That is the refrain these days with blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad, and bombs having been recovered from Chennai, Tiruchirapally and 18 bombs in Surat. An unattended bag on the road or on the train sparks off a completely understandable panic these days. And a blast in a hospital? That’s as low as a man can get. It’s a scary world that we live in. I feel as if I must say good bye every time after every meeting with anyone – don’t know if I’l see them next. Armed guards outside the Court is one thing, but armed guards within the court premises only seem to make the threat of a potential bomb blast so much more real.

Watching the blast sites, victims and their families is heart wrenching, and I can’t help but being thankful to God that till now none of my near and dear ones have been affected by a blast. I know that sounds selfish. These days on the roads and all other public places, you find people keeping a sharp lookout for unclaimed suspicious objects. I read about one incident where a suspicious object turned out to be an innocent lunch box, while at another place people who found an unclaimed object showing great presence of mind covered it with sandbags to minimize the effect of any potential blast. It’s definitely a sad statement of our current affairs when an innocent lunch box is taken as a bomb and people finding an unclaimed object promptly cover it up with sandbags. It is also a statement of how we, as citizens have become active and vigilant. Yes the fact that we as citizens have become more vigilant is certainly a pro, but I really hope that this does not become a regular affair.

And our mahan politicians like Sushma Swaraj are really not doing much to help allay the fears of the public by issuing statements to the effect that the bombs are a huge cover-up o the ‘cash for Votes’ scandal. I am ashamed of her as a human being. Can she really think that people are that low. Of course, the guilty would try to take away the media attention from the ‘Cash for Votes’ scandal, but at the cost of so many lives. I sincerely doubt it, unless of course the person is an unfeeling bastard with no heart who would rather have a few blasts to draw attention away from him, like we saw Amrish Puri orchestrating in that Anil Kapoor movie where he becomes the Chief Minister for a day (Forget the name). But that was a movie.

Whosoever these nameless faceless bombers are, I want to tell them one thing. We the people of India shall not be cowed down to submission by you cowards. You are a coward because you hide behind your mask of anonymity and then attack. That is not smart warfare. That is a coward’s warfare. And the day that your mask is lifted and the people of India see your face, you can run and but you will have no place to hide. You won’t be able to escape our wrath, and then you will be sorry. We shall take you to every victim’s family and home to show you what you have done. Then you will be sorry, you will cry and beg for forgiveness, but there is no forgiving as heinous an act as this. Know this now you faceless cowards, we are down but we are not out. And we shall not get out by faceless nameless cowardly bastards as you.

The words for this week are follow-up, buffalo wings, silversmith, furniture, as the crow flies, little red roadster, photograph, pencil pusher, argument, streaking.

"Oh well then, if its a sunny day, run along young man. My lovely little red roadster is in the parking lot behind the building."

"Huh? Where do you want me to go and why? I am here to….”

“Hush boy. I haven’t asked you yet why you’re here. Speak only when I command you to. Don’t argue with me. I just can’t abide arguments. Now the keys are there hanging on the peg. Run along now” and she continued stroking her Tabby cat with her gnarled veined fingers.

I decided to humour her this one time. This batty old lady however hadn’t told me where she wanted me to go. Guess she heard me for she then said, “Take a left from the parking lot and then go straight as the crow flies. Stop at the silversmith and pick up a photograph frame for this photograph of mine.”

She showed me the photograph. Wowwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!! What legs!!!!! But……this lady with lovely legs wasssssss “Oh that’s a photo of me streaking outside the White House a protest against the Viet war. Am I not hot?” with a flirtatious grin.

Oh dude was this old has-been trying to now flirt with me. “Young man you still haven’t told me what is that you do?”

“Well nothing exciting. Just an accountant with Buffalo Wings. “Oh so you’re a pencil pusher with one of my favourite food joints. Interesting. Well pick me a plate of spicy wings also on your way back. You must be getting it on the house.”

Huh now she wanted me to spend a hundred bucks getting her a silver photo frame and follow up with a plate of wings. What would she want next ? Shoes made of gold? Gawddddddddd she was hell-bent on making my wallet lighter. Why was I putting up with all this madness?

Same time same place next week folks :)