Ruchira Khanna's Blog, page 4

A Musical Night

 "I see a clear sky. The rainy season is behind us!" said Mali with a breath of sigh! "We can now sleep in peace." clapped an elated ten-year-old Loli. "The pitter-patter and the mosquitoes have gone with it." "Yes!" The mother-daughter finished their only meal of the day, consisting of broth and bread.  The duo lay on their cots, and the mom was about to hit the snooze button when the tip-tap

Sugar = Happiness

 "No, mom. I can't have this. I've given up sugar." Pari said with a stern face alternating between her mom and the Jalebi. "You're so skinny that I fear that you might disappear from the face of this planet one day. And now you want to adapt to this new regime," argued her mom with a dirty look.Pari gave a loud snort, " I'll never disappear physically, but yes, I'm sure my weight will reduce by

Mask Up !

 "Jeez! Why is everybody staring at me?" muttered Alisha as she chewed her gum frantically when she dragged a cart into the store, "Hope, I wore my pants?" and she quickly gave a downward glance at her legs, "Phew! I can't forget the day when I stepped out to water my plants in just my panties."A tap on her shoulder, "Excuse me, Miss. You need to mask up!" Alisha was apologetic, and with a gaped

The Common Man

Sometimes, I doubt if being a common man is praiseworthy. This common man has the most challenging life on this planet. He is not guaranteed any comforts from birth and has to work towards it. He faces all the downs when the economy is at the brink. He rarely enjoys the upside when the economy is doing terrific, but he sure gets a coupon here and there to enjoy the perks.The Commoner is a brutal

In a Rush

 "Hons, running late. Could you please zip me up?" commanded Tara as she exposed her back to her beau, who was busy on his phone. "Hold on. Just sending this message," he said with a frown and squinted eyes. "Zzzzippppp!" came the sound, but it stopped midway. "Oh-oh!" "What happened?" Tara shrieked."It's got stuck in the cloth." "Gosh! I don't have time to change or mend it. Let me cover it with

A Surprise Test

 "What! How can that be?" I howled, "How can our teacher give us a surprise test?" I exclaimed as I sat on the bench with a thud staring at the paper while rubbing the back of my neck. I chewed my pen while fingering my necklace, trying to find the solution to those questions. Just then, the alarm buzzed. I woke up with a start with sweat on my forehead. When I realized my surroundings, I pressed

Once Bitten, Twice a Bang!

 It's the year 2010 when my dad beat the first round of cancer, and things had started to look up. I wished many things then for him and us as a family. I hoped he would visit me, start his business back again that had taken a hiatus, and success would be all his. After all, even lady luck has a heart and strikes when we are at our lowest point in life. Alas! the Universe had some other plans. 

Water Gun Play

 I woke up to a loud squeak. "What's happening?" I inquired with urgency. I saw my children play with water guns in the house. "No! we don't play with squirt guns." I disapproved while staring at the wet couch and puddles of water everywhere. "But why, mom. It's summertime." they protested in unison.I took a deep sigh as if I agreed with what they had just said, directed them outdoors.They both

Steady Gallop

Being an empty nester has more pros than cons. The house is cleaner than before, with not much on the to-do list. The driving from one class to another is bygone. The constant chattering and the back n fourth arguments are on silent mode. Over the years, we've taught him the values of Life by discriminating right from wrong and emphasized discipline, respect, and hard work. Now, it's time to sit

A Tiny Flaw

To the lightly roasted course semolina, add one cup of lukewarm milk. Allow it to cook on a slow flame. Once it's semi-solid, add half a cup of granulated sugar.Give it a vigorous stir before turning off the gas.Now, I'm going to serve the audience. I said with a wide smile as I approached them with serving bowls garnished with sliced almonds. With fingers crossed, I watched them take a spoonful