Us and Them

“Your sick”

“No I’m Muslim”

“Bwahahahaha. Very funny . I’ll better it, get this – “Ya allah illallah kann illa palli illa”

“Ya ya shuddap – Ram naam sathya hai, murda saala mast hai”

This is what a couple of high- school kids consider as religious division. Sadly, I am too, a high-school kid. But since a while I’ve been noticing…the differences…

In my tennis coaching classes, U used to come everyday….a lot more regular than myself, I might add.He was so darn funny that I had to stifle a gulp when one morning , he was moaning on and on about how he had had to kill a sheep. U, who couldn’t harm a fly had had to massacre a whole, live animal with his own, bare hands.

It was the first time that I noticed that he was muslim apart from his name. It was the first time I’d ever realized the difference between us. Us and them.

Thankfully the feeling didn’t last very long. Sensing that he’d shocked poor brahmanical, but meat eating, hypocritical but confused me at some level, he reasoned with me later that day during lunch. “A! For crying out loud, your frigging butcher does it every single day. What’s the fucking difference??!”

Of course! What was the difference between a once a year religious sacrifice that was consumed by an entire family and a butcher who killed everyday for consumption? After he’d put it that way it had all made sense. In fact, he shouldn’t have even had to explain himself. I should’ve understood. I smiled, linked arms with him and life moved on smoothly enough. U even got grace time for coming late to class on Friday afternoons because he went to the Masjid across the road. We’d all chime in chorus “Sir, he’s gone for Namaaazzz” and the coach would nod approvingly and mark him present.

This week Z, a close friend of mine has been most dejected. His American visa has been rejected for the second time. “I’m just going there for a film shoot with a crew of 60 people for 3 months, with one of the largest production houses in India, with a resume of like 10 films till now! But they still ask me in that low critical voice they love to use ‘Mr Z, I’m going to ask you one more time, what is the purpose of your visit to the United States of America? Like I’m some fucking imbecile” he screamed out, close to tears. His frustration apparent that the rest of the crew had got their visa’s on the first attempt because none of them were Muslims.

It reminded me of a scene from the Pakistani film Khudakayliye, when the protagonist who is literally being tortured into saying he’s a terrorist changes his scribbles on the wall from ‘I LOVE USA’ by adding an MA to the end of USA to now read “I LOVE USAMA”.

Z, finally got his Visa on the 3rd attempt and is off tomorrow.

I, have just realized, I’m not entirely sure what I’ve been trying to say.

A*

Comics and Books

Most of you would have read the post on Ironman by my friend, Arushi.

‘Hollywood has a knack of making bad films out of good comics’ she says.

I disagree with that as well as agree.The Spiderman,Batman and Xmen movies seem to have done a fairly decent and applicable job at convincing its audience that they’re not another ludicrously loopy movie with brightly colored supernatural human beings running around the place yelling’I shall save the world with my Odd-Sonic Blaster Thing’.

Whereas when one watches movies like Hulk its an entirely different point.The only way one can comprehend the movie is if you can understand the Bam-Bam language in which the Incredible Hulk speaks in.Sure he’s big and hairy like in the comic,but at that rate you might as well put the Mask with King Kong.

In the case of novels ,like the Harry Potter,Lord of the Rings and Narnia series you have breathtaking work ,along with breathtaking actors like Daniel,Ben and Elijah.

The newly released Chronicles of Narnia:Prince Caspian is a much more appreciable movie compared to its predecessor.This time you would expect the movie to be shown on HBO instead of Disney Kids.The truculent battle scenes along with the exceptional Narnians and their king,Aslan,have attracted a much wider range of viewers.

The movie no longer shows the Pevensies as children who go dumb at the sight of talking beavers and moving trees,but teenagers who have begun to accept the facts of life.Also ,this movie has allot more humor in it,provided by Edmund,Susan and Mr.Rat.Little Lucy no longer goes ballistic about certain creatures like Mr.Tuminous and doesn’t start crying at the drop of a hat.In fact Little Lucy isn’t quite Little anymore,neither is Edmund.

During the last battle scene you see a variety of new Narnias like the cute yet lethal rats and kid centuars.The trees of narnia have also changed quite a bit.They are no longer the polite,sweet-scented selves but towering,rebellious,botanical beings.Their roots travel through the grounds and reach at the other end of the battle field only to demolish the colossal ammunitions of the Telmaranians and knock couple Telmaranian soldiers down.

Over all this movie is allot more impresive than the previous one.Watch it folks,it wont disappoint you.

Now that was the positive side of this post.Unlike Narnia,there are some movies that do not do justice to its book.They not only kill the book but rip it to bits and leave it to burn in disgrace that even the ashes aren’t left.One such movie is about a boy called Eragon.

After watching the movie I have come to three conclusions.They are:-

1.The Director,Producer(s) and Scriptwriter(s) ought to apoligize to Christopher Paolini for the sorrowful bit of work that they made out of his marvelous book.
2.Edward Speleers is a hopeless actor.
3.if you want to live then I advice you to not go and watch the other installments.

Thats all from me for now,

N*

R.I.P Heath Ledger

U DIIIIIIIEDDD U FREAKSHOW!!!! :’(

sadness has prevailed.

Arushi~*

Rain

It comes all of a sudden. You’re going about your business as usual when you hear the faint tip-tap of the rain hitting the windows. Soon it changes to a headstrong pit pat. Before very long, you’ve ditched your work, flung the windows open and thrust your arms out into the gusty wind.

Rain is something magical; Something unreal; Out of the world. It makes you forget who you are, what you’re doing, all your cares and worries. The rain doesn’t discriminate. It comes to all – rich or poor, sick or healthy, young or old. It brings with it a sense of freshness. The wind flying through your hair, the green trees, the smell of the earth. They all mark a change. In a sense, the rain cleans us out. It washes away the worries, anxieties, faults and sins. It lets us start anew. It gives second and third, fourth, fifth and sixth chances.

Rain drenches us all in goodwill. Standing wherever you may be, letting the raindrops soak into your clothes, the wind blow through your hair and your toes curl in the earth is something completely unique. There’s nothing like it.

The rain is something magical, unreal, and out of the world…

Mali*

Transitions.

The summer vacations are nearly over, and the time for change is fast approaching. It’s time to grow up. To ‘fit in’ in high school. It’s time to say goodbye to those leaving for college. Time to say hello to their replacements. Time to stride ahead, and not look back.

In a way, the new year begins at this time. We leave the past behind, and walk into the future. Yesterday is really over now. And there’s a tomorrow to be thought about. Times like these scare me. I don’t like change. I’d rather stay where I am. And this time it’s even harder. This time, high school’s starting, and that scares even me, Miss I-Can-Take-Anything-You-Throw-At-Me. And Pranav’s going away to college, of course. Iowa City. And that is SOME distance. I don’t actually know how much and nor does google apparently. Even so, it’s not like he can just drive down to see me any old time. And then, there’s friends. This summer, I’ve learned who my real friends are. And the end marks the transition from the old to the new.

Despite all this, I’m going into the psuedo-new year with my head held high. I’m not going to let this stuff daunt me. I’m going to be strong and win this thing.

Anyhow, the reason I started writing this post was to let everyone know that we’ve switched from http://www.thequadruplets.blogspot.com/ to http://thequadruplets.wordpress.com/. I don’t know how I got into all the stuff about change.

Well, that’s that.
Malavika*