The Greener Grass, On The Other Side, Too Close.

Well... anyone would agree that Raju had a rare privilege for a man. He had first-hand access to the women zones of many many upper middle class homes. Blame-games over burnt rotis, debates over stolen vs borrowed cosmetics, whimpering over newly found wrinkles... he heard, saw and smelt everything but never felt anything for any lady. All he felt was jealousy ... a strong bitterness for those men, the men who ruled over these households but never had to bear the pain of living in it all day. 

Now, look at Raju, he worked as a house-help in all these houses. His wife worked in the same society much to his annoyance. He was constantly under her nose. But these Kings enjoyed great freedom. They walked out every morning wearing their spotless whites waving their goodbyes and returned back late in the nights. And what more, when they vanished, they vanished into a superlative world.... a world of important calls, secret passwords, hushed conversations. Of course, all that Raju knew about this phenomenal world was through Cinema. But Raju's work was something that everyone understood, including the kids. There was no way that Raju could put on an air of importance or give those dont-disturb-me expressions to anyone, anyone at all. 

Raju was envious even of the way these extraordinary beings spent their holidays. Reclining in the chairs in their balconies, computers (oh..laptops) on their laps, sipping coffee from those gigantic cups (ooops... mugs). If one could imagine, there was style even in the way they scolded their children. It was mostly in single words (Ria, Sohan, Madu, whatever....just the name of the child!) and a stare. Now, whether the children obeyed was another question altogether that neednt discusses here, but when Raju howled at his children, and his children roared back at him and his entire community was entertained by the drama that unfolded.. phew .. that would make another long story one could wait for.

The best, or probably the worst (it was difficult to decide) amongst these demigods was Sameer of B-209. When Raju entered their house on the Saturday morning, this demigod had probably just woken up and was looking out solemnly standing in the balcony. Yes, he had his I-am-thinking expression on his face. A couple of minutes later Sameer stretched his hands up, rotated his neck, twisted his wrists around. Raju had also tried those in his privacy (yes, he too did get a little of that on those rare occasions when his wife and children attended women-only family functions) but he failed to understand what pleasure Sameer achieved through that. Sameer then  entered into the living room, stood at his book shelf, staring at it with his I-am-thinking expression again. Then finally Sameer sat down at his penance with his the laptop. No sooner, his wife Sana joined him over the laptop. They both peered into it and he read out to her. She poured out praises quite profusely as he read, beaming from ear to ear. 

"This is the best, Super Hit!", she declared after a while and he beamed, eyes gleaming. For Raju, this was just too much. When was the last he heard his wife say anything, even slightly good about him? Last year, maybe the previous... or maybe never... Its just because I am with her all the time, he thought scornfully eyeing at Sameer's laptop and "I dont have that Apple".

This was the story of every Saturday in Sameer's house. But our story turned juicy this particular Saturday, when Sana and her two children suddenly vanished to a friends' house leaving the men alone. It was Sameer who broke the silence and Raju was quite taken aback as he had always assumed Sameer was oblivious to his presence. Infact, Sameer even knew Raju's name.

"Yaar Raju, you are a lucky guy", Sameer smirked and Raju turned to Sameer, and Raju couldnt believe his eyes. There was no doubt - Jealously, Spite.. the expression on Sameer's face was so clear, so real unlike his I-am-thinking ones. 

"Lucky! Me?", Raju fumed. "You are the lucky one", Raju spat out at him.

-- you stay with your wife all day, dont you. 

-- So, whats good about living under your wife's nose. You are the lucky one to smuggle into your secret superlative world and use those those Apples

-- Superlative! Where?  And Apple? You think its fun to stare into this machine all day? Look at you, you could sing while you work. 

"You want me to sing", Raju offered hopefully simmering down. Finally, there seemed to be someone who wanted him to sing instead of clean.

"Well, not sing...but you could write, if you wished too", Sameer blurted. And it looked to Raju that Sameer wanted to say this all the while. But it did put Raju into a tense too. Did the same monster which had possessed his teacher and made him write impositions everyday, possess Sameer too? Raju had thought he had gotten rid of that monster altogether when he dropped out of school. 

"huh... yes I can write the alphabet and a few words too. ", he said fearfully. 

Sameer looked shocked. "What words! you should write stories, dramas, ... you see them everyday ... free of cost, in fact you get paid to see them everyday." Sameer went on. But Raju was now sure that this person was now out of his mind. Thats probably the reason why Sana pours in praises, to cheer him.

"Sameer Bhaiya..I must leave now", Raju was not in any mood to stay with a maniac all alone. " I am getting late to the other house", he added quickly.

"See... that is the reason why you are where you are - escapist, lazy to do work, arent you. If I were in your place I would have been the most famous script writer by now. All the best mega serials of Indian Television would have been on one name - SAMEER", Sameer dreamed animatedly.

"MEGA SERIALS", "FAMOUS". Now, a few words did catch Raju's ears which made him want to listen to Sameer however crazy Sameer seemed. Did Sameer say that Raju could be famous, join Indian Mega Soaps? Though Raju's heart did start envisioning Raju playing as one of those demigods on television, Raju's mind forced him to listen to Sameer. 

"What Bhaiya? You think I will make a good hero in one of our television serials?", he asked quite hopefully. 

"Hero?", Sameer sounded very exasperated. " Where do YOU and HERO come in here. I was saying if I was in your place I would have written wonderful stories, good ones which would make superhit soaps on television."

Sameer again started slipping into the maniac zone, but Raju thought the risk of talking to Sameer might turn into a jackpot if he was lucky, that is.

"Please explain", Raju asked Sameer. "And be clear and detail."

Sameer put on his very "serious-work" expression and started. "What do you do Raju while at work?"

Didnt this man know? But Raju didnt think it was worth understanding how much Sameer knew about his life. "I clean, dust, cook, and help in any way I can, ofcourse if I get paid fairly", Raju said. 

"Yes... that you do... But more importantly, you go to different houses, meet many people , see many things every day. You should listen, see and feel everything, everyone, Raju. Thats how stories originate. Thats where stories are made. You just have to twist around a few things here and there, sprinkle some spice on it and present it as a story." Sameer explained. "For example, a simple thing... say an argument about a burnt roti or a lost cosmetic between two people should ignite a spark to create a story within you."

"So Bhaiya, we had a long conversation now. You ignite your spark and write a story", Raju giggled.

"Ah.. you are right, Raju. You are clever.", Sameer gleed. "I have got my next story."

Raju was not pleased. True, he was only trying to pull Sameer's leg but if it was a real idea, he didnt want it to go unpaid.

"Okay", Sameer offered. "You bring me one story every week, and you will get to use any one thing - shirts, books, work table, tablet. whatever, for an hour and you can act as HERO SAMEER."

For Raju, in whom, a dream for a career in acting had just been kindled, this sounded like a brilliant idea. 

And now for us, if Sameer and Raju do really succeed in their respective ventures, I am sure all of us will definitely know. 

Signing off.