Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Escalator

Day before yesterday I was standing on the second floor of a shopping mall with my friend. We were discussing nothing and everything.

Sometime during the discussion my friend suddenly pointed towards the first floor. I looked down and saw a middle aged man trying to get onto the stairs of an escalator. The funny thing was the stairs were moving down towards the base floor whereas he was trying to move up to the second floor. Yes, I did laugh along with my friend and so did all the others witnessing the bizarre attempt. But the public attitude didn’t deter the man from changing his intention. He kept on trying. It was comic – the scene – but only till the moment he climbed the downward-moving stairs, successfully, and reached his destination; the second floor.

While he was passing by us my friend cared to stop him. “You could have taken the other escalator. The one which-”

“I know.” The man cut him short. “Actually, all these years I never took on life. Every time my dreams urged me to climb up I found the stairs of my life moving down. And, each time, assuming it all to be impossible, out of fashion and something that’s not normal I, in the end, allowed my conviction to die. But today, in my own way, I wanted to kill the guilt inside. I know what I did just now is stupid prima facie but…”

“Never mind” my friend said, “We got the point.”



By: NovoneeL ChakrabortY


18 comments:

Angry Voices said...

There's a strange thrill when you rush up the downward escalators. People cast disapproving glances, guards whistle, well intentioned onlookers shout.

But the thrill of going up when you're meant to go down.. aah.. nicely put

ARINDAM DEY said...

smart and beautiful...
keep the good work going...

kalyani said...

Thats too good.

Unknown said...

SOO tRue! SOOO pure!

Novoneel Chakraborty said...

@ all above


THANKS!!!

Anonymous said...

Hey Novoneel
You are blessed with an insight to look beyond. I always like to get into the skin of what you wish to convey and am enamoured by your style of doing so! Great going...keep writing!

Rachana said...

The story reminds me of king and spider,the spider which kept climbing the wall despite falling down again and again...anyways ur writing style is very nice...

Novoneel Chakraborty said...

@ Shilpa and Pooh

Thanks 4 the appreciation ...

rimi said...

hmmmm.....as always a simple story teaching a gr888 lesson abt life teaching to be determined n having confidence in urself without thinkin abt failures......briliant dear..

Novoneel Chakraborty said...

@ Arkadeb [Arka,Angry Voices]

This one's a SPECIAL NOTE OF THANKS [and like all other special things this too comes right from the bottom of the heart].

I thank you not only for caring to read my posts but also to be the first one [almost always] to comment on them with all the honesty and bluntness which is so much a part of your personality ...

... Having said that I would still prefer you as a 'friend' than a 'fan' ... though both are a matter of honour for me ...

... Lastly if I didn't or couldn't reply to any of your queries earlier that's purely unintentional... blame it on the side effects of the accident I had last summer :) but I come from a school of thought whereby what you feel for a person in your heart matters rather than what you project to him ... Hope you understand ...

Take Care and Best Wishes ...

Novo.

(For 'friends' call me that!)

Bashoree said...

escalator story is realy touchy.nice analogy with life.

Demonic.Blogger said...

Awesome !!
Good luck!

Brhamesh said...

That is really great....
really touching and motivating...
I really need something like this esp when I am giving my exams.
;)

Anonymous said...

good work

Meenakshi Janga said...

Hey!
I just went thru ur blog...Mahn!
U r 1 helluva writer!
Ur piece of works r extraordinarily good!
Aint buttering ya...srsly...!
Waaayyy to go!
Cheers :)

Unknown said...

lovely novoneel! carry on ur good work....!!!

Saumitra Chakraborty said...

Hello Novoneel
This story 'escalator' is just superb. We all are more or less bound and hence, weighed by guilt. To overcome the guilt is so much necessary. How we do it is immaterial. Overcoming the guilt is an absolute must.
A great inspiring piece.

Novoneel Chakraborty said...

I agree !! Thanks for your comment Saumitra !!