…happened. Poodle decides to lead. His tail erect and stiff alarming everyone of an impending danger. The cat was doubtful about this adventure though. And he cursed the dog for having this innate physical quality to express concern. He would have to travel throughout with this vigil. Alice seemed non perplexed and that eased his mind a bit.
“Why on earth do I need to be with these idiots?”
That was Poodle’s concern.
Escaping the myriad realities of existential life, the dog, the cat and the child decided to run away. Poodle, Cheshire and Alice were a good trio now. They could become a gang and loot a bank. Who’d be remotely suspicious of a dog-cat-child alliance? Isn’t it supposed to be absolutely ‘normal’?
Did you find him?
Who?
Useless!
Okay, it is impossible to find him today. There is a wedding tonight. The girl’s expecting though. She is in her third quarter.
What if she delivers today?
The child will become legitimate.
Cheshire Cat, you are still stuck to your social circle right?
“The View from here is good Alice; only the pedestal is a little wobbly. I shouldn’t have used that easel as a ladder to climb up. It does not give a good perspective of the impending danger. Moreover, I am barefoot. There are spies all around and they will look for footprints. I seem to have left many.”
“Poodle, don’t be a fool! There is nothing here. You are sitting on a dead cow in the middle of a wholesale market. Where’s your Rubik’s cube?”
“I bartered it for this cow. It was breathing when I got it! I thought giving this cow CPR would be easier than trying to get that cube together. I have been trying it for a year now, but to no avail. “
“Hold my hand Poodle. We’ll get out of this maze together. Cheshire cat is right at the exit waiting for us. But he won’t wait for too long, he says.”
As Alice tried to reason out her oblivion, Cheshire cat just about managed to purr. He has been lazy of late; as always.
“But why did I let time slip by through that sloppy, slippery alley, Cheshire cat?”
“Awwwhhh, you have been busy Alice. Sometimes, the world becomes your Lala Land.”
“But where’s Poodle?”
“He is still on that Rubik’s cube thingy you gave him. He really thinks he will sort it out.
“He still does not get it, right? It was my fault. I pulled him into the maze. And he is still in it. But wasn’t it better that way? At least decomposed dead bodies would not make you puke. You could talk to them and listen to their stories. I miss my wonderland Cheshire Cat. I think I should go back.”
“Hey Alice, are you nuts? THIS is your wonderland. There was never a wonderland!”
“When I think of it, Poodle is the happier amongst three of us.”
“Hold on, hold on. I am not unhappy! I am fine. And get my sleep, I get my food, I get to purr and I wash my fur. I do not want to lead you to that stinky place no more. Enough of the wonderland! Now, if you are unhappy, you need to reason it out. We can make it happen here. Just a bit of effort here, and whoa! Let’s try to solve some puzzles. Okay, let’s begin by seeking answers. If there’s a problem, let’s ask: Why?”
“Oh fuck! “ Alice faints.
As long as I reach somewhere, Cheshire Cat…
But I am not quite sure, if that SOMEWHERE is actually that important. Let me rephrase it. ” As long as I am moving.” Yes, now it looks like it.
Okay, now how to make it a commercially viable plan? I mean let’s think of a business model. What? You thought we could carry on with this freaky voyage without timely monetary investments? Let’s get some VCs together. No, VC neither means Vice Chancellor nor Vice Chairman. They are venture capitalists Poodle. Cheshire cat has to still tutor you in various things. You somehow float in romance but forget to get out of it. Your transtitions to the real world is always so jerky! You will have to understand where and when we have come out of the burrow. I know there are no signs, but you should feel it from within. Yes, of course there are dangers of split personality, but you should have thought about it before becoming a part fo this. What say Cheshire Cat?
“What does rain do to you Alice?”
It had just given Poodle the orgasm it had longed for.
“It’s my moment of liberation Poodle. Embracing everything that life has to offer-from thorns to thisles, roses to poppies. You walk under the shield of rain directionless. You feel your self and understand what it means to walk alone.”
“Are you alone, Alice? I mean you feel lonely?”
“No Poodle, every person is the central character of his life. A life that is one’s own. To each his own. Celebrate singlehood Poodle!”
I was searching for myself
in the pages of my old notebooks
It was painful to watch
the journey towards oblivion in the pages of past
You only realise
That you exist
No more.
Creek, Kreeek, Ckreeeck……..Krrrrreeeeck.
Like the umpteen sounds of a rickety door, life tries upon itself a few Rubik’s cubic permutations and combinations.
Funnily enough, we stand at those junctures more often than not.
“Ruby Cubbiic???What’s that Alice?”
“It’s a game poodle. A puzzle game. People sometimes take years to solve it.”:
“You mean to say, they keep on playing it without getting tired? And they continue playing it for years? I lose all my patience during my game of patience, and at times I even lift the cards to see what’s underneath.”
” Daring of you to have admitted the dishonesty you indulge in, in this one man’s game. Sorry for the sexist usage.”
“Oh that’s because we are in your wonderland and nobody else hears it. And I do’t mind telling it to you. But about this Ruby Cube thing…I must say I am intrigued. Are you sure people don’t cheat to finish the game in say one hour?”
“There are tricks, but what’s the point then? Are you playing for your brain cells to open up, or to show others that yu have open brain cells?”
