a few seconds. My brain is losing blood and cannot think furthermore. This ridiculously generous man who did a huge favor to me by giving this job and helped me recover from what I was suffering for all these months is… a criminal? Mr… Rodriquez? A killer? Did I give my semi-personal job interview to a murderer?
He said he loved his wife and she was expecting. How can he kill his pregnant wife? He was worried about his daughters. All his life stories about survival that day and being a responsible and loving husband and father at his yard-
[“Always love your family. Always always love and shield your family.”]
This is conflicting and unthinkable!
“He what?”
*PAUSE*
“He has murdered his wife and his children this morning. We just saw the evidence and he has also confessed. He does have murdered his family.”
*PAUSE*
This is just gruesome and dreadful. That day, he was in such a jovial mood that he planned to watch the NBA game with me today. And he just committed homicide this morning.
“I cannot believe this. I never felt in our last conversation if he can be a criminal.”
Mr. Proctor shoulders me as he acknowledges the significance of my meeting with him and we go to the office. No formal introduction. The office is silent. I see people around muttering with each other. As I try to regain my shattered confidence, some cops behind me are murmuring. It is the most unexpected beginning of the first day at the office in my professional career and I-
“Please go to my office *indicating*. I will see you anon.”
In his office, I observe an enthralling abstract painting of Kandinsky’s Composition VII framed on one of the walls. The other wall has a fine art print of the album cover of Miles Davis’ Kind Of Blue. On the main wall behind his Victorian office table is a wonderful portrait of Mr. Proctor sitting on his chair and Mr. Rodriquez standing behind him inclined towards him dropping his arms on his shoulders.
“An astounding work of art, isn’t it?”
“Without an inch of doubt. You, sir, are the man of the art.”
He hands me a cappuccino. A phone on his table rings. He attends, speaks, apologizes and confirms that the candidate has been recruited. Reminds me that Mr. Rodriquez instructed him to tell the candidates to call today. We sit on the sofas opposite each other.
“As it is very clear that I am much older than Mr. Rodriquez but we share a camaraderie because we have spent a lot of time in office life. And I have known him for years. *sipping cappuccino* He was never a criminal. Mr. Rodriquez and his wife, Julie, loved each other all their lives. They were childhood friends. With age comes responsibility. He was a prodigy, exceptional student and held managerial promises when he topped in business management. His father immediately put him to work and fulfilled his wish to marry his wife. They had 3 daughters, Nancy, Shirley and Maggie, and had a son, Peter. Nancy was the eldest, Shirley and Maggie were twins. The fifth was supposed to arrive… in a few months.
*PAUSE*
Mr. Rodriquez and Julie were the perfect couples. He took me to many opulent parties with his wife. Opulent because he has many rich friends. And in those parties, they were eyes and ears to many.
♪ We go to a party and everyone turns to see
This beautiful lady that’s walking around with me
And then she asks me, Do you feel all right?
And I say, “Yes, I feel wonderful tonight” ♪
The couples were so generous, benevolent and meek to their *thinking* Cercle des Amis that no one spared a moment to speak maliciously about them. I… still remember… their slow dances.
♪ I feel wonderful because I see
The love light in your eyes ♪
[*Julie tight hugging Rodriquez during the slow dance. Her arms rounding over his shoulders. Her feet over his. Rodriquez kissing her forehead. Julie smiling in response. Rodriquez whispering something at her ear and smoothly kissing her ear lobe. Julie feeling shy and burying her face over his chest.*]
♪ And the wonder of it all
Is that you just don’t realize how much I love you ♪
14
Years passed by, Mr. Rodriquez led a very happy personal and professional life. And no curse assaulted their companionship. But then, someone spread a false rumor that Julie was cheating on him. First, he didn’t believe but some terrible coincidences fixed Mrs. Rodriquez meeting her old schoolmate, Thomas, to whom he never liked since his childhood. The most annoying part was that Thomas looked like him. No one brainwashed him. No one discussed it with him. It was a very sensitive matter. He just happened to unintentionally eavesdrop in a gathering. He expressed his fear to me, I calmed him and advised to trust his woman. After all, they have been together since childhood.
But he, unfortunately, began doubting on her. On a few occasions, he noticed Julie being with Thomas at some distance from the weekend parties. Once, he dropped her to their home. Julie was wearing that Michael Kors ruffle dress he gifted her on their wedding anniversary. Rodriquez told me that she never happened to wear that dress until that night. He questioned her the choice of her dress for that evening and asked her about the emergence of Thomas followed by a series of sudden frequent meetings. Julie could not believe nor tolerate the magnitude of suspicions Rodriquez built on her. In the coming days, there were heated arguments. Julie intentionally began to see Thomas in front of him to infuriate him as a reprisal for doubting. They began to verbally fight and disappear from the weekend parties. Their kids began to notice the shambles.
The mother convinced her children that their father has gone naive and has started to doubt her character. She let the children meet Thomas and sometimes, he offered Julie and children the ride and dinner. Soon, he lost the company of their children. No more birthdays were celebrated at home. No more gifts were accepted at home. And… no more money was demanded by his children at home.
Things were falling apart. His family was everything to him but he couldn’t bear the growing distance. A couple of times, he was lost during the meeting. I once asked and he revealed that he saw his wife on the call in the middle of the last night.
Once, she came home as late as two in the morning. As expected, Thomas dropped her. Rodriquez explained that he noticed from his window that she, in his car, was visibly upset. Maybe she shared the recent tensions between them to him but he could be encouraging her not to finish with her husband. But then, Rodriquez noticed Thomas’ hand touching her bare knee as she was wearing a knee-size skirt and smoothly comforting with the tip of his fingers around her knee for a few seconds. Her upset face and the body language stood unchanged and she didn’t even warn him of any possible harassment. Things had really fallen apart.
Sporadically, I noticed him weeping in his office looking at his tab or sometimes gazing outside the window.”
Was he pretending to watch the polo game through his binoculars that day?
“I advised him to revert to his Catholic faith and give up atheism expecting that God may listen to his prays with the change of heart. There could be a miracle, who knows. He accepted. This was the first time since his university days that he began to follow his religion. It was a very difficult period of time and he struggled to maintain the balance in personal and professional lives.”
“But he told me during the interview that he is an atheist.”
“Because he was secretive. He maintained his repute and didn’t let his personal distraught interfere with his office work.”
“Hm. So what happened then?”
“His close neighbor, also an associate of mine, informed me this morning that around 1am, a friend of them, surely Thomas, left the apartment and Mrs. Rodriquez delightfully waved her hand for goodbye. A few minutes later, Mr. Rodriquez parked and came out of the car looking furious. The neighbor stayed on their window to check their lights and tried to listen from them but there was no sound and the light went off after an hour.
The neighbor heard the screaming outside the door at around 7 this morning. There were two old couples which I realized were in-laws of Mr. Rodriquez because he had informed me a few days ago that they were coming to spend a week with them. So they noticed the bodies lying on the floor through one of the windows. Mr. Rodriquez wasn’t there and the cops were called immediately. So was I. The couples had tried to ring the bell for 5 straight minutes, knocked on the door and call on their phones. Even checked them on social networks. Their last activities were around seven hours.
The worrying old couples guessed that Mr. Rodriquez may have left for the job early morning like he does every day. But the neighbor disagreed as he informed that he leaves for a job at around 8.30 am because his duty starts at 9 am. Why would he leave so early? And didn’t he see his family dead while leaving? And if they were killed after he left then when were they killed? Because the neighbor noticed an incensed Rodriquez entering his house at midnight. There is a possibility that he may have witnessed Thomas before reaching the doorstep. And why would he leave so early when he knew that his in-laws were arriving? Then why would he murder his family when he knew that they were arriving to spend the whole week? Mr. Rodriquez would have noticed Thomas before reaching his home from some distance as the neighbors confirmed that Mr. Rodriquez entered a few minutes after he left.”
“What about the evidence?”
“Mr. Rodriquez is stranger to crime as this was his first. Rage summoned him to spill more blood. As the series of questions were uttered to make a case, one of the phones rang. It was Julie’s phone. It was Thomas. He informed that Mr. Rodriquez has just threatened him but didn’t tell him anything about the crimes he has just appalled. At the same time, one of our colleagues called me to reach the office as Mr. Rodriquez looked pretty suspicious as he was threatening to someone on the call. It was then apparent. The cops and I immediately reached to the office. When we entered his office, he was just sitting on his chair and weeping while looking at his phone. One of the cops grabbed his phone and when he checked, a photo album was open. The cop noticed the latest picture and clicked.”
“He… *eyes wide open* he took the picture of his criiime?”
“No. He took the picture of the family sitting on their chairs. And each of them had their wrists, feet, and mouth duct-taped. And they were looking straight to the camera as if they were ordered to do. The time was 2.57 am. Their bodies were… *thinking*… lying… on the floor when we found this morning.
*NODDING*
The cops began their formalities. Rodriquez started crying. He confessed despite the cops gave him the Miranda warning.
[‘Mr. Proctooor! *gulping* He was there. He was theerree at myyy home. In myy absence. She callled him in *lump in throat* when I was not there. The kids were okay about their mom seeing him. *voice breaking* They let him come to see her. And then I realized *shouting* that thoose were never my kids. *shaking head* I was nevver their faather, he was!’
‘Mr. Rodriquez! You have the right to remain silent.’
‘I could not bear it. *moaning* I beat each of them in their rooomms, taped and made them sit on their chair so they can listen to me for once. Listen to me for once. But… but they were trying to yell and pulling force to cut the tape. *shouting* It drove me craazzier that they can let her lover in but cannot spare a minute to listen to meee??? *screaming* I took the chef knife and started stabbing their children one after one.’
♪ A call for blood for what you’ve done
No tolerance for what you’ve done ♪
‘Anything you say can be used against you in the court.’
‘I positioned her chair to witness the wrath!’
‘You have the right to talk to a lawyer for advice before we ask you any questions.’
‘*shouting* I made her watch me whamming the knife on their bellies and breaking their ribs. I made her eyes observe the horror of their eyes popping out of the affliction after I stuck their faces with the sharp blade. *screaming* IIII made herrr watch themm diiieee!!’
♪ A call for blood for what you’ve done
No tolerance for what you’ve done ♪
‘*moaning* She swooooned. I sat there on the blood-floor with the knife in my hand anxiously waiting for its final victim. I kept rocking until she regained her consciousness. I wasted no second. Then I reached her. *shouting* I glarrred at her. Gazzed at her knee which allowed him to touch. I said to myself *eyes wide open* that this part deservves a better toool *nodding*. I searched and brought my hammer. She got frightened, piddled and wet her skirt. *head shaking* But I didn’t forgive her. *shouting* And I smmmashed the hammer on her knee and kepttt smashing until the hammer crushed the knee structure. Her mouth struggled to screeaam and resulted in altering her voice. Her head shook rapidly, maybe the pain was unbearable but not more than mine in deceiving me all these years. Then we looked at each other *slowing down* one last time… taking me back into the times… when we were in our teens… enjoying each other’s company… until, *voice raising* to my disgust, he shows up *shouting* and she leaves me to speak to him. I thrust the knife into her belly without blinking my eyes and yelled I LOVED YOU. *moaning and screaming* IIII LOOOOVVVVEEEEDDDD YOOOOUUUU… She felt the excruciating pain but I didn’t. Because *screaming* I whipped the knife again…
*WHIPPING KNIFE ON HER*
♪ Let the blood spill
Vengeance is mine ♪
and again…
*WHIPPING KNIFE ON HER*
♪ Let the blood spill
Vengeance is mine ♪
and again…
*WHIPPING KNIFE ON HER*
*MORE BLOOD ON HIS FACE*
♪ Let the blood spill
Vengeance is mine ♪
and again…
*WHIPPING KNIFE ON HER*
*MORE BLOOD ON HIS FACE*
♪ Let the blood spill
Vengeance is mine ♪
and again…
*WHIPPING KNIFE ON HER*
*MORE BLOOD ON HIS FACE*
♪ A call for blood ♪
even after she died.’]
The cops and the entire staff stood on their feet unmoved and listened to him for the final few minutes of his laments. The cops couldn’t continue the typical warning during that horrible confession.”
15
“Mr. Proctor?”
——————–
“Mr. Proctor??”
“Yes?”
“You were lost for almost a minute, sir. You remembered something.”
———————-
“Yes? Yess. Mr. Qaisar. Yes, yes. I remembered… something. I was lost deep in my thoughts.”
“So, what did he confess when they were arresting him?”
—————————–
“Well, *thinking* h.he began crying and *thinking* admitted to homicide. He wanted to fetch the details but the cops hurried because Mr. Rodriquez was fainting.”
Cappuccino is now poison to me. I have a dry neck. An associate enters the room and shoulders Mr. Proctor for his courage to listen to the details at this age what Mr. Rodriquez uttered. I realize that Mr. Proctor didn’t speak the detail to me on purpose because it was unnecessary. He looks blenched and lost. He tries to regain his composure. He is a gutsy ol’ man. The associate leaves the room.
“Mr. Proctor”
“It was a scary confession, Mr. Qaisar. He raised his tone and gathered a sympathetic crowd. He was not in his senses but he was. Because he remembered every detail of the crime he submitted. His disturbing statement blew the minds of everyone. Some of them quickly left the scene. A few left the office. One of our associates vomited due to a sudden headache. It’s a rough day.”
“I have no words. *shaking head* This whole horrible incident has moved me. I never imagined that my first day at the office can be like this. The other day, I came to know so much about him, about his life, about his struggles. He already had lost so much in his life when he was young and now these murde-”
“I.I’m sorry. Perhaps I am not following you here. What did he lose when he was young? What did he tell you?”
*PAUSE*
A thought twisted my head. Wait a minute. Wait a minute.
“Apology for not understanding. What did you mean that he lost so much in his life?”
“I just remember. Why did you say earlier that his father made him work and let him marry his wife?”
“I asked you the question first, and twice.”
“That his parents died in a fire when he was very young. And his sister during the delivery.”
“His father is sitting right in front of me in the GM room pretending that he is on a business call which I am guessing that he is speaking to his wife who is not here because she has gone to attend an art exhibition somewhere.”
I look back where he points through his eyebrows about his… father. I stand up looking at him, hands in my pockets. Trying to understand what story was Mr. Rodriquez telling me that day.
“He said his parents died in the fire!”
“And he doesn’t have any sister. He is his parents’ only child. Which means that once his father retires running this company-”
“Running this company?”
“he will take the seat and run the company which I believe is not certain to happen after this horrible incident.”
*PAUSE*
“What is going on? I just don’t understand. Why did he lie to me? I was so impressed listening about his success story and this was all fake?”
Mr. Proctor doesn’t look surprised at me. He is sitting on his sofa with the same facial expressions, blank. He does look hurt by the vicissitude but the contradiction in the stories doesn’t bother him at all. So what is that supposed to mean?
“You know all this? Right?”
“Mr. Rodriquez is strange but was a humble and generous individual. You are not alone. He lied to most of the candidates. Even to the younger generations like students or friends of his children.”
“But why? Why did he lie to the people? It doesn’t make any sense. Why waste your time speaking spurious stories when you don’t want to hire them? I.I am filled with gratitude for his munificence but was this all necessary? I was praising about my new boss to my parents who live in Lahore now. Can you understand how my emotions have dropped after knowing that he is a liar?”
“One day I asked him about lying but the response moved me and I never ventured to doubt him or his worthiness. He told me,
[‘Mr. Proctor! *looking outside his window* I wish if I was born poor so I would understand the value and significance of money. But that wish has vanished because *smiling and facing Proctor* I am the son of my father. The fees for my school and university were all paid with ease. I never stood in this queue full of job seekers nor did I wait in the guest room… for hours. Nor did I pay my bills or any expenses. *sitting with hands on his back* I live a lavish life.
I got this chair by my father and when I sit on it… and the candidates show up into my office. I look at their desperate faces. All of them. The accountants, the salesmen, IT people, all of them. Some fake in front of me about their confidence as if they have multiple interviews and it doesn’t bother if they are to be eventually rejected. And some enter the room like beggars who pray day and night to pass this interview. These all candidates are the same people who want the jobs to survive, to get the money and make that life which I already have. And their faces and body language drops the moment I tell them that we will call you. Mr. Proctor! Whether they get the job or not, they need to be encouraged.
You understand the ongoing global economic crisis. *shaking head* Millions and millions of people around the world are losing their jobs. Many companies are cutting jobs or reducing the pay scales to avoid the deficit. When people go jobless, it is like his/her family goes homeless. Social and economic lives are hit by some kind of rock. With people going jobless, the country’s economy is also hit by a rock too. The policies should be revised to boost the chances of those who lost their jobs. In my capacity, they must be helped. If not in my company, I recommend to my friends in the other company to hire them.
I have seen people committing suicide due to failures. Many of them struggle without any outcome. I know that people at my position in most of the companies won’t even care about them. So on many occasions, I ask them to confidently open up and I lie to them convincing that my story is more miserable than theirs so that they can buck up their spirit and stay positive. And why won’t they? *smiling* I make my story more frustrating than what they inform to me. They surely ask themselves that if he had more problems than me then my series of whining is completely useless.’]
16
I feel sooo anguished that this man has to end up this way. May God force his wrath on the culprit who spread rumors about his deceased wife. She didn’t deserve this *wet eyes* nor did their children. He began to theorize that his children were actually Thomas’ because Thomas and Mr. Rodriquez resembled. You see how one rumor or a gossip destroys the house? I am in no position to speak to his father.”
“And I was so excited all this weekend because that man cheered me with his fictional stories and offered me the job. He helped me, Mr. Proctor. I cannot express the crisis I was suffering for some time before this interview.”
[“Do not fail me, young man! And never ever give up!”]
“Mr. Qaisar! Do well and have well in return. And never whisper false as this leads to no good. Slandering harms, distrusts and distances people. Mr. Rodriquez did a favor and helped you. You have a lifeline to prove that he wasn’t wrong about you.”
[“Do not fail me, young man! And never ever give up!”]
“So tell me, young man. After all what happened today, are you still willing to work with us?”
[“Do not fail me, young man! And never ever give up!”]
“Yes, Mr. Proctor. I am more determined to work.”
[“Do not fail me, young man! And never ever give up!”]
“And I promise I won’t fail him.”
*PAUSE*
“Very well. *nodding* I think you should start by tomorrow. Most of us hardly will make the day.”
“Yes. You are right.”
“I will leave too.”
“Sh.Should I speak to his father?”
“No, no need to bother him. Even I cannot speak to him. I will introduce you to him myself when the time is right. Come on! I will drop you home.”
“Oh, that is very kind of you, Mr. Proctor.”
*PARKING LOT*
*WALKING*
“By your age, you have to be close to his father more than his son.”
“Who? Ah, yes yes. His father and I have been close associates. He gave me this job and I started as his helper. Learnt a lot from him with age and time. Our families have strong ties for some decades. When Rodriquez was growing, I promised I will look after him when he starts to work. I feel I have disappointed him but I will speak to him soon. Maybe tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Mr. Qaisar. Oh, and do you see the one on the left?”
“Mustang in blue with a broken bumper and headlight?”
“Correct. This one is Mr. Rodriquez’s.”
*SITTING IN THE OLD CADILLAC*
“Wow. He even met an accident recently?”
“Unfortunately.”
“He really met a lot of troubles in recent times.”
“Mr. Rodriquez and I were picking a business friend from the airport early morning. *driving* We dropped her at her hotel and then we routed towards my place to drop me. During the drive, his wife called him. In a few seconds, they began shouting and he drove fast. I requested to slow down but he was furiously abusing to her on the call.”
“Then?”
“Then? He came back to his senses only when he hit a dog near the signal.”
[“Things… happen… for a reason.”]
♪ He blew his mind out in a car
He didn’t notice that the lights had changed
A crowd of people stood and stared
They’d seen his face before
Nobody was really sure if he was from the House of Lords♪
“I feel that luck is preparation meeting opportunity.”
Oprah Winfrey
[“Mr. Qaisar! We have observed your CV and expect you to visit our office today at 1’o’clock sharp. Regards, William Proctor.”]
5
FRIDAY
12.15 PM
Gobsmacking!
Minutes have crossed since I received the message but I am still not accepting that there is still hope. I can still cope.
*HYSTERICALLY LAUGHING*
I am reading the message again. Finger-pointing each and every word. Yes, I am asked to reach at 1.
*LOOKING AT MIRROR*
*ZOOMING IN*
♪ This time tomorrow where will we be
On a spaceship somewhere sailing across an empty sea ♪
I slowly touch my throat, gulp and feel the movement over there. I shake my head in shock. I am still wearing the shorts I vomited and piddled. The exploding heart has slowed down in these past few minutes. The house is silent. My shrieking ears have gone deaf. Push, my fatty, is returning with contentment by seeing me normal but after sniffing my shorts, she leaves within the seconds disgruntled.
Although, this is just a response to the job opportunity so I must not fall deluded believing that I will get the job. They are obviously calling me for an interview. And there will be many more prospects waiting for their turn. Which means I will not be alone. I will be surrounded by many bootlickers with no quality experience but strong reference. Or I may be adjoined by the candidates with fake CVs who really are digging jobs like me but do not have work experience. But will I get the job? I cannot refuse to visit the office just because I am not prepared for this. Forty-five minutes is too rapid and difficult to manage coming out of a suicide attempt to reaching the office.
*THINKING*
A suicide attempt! Yes, Qaisar. A few minutes ago, you were about to take your life with a sorry note to your brother. Is this the sign? Was Qaisar waiting for this all these months? Is this why you lost your job?
Gosh, my hands and feet are still shaking. I feel stomach ache. I have to be sober and try to come back to my senses. Ponder, Qaisar! Ponder! I’ll take the bath and wear the most suitable attire for the job interview.
Oh, wait! My car! *palm slap on forehead* Oh my car! It is at the car repair shop. I emptied my wallet this morning. I don’t have money for transport. It is a very important moment in my life. I see no other solution than asking my neighbor for a favor. And I hope my neighbor be kind enough to lend me some money as I feel embarrassed to ask them every week. I am afraid that one day, I will disappoint so many people when they ask me to return.
*THINKING*
I am thinking but I am not thinking. I am confounded but excited. My brain, my throat, my stomach is still sensing the aches. Recovery will take time but I don’t have enough… time. So what I am going to do is prepare a strong coffee and take a quick cold shower.
Relax, Qaisar! Everything will be alright. This message is the indication that I will have good news by the end of the day. Be optimistic, Qaisar! Be optimistic!
♪ I don’t know where I’m going, I don’t want to see
I feel the world below me looking up at me ♪
6
ONLY 40 MINUTES AFTER ATTEMPTING TO COMMIT SUICIDE
To the receptionist, “Good day, madam. Mr. Proctor asked me to show up at-”
“Aaah Mr. Qaisar! The name is William Proctor. I mailed you an hour ago to join at this precise time. *looking at his watch*”
“Oh! Mr. Proctor! Good to see you, Sir.”
“I cannot share both the titles simultaneously. You can simply call me by my name. But if you still insist, then add Mr. and avoid the first name.”
“Very well Proctor Sir. Ssorry, Mr. Proctor.”
“Are you in haste? Do you have an appointment at two different places at a similar time?”
“No no. Actually, I wasn’t ready for…. Mr. Proctor! Maybe we should discuss the reason I am called for.”
“Mr. Qaisar! Please have a seat in the guest room. Be prepared when your name is announced. Then I will respectfully escort you to Mr. Rodriquez.”
“*nodding* espectflee scort you to Mr. Rodriquez. *losing confidence* Understood. Thank you.”
When I enter the guest room, it is already full of my competitors looking for a white-collar job. As soon as the door opens, they all stare at me. Some of them smirk to make me feel sheepish. I have undergone this all my life. I remember such similar awkward memories like my parents introducing me to their entire ugly extended family in the hometown when I was a kid, or when I was stepping in the school bus and then in the classroom for the first time and in the waiting rooms of the hospitals.
3.00 PM
I have been sitting for the past couple of hours and almost a dozen candidates have left. And then, when the time is near to call my name, I realize that I have come to the office empty-handed and looking around hither and thither like a nincompoop. Like a panicked Basil Fawlty. In hurriedness, I left all my project notes from my previous works behind. I look at my palms and then bury my face in it. My palms had the boldness to hold a knife but cannot occupy with the documents. I have badly forgotten the documents on the dining table. *reasoning* Is this why some of the candidates were smirking at me?
I raise and look at myself in the mirror and to my misery, I notice that the visible portion of my shirt between the sides of the suit jacket has visible marks of my old sweat.
“Mr. Qaisar Amjad! Your wait is over. Let me escort you.”
*BLOWING AIR*
At the corridor, I am receiving a call. Oh my God! It is Nizam! I forgot to call him.
“Brother! At least answer my phone.”
“I.I.I’m so sorry. I am about to give a job invertiew. Call you later, bye.”
I step on Mr. Proctor’s shoe. What a terrible mistake! While I stepped on him, I notice that I am wearing a pair of running shoes.
“Oh, I am so sorry, I.I.I don’t know how did I step on-”
“Never mind Mr. Qaisar. It was-”
“A.Allow me allow me to collect your documents and and *thinking* your coupons, Sir”
“Pardon?”
“Coupons, Sir. These are, are they?”
“It is coupons, Mr. Qaisar, not coupons.”
Humiliation at its pinnacle! Never came to my attention aaalll my life that the correct pronunciation is kew-pon, not co-pun. And here I slipped my tongue in all innocence in front of this old British gentleman.
“Oh, I get it. A.Actually I-”
“Mr. Qaisar! *grinning* Let me state you a fact which you do not realize while being in a jiffy. You are not the only gentleman who discovers the nervousness of listening about his fate from the interviewer. Did you notice all the gentlemen and gentlewomen who were sitting before you?”
“Yes”
“When they came out of the room, they behaved the same way as you. One of them actually couldn’t reach the interview room and left for the restroom. *laughing* So, you see! You are better than-”
“Thank you, Mr. Proctor, for the tenth consecutive motivational speech. It is very certain that you should take rest from escorting the candidates and drink a glass of water. Now, if you are done, will you please be kind and send Mr. Qaisar to my office?”
“And *smiling* this was the voice of your interviewer. I wish you the best of luck.”
Mr. Proctor leaves me at the door. Bare hands, sweat on my shirt and the running shoes. I have already chopped more than enough onions. I take a deep breath and knock at the door.
7
“Come In”
*ENTERING THE ROOM*
Tall man *speculating* in his forties of height near 6 feet sporting long hair brushed back and a stubble beard. He is watching polo through his binoculars outside the window with a folded arm.
“Because of *eyeballs down* considering me for the interview, Sir.”
“Have a seat.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
“Why are you hoarsing?”
“No, Sir. It is just the dryness of-”
“Take this glass of water.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
“This morning, I found your response to my offer in the junk mail. I don’t know how that mail moved to that category. But anyhow, I found your CV interesting and informed Mr. Proctor, the one who escorted you, to message you to visit us.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
“And now, you will address me, Mr. Rodriquez.”
*NODDING*
“Ok, Mr. Rodriquez.”
*CHECKING CV ON HIS TAB*
“Your latest job ended three months ago. Why?”
“My direct manager didn’t honor the agreement. My working hours were fixed for 8 hours a day. But he made me work for 11 to… 10 to 11 hours several times which was not acceptable to me.”
“*scoffing* Not acceptable to you? *surprised* Why? Didn’t your boss pay you overtime for working extra hours?”
“He did. But this led towards work stress *he is listening carefully with eyebrows near his eyelashes* and I was not able to balance my mental capaticy, oh sorry, capacity between home and office.”
If I haven’t committed suicide a few hours ago, my English certainly will make me in a moment.
“For how long were you working there?”
“Three years, Mr. Rodriquez”
*LOOKING IN THE TAB*
“It says two years here.”
“Yes, I think two years. But overall… five years.”
“And you were appointed as?”
“BM. Brand Manager.”
“A Brand Manager. Hmm. Gooood. So what were your responsibilities as a BM?”
10 MINUTES LATER
“I notice you do not bring any folder or document with you which I find quite strange. Even a flash drive of your works supporting your lengthy details would have convinced me. So how can you help me understand your potential as a BM as the oral presentation is not enough, you know?”
*GULPING*
“Mr. Rodriquez! Believe me, if I had time to prepare a.for for the interview then I would not have raised your doubts by coming empty.”
“I am not doubting your capability. But it is quite strange to understand that you were not ready for this. Candidates who seek jobs are always ready for the call. *head shaking like NO* I am sorry but-”
*EYES POP AND MOUTH OPEN IN SUDDEN SHOCK*
8
“What?”
*GULPING*
I am not able to maintain myself at all. My composure is compromised. He shook his head. It is over. I was an imbecile to arrive here with no preparation. I should have requested for a-
“Are you alright? Take another glass of water. Feel free.”
*DRINKS IN ONE BREATH*
*NODDING*
“Alright”
“I assume you took my ‘sorry’ as rejection. I was about to say sorry if you mind because I find the response terrible. That is it. That is what I was going to say.”
Duffer you, Qaisar. Duffer you.
*MUSTERING THE COURAGE*
“Sorry to facially embarrass you, Mr. Rodriquez. Actually, this is the first call in three months for a.any job. So I was lost.”
“If you don’t mind, may I discover what have you been doing for the past three months?”
“I will try to sum up in a few lines. Basically, I have arrested myself at home because all my savings have been incurred on my brother’s education, *voice breaking* shopping, bills, rents, etc. I tried to mail about the job vacancies in this time period but failed to get any response. I lost all my money and had to seek help from my friends to pay the rent to the landlord.”
“And did you physically hunt? for the jobs? anywhere?”
“I did.”
“Only one brother with you at home?”
“Yes. My parents left the city due to the financial crisis a few years ago. At that time, I had a job and good money enough to help myself, my brother, and send a few to my parents. Now, they are not aware of my current situation because I don’t want to-”
“bother sharing, heart-breaking account, to the parents, who depend, upon you. Yes yes. Hm.”
“Yes, Mr. Rodriquez. But not that they require my financial assistance currently. They are in a much better situation then they were when they moved back. They are a large migrated family so they have each other’s back.”
“Mr. Rodriquez! You asked about these months and that is why I spoke in length. And I know that this has nothing to do with my work. But thank you for listening to me as a person.”
“Hm”
“Therefore, I sincerely request you to give me time to prepare myself for the next day.”
“You mean Monday.”
“Oh yes yes yes. Today is Friday. Kindly give me one more chance. I promise you will listen to no complaints when you conduct another interview.”
*PAUSE*
“Do you realize Mr. Qaisar that you are selling yourself pretty quickly? I understand your situation but you do not have to drop yourself that your professional appearance compromise at your current situation.”
“My apologies, Mr. Rodriquez. But my life heavily depends on this job. It took three months to finally get a response. I don’t know what would have happened if I had not received the message. Sir, you are the boss. We have different economic situations. *smiling* You will understand my situation only if you are in my place.”
9
“*scoffing* In your place? *smiling* In your place? Mr. Qaisar! Are you assuming that the man in front of you has enjoyed an ideal and perfect life? Without any suffering or hardship? Do you ween that employers or those employees in senior positions or those working at some collar jobs with high pay never face difficult situations?”
*HESITATING*
“I.I never meant that, Mr. Rodriquez? What I want to make you understand is that I am mentally disturbed in my life for some time and that is why I am not able to impress you in a job interview.”
He separates his folded hands, stretches his palms, brings close to his chest and tries to make a point.
“You are mentally disturbed in your life because this is how you feel in the given circumstances. And believe me from your most exhausting brain and heart that I have seen worse cases than yours. Every individual in his/her magnitude of depression and stress behaves and believes that he or she is at the lowest possible form of life crisis. They behave like any normal human caught in flu or body ache. I am not a doctor but a human with the emotional experience.”
*THINKING*
“Mr. Qaisar, how old are you?”
“I am 28.”
“28 haan! *grinning* You feel you are facing the worst crisis at 28 haan!? Are your parents alive?”
“Yes. Both of them. Like I told yo-”
“Both of them? *raising eyebrows* Both of them? Now imagine a 15-year-old boy in the hostel been informed that his parents have died trying to save the house on fire.”
I am unmoved for a few seconds and not believing what he just said. I am honestly lost for words but trying.
“I.I.I am sooo sorry to know this, Mr. Rodriquez.”
He lifts from his chair. Inspects outside. No more polo. Fills his pockets with his hands and speaks to me.
“They were burnt in our home where I was born and raised with my toys, cards, cassettes, music player, childhood pictures, drawings, and countless memories. My sister was teaching in the kindergarten as the fire ate our house in daylight. She was six years elder than me and at 21, she agonizingly screamed that it affected her brain and also lost her voice.”
*DOOR OPENS*
“No more candidates today Mr. Proctor. Inform them to call on Monday morning. Thank you.”
*DOOR CLOSES*
“While *pointing at himself* this prodigy returned from the hostel, myself and Suha, my sister, were taken by my childless uncle and aunt who later admitted me to a better school and Suha, who was not able to teach further after losing her voice, was married to an old businessman. Three years later, I lost my sister in her maternal death. So I was alone at 18. Mr. Qaisar! *grinning* Have you lost anyone in your family?”
*BREAKING PAUSE*
“No, I haven’t. My parents are old but alive and my younger brother is with me.”
*TAKING HIS JACKET OFF*
“We humans are a subject of comfort and torture. Somewhere, we are responsible and somewhere, we are put to test. Young man! Realize that you are put to test and your case or crisis is not that bad as many others are suffering. Be thankful Mr. Qaisar! Be thankful! Look at you! Only three members of your family are depending on you. And *looking in the tab* you are not even married, are you?”
*SMILING*
“No, I am not.”
He hits politely on the table and sits back on his chair.
“Are you engaged? Or committed to someone?”
“No Mr. Rodriquez, I am not.”
He shakes his head in bewilderment.
“So why are you so depressed? Look at me! *pointing at himself again* I am married with my lovely wife and four kids. 3 daughters and a son. The fifth is arriving soon in a couple of months.”
“Oh congratulations in advance to you, Mr. Rodriquez.”
“Thank you, young man! But try to understand my point here. You are a bachelor and your depression is nowhere close to a married man like me.”
*SMILING*
“I understand, Sir”
“No, you don’t understand, young man! *lifts from his chair and stands nearby* When I was 24 and I married the woman I loved. She gave me twins. We were bubbly. One day, the company went bankrupt and it shut down within a week. After all the promises, the owners didn’t pay a penny to me or any worker. It was a recession period but somehow my family and I survived. Some helping hands and some labor force. With work, I was preparing for my graduation exams. But I gave up due to no money. And the family was my obvious priority. It took 18 months to get a new job, 18 months young man!
Today, I am worried about my young girls. Every father naturally is. Every time they see me, they insist to hand them some money and I cannot refuse. And this belief kills me, what if I meet the crisis again? So I have more things to worry about, Mr. Qaisar.”
“It is very understandable that you are a practical man who has encountered more difficult times than me. Maybe I have solutions but I am not thinking that deep to overcome the crisis. But I fear that one day, those who helped me in difficult times may question because it is their right.”
“See, my experience and moral teaches me that when you help someone, never ever expect for a favor in return. Never. And ever. If they are able to help you in return or repay you, it is up to you to accept the aid or money or just simply refuse in good spirits. Your friends at least helped you to pay the landlord recently. That is what you said before, right?”
“Yes, yes, they helped me.”
“Goood! At least you were helped by your friends.”
“What about you? Did you happen to-”
“Yes. *laughing* A few years ago. Before joining this company, I was broke and lost much of my earnings in a failed business venture. That resulted in fake promises to my landlord. For two consecutive months, I sought financial favors from my friends but no help came. It was not their fault because none of them were that financially stable as I was before my business failed.
And one day, the owner arrived at my door. He ordered me to empty the apartment within two hours. Imagine the agony. I was helpless as a husband and unprotected as a father. He was just standing there gazing my hopelessness and I was wandering and staring at the flats in my neighborhood. To my good luck, someone solaced our agitation. One neighbor offered the money to the landlord at the eleventh hour. And then we stayed there. After observing that neighbor, another showed up at our door and gave us some curry. *smiling*”
10
“Honestly, I am speechless to your accounts.”
“*laughs* Mr. Qaisar! *sits on his chair and both hands on the back of his head* This is life. Always love your family. Always, always love and shield your family. We are different people from different backgrounds for different purposes but one facet which should always remain common is humanity. Someone in the neighborhood was human. I cannot repay him for what he did. And again, if I would ever repay that kind of favor, I do not know if he would accept or refuse in good spirits.
Life has taught me to help people. This reduces the distance between them. Now, you were supposed to impress me by your professional capacity as a BM but thanks to you, Mr. Qaisar, that you forgot to bring your work material to start a different conversation. And this is a very important point that you *pointing finger* must always remember *pause* that things… happen… for a reason.”
*NODDING*
“Because humans today have lost themselves in materialism, violence, self-destruction and greedy competition so they don’t realize. But you, Mr. Qaisar, after all that lengthy heart-to-heart conversation, I honestly believe that you deserve a chance.”
*FLABBERGASTING*
*DIAMOND IN MY EYES*
“R.Really, Mr. Rodriquez!?!? D.Do I?”
“Yes, young man! It will be too jarring and discourteous; and I will be evil to send you empty, hopeless and distorted after that *thinking* tête-à-tête. Today is Friday, so you can commence working from Monday. I will put you on trial and will scrutinize you if you really are capable to work as our company’s BM. If things work well and you surpass my expectation, I will make sure that you are paid with all the possible allowances and provide you vehicle and accommodation. *grinning*”
He takes his key, a journal, a handbag. That is it. Interview ends. I get the job. Yes, I get the job!
“Thank you so much, Sir. *shaking head* Thank you sooo much. Much obliged, Sir. *handshakes* I am… I am lost for words and I wish if my parents were with me, I would have invited you to meet them.”
“Otherwise, you won’t?”
“No no no. *grinning* I didn’t mean that. You are most welcome, Mr. Rodriquez.”
He is folding his suit jacket.
“You have no idea how much I am grateful to you despite the fact that I wa-”
“Attaboyyy!! I have your number. See you on Monday.”
Honestly, that ‘Gooood’ was in Palpatine’s voice. But he has surprised me. What a jolly fellow he is. Such a friendly gesture he has. And he also likes NBA! We actually are watching NBA together soon? With drinks? Am I dreaming? Who does this? I haven’t even started working. Is this for real? I hope this is not a prank. I hope he is normal.
“Leaving, Mr. Rodriquez”
“Yes, Mr. Proctor. Please look after the employment formalities of the newcomer.”
“Will do, Mr. Rodriquez.”
“*looking at me* And you! Do not fail me, young man! And never ever give up! See you on Monday. And we’ll plan about watching NBA. Mr. Proctor will also join.”
“Me? *laughs* Oh, I’m afraid I-”
“Come onnnn! It will be fun. This guy has 8K UHD! Even I don’t have at my home. Oh, by the way, Mr. Qaisar! He is Celtics. *sarcastically laughing*”
I am confused. Why is he laughing? And should I laugh with him or not. He prepares to leave.
“I must leave now. It was delectation to have you and speaking in length. Come prepared, Mr. Qaisar. Do wash your shirt and wear a better pair of shoes here.”
He kneww itt! And he still recruited me!
“Welcome aboard, Mr. Qaisar.”
*HANDSHAKING*
*WALKING TOGETHER*
“Mr. Proctor! I must admit that Mr. Rodriquez is a very generous and humble man. He is completely the opposite of my former boss. If we have people with such qualities holding the chairs in most of the companies, we employees can never feel distressed.”
“I wish if the global powers would have been that kind and perfect, there would have been no economic crisis.”
“Is he always like this with all the candidates?”
“Most of the times. Yes. He is fond of making people optimistic. But today, he invested more time on this young chap.”
“You are right. I can relate to your point somehow.”
“And I hope *smiling* that you won’t lose your… job.”
“I am confident that I am staying here for long.”
“It’s 4 and I suggest we should do these formalities on Monday.”
“Mr. Proctor! I am yet to ask about your position in the company.”
“I am the secretary to the company’s GM and also have my say as a consultant. Enjoy the weekend.”
*HANDSHAKING*
I come out of the building. Then I gaze back at the building to the top. Heavy clouds pouring drops on my head in laziness.
It wasn’t pouring for some time. The weather forecast was sunny this morning. I went to the building empty-handed but I feel that my hands are carrying some weight now. The weight of my fate.
♪ I heard the sound of a thunder, it roared out a warnin’
Heard the roar of a wave that could drown the whole world ♪
♪ Heard one hundred drummers whose hands were a-blazin’
Heard ten thousand whisperin’ and nobody listenin’ ♪
A few hours ago, I was about to take my life. I was lost and hopeless. I had an accident this morning. My phone was not mute. I had no money to reach here. I left my documents at home. My e-mail was on the junk. The interview was semi-personal. And this man under his authority gave the chance I was craving for some months. Maybe he was in high spirits before I stepped in to meet him and he may have thought to make the life of any of the candidates. But the point is *thinking* that things happen for a reason. Things… happen… for a reason.
*PAUSE*
*AIR BLOWING*
I am looking around, trying to notice why the vehicles stop at red and run at the green from my wet eyes. I think I understand something. I am clapping and joyously chuckling while still looking around. I am smiling as if I have fallen in love again. I look around the busyness of the city.
Two kids of around 8 licking ice creams at a stall. A woman reading a book on the bench with her poodle sitting near her. The workers lifting bricks and some working on a billboard. I am loving everything whatever I see.
But there are things which provoke me to observe the harsh realities on the same streets. A mime entertains a small crowd nearby and after the act, no one drops a penny to his name. A beggar bundled in torn clothes whines for food and a group of witnesses strangely guffaws over his misery imagining if this is a slapstick. A street singer goes unheard lamenting about the man of words who committed suicide after his poetry fell on deaf ears.
♪ Heard one person starve, I heard many people laughin’
Heard the song of a poet who died in the gutter
Heard the sound of a clown who cried in the alley ♪
I help an old woman with a walking stick cross the street on the red signal. She thanks me and leaves. I wave my hand on her back which goes unnoticed. Then a beggar from my back appears to me asking for money. I realize on his face that my wallet is empty of notes. I stare at him.
*NIZAM CALLING*
Aaaahhh.
*RAINING*
♪ And it’s a hard, it’s a hard, it’s a hard, it’s a hard
It’s a hard rain’s a-gonna fall ♪
11
MONDAY
8.30 AM
“Nizam! Don’t forget to collect your key. I am leaving now.”
“Good luck, brother.”
*DOOR CLOSING*
I have my parents’ blessing. I spoke with them on the weekend and informed about the new job. I pretended that I left the previous job for this and skipped reporting all the jeopardies. Why should I tell them? Why should I?
[“Beta! I am so happy and proud of you. Always work hard and earn good money.”
“Thanks, Ammi.”
“Oh yes. Something I forgot to tell you. Mrs. Khurshid came last night at our place. You know her daughter, Saba? She has returned from Amsterdam completing her studies. Maa Shaa Allaah, Saba is such a beautiful-”
“Bye, Ammi.”]
My car is still in the workshop because the workers later that day left for strike due to non-payment. The neighbor lends me more money as I informed him about my new job. That day, I called the landlord and my friends to inform about the job. Now I am at peace.
I have my Montblanc business bag and derby shoes of Hugo. And there are no marks of sweat as my attire is laundered. So I am missing no chance to give a better impression this time.
And I am enjoying cool breeze hanging in the bus. Above my head, the sun is hiding behind the clouds… just like my recent past. *smiling* And behind my head, I notice a teenage girl making a video of a sleepy passenger with saliva dropping from his mouth and snoring loudly. The scene catches the attention and his nasal thunders chuckle the other passengers, so does I. I recognize the delight on many faces and suddenly my eyes catch sight of a striking girl in a red and white sleeveless fit and flare casual dress of an unknown brand who notices me after chuckling at the sleepy passenger exactly the same time as I to her. She reminds me of Lauren German.
♪ Black Sabbath – Orchid ♪
As soon as we look at each other, my eardrums hark Black Sabbath’s Orchid. We are not chuckling anymore. We don’t care whose snoring has been funny all these seconds. We are glaring at each other. Her sparkling hazel eyes are inviting. She looks at me as if she is daunted with the unwanted coincidence of the chuckling faces fixing the eyes over each other. Maybe she is augmenting her careless mettle where emotions foolishly wander. Maybe she is making a statement. All my conundrums have vanished.
Oh, wait. Some lady holds her arm from the back. She looks back and they are smiling at each other. And she leaves with her at her stop and doesn’t glance back at me. Maybe she is with her. Maybe she is her sister or a friend. Maybe I am thinking too much. Maybe this is becoming my tendency. I remembered Sakina for a moment when she and I fixed our eyes at each other. Our misfiring chemistry led to abysmal farewell.
*BUS STOPPING*
Now I realize how stupid I was thinking about killing myself. The opportunity knocked and I got a new job hours later. And that is why we should never lose hope. Because someone above the clouds is very kind to you. He is testing my patience. He is observing me.
8.55 AM
I have reached on time and I am a few minutes away from 9. It is the new beginning and I hope that I will fit in the working environment with my new….
*STOPPING AND STARING AHEAD*
Why are the cops patrolling down? What is happening in this building?
I walk a few steps ahead. People on the streets are gathering to observe the situation. I ask a few who are standing near the cops. They have no idea. I have no idea. I am getting late on my first day but I am not allowed to enter the building for some time. I must call Mr. Proc-
*EYES WIDE OPEN*
*JAWS DROPPING*
A team of police escorting a handcuffed Mr. Rodriquez out of the building!
12
Mr. Rodriquez is handcuffed! The cops are here for him?
Mr. Rodriquez is arrested? What is going on?
♪ Life ain’t always beautiful
Sometimes it’s just plain hard
Life can knock you down
It can break your heart. ♪
My eyes are not believing the scene I am witnessing. I try to reach to one of the patrolling cars nearby.
“Why is he handcuffed?”
What did he do?
He is three steps away.
“M.M.Mr. Rodriquez! What happened??”
He is smiling. Shaking his head. He looks like he was crying before reaching here. He doesn’t look like if he has slept the last night. The cops are making him sit in one of the vehicles.
“Things happen for a reason, Qaisar. Always remember! Things happen for a reason.”
“Mr. Rodriquez!”
The door of the vehicle shuts!
“Do not fail me, young man! And never ever give up!”
♪ Life ain’t always beautiful
You think you’re on your way
And it’s just a dead end road
At the end of the day. ♪
I stand there as the cops leave the site. Mr. Rodriquez keeps looking at me until he disappears from the scene. I am believing as if he further wanted to say something to me. I am feeling if he is downtrodden by the authorities for being humble and kind to the helpless people like me. The spectators around become pedestrians. The time has passed 9. I am allowed to enter the building. Should I? I can barely move my feet from where I am standing.
♪ But the struggles make you stronger
And the changes make you wise
And happiness has its own way
Of taking its own sweet time. ♪
A silence spells for a few seconds then I see Mr. Proctor reaching towards me.
I am dumbstruck but I have to begin from somewhere.
“What in the world just happened now? I cannot believe what my eyes just witnessed. What did he do?”
“Please come to the office and we will speak on this matter.”
Entering the building and the gate from where he was escorted out handcuffed is not helping me make up my mind because I want to know.”
“Please Mr. Proctor! Tell me. What did he do?”
“I hope you realize that this is not the place to sp-“
“What did he d-“
*RAISING HIS VOICE*
“HE HAS MURDERED HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN!!”
…………………………………………………………………………………………
[“Always love your family. Always, always love and shield your family.”]
♪ No, life ain’t always beautiful
Tears will fall sometimes
Life ain’t always beautiful
But it’s a beautiful ride. ♪
“I have seen many storms in my life. Most storms have caught me by surprise, so I had to learn very quickly to look further and understand that I am not capable of controlling the weather, to exercise the art of patience and to respect the fury of nature.”
Paulo Coelho
1
FRIDAY
7.00 AM
♪ Amarillo by mornin’ Up from San Antone Everything that I got Is just what I’ve got on
When that sun is high in that Texas sky I’ll be buckin’ at the county fair Amarillo by mornin’ Amarillo, I’ll be th- ♪
I have changed around three dozen tracks in the past five minutes. But nothing is diverting my mind. I’m driving at 50kph on a road whose name I never bothered to know. My eyes are wide open to locate my home which I am not recalling for some time because my mind is lost somewhere thinking about the reasons I lost my job almost three months ago.
Why do I cogitate so much when I shouldn’t? Why do people drive reckless? Perhaps they don’t cogitate like me. Or maybe they haven’t lost any job. Or possibly they are not working but enjoying their life on their father’s money. Or maybe I am thinking too much. Or maybe the dystopian ark is too heavy to collide with the sacred tsunami. Maybe I am not driving on the road at all and the other vehicles are honking for fun. Possibly this journey is leading me somewhere but I am not perceiving. Perhaps the reckless driver has an emergency. Perhaps the race of life is settling on the road. No, I am thinking too much.
I should not have lost my job. But what was I supposed to do? That boss was irking me. He was putting me to work for abnormal working hours. He was insanely scolding me almost every day. Despite completing the assignments, he was lambasting me in front of my team. It was humiliating. Perhaps he wanted me to lose my patience and do something terrible. But why was he being so stern?
*YELLOW SIGNAL LIGHT*
50kph… 45kph…
A car on my right, racing at more than my speed. I think he wants to break the signal.
*RED SIGNAL LIGHT*
40kph… 35kph…
A street dog crossing at zebra in front of the assembly of the stopping vehicle but that…
*DHHATTTTTT*
*BRAKE*
30kph… 35kph…
*DHHATTTTTT*
……………………………………
*EYEBALLS ROLLING*
*ZOOMING OUT*
*HEAVY BREATHING*
Oh my Lord! I hit mine on the back of the car ahead in the queue. My foot presses the accelerator instead of the brake in the panic.
My heart is beating fast. My hand is pressing the gear tightly. I am sweating. The driver of the other car reaches my window to shout and argue. The other vehicles are honking. The pedestrians are staring. The driver of that car is still shouting and indicating to come out. Come out of the car.
*CARS HONKING*
*CARS HONKING*
The driver’s family comes out from the car now. A woman of his age, visibly pregnant, questions in front of my car about my possible blindness and driving. A frightened girl appears with a crying baby in her arm.
*GREEN SIGNAL LIGHT*
*CARS HONKING*
*CARS HONKING*
Another car from my back shows up to my right, abuses me and leaves.
*SHIVERING*
The driver is angry and cannot tolerate further to the discontinued situation. He spits on my window. The baby is crying out loud. His woman is still shouting.
*HEAVY BREATHING*
*YELLOW SIGNAL*
*RED SIGNAL*
*CARS HONKING*
*CARS HONKING*
On my right, the dog is dead. Its bleeding face is towards me. I am weeping. I cannot bear this. I feel I will urinate at any moment.
*CARS HONKING*
*CARS HONKING*
*CARS HONKING*
The pedestrians have stopped to watch this freak show. The entire family is yelling and shouting.
*SWEATING*
*GREEN SIGNAL*
*CARS HONKING*
*CARS HONKING*
All eyes are on me. The disfigured bloody dog is also gaping at me.
*CARS HONKING*
*CARS HONKING*
The crying baby is not giving up migraining despite migrating from sister to mother.
*YELLOW*
*RED*
*ZOOMING IN*
*CARS HONKING*
*CARS HONKING*
*CARS HONKING*
*CARS HONKING*
*BLACKOUT*
2
11.00 AM
*LOOKING AT THE MIRROR*
*ZOOMING OUT*
♪ All day staring at the ceiling Making friends with shadows on my wall All night hearing voices telling me That I should get some sleep Because tomorrow might be good for something ♪
My name is Qaisar Amjad. I am a 28-year-old bachelor, born and raised as a foreigner, living in a rental apartment. My parents are Amjad Chishti and Bilqis Amjad from Pakpattan, a city of central Punjab. This is the land where the shrine of Baba Farid is situated. But a long time ago, when they were living here, they sold their property in Pakpattan and moved around 200 kilometers away to Lahore to reunite with my father’s siblings. But they continued to visit the shrine and pay their respect. My father apprised me that our ancestors have been revering to the shrine for the past two centuries and I was born by his blessing.
I haven’t visited my country that often. I was a kid when I went with my parents. Even there, I was a foreigner to my extended families. Those were strange and different species to me and I was alien to them in all sorts. So I was alone and isolated in my childhood. Here, I grew up meeting people from different backgrounds, learned different languages and gathered on many different occasions. I usually preferred to stay out from home because apart from my studies, I had nothing to do.
My parents were very remote to diversity. Almost every social contact with their lives were the mortals belonging to our own country. When they tuned in to the television, the only programs they watched were the news and entertainment channels of our country. On the road, they used to stop only those taxis whose drivers were their native. In the stores and malls, they stood only in that queue where the cashier was their native. Punjabi was the only language they spoke at home and on the telephone. They spoke Urdu when the national guests of the other provinces showed up. With time, they learned to speak broken English which they improved, again, with time. It was extremely hard for me to adjust with my parents because of our preferences and priorities. Luckily, my parents and I realized that we were people from different backgrounds under the same roof. My parents tried to accustom me and I did try to acculturate them with the norms of a multinational country but we, unquestionably, failed each other.
I have a 17-year-old brother, Nizam. He is studying at home and is not enrolled in any institution due to the costly semester fees. I was paying for his tuition but since I lost my job, paying any kind of money has become a huge burden. We have mutual respect due to a gap of generation but that gap vanishes when we watch the NBA together. I am Clippers, he is Lakers.
3 months ago, my landlord notified me to pay him the agreed quarterly rent. At that time, I was losing my job and the money was already spent on the required domestic expenses. My expenses were already talking as my pay was low and the boss was refusing to raise my pay. Therefore I was out of solutions. So for the first time in my life, I sought financial help. To my good luck, a few friends gathered the amount and I was able to pay to the landlord.
When I lost my job, the prices of food and petrol and the bill for electricity hiked, and it became exceptionally hefty to save money like before. The suffocation period has now arrived and a couple of days ago, the landlord had rung me twice to pay him this week.
*GULPING*
My friends already have done the favor in the previous quarter and I b.bothered them this morning. So I am in no position to ask again within a few hours. I am yet to return their money used in the last rent payment. No no no, I don’t have the courage to ask for the help again.
*PUFFING*
What will they think about me? That Qaisar is raising his asking habit and not seeking a job to fix the critical issues? I do was hunting jobs but no vacancy, no message, no e-mail, nothing. Nothing. And now this morning, I hit a car and emptied my wallet with the remaining notes which were for my brother. Now I am not able to pay for Nizam’s tuition again. But I have to buy more time from Nizam’s tutor and request to pay him next month.
*LUMP IN THROAT*
I have never encountered so much restlessness in my life and this is getting really hard to tolerate.
*PUFFING*
*LIGHTS OFF*
♪ Hold on
Feeling like I’m headed for a breakdown
And I don’t know why ♪
In my room. On my knees. Bowing and pressing my palms on my head. Using my nails on my skull. Then making a fist and hitting on my knees. Then smacking my face until it gets red from one side.
♪ But I’m not crazy, I’m just a little unwell
I know right now you can’t tell
But stay awhile and maybe then you’ll see
A different side of me ♪
3
11.30 AM
*DOOR CLOSING*
Nizam leaves for tuition. He doesn’t know that his tuition fees are not paid for the past two months. I could have paid if I had not panicked this morning. I must call the tutor before he reprimands his arriving without the fees and considers to scold him.
*CALLING TUTOR*
Author: “Yes?”
Qaiser: “H.h.hi hi sir. Howa you?”
“I’m good. Yes?”
“I want to… *thinking* I want to speak something very important.”
“Is Nizam unwell?”
“No no no. He is on his way to your place. I I want to speak to… about about your fees.”
“You have it now?”
“No no. I mean, p.p.please. Thank you for giving some time. But *sweating* b.but-”
“But what Mr. Qaisar? I am occupied with students here. Will you please be quick?”
*PUFFING*
“Yes yes. Can you please give me *raising index finger in the air* one… one more month, sir? I I promise I-”
“What is this Mr. Qaisar? This is the third time! *glasses off* I really cannot afford this. I cannot say much as I am in the middle of teaching the students. You must consider paying me this month. Okay, Mr. Qaisar?”
*WET EYES*
“Okay, sir. I will… I will conta-”
♪ I’m not crazy, I’m just a little impaired
I know right now you don’t care
But soon enough you’re gonna think of me
And how I used to be, me ♪
I keep my phone in the room and come to the drawing room. *tears dropping* The tutor was not attending my calls before because I was embarrassing him giving the same excuse. But this time, he looked forced to utter some words in a higher tone.
*LANDLORD CALLING*
And I am ignoring his call. I don’t know what to say. He knows that my friends helped me the last time so if I request to him for a delay in payment so he may suggest me to ask my friends. And I don’t wa-
*DOORBELL RINGING*
*HEARTBEAT RACING*
*DOORBELL RINGING*
I am sitting down the floor with my hands on the back of my head. My legs are curved as I feel I will piddle any second.
*SWEATING*
*GULPING*
*FOLDING HANDS*
The landlord calls again and I completely forgot to mute my phone.
*RIGHT EAR MOVING IN TAUT*
My phone is in my room. I am standing a meter away from the main door. So I am not aware if he can listen to my phone ringing from a distance.
The phone stops ringing. Pin drop silence for the next couple of minutes. All that I hark is my series of puffing.
4
12.00 PM
*ZOOMING OUT*
I have lost my weight due to severe desolation and depression in these few weeks. I have been regularly losing my appetite due to tensions and not eating in entirety to save the food for long. No job offer calls or emails. No vacancies. Nothing. And here I am sitting on the toilet shirtless and wearing cargo shorts; sweating and looking at my fate in the carving knife which *voice breaking* I am holding t.tightly for the past five minutes.
*TEETH CRUSHING*
This moment was certain to occur because my life w.was not moving nor revolving towards any hope. My old parents in their hometown have been assuming for several months that I am still working *voice breaking* and things are normal here. I know what they have suffered while growing us *teary eyes* and I am in no position to lie to them after *lump in throat* I put them in numerous jeopardies since my rough teenhood.
*WEEPING*
I realized my responsibility only when I got the job the first time five years ago and involved myself in contributing to pay the house rent and Nizam’s fee from my first pay.
*GROANING*
*TIGHTLY HOLDING KNIFE*
Now, I cannot fight from the bonafide miseries and look into Nizam’s eyes *voice breaking* and tell him that he will be able to sit in the examination room.
♪ But I’m not crazy, I’m just a little unwell I know right now you can’t tell But stay awhile and maybe then you’ll see A different side of me ♪
*THINKING*
*SWEATING*
Ok ok. *eyes rolling* I will stab myself in the belly. I must make my mind. That is it. Go for it. Go for it. *gulping* Goo for itt.
*BOTH HANDS TIGHTLY HOLDING KNIFE*
*BLOWING AIR THRICE*
*EYES WIDE OPEN*
Gooo for itttt! Gooo for itttt!
*HANDS SHAKING*
Do it! Doooo ittttttt!
*GUHHHHHH*
Oh God! I can’t! I can’t! You mmust do it, Qaisar!
I must do something quickly. Cut the vein? Shove the knife on either skull or heart? But I should do in a rage so that I endeavor a powerful force without hesitating. *lump in throat* Then I am gone in a few seconds. The ravage culminates. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. It is just a matter of a few seconds. *weeping* Then I’m gone. No more pain, no more stress, no more agitation.
♪ I know it doesn’t seem that way But maybe it’s the perfect day Even though the bills are piling And maybe Lady Luck ain’t smiling ♪
Heart then. That is it.
*HEAVY BREATHING*
It is the heart. A hand is enough.
*CLOSING OTHER FIST TIGHTLY*
*CLOSING EYES*
I’m sorry ammi.
*CRYING*
*HEARTBEAT RACING*
I’m sorry abbu.
*SWEATING*
I’m sorry Nizam.
*CRYING*
Oh Godddd.
*SHOUTING*
Oh Godddd.
*MOANING*
Sorry sorrrryyyy.
*HAND SHAKING*
My pregnant Siberian cat, Push, hears my whining, reaches the toilet, stops, and stares at me holding the knife in the air with my eyes wide open. She certainly looks terrified with my strange behavior as if the knife is meant to kill her.
*SWEATING*
*GULPING*
*HEAVY BREATHING*
Throat it is. Is It? Yes, throat. Troat, thrrooat. Throat it is. Shove the knife breaking my trachea*puffing*. That is it. May Lord forgive me. *crying* I’m sorrryyy.
*MOANING*
Now I am holding the knife from both the hands and pointing the tip of the knife towards my throat.
*SHAKING*
*BLOWING AIR TWICE*
*CLOSING EYES*
Give me the strength. *blowing air* Please forgive me, God. *heavy breathing* I failed my life. *holding knife tightly* I failed my family. *gulping* I failed myself.
♪ But if we’d only open our eyes ♪
[*Children laughing on Qaisar in the classroom*]
♪ We’d see the blessings in disguise ♪
[“See beta. This is Hafeez uncle. Come on, say salaam.”]
[“Wake up Bono! Please meow to me. *voice breaking* Please wake up! Please don’t leave me! *crying* I promise I’ll feed you, my baby. Please don’t go, pleeeaaase.”]
♪ There’s gold in them hills ♪
[“My wedding is fixed. Please forget me Qaisar.”]
♪ There’s gold in them hills ♪
[(On laptop) “Please come soon beta”]
*MOANING*
I’mm sorrrrry ammmmmmmiiiiii maaaaaaaaaaaa.
*SHRIEKING*!!!
*PHONE RINGING*!!!
*RIGHT EAR MOVING IN TAUT*
*GULPING*
*PHONE RINGING*!!!
*HEAVY BREATHING*
*SWEATING*
*EYES WIDE OPEN*
An uncontrollable painful headache suffers me to vomit on my lower body. My shorts is dirty with the substance. I am unmoved on the toilet seat. All I listen to is my breathing. I cannot gulp anymore. I felt someone was hitting my head with a sledgehammer before throwing.
*COUGHING*
The phone rings again. It may be the landlord.
*CRYING*
This predicament has made the temperature of my body disordered. I am sweating but at the same time, I am feeling icy-cold. I am still sitting on the toilet seat without moving an inch of my body. I am urinating in my shorts. My feet and palms are cold. The heart is beating fast again due to this unnatural phenomenon. I am still not on my own.
*EYES STRONGLY BLINKING*
*PHONE STOPS RINGING*
I take a deep breath. I try to move. For some time, my body was stiff. Only my arms and face were moving. I feel some neuralgia when I distance my head from the wall. I stand up trying to balance myself. Some drops of my urine and vomit were absorbed on my shorts and some dropped down the floor which the shorts couldn’t absorb. The frightened cat runs away pussyfooting. The knife is still in my hand. I take the mobile which I had left near the soap dispenser. It was Nizam. Ohhh. Is he returning?
*VOICE BREAKING*
Has the tutor demanded his fees and send him back?
I can’t. I can’t. I can’t. I cann’t. I cannn’t.
*CRYING*
*SITTING ON THE TOILET SEAT*
No noo noooo no no.
*MOBILE ON MY KNEE*
*THINKING*
*CRYING*
What else can I do? The tutor is asking to pay three months of tuition fees. I have to pay back to my friends. The landlord is calling me to pay the rent. Nizam is calling me. I am lying to my parents for months.
*REPEATEDLY HITTING PALM ON FOREHEAD*
*REPEATEDLY SLAPPING FACE*
*SHAKING HEAD*
*HAND ON MY FACE*
*PAUSE*
*THINKING*
*SLOWLY BREATHING*
*BLOWING AIR*
I take the mobile from my knee. Opens the photo album and see Nizam’s picture one last time. I am smiling and looking at the bathroom walls. Push ran away because she sensed my death. *shaking head* It is over.
*TEXTING*
“Nizam! Brother! Never ever give up on your dreams. One day you will realize how much I-”
NEW MESSAGE!!!
Re: Job Offer
……………………………
*EYES WIDE OPEN*
*SLOWLY BREATHING*
*HANDS SHAKING*
*CLICKING MESSAGE*
“Mr. Qaisar! We have observed your CV and expect you to visit our office today at 1’o’clock sharp. Regards, William Proctor.”
*KNIFE DROPPING*
Seems like repeatedly forgetting to mute my phone is a good omen.
♪ So don’t lose faith Give the world a chance to say
A word or two, my friend There’s no telling how the day might end And we’ll never know until we see That there’s gold in them hills
There’s gold in them hills So don’t lose heart Give the day a chance to start
There’s gold in them hills There’s gold in them hills ♪
Abominable or Adorable? The slavery of justice is impeccable…
Once, the three witches, who prophesied Macbeth of his becoming king, returned and landed on earth after 4 centuries, this time at Iqbal Park in Lahore. Their ears heard something familiar which was related to them, prophecy. The man on stage was addressing his nation, talking about his movement, cheering his supporters, and embarking on his wisdom.
Somehow, the witches were stunned when they heard that specific word, Tsunami, which roared his supporters nationwide. They were worried about these people because the last time the Tsunami ever severely hit was a year ago in Japan with the-then over 15,000 innocent lives officially graved. And these participating in the park were like ten-fold but they were to their surprise, gay and excited.
The witches moved to other parts of Pakistan with mixed responses to their wonder. They spot a boy gazing at them. Like if he was about to shout, the witches immediately flew to him to calm the closet. When witches confirmed their personification, the boy spoke up that the play, Macbeth, is taught in his school and always wished to see the witches in reality. When witches asked for the reason for such a wish, the boy replied of their importance of prophecies playing the core part in the ruling of Kingdom indirectly, as he wished to see them back to give prophesy this time under right hands for his country’s defense.
The witches were impressed but they convinced him of their return to a piece on earth was just under their observation of watching numerous Macbeths who don’t even need any prophecy. The boy wept and ran away, the witches kept touring. They found the army general waiting for martial law, chief justice of the highest court actually waiting for justice, medical students protesting outside their university, engineering students seeking jobs, TV anchors talking about patriotism, celebrities endorsing shame, mullahs arguing with mullahs as moo-laws, and the politicians doing everything but politics. Quite boozy-cal to upcoming elections to decide the country’s fate where such incidents happen. Oh, by the way, the witches crossed the line towards north to Waziristan. The militants opened fire on them by taking them as ‘Human Drones’, the witches somehow escaped unhurt.
All three witches now considered the boy’s wish to come true and challenged each other to prophesy the exact fate of the country. If foretold correct, will vanish her 2 partners forever;
The 1st witch prophesied: “The most seasoned campaign of sitters (but not seaters) will somehow win the contest and struggle to lead”
The 2nd witch prophesied: “The most trusted campaign who voice for reformation will convincingly win the race and dare to lead”
The 3rd witch prophesied: “The good and the bad will win together but work together in opposite ways until the third force intervene”
[Normally, when elections are upheld or behold anywhere in any region (you may say legion), whatever you predict or foretell, you actually get results. A country in a state of plagiarism but morally adapted to pluralism easily lumberjacks the nation. The school of thought which at least develops an interest in book-reading and the on-air heated argument becomes a school of fought. Living in this country or being of this country, you are in a state of mind where you are disturbing or disturbed. So do knot disturb.]
Soon as the prophecies and results of elections are revealed, Hecate has fallen unconscious at an unknown location whereas the witches are yet to decide whether to vanish or not. So after so many no-balls, the ball is yet to deliver to complete the over as you know what I mean. The latest but traditional news is that the army general is still waiting for the next martial law.
Sami Naik | Film Critic 
