Pages 95-100

I finished reading The Catcher in the Rye, for the third time. But I don't think I'm going to go back to it. A stupid thought passed my mind for a few seconds around page 95-100. And I have been disturbed ever since. Not disturbed really, but something like that. I still love the character. He is insanely funny, intelligent, and honest. Sad and pathetic, too. Well I don't think I can explain exactly what I thought or why I am disturbed. The vague outline though is that if Holden was a real person, I think he wouldn't have appreciated being written about and all. Or not that really, if Holden was a person, and if he were to read the book - he wouldn't be too wild about JDS. He'd probably think Salinger was an unscrupulous old bastard cashing in on the pathetic state of our very own protagonist.

But Salinger is a great man, he gave us Holden after all. All I'm saying is that Holden and Salinger wouldn't get along too well. Err in my humble opinion. Its a terrible tragedy isn't it? To create a character who if real wouldn't be too fond of you or the literary work he is part of?

Hmm but my love and loyalty is to Holden and not Salinger. So when at that instant on a page around 95-100 a set of wholly abstract thoughts ran through my head leaving an after taste that brought out the complete Holden vs. JDS saga I decided that this was the last time I'd have anything to do with The Catcher in the Rye.

Unless things get too bad...

It's a bit sad and depressing but while reading the book this time I couldn't help but think how I'm slightly like our friend Holden. I guess it's the curse of the hero worshipper, as in maybe unconsciously I'm desperately wishing I was a bit like Holden. But I'm certain a lot of the people I know relate to him, like I do. Almost everyone feels alienated and is seething with angst these days, its a bit fancy and also its heavily romanticised. Plus you are branded super intelligent almost as soon as you feel, or rather you convince others that you feel, alienated and that angst runs through your arteries.

I really do some of the same crazy things, though. Honest to God. Like I remember a few months ago our family (my parents, my brother and sister in law, and me) got into this terrific war. It must have lasted for about 6 hours. Me against all of them. All of us fell sick after the fight I remember, it was so ferocious! But I remember at one point I left everybody to go to the loo; and inside I stood in front of the giant mirror and smiled and made crazy faces for quite a while. I wasn't upset at all. Then I went back and rejoined the ruckus. I was laughing silently and all in the loo. This and other such insanities are an integral part of my daily existence...

There are these other set of similarities that I cant really speak of on this public platform.

So that's that.

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Dear reader, it's been a few months since I have been writing this blog. And frankly I still haven't figured out why I am doing this. Right now, it just gives me something to do. Just something tangible that takes care of a day or two each month of my mundane life. I don't think I'll be able to dish out a tremendous piece of prose that will change your life forever. I'd love to though, to have a significant impact on your life (observe I don't mention positive or negative, either will do frankly) but really I don't see this happening, at least not in the near future. Till then I guess for you too, this will hopefully become something to do. A lot of what we do, we do because it gives us something to do I guess. Think of all the inane scraps sent on Orkut. It's the only rational explanation. I tell you it's not that tough, just visit regularly for a few days. And then every time you have no new mails, or no person to chat with and nothing else to do while on the net - you'll find yourself meandering through the the internet to come here. At least that's the hope.

The thing is I still want to come up with something substantial when I write here. So I keep waiting and then weeks pass by before anything turns up, if at all. Things do come and go, on and off - but nothing good enough for you, dear reader. So now I have decided to write in bits and pieces. To be more frequent. Even if it means putting up senseless photos of me and Cookie in obscure positions making funny faces.

Its an obsession, this tracking of traffic through my site. Damn you stupid Google Analytics! It's half the reason I haven't written in so long. I keep looking at who visits The Write..

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Dusshera is a great festival here in Bihar. Everything comes to a stand still for a while. It's a little frustrating for us since our livelihood is linked to the markets and all. And everything remains shut for almost a week. Anyway, I made the most of the break to catch up on sleep and television.

Heard about this shocking incident that occurred during Dusshera here. It's all in the news and everything. Don't know why I am writing about this. I don't know anyone who was directly involved. I got to hear of it from Gopal who works for our distributor organization. Everything happened on the street he lives on, and he only vaguely knew the people involved. I can't say I feel sad for the concerned families, because frankly I don't know them. If at all I feel sad, it's only for Gopal and that too, slightly. And he wasn't even involved. But its disturbing how petty a thing can lead to three deaths. It's crazy how stupid a mob can be.

Basically at the corner of this colony called Shivpuri, there was a tobacco shop that also sold illicit liquor. In the ten days that lead up to Dusshera everyone refrains from eating any form of meat but towards the end of this partial fast people make up for all the lost good times by getting as heavily drunk as they possibly can. Now Kamlesh's brother who lived near Gopal's house went to the tobacco shop and was having a good time getting drunk with the shop owner. Once their spirits were sufficiently high the latter offered egg curry to Kamlesh's brother. But Kamlesh's brother refused on account of Dusshera. However, the shop keeper went on persuading and eventually in a drunken state shoved the egg down Kamlesh's brother's throat.

The fellow was hugely offended. They had a brief but violent argument after which the brother left. Only to return with a bunch of his cronies; they dragged out the shopkeeper's brother and beat him up severely. After which they departed.

But the fellow had actually died, Kamlesh's brother and his gang didn't know of this. In retaliation the shop owner gathered a bunch of his cronies went to Kamlesh's house dragged Kamlesh out of the house and beat him to death with iron rods.

Now Kamlesh's brother and his friends and all were really pissed. In all this, they happened to somehow come across a poor policeman. They blamed the fellow for everything and eventually got so angry that they beat the policeman to death.

All in one day. Dusshera. The day good triumphs over evil, nay, stupidity over mankind!! All for the sake of stupid egg curry. What is it about mobs that makes them so fearless and stupid at the same time? It's a funny place this, Bihar. People are murdered everywhere, but here, its strange how often ordinary people work together in a mob to kill. There are cases of mobs lynching petty criminal (alleged) each day.

Sad state of affairs.

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