The second chance.. #fridayphotofiction

“Are you really sure you wanna do this”?

“Yes”

“Why”?

“I guess its because I always wanted my 1st marriage to be with you”.

“You do realise its my 2nd” , she said.

“Yes , I do”.

“You do realise Peter that I might not be able to give you all that you want out of me physically in this marriage.”

“Olivia, we can stop this ceremony if you are having second thoughts. I can understand and would totally respect. I got you, that’s all it matters to me”.

Peter and Amanda were classmates in school. They both loved each other but she got married 6 years back to someone else but Peter just couldn’t forget her, couldn’t find someone. When Amanda become widow, Peter popped the question. 

“Why do you want to do this?” he asked

She answered , “ To give life a 2nd chance with you”….

Linking up with Tina and Mayuri.

Going to buy a mobile phone accessory? Dont get fooled..

Many of us buy mobile accessories from either the shops located in our locality or from the mobile market in the city, whatever you do, please make sure that you are not fooled by the so-called shop keepers when you go to make your purchase.

What I’m narrating here is a small true incident which happened just two days back with me for a simple thing such as a tempered glass. Either its because of my better understanding of the pricing, my experiences in the past or my ability to enter into a debate with shopkeepers on things which I know a bit better, but which they’d think that they know better. It all comes down to price and they can try to fool you if they sense that either you don’t know or you have a very urgent need. The tempered glass on my redmi note 3 shattered to pieces just few days back and I was looking to get a new one. I went to a shop, unfortunately he didn’t have that one, but he told me to check his another shop, which was nearby. Now this is the actual conversation as it happened-

Me: I want the tempered for Redmi Note 3

Shopkeeper: Redmi Note 3’s manufacturing has stopped, the tempered doesn’t come now.

M: It is manufactured even today, it’s another thing that you don’t stock it, so  don’t pass the buck on the company if you don’t have the particular stock.

S: Well let me search. (He searches the box) Got it but it’s a bit expensive, would cost you 299

(He doesn’t know that I have used tempered glass over the years from as low as 100 bucks which have the same quality as the premium ones, both will eventually break saving the mobile phone screen).

M: 299 ?? Tempered come for as low as 100. 

S: Well, the ones for 100 don’t have that quality, these save from scratches.

M: What I will do with scratches? I don’t have to do fingernail sculpturing on the tempered glass. It has to save the screen, will do that.

By now, my mobile phone was with the shopkeeper, he had taken off the silicon case and  was ready to apply the glass if he found it. Another person working in the shop apart from the owner suggested the idea, “let’s try the one for redmi note 4 on this”.

S: 1st show it to him.

The compatible boy places the glass manufactured according to the layout of the Redmi Note 4 on my Redmi Note 3 and tries the adjustment of the glass on the screen.

Boy: Its okay.

M: How? Don’t you see the speaker on camera layout on my phone? The one for the note 4 is much wider, there is still a finger thickness gap between the glass and the receiver layout on mine.

Silence.

M: If you don’t have it, then leave it. There is no compulsion.

I take my phone from the counter, take two steps forward towards the exit, realise that the silicon back cover is with the applicator.

M: ohh.. Just give that back cover back.

S: Let’s final it at 150

M: I’m not going even 1 Rs. above 100

As I near the door, the shop owner now speaks up: Arey Bhai sahab try it, who knows, you might like it?

M: What is there to like in a tempered glass? I have used so many that I’ve lost count, 300 one is not unbreakable, it breaks just like the one for 100 so why to invest in extra 200?

As I pulled the door, stepped out, there is a collective shout from all three in the shop : Arey come come, we would do it for 100 but I unheard it and started to get into my vehicle. The boy from the shop came running and said to me, “Come, we would do it for 100” and I was surely not in the mood to go into a shop which thinks that they can rip off as much money as they like. I simply replied, “This you should have quoted in the first instance, I am not interested now.” and leave.

You can see that there is a huge margin for mobile accessories and the shopkeeper came from 299 to 100 for the same product in a matter of few minutes and few solid counter arguments when he realised that I know a bit more than him. I don’t know that how much overpriced are  other mobile accessories, but for existing mobile models tempered glass on the screen can easily be applied for 100. They give the same protection as the highly overpriced premium ones. Yeah, the ones which are sold at much cheaper 50 bucks are substandard a bit because they get smudgy and scratchy really fast with normal usage. Its very rare to find good quality cheap glass for the mobile phone, a lot would depend on how well you know the shopkeeper. There is a mobile shop near my office in Kanpur, which applies a good quality tempered glass on my phone for just 80 bucks… So you now know that you must be careful when you go into any mobile shop to make a  accessory purchase so that you don’t get fooled pricewise by the shopkeeper.

Heroes: Stories of the 18 real bravehearts of India. - National Bravery Award winners 2018

Going into the 4th year now, we present to you the bravery stories for this year. This year, 18 brave kids have been awarded for their selfless acts and unmatched valour. Sadly, 3 of them have been bestowed with the honour posthumously.

Kumari Nazia ( Bharat Award) - She helped the local police to put an end to the decades-long illegal business of gambling and betting in her area. She courageously collected evidence against the miscreants, who were harassing and terrorising the shopkeepers in Sadar Bhatti area of Agra, and passed them to the police. As a result, four people were arrested and a gang of illegal gamblers was busted. However, new problems began to arise from there.“It had become impossible for me to step out of the house as I was getting life threats. The miscreants even followed me once and beat me and one of my family members,” she said. But, the brave Nazia did not give up her fight and raised the matter with the authorities, she urged the then Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav for help. following which she was provided with protection. 

Late Kumari Netravati M. Chavan (Geeta Chopra Award) - She died while trying to save two young boys from drowning, While she managed to rescue 16-year-old Muthu from a stone quarry pond, she died in a failed attempt to save 10-year-old Ganesh. Netravati went to a quarry in her village to wash clothes. Due to heavy rain, the 30-feet-deep quarry was filled to the brim and her two relatives Muthu and Ganesh were swimming in it. When Netravati noticed the boys drowning, she dived in to save them. Netravati dragged Muthu to safety. She then tried to rescue Ganesh, who panicked and grabbed Netravati's neck and choked her. Both of them died.

Master Karanbeer Singh (Sanjay Chopra Award) - He rescued 15 children from a school bus that had plunged into a drain. He was also in the bus and injured, showed great courage and helped other children to come out of the water-filled bus. “He (driver) was driving rashly. I had warned him about the narrow bridge ahead that doesn’t have railings but he didn’t listen. Suddenly the front tyres were in the air and we landed in the drain,”. He added that doors were jammed and he had to smash a window glass to come out and rescue the students. The van was taking students back home from DAV Public School, Neshta, when the accident took place five km from the school. Karanbeer said, "I couldn't see my fellow students drown. "I jumped in the dirty water of the drain and one by one saved 15 students from drowning because I knew how to swim better than thers. I regret that I failed to save all children. Seven of them died. And, the bridge is still without safety grills. "

Master Betshwajohn Peinlang (Bapu Gaidhani Award) – He displayed rare courage when he saved the life of his three-year-old brother, Arbius Lyngdoh Peinlang. The two brothers were cooking sweet potatoes when a fire broke out around 12.30 in the afternoon. “The children ran out of the house, built of straw, but the three-year-old went back inside. By that time, the entire house was on flames. Betshwajohn did not waste time and plunged into the flames to save his brother,”.

Their mother had gone to a stream nearby to wash clothes. 

He carried the toddler to a nearby cattle shed till the neighbours came for help. Both the children had sustained burn injuries.

Kumari Mamata Dalai (Bapu Gaidhani Award) – An unsuspecting 6 year old Mamata Dalai was taking a bath along with Asanti Dalai in a pond when a 5-feet crocodile suddenly emerged and attacked Asanti. Instead of running away, Mamata fought hard to free Asanti from the clutches of the crocodile. Mamata reached out and held Asanti’s left hand and tried to pull her hand away from the crocodile’s jaws. Mamata fought hard to save Asanti. As a result of her strong defence, physical exertion and loud screams, the crocodile lost its grip on Asanti and slipped into water. Mamata then managed to drag Asanti to safety.” The crocodile had injured Asanti.

Master Sebastian Vincent (Bapu Gaidhani Award) - His friend Abhijith fell off to the railway track last year as he was riding on a bicycle Abhijith was not able to get up even as the train was closing in. Within no time, Sebastian made a daring move and rescued him.

Kumari Laxmi Yadav - The 16-year-old was abducted by three miscreants, who drove her to an isolated place and tried to sexually assault her. However, with her undaunted courage and spirit, Yadav not only managed to escape the assault, but sent those offenders behind the bars. She and her friend were having a conversation, when 3 bike-borne miscreants suddenly appeared in front of them. They attacked them and forcefully dragged her on the bike and drove her to an isolated location where they tried to sexually assault her.“I lost my mind for some time. But then I thought that if I would not help myself, who else will,” she said. She gathered her lost courage and fought back.“I managed to take out the bike’s key and threw it away. It distracted them. I pushed them away and fled from there,” added Yadav. She ran to a nearby police station and informed the cops about the incident. 

Kumari Mansha N , Master N. Shangpon Konyak and Master Yoaknei- Meribeni and Chumben were looked after by Mansha after their mother passed away. Mansha heard the faint struggling cry of Meribeni. She saw Meribeni's father trying to strangulate her to death. She snatched the baby, pushed the father away and took the girl with her. A few minutes later, again she heard a faint cry. She saw the father now trying to strangulate his son Chumben with a waist belt. Mansha pushed him away from the child and called for help. Hearing the commotion, children's maternal uncles staying in the adjacent room rushed to help. As Shangpon & Yoaknei were talking to Mansha to find out what had happened, Vanthungo ran towards the kitchen and brought an axe like weapon to hack his two kids. He attacked his son with it. Although Yoaknei snatched the baby from the jaws of death but the child was grievously injured in his neck. Brave Yoaknei and Shangpon instinctly acted, confronted and fought together to overpower the kids' father. Fortunately the child missed being hacked into two pieces, by few inches. Mansha, Shangpon & Yoaknei foiled the attempt of a cold blooded murder of two children by their father with their dauntless courage.

Master Chingai Wangsa - Most of the villagers were in church when a house caught fire. A 74 year old man was sleeping inside the house. Chingai Wangsa, his neighbor, noticed the flames erupting from the roof next door. He rushed towards the burning house but found the door locked from inside. He called out to the occupant but his voice went unheard as the man was hard of hearing. So he banged open the door, reached the room to find the old man sleeping there. He woke up the old man and brought him out safely and daringly went back again towards the burning house and rescued the live stock confined at the backyard. 

Kumari Samridhi Sushil Sharma- She was alone at her house when a masked man came and tried to enter the house on the pretext of asking for water. 

She refused to oblige him, prompting him to hold a knife at her neck. Undeterred, Samridhi bravely pushed back the knife with her left hand and twisted it. The startled intruder backed off and tried to flee. But in the melee, she sustained a deep cut to the vein in her left hand. She bled profusely and had to undergo two surgeries. “ I didn’t think much. The only thought I had was of saving myself and my house,” says the braveheart. “I had to undergo two surgeries. The ring finger on my left hand is completely damaged and would require another surgery,”

Master Zonuntluanga - He saved his father, who had been attacked by a wild bear. Zonuntluanga and his father had gone to a jungle to collect vegetables and suddenly a wild bear attacked the father and severely wounded his face. On hearing the scream, Zonuntluanga came to his rescue and boldly fought with the wild bear with his unsophisticated weapons, driving the bear away and hence saved his father. He helped his father and escorted him to their village where he was administered medical treatment. 

Late Master F. Lalchhandama – He lost his precious life while saving his friend who was drowning in Tlawng river last year. He along with two friends was venturing into Tlawng river, to swim in the river. After an hour of swimming, his friend C.Lalremkima suddenly slipped and fell into the river when they decided to return to their homes. Soon after this, F.Lalchhandama and his comrade Lalmuansanga plunged into the river to save their friend. Unfortunately the drowned boy caught hold of Lalmuansanga and strangled him by his neck. F.Lalchhandama somehow managed to pull out Lalmuansanga from the clutches of the drowned victim and dragged him to the river shore. He then went back towards C.Lalremkima to rescue him, but unfortunately the two lost their lives.

Master Pankaj Semwal - He saved his mother Bimla Devi from the jaws of death when she was attacked by a prowling leopard. Hearing his mother’s screams, he rushed towards her and saw a leopard attacking her. Pankaj’s siblings were also standing beside her. 

Master Nadaf Ejaj Abdul Rauf - He saved 2 girls from drowning in his village.

Late Kumari Rajeshwori Chanu – She gave her life saving Inunganbi and another lady from drowning in the Imphal river. Ongbi Kebisana was crossing a wooden suspension bridge alongwith her daughter Inunganbi. The wooden bridge built over the 167 feet wide Imphal river was in a dilapidated condition due to lack of repairs. The little girl stumbled & fell into the river through a hole. Her mother instantly jumped into the water to save her child. But as she did not know swimming, she too started to drown. Seeing this, Rajeshwori Chanu too plunged into the 30 feet deep water. With resolute spirit, she caught hold of the child & her mother and pushed them towards the shore. But as she reached near the shore, she was severely exhausted due to her prolonged struggle in the deep water & cried out for help. The screams were heard by some people from the nearby area who picked up both mother and child. However, She was carried away by the turbulent stream and could be traced only after 3 days from the river. 

Master Pankaj Kumar Mahanta - He rescued and saved lives of three women from drowning in Baitarini river last year.

Courage comes in all ages and this post is a salute to that and also a platform to provide all medal winners with equal respect and honour as mainstream media never showcases the stories of all except for a chosen few. Memories salutes all these bravehearts.........

The promise. #fridayfotofiction

"Wow..they are my favorite flowers" Sarah said to her brother as her wheelchair was pushed to the front row at the wedding.

"Why am I being seated in the front row?"

"Nicole`s intructions", he said

Just 5 months back, an accident left her wheelchair bound till her recovery. She had come to her best friend`s wedding.

"Ryan and I were to get married today and had this accident not have happened I would have been in the white dress."

"Yeah but Ryan loves you in this blue dress always." 

After the ceremony, Nicole`s mother Amanda sat next to her .

Sarah asked, "Why isnt everyone breaking for the party?" Then as an afterthought she said to herself,"Dont know when I would get married?" to which Amanda said, "Right now" as she saw Nicole sitting next to her handing her the bouquet , ready to be her bridesmaid.

Ryan had kept the promise.

Linking up with Tina and Mayuri.