Just met someone silly,

With a large tummy

Down the Absurd Alley,

Known as Mr. Bigbelly!

Of course, he is funny,

With a belly like a jelly

And a stout wife Molly,

Whose mind is full of folly!

Though he is forty,

People call him farty

He is the real Humpty Dumpty,

Living life like a party

If you sense something smelly,

In this Absurd Alley,

Trust me, it is definitely,

Our old Mr. Bigbelly

Children say he is naughty,

But who loves to meet him? Not me!

So better make your minds jolly,

And stay out of the Absurd Alley!

Alright, I have never used an emoji in the title before! It looks cute ^-^ Anyway, let me come back to the point. So, I took a long break, from Prose, the month before the last, because of my then-upcoming exams. But they got postponed, and I came back up!

Well, the exams are now coming back again! (God, why? XD) And this time, I don’t think they are leaving. Again, this is one of the most important exams in my life, so I cannot even think about taking a risk! So, here we go again! I am taking a break for a month!

But this is pretty much like a final one in the foreseeable future. I mean, after these finals, everything takes up a lot of time. So this time, when I come back, I am coming to stay for a very, very long time! (For example, not like what I just did ^-^) And that’s a piece of happy news for me, yeah! I get to stay around longer when I come back ^-^

But until then, it’s about time for me to start devouring books again. No, no, no! Please don’t try to imagine that. Oh, I should have given the warning first! *facepalm* Anyway, until we see again, bye for a while, my dear lovely, amazing, supportive, beautiful, cuddly, cute, adorable bunch of Prosers! (which includes me, of course, ^-^)

PS: If there is any concern about the schedule of the group project, don’t worry. Though the coordinator is not here, the boss is! Verity will sort it out. All it takes is a small rearrangement! Love ya, guys ^-^

#nonfiction

We have a Proser with a birthday today. April 1, 2003 (his time), the world didn’t know it then, but the world became a little bit of a better place to be.

In 2003, a gallon of milk was $2.95. College tuition: $14,500. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini was the most popular novel. Top movies: Finding Nemo, Lost in Translation, Pirates of the Caribbean. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the Super Bowl, and oddly enough, 18 years later, they did it again. Also born on this day: Storm Reid – Greta Thunberg but along with these, came another living, breathing soul that I feel is destined to change the world—one written word, one spoken thought at a time.

The title is a bit misleading as I have come to think of him over the last several months as a young adult, not a boy.

If there were ever one such as he to have the biggest heart, the most honest and open way of expressing himself, his views, how he explains himself when he comments on someone else’s posts—well, I just don’t see too many purer souls other than Chacko_Stephen.

I have never told him this, but I have considered Chacko to be the son I never had, and one of the truly best friends I have come to love for him being who he is. No pretense. Just an honest and sincere guy you can’t help but like.

So please join me in wishing CS a Happy 18th Birthday!

(All virtual gifts for Chacko can be left in your comments to him.)

CS: This is for you -- https://voicespice.com/Player.aspx?c=p&h=F266B35C&j=25479E

Party Time -- https://youtu.be/JTVufaGeXms

A Little Something Extra: https://youtu.be/PGcu2XTusC4 and https://youtu.be/j5hVj1pfrE4

A part of BrainTalks (Beta).

Impossible is a word to be found only in the dictionary of fools.

-Napoleon Bonaparte.

I must say, that’s a far-fetched generalisation. I just cross-checked, and every issue of Oxford got published with the term ‘impossible’, so did Collins and Merriam-Webster! These are dictionaries individuals, all across the globe, find reliable. And yes, I have one of them too. So, are we all-- fools?

Trying to take it in, in a much more spiritual sense of things, might be correct. No one in the world seems to attain all the wisdom. But he appeared to take it pretty literally, or at least, in a more philosophical sense of things. And yes, philosophy also consistently states that we are all unwise. But, it might be just me. However, fools seem a bit rude!

Let’s examine what’s specifically the enigma behind the word Impossible. Impossible means not able to occur, exist or be done. Or at least, Google says so. And Google is an honourable organisation! Now, what’s something that’s not able to occur, exist or be done? Let’s analyse!

One thing I am pretty sure about, we can’t travel at the speed of light!

Brain: But that’s if we are to relate it with present times. In the future, we might succeed in travelling at the speed of light.

Oh, alright! I will find something else. There are a lot of things that are impossible for us. Ha! We can’t travel back in time!

Brain: Seriously! The theoretical concepts of time travel are already promising enough. But with the current technological advances, time travel might be a pipedream for us. Yet, it’s certainly not impossible.

Yeah, you got that point. Maybe not time travel. How about telepathy? We all know that’s something for the movies.

Brain: You sure, though?

Telekinetics, maybe?

Brain: Nope.

Superhuman strength?

Brain: Nah!

How about finding the edge of the universe?

Brain: Who knows? We might even find another universe at the far end! Haven’t you heard about the Multiverse theories?

How about travelling forward in time?

Brain: That might be easier than going backwards.

Maybe! How about surviving a plane-jump without a parachute?

Brain: Actually, yes! There are even records of people who have done that.

Holy, what the __!

Brain: Language!

Alright, alright, how about licking your elbow?

Brain: Should I send the link to the video?

No, please don’t. You are a bit rude, you know?

*After five long minutes*

You know what? I think I found something.

Brain: Yeah, yeah, I know you did.

*Dramatic pause*

How about telling someone that I love her?

Brain: Oh, please, that’s the easiest thing to do in the entire world! Just say what you, freaking, feel! Well, I do doubt the success in your case. Let’s be honest. You are horrible!

Oh! Thanks for that! That’s encouraging!

*After another five long minutes*

You know, this might be the most long-drawn conversation that we ever had after a long time.

Brain: Uh-huh!

*Gasps*

How about hurting someone’s feelings and trying to take them back?

Brain: Well, the logical thing to do is talk to them. Now, if you mean that more literally, we have time travel behind the wraps. But I don’t think you have the capability to discover something that hard. The maximum amount of brain capacity that you have used yet is pathetic. I can see a decimal point and an infinite number of zeroes in that percentage. Should I find how many zeroes are in there?

Please don’t.

Brain: Five, six, seven, eight.

I think I said no.

Brain: Fifteen, sixteen.

Stop!

Brain: Twenty-one.

*A few moments later*

Brain: Ninety-nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine, a hundred thousand.

Are you done?

Brain: No, I don’t think I have finished the first page.

Oh my!

*Many moments later*

Brain: I never thought I would say this, but this is tiring.

Oh, thank you. I am glad that you, at least, decided to stop.

Brain: No! I haven’t. Unlike you, I am not lazy.

I think I found something.

Brain: Number of zeroes?

No. Something impossible.

*Silence*

How about unlocking the whole of your capabilities?

Brain: Oh, that might be impossible. For you, of course. I mean, even if we were to consider you, accidents can happen. You are a living example.

Are you stating that I am useless?

Brain: I thought that was only a fact.

I am going to die!

Brain: I don’t know why, but some part of mine says that’s possible.

Really?

Brain: No!

#nonfiction Yeah, it was...

#####

Well, first of all, sorry for tagging you thrice in the same post in the same week. It was not accessible every single time! Sorry! I hope it works this time around!

After a long, long time, here we go, a brand new chapter of BrainTalks ^-^ It had been so long since I added a new chapter into this book! And some of you might have noticed that I have changed the title of this book. Um, it’s a plan that I have in mind. Too many plans, I know XD But I have changed the synopsis, as well. It’s just, I found a better idea for this project, somewhere better this idea could develop into, so, I am just giving it a go :) Not anytime soon, though. I have some other things on the table first. Got two McKenzie chapters, two chapters of Something Wrong (Yeah, I know, it still exists...) and a novel to work on! So, it might take a bit longer before I get back into this. Anyway, as always, it’s your love that keeps me going, everyone. It’s what ignited the writing interests in me in the first place itself! So, lots of love, CS ^-^

*purely for comedic purposes*

And there is a piece of happy news. I think I just finished 18 revolutions around the Sun ^-^

I knew we were soulmates.

I thought we were lovers.

But the two do not always go in hand.

One day she said no more.

One day she decided she didn't love me that way.

My heart broke.

I always knew she would leave me in the end.

But it still hurt.

We were still friends.

You can't rid a soulmate that easily.

But it was not the same.

We couldn't forget the memories.

But we had to pretend we did.

Time makes a difference though.

And now I understand.

We were too alike.

She was one for adventure.

And I fall in love with mystery.

We will always be soulmates.

But now I know we were never really lovers.

and here I am,

sitting at my teacher’s desk,

tasting coffee, black and rich,

as morning mist dissipates

from the field where children play.

We will hire a sitter, my wife and I,

go out for a night,

eat food in a restaurant

(three quarter capacity)

where we will overcome nerves,

remember menus and tip well, and

we will give thanks to

something, someone,

fate, God, the nurse who

stabbed salvation to our veins…

We breathe,

we taste and smell and feel,

we see this spring,

and I will never understand

why we have lost so little.

The Parked Cabbie was not the most popular restaurant on the streets of Santa Fe. But they did embrace an average crowd each day. Painted chocolate brown and shaped like an old cab, the restaurant was indeed a fascinating marvel for children. But not for the old gentlemen, especially not for someone who leads a secretive life like McKenzie. He would never have chosen this spot for himself, but the naughty games of time left him with no other choice. And this time, the playful game was designed by none other than someone of his bloodline, to be more precise, his devilish elder brother.

Edward McKenzie was the eldest of the two charming children the McKenzies were blessed to have. They were proud parents, raising the two boys in their best ways feasible: gaining them the best education they could afford, feeding the kids with everything desired. They were truly remarkable in their parenthood. But the untimely demise of their father and the trauma it delivered to their mother- the two excellent children lost their ways in their respective routes. Edward climbed off the grave circumstances by immersing himself in obtaining one of the most financially secure jobs, while David chose quite the contrary. The path he picked was indeed economically safe, but analysing the other factors, it was not the safest career.

David’s thoughts were scattered away with a piercing nudge on his shoulders, which made him utter a small scream in anguish. He did not have to look back to identify who it was; he had undergone the same enough and more during his miserable childhood. Edward took the opposite couch and sat back as if he owned this place; he was always like that. Every time, every spot, he behaved as if he was the show-maker, the all-in-one, the quirky little showoff, who, surprisingly, everyone loved. David could not stand him when he was just sixteen, nor could he stand him now being in his sixties.

“Brother-mine,” Edward called him, taunting evident in his voice. “You look old.” David despised every single second of his life since he received the unwelcome call, and now, the amount of resentment was rising steadily upon each word uttered by his dear brother. He never wanted to react, but he had no other alternative to stop this chattering machine. “I am running sixty-three. I am supposed to look old.”

Edward smirked at the comment. He was enjoying, savouring every single moment. It had been so long since they both came together, and there never came across a single person in Edward’s life who he loved to tease as much as his little brother. It did not matter that they were both seniors now, and the days of their youth long behind them; Edward just loved to do so. “Are those wrinkles?” He began reaching closer and examining David’s face. The annoyance explicit in his face only encouraged Edward to do more and more.

“Why did you bring me here?” David revealed his eagerness to get done with the meeting. Edward, though his expressions transformed for a moment, answered his inquiry with a consistent charisma. “Well, Mother needs her younger son home for Christmas. Needs her younger son!” Edward shrugged his shoulders- he appeared unpleasant over his mother’s still-tenacious fondness towards David. It had been nearly five years since David ever came home, and that surprising visit was so abrupt and was not at all out of love for his family, but only for collecting some old junk.

David reflected for a moment and gazed out of the window. “You know I can’t do that, right?” The elder one just gasped at his reply and looked straight into his eyes. “Who? Me? Oh no, I don’t.” His distress was evident from his tone. “Davie, look at me. She has been through a lot. And let me be totally honest with you, I don’t think she will be home next Christmas.” David attempted to interrupt his brother’s words, but he could not obtain a valid argument. “No, let me finish. You have to come home. You are coming home. I know you have your petty reasons, but you very well know that I am way beyond whatever you call your dangerous line of trade. You are coming home. Do you understand?”

David knew very well that his brother was not asking him a question and that his opinions did not matter. He quietly lowered his head and nodded, seeking excuses in every corner of his mind. Suddenly, David was taken aback by a loud noise of shattering glass. His hands sought for his gun in reflex, but he stopped dead when he saw his brother. Edward was still in shock, his palms clutched against his chest to prevent the blood flow, he grappled for breath, his silver hair strayed across his forehead. The gunshot was abrupt, and David could not deduce who could have fired it. His senses were deteriorating, his brother was, he did not want to think about it.

“Eddie, Eddie, look at me. You are okay. You are fine.” David sat beside his elder brother, trying to convince him of something they both knew was wrong. Edward laughed at his younger brother despite the severe pain he was going through. “Seriously?” He gave out a small chuckle, “You are still a horrible liar, Davie.” David’s eyes were still seeking the person who did this to him. Whoever it was, David had no intentions of granting them leave. But his thoughts were again interrupted by his whimsical brother. “You are not going to look after me even now?” Edward began coughing blood and losing his functions; he collapsed on his younger one’s thighs. “I should have chosen my last words earlier. What do I do now?” He laughed and gazed straight into David’s eyes.

“Shut up, alright. Just stop talking. We will arrange an ambulance. We will take you to the hospital. You are not going anywhere. You are not leaving me now.” David tasted his tears against his face after a long time. “Are you crying? I thought you were beyond all that, brother-mine.” Edward resumed teasing his little brother though he realised his last minutes were not so far. After a moment of silence, he spoke again. “Go home for Christmas, Davie. Quit all this action. You are old.” Edward pushed aside in agony, his teeth clenched and his legs stretched. “Just tell her, I am on a date.” David could not restrain himself from giving out a peal of laughter, though his heart was crumbling inside of him. So many things left to say, so many.

But Edward no longer listened-his eyes came to a still focused to some point faraway, his fists no longer clenched, he was gone. David could not flinch. He merely sat there, staring into his vacant eyes. He had seen enough and more deaths before, but this felt different.

David had only one purpose anymore. He had taken many lives before-strangers, innocent ones, businessmen, drug dealers, but not this time. This time, David had a better reason. He had to avenge his brother. He had to avenge his family. He had to misremember his regrets by removing every element that reminded him of them. And then, he had to go home for Christmas.

*****

Oh, my God! It feels so good! This story was the last post I was working on when I left this place. And after a long, long time, I finally finished it. But I am pretty sure the challenge is way beyond over XD Anyway, here we go. And, special thanks to @MariAntoinette, who inspired me to create this wonderful character. Thank you so much!!!! And as always, thanks to each one of you, who is the very reason I am writing at all. Lots of love <3

#fiction

Hey! I just wanted to let everyone know that I am no longer staying away from Prose! (Yeah, it's like, that ridiculous mosquito coming back to disturb your serene sleep ^-^) The exams, which I had been eating away my brains for, were just postponed. And I covered most of the portions too. [Or more like, devoured most of the textbooks :)] I mean, that's bad news for me, yes. But, staying away from the grid any longer doesn't make much sense. So let me try and come to a point-I am back!!!

And that means I might occasionally (more like, frequently) pop up in the notifications. Don't be alarmed! My mental stability, though it was always questionable, has not gone worse (yet ^-^). And the number of notifications that I would have to catch up with have clearly shown that this place was cheerful enough. Maybe lacking a bit, but do not worry, now that I am here, we are about to go crazy! Put on your seatbelts, people. This might be a roller coaster journey! Missed you guys! Love ya!

#nonfiction I mean, of course, it is!

There once was a cat. He really liked to watch time go through the window. He watched as summer melted into fall, as fall turned into winter, as spring replaced winter, and as after spring came summer. He watched the seasons change a hundred times and suddenly he realized that he was old. Old as the world.

It was winter's end when he realized this. He also didn't want to celebrate spring like all the other years. He went looking for the spring. The cat reached the city and wondered in every street, looking around every corner looking for spring. But no matter how hard he looked he couldn't find it. There wasn't a soul in the city also who knew where the spring was. The cat was devastated.

Until he found a very old dog. This dog was living in the city's most desolate street. When he first saw the cat, he already knew who he was and what he was looking for. He told the cat how to find spring. And he also told the cat that the cat was young in his heart but old in his appearance. "Lovely old fella" the dog silently laughed. The dog knew that the cat was just a kitten in his heart. As the cat walked away he jumped in a puddle, caught a dead leaf and hummed a little song.

Days passed and the cat did nothing. He waited for spring to come himself. One morning the spring finally came. It was beautiful with blossoms and little rain. The snow slowly melted away. And so did the cat's mind, heart, tail and also his life. Right then, when the cat had seen spring's beginning for one-hundredth time his life melted away fully.

“Some stories say that Hades kidnapped Persephone while she was picking flowers in a meadow during spring, married her, and tricked her into staying with him for six months by having her eat six pomegranate arils. Others say they fell in love with each other, were willingly married, and that she ate those six pomegranate arils because she couldn’t bear to stay away from him for a whole year. Isn’t that a more romantic side of the story than the original?” she remarks, splitting open a pomegranate and picking out its seeds.

“That’s just a silly notion. The gods and goddesses of the ancient Greeks and Romans had nothing better to do with their time, so they created fake deities to occupy their time,” he replies, opening a bottle of honey wine and taking a sip. “Besides, if I was Hades and you were Persephone, I wouldn’t want to spend any second away from you even more than I have to.”

He leans over, buries his head into her shoulder and breathes in her scent. “What would you do if you were her?” he asks.

She smiles. “Pomegranates would be the only fruit I’d eat for the rest of my life.”