Of the Piano man, a Violin and a damsel

“That was masterful maestro” Randy the saxophonist called out as I left after a hard Friday nights work. “Yeah I know, I am the best” I smirked. “You over confident jackass... catch ya later” he called out. It had been a hard week. I had worked about 80 hours just to meet ends. The gigs we got Friday nights were the best part of the week. Hopefully sometime soon a scout would recognize our talent. If Randy were still here he would have said,” FAT-CHANCE sucker”. At 2 am I stopped by for a sandwich which was when I saw her. A sophisticated black dress, a charming face soaked in tears. I just moved on. The dame just ain’t my type. I walked in and got my sandwich. Just as I was about to exit the god-dammed cheapo place I heard a gunshot. I came out to see a gun in the dame’s hand, her face now full of anxious surprise… a guy bleeding to death lying in front of her and a car speeding away. “I sure have enough to worry about than get involved in any shit like this”, I thought to myself. And so like any archetypical modern hero, I did the sane human thing to do in such a situation. I turned and ran in the opposite direction as fast as I could. As my luck would turn out I was not fast enough. I still don’t know how the cops got there that soon for 10 minutes later I was in the back of a police junk interrogation looming close at hand.

The room I had seen in many a movie but to be there in person knowing superior cops were staring through the “mirrored” walls was getting my balls itchy, so to say. Jack walked in then and gave me a stern look and said,” What the fuck were you doing there you Dumb-ass?” I looked at him with the “most” puppy dog innocent face that I could muster and said” Getting a sandwich… Officer” He gave me a stern look and said,” why the fuck did you run?” I looked at him and replied almost before he completed his insult,” Oh come on officer, human reaction? I don’t know. I just don’t need to be involved in such a situation. I have nothing to do with this and I don’t intend to be doing anything with it either” Jack looked at me and said,” So you have nothing to do with Erika either” Now why did that name sound familiar,” No the name sure ain’t ringin no bells in that fucked up brain of mine. And let me make it clear here officer.. I aint seen nothing… I certainly aint testifyin my balls off… and don’t gimme any “obstruction of justice crap” cause I aint have no heart for me to change” That I thought was a pretty passionate speech for all the fear I was in. Jack just looked at me and said,” You are free to go” givin me one of those real sincere smiles.

As I walked out I sure as hell was wonderin why the fuck had I been let go. The creative part of my brain was makin up a pome of the whole situation which sang

A blonde in a black dress
Always a killer so to say
Killer of my nifty balls
Up and down so to say
But this blonde sure is a Killer
So to say…

I would have gone on all night but then my creative spot was killed by two nice looking gentlemen in black suits who forced me into the back of a limo. Now being the first time in the back of a limo I couldn’t help me-self saying,” I have always wanted to pee in the back of a limo” A regular dream of any guy I would presume. Suit1,” Shut the fuck up. Did you tattle mister piano player”. How in gods name did all these people know who I was. “ Yeah Dumbass… that’s why the police let me go with no escort so that they would have evidence no more..” Suit2,” So you dumb M*****fUc$ you tatled” Why do the henchmen always have to be so dumb. This was stereotypical. I thought if ever in real life I came across the situation I was in… I would meet a henchman intelligent as hell… but Nooo… my luck wasn’t getting any better as was my patience. But looking at the piece that both Suits held I thought I had better sober myself,” No siree… I saw nothing was what I said and was let to go Scott-free as does one of the amendments of the constitution herald to me” They both looked at me open-eyed…I continued slowly,” Let me rephrase. I saw nothing… I said nothing… and so they let me go “ A whaling siren behind our car sounded out. A cop car was on our tail. Both suits said in unison,” Shit… shoot the dumb Mother-fuker..” I sure wasn’t waitin around for that to happen. As both the suits prepared to fire in unison I just jumped out of the limo. The suits hadn’t noticed my hand on the lever of the door all of the time. And the cop-car had created the distraction I needed. I rolled out down a small hill into a bush. God that was painful. I did what I do best in situations like these. I ran as fast as I could into the dark night.

I got to my rundown Sela- maintained ( which equals bug ridden) apartment. The time was four am. I sure needed my precious sleep. As I opened the door I saw the dame seated on my couch. She sure looked familiar now that she was up-close. I switched on the light and said,” when the hell did you change your name to Erika… Jessica and from when in hell did you start dressin so classy” She used to sing in the same joint where I jammed till she got a better gig. I could hear violins play in the background as she talked. I wasn’t payin attention. God… why did she do this to me? Focus you dumbass. “Be more coherent and stop cryin sweet-heart”. I heard her talk this time… cutting out the sound of the violins that were playin in my mind… “ I did not know where else to go to. But when I saw you out there I knew you were the only one who could help me. I did not kill John… he was the guy you saw shot there… he is an auditor… he was my ticket out of that fucked up joint… I grabbed that ticket… I am sorry I didn’t tell you I was leaving… “God she looked so pretty… “Calm down and tell me the whole story sweetie”

As it turned out John the auditor had got her that big break in the “ Ella- Petit”. What she hadn’t known was that the Ella was owned by a mobster for whom John the auditor audited for. She was being harassed by the mobster himself for she was sweet chunk of pie and John hadn’t been really standin up for her. Things weren’t adding up. She sure wasn’t the part of a damsel in distress. For that matter I aint no knight in shining armour either. That was when Phillip… “the Mobster”… entered my house with two suits behind him.

“Where the fuck is my money… Jess” Phillip said in a cultured manner that you now come to expect of such high class jackasses. Jess stammered,” I don’t know Phillip… John never told me”. “In that case I have no other choice. My friend you play the piano real well”. I sure in hell was getting famous. Just that the scouts did not know I even existed. His piece locked directly on Jess. I jumped in front of Jess as I heard gunshots for the second time that morning. I was wrapped around Jess as she said “ Get off me you dumb fuck” Not the words I expected to hear. But then I sure did not expect meself to be jumpin to save a dame riskin my own ass. Damned violins. Jack entered stage right with two cronies for cops behind him.” You alright Erika” Jess“Yeah Jack.. Thought I had been crushed to death by this dumbass though” she looked at me exasperated. For once in my life I was dumbstruck. The violins had sure stopped playin. Three dead bodies decorated my otherwise bland living room. Soon the forensics were all over the place followed by press people. I tried to give them an interview. Thought that the scouts might read it and I might get my chance. They just pushed me away. My luck wasn’t getting any better.

As the officers cleared my living room I caught up with Jack,” Why the hell did ya let me go that easy?” Jack replied solemnly,” to catch the bad guys… you were great bait piano player…” “ What if I had been….. killed……” I stammered. Jack laughed cynically,” I sure in hell wouldn’t have missed you” I wanted to strangle him with violin strings. I asked” All this for some dumb mobster”. Jack looked at me surprised,” who Phillip? He aint no mobster. Made his money through some insurance fraud scheme. Used John the auditor to make his assets legal. Don’t know why he killed him when he had everythin legal and all. Must have been some pride issue between the two. I say the world aint gonna miss either of those bastards” So all I was… was bait. My stomach had an empty feeling.

So I got some tuna otta the fridge. Oh well that’s life. As I was about to dig in Jess came back into the house. She came straight for me and kissed me long and hard. Now I was one confused dumbass. She looked at me and asked “ Are you all right?”. I looked at her and found myself saying,” Jess… what was that about” She looked at me in exasperation,” Don’t you see I love you. Always have. You risked your life for me…. I couldn’t believe you would get your selfish ass to do that” I looked at her and smiled,” Neither did I babe… before we take things further I need to know the truth babe..”She sat down.

She said,” Well its like this. John liked to take me at gunpoint and loved it when I looked scared and cried” I thought back to her tear stained face earlier that night ..she continued,” He was playing with his gun “terrorizing” me when he saw Phillips car come by. He had been avoiding him cause he had no idea what had happened to all that money Phillip was talking about. In his haste he dropped the semi cocked gun he was holding, It went off as it hit the ground the bullet going through his balls. God the blood all over the place” She shuddered. I started talking for some reason,’ Jack was in on this with you in stealing that money wasn’t he?” She looked at me and said,” you aint that much of a dumb dumbass that you have everyone thinking… yeah he was the one who came up with the plan of making it look like a murder that we could pin on Phillip”

She started to kiss me again. Those godamned violins started playin in the background God… why cant I hear pianos and not devilish violins. I sure in hell wasn’t complainin bout that though…..

Winds of change..

As I left the remnants of downtown to enter boom park the sounds of vehicles died out. All I could hear was the flow of the backwaters of the Mississippi, birds chirping and a path laden with trees. Soon I came upon a place where the path split into two. On one side was an old railway bridge while the other lead to a seeming tar laden road. I was confused as to which would I take. I went a couple of steps on the rickety bridge only to turn back out of a inborn fear as to the security of finding something known. As I turned back there were two teens on their bikes. I asked them if this would lead to some kind of secure path. She just smiled at me and said “I don’t know”. It was the carefree way in which she told me the same that got me thinking.

I have feared change at a lot of levels over the past few months. With graduation looming close by the fear of finding a secure future has been haunting me. On top of that after a much anticipated India trip at the beginning of the year.. a feeling that I never expected I would feel haunted me through the first few months. Feelings of home-sickness that is. It hit me to be honest when I never expected it to. Things have changed leaps and bounds over the last six months and things are storming forward. I thought I did not want the change and could not take it any more.

As a kid my dad had a transferable job and we never stayed in the same place for more than a couple of years .I never found it difficult as such to move. It was always a new adventure to look forward to. Too make more connections and be exposed to a new environment. Never had to worry about responsibilities. Did not have to plan anything out. Those things where done by adults. Maybe that’s why I have been scared.

That’s what I thought. But then when I heard what the kid said it changed my whole perspective. I saw a hidden message.. a philosophy in it all. I see change is a constant in life and not something that’s going to “change”. I know that’s strange but that’s what I learnt. I said .. what the heck.. and ran down the rickety bridge.. carved out a way through the wilderness and reached a safe secure familiar road again. But then the excitement and rush of blood I felt only while I was on the rickety bridge trying to get to the road. Not once I reached it and ran along the familiar stretch...

Chandramouli - The redux stories

*the characters that have been so potrayed are purely fictitious and bear no resemblence whatsoever to anybody or anything in real life...



At the age of 24 Chandramouli was a repressed goat in heat. His research consumed most of his time and socializing apparently was not his skill. Professor Mansen was extremely demanding and on top of that had “inspired” him to run the marathon. Saturdays were tiring. As such he had a lot of experiments to run on top of which his marathon training was would peak taking atleast a couple of hours of training and then the inevitable tiredness.

At 8pm his hunger peaked and he decided to get to a chinki restaurant were he could get some real spicy food. Seated by the window he decided to catch up with his mom. And then she came to be seated soo close to him that he almost shouted out the f word while on the fone with his mom.. what he ended up saying was his order was here and he would talk to her later. Chandramouli started to stutter in his usual nerdy fashion only this time it was while he wa..wass thinking. “ Should I talk to her.. what would she say.. mebbe she would call the cops.. meebe she would slap me.. “.. now it is not normal in Chandramouli’s world that guys talk to girls all the time. “should I .. I don’t think I will………………what the heck nobody I know is here to see me get slapped.........”………..” hey would u care for some company.. are you eating alone tonight?” Fair maiden (not Iron maiden)“ yeah I am “.. C”so do you got to the university here?” FM” No I am actually here on vacation I am from Louisiana”.. “ that’s nice” FM” so what do you do”..C” I go to the U here.. My research involves nano particle paint fabrication…#@!@#@##@#@####” ( really interesting as that was lets move on..) “ so whats your name?”.. FM” Mines really tough to pronounce its Celia Anatonopiolika.. I am originally from Russia” ( well an Iron maiden after all..).. C” mines tougher you know its Chandramouli Radhakrishnan.. actually my full name is Kentalla(village) Gopalakrishnan( Grandpapas name) Radhakrishnan( Dads name) Chandramouli ( u guessed it my name.. heheheheheh) pattabhi ( my gotram name) Iyer ( my clan).. huhh“ FM smiling” Hey that’s quite a time you would have to sign wouldn’t you??” C” No no I don’t go by the whole name.. “ The waiter comes with C’s check..(ppl back home thts just a lingo thing the bill is called check and I don’t know what the check is called.. these crazy Americans you know..)

So Chandramoulis gets up to get to the counter to pay. The stuttured thinking is back ..
C’ s apparent devilish side (*DC)..” Ask her out you dumbass.. nobody who has a boy friend comes out alone on a saturaday night”.. C’s angel ( *AC – being real creative with theses names ain’t I..;) ] “ What will your mother say.. she will surely burst out crying .. think about yours dads position in society after you ask her out.. think about your grandmas frail heart condition.. do you want to be the cause of her “murder”.. Chandramouli you have been brought up with “strong values” .. do not do it .. thou shall not sin sin sin…..”.Chandroamouli just ran out of the restaurant not looking back…DC” DUMBASS.. ”……




Hrd ths song fter a long time.. and still speaks to me in such a clear fasion bout the music industry!!!

Theoretically I knew who the killer was.....

It had been two months since Professor Mansen had been murdered. I had been hired by the dean to solve the case quickly and quietly. The dean knew people would open up to me more so than the police. Other than my obvious charm the fact was I knew of everyone who was part of the murder investigation.

I had solved the case days ago but had been collecting enough information to back my theory. So the night I finally revealed the mystery behind the killer’s identity, which by chance happened to be 06.06.2006, I invited all the suspects to dinner at the deans house. The guest list included- Professor Mansons wife Svetlana, Professor Mansons mistress – Jennette, two graduate students working under him Xing and Chandramouli and the janitor Odumbe. I also requested the presence of the police chief – Ohara.

The environment was set. Dinner started with soup and crumpets. The deans wife was a great hostess taking good care to lighten the environment which felt like an icy edge.
We got through dessert a good 45 minutes later. I got up with a glass of wine in my hand and said, “This is not a toast and each of you in this room wernt invited to pass on condolences. We have a killer in this room and in 25 minutes all of us will know his identity”, I could see sweat percolating down brows of 5 faces, I was starting to enjoy myself.

I continued, “ Each of you had a motive didn’t you..” that wasn’t a question..” Xing, Professor Manson stole all of your work on nano particle paint fabrication under the threat of deportation did he not..” again not a question.. “ all of three years of real path breaking research down the drain .. tell me Xing was that not motive enough?” you could call this a question but the I knew he was not the killer. Xing responded ” I not …kill nobody..”. Self.” I know that Xing but it till is a strong motive a strong enough motive for you yourself to become a blackmailer. You had been blackmailing Chandramouli haven’t you..” definitely not a question. Xing remained quiet. “ Which brings me to you Chandramouli..Xing was blackmailing you about your affair with Svetlana hasn’t he..” a gasp escaped from the 40 year old blondes lips and all that Chandramouli did was stutter.
“ but what Xing and chandroamouli did not know is that it was Professor Manson who introduced the duo.. it was his master plan of getting rid of his wife..” I looked around as my audience is rapt in attention..” But then to me Chandramouli is to much of a sissy to be a killer cant even last 2 minutes can he Svetlana..” I could see her blush..” that brings me to you Jennette ,, sweet innocent Jennete .. How did the Professor win you over ? was it with his poetic skills?.. was this the verse that won you over in the bar 4 months ago

O Jennette
Sweet Jennette

A female divinity
My passions exceed
Pie r^2 [infinity]" [read as to the times infinity]

Jennette gasped” how did you come across that..” Chandramouli could not resist saying,” but that is meaningless how could anyone fall for the .. anybody can tell that unless ‘r’ is defined its stupid..” I smiled..” well we need to give some kind of poetic licence I assume.. but then Jennette you did not know of Professor Mansons necrophilic gay activities till he invited you a couple of weeks before his death to a session did you..” I paused here and looked at Odumbe the 60 year old Odumbe.. I wanted to note the expression on his face for I knew Jennette wasn’t the killer.. I could hear Jennette sniffling.. I had been harsh but then I had no other choice..” which brings me to reveal the identity of the killer Mr.Odumbe.. “ everybody turned surprised to the janitor not talked of through the night wondering why the hell he was here.. all but Jannette who continued sniffling. I continued “ Mr. Odumbe planned this out meticulously.. he knew that Professor Manson was training to run for the marathon. For this during each of his long runs on a Saturday the Professor would leave his keys in his mailbox except for the department main door keys which he would stuff into his secret pocket of his running shorts. Odumbe had been watching him for an opputunity over 12 weeks prior to his successful attempt at murdering the Professor. He then took the professors keys and accesed his nano particle lab and added a pure layer of arsenic to the bottom of the professors coffee mug.. Odumbe tried to remain calm,” what motive did I hav “ dick” I mean “Private Detective” ..” I smiled an evil smile” simple my dear Watson” I hammed ..” I know that you were his gay partner for several years were you not and you were that guy whom..” I looked at Jannette’s face., her beautiful face, she was sobbing now..” you also aided him in his disgusting pedophilic activities by inviting innocent young African immigrants .. did you not !!” I shouted my eyes red.. Odumbe broke down crying like a baby ..” you just coudnt stand the fact that he was drifting away from you to Jannette could you”.. the police chief stunned at first called in the constable to take odumbe into custody.. everybody was still in shock.. I comforted Jennete.. I told her that I still had feelings for her and apoligised for putting her through this trauma.. she smiled at me for the first time that night.

As I sat beside Odumbe during the ride to the police station.. he looked at me and whispered..” I did not kill him you know” .. I looked at him and smiled..” I know you sick fuck .. because I did…………” Jennete was just too important to me…………