A DIFFERENT BEAT

The mood in the room was tense.I could feel an air of apprehension looming in.My eyes never shared a look.My lugubrious expression revealed the inner self.I couched in a corner of the room.People moving in and out seemed to be the order of that room.Some stood back.Some just observed me from a distance.I could feel a thousand glares.I pulled my shawl over my shoulders.I was feeling cold in a packed room where ventillation was minimal.Biological responses to an onerous situation.Words never reached me,but the buzz did and it penetrated my senses like the drill.Their thoughts were readable.What will be the verdict?Will she be convicted? Did they expect an answer? My defence was over and I knew how it would turn out.All these while,I had been preparing myself to digest the decision.Suddenly silence swished in.Everybody got up like keyed toys.I struggled hard to stand on my feet.A sense of nullity. I sighed.A heavy sigh.Once more.Still the heaviness within, lasted. The Judge came and took

Tuesday night THREE CHEERS HIP HIP HURRAY HIP HIP HURRAY HIP HIP HURRAY !!!!!!!! Never in my life I have heard someone cheering me or congratulating me or praising me.Of course,I know the problem lies with me.I haven't done anything praiseworhty..wait...did I say..haven't done? No.That would be half-truth.I keep trying.Seriously.(don't laugh..I know I often make myself a funny figure.)But,I have done things.Commendable things.Getting full 5 marks for a dictation(whole night i was sitting with my text book),learnt to play the guitar (failed miserably on stage,when the strings gave out),ran after the bus(reached school in an auto)..so many unaccountable things.May be,the problem lies with people around.They fail to recognize my capabilities. Just as it happened today.I was running back from school all happy.I had made it into the final list of athletes-Field event-shot put.OK..I agree,I could not make it to the victory stand.But still.... My parents were literally ecstatic.(d