Showtime

- Based on an episode in my friend's life

Forts of love built on foundation of tears must realize they are always on slippery grounds.

Do I turn left or do I go straight? Left it is. But it was too late. I forgot the brakes weren't working and I had made a steer. The wheels screeched. She clutched me in desperation and I put both my foot down. Narrow escape. I took a breath and steadied the bike again. "Your driving leaves much to be desired. I was expecting this for a few days." I heard her murmuring. So was I... So was I... I excused myself under the pretext of ATM visit and went to get a bottle of water. "Sir, Your eyes are red. Go see a doctor." This time it was the shop keeper. I washed my face and gazed at the last Klein tablet. Should I get more? I am fast losing it. The stress levels were getting to me. My concentration levels were dipping. I went blank. I heard a voice inside my head saying.... No...don't lose it...stay alert..stay awake....stay alive...focus...The fears that haunted my dreams are, today, dancing in front of me. It is showtime...

There are plenty of decisions that a person has to make in life. The most critical ones are those where you have to choose between two loved ones. The parties can be wife, fiancee, girlfriend, boyfriend, fiance, husband, friend, mother, father or any other relative for that matter. These are cases when logic and reasoning take a backseat with the love for one another like a drunkard on the wheel. Whom do you love more? Whom do you love less? How long have you loved a person? Whats the depth of your relationship with the person? What can you say? What cant you say? There are no win-win answers to this. It more often than not ends up in one getting hurt because his/her love for that person was compromised in the situation. This happens always and all around us. Look closely! People lie not because they want to. People scream and snub other loved ones, not because they want to. They do not feel good either after doing so. All the three parties are in a state of mental depression. There is no winner. There is no loser.

But I'll tell you what is worse. When your loved ones ask you to arbitrate on a matter of grave concern. You don't have a choice. YOU ARE THE LOSER. Either ways!!! It is because you don't have an opinion but you pass a judgement on people, both of whom have loved you dearly and look up to you to stand up for them. What!!! That's all!!! That's something that happens to me always!!! So might you think!! Wait for it. It ain't over. You are given time and that time is not so that you can laze around and announce your judgement at the end of the period, but just so that each one can feed you with so much opinionated arguments and tears that you lose your temper and cool. Your normal routine gets affected and you move into a state of mental trauma where you cannot take the issue off your grid for even a single moment. Your friends start to take note of your mood swings. You wish you went into coma.

Tears and emotional blackmail are neither a means nor a constructive end to any debate. The foundation of forts of love are built on bricks of trust and belief, with occasional tears and not tears alone. Participation indicates boldness and tears, fear and cowardice. They aren't a true reflection of true love. Forts of love built on foundation of tears must realise they are always on slippery grounds.

Time and Tide wait for no man. Why, I ask? Is there a pause or a rewind button in life. Cant everything stay on a status quo. I hate to lose the trust and love of either of them. What do I do? The salt in my tears rolling down my cheeks into my open mouth finally wake me to senses. I quickly washed my face with the bottle of water.