Technicolour Truths

Mikhail: Does this happen? You are delivering a lecture and suddenly a sketchy dream from the last night comes in through the wide open windows? In technicololur? And you are left blinded and benumbed?

Zacharia: Sometimes. Yes.

Mikhail: We survive. Don't we?

Zacharia: Yup. Each time.

Mikhail: How have you been?

Zachariah: Busy. Dodging between actualities with duality.

Mikhail: Meet over the weekend?

Zacharia: Can't. Wifey's appointment with the Doc.

Mikhail: How's she dealing with pregnancy?

Zacharia: Happy. I suppose. What's on with you? What was the dream?

Mikhail: Too long. Mailing.

Zacharia: Not on official id. Use gmail.

Mikhail: Sure. Class in half an hour. Lemme try and brief you with the dream by them. You take care of the corporate junkies, buddy! And hey, miss you man.

Zacharia: Waiting for the mail. No time to entertain your timeless melodrama.

Mikhail: Bastard.

Zac,

It's been ages that I have attempted to write anything non-academic. Twenty minutes. Let's get to that dream. Was teaching when suddenly, like in the Harry Potter movies, a dark silhouette in the form of a cape entered the classroom through the open windows. I went back to the outline of a dream I possibly had the night before. It took a form, in an overcoat, very kitschy. Orange-royal blue-red, stitched in thick gold. It got a face. But before I could associate it with anyone particular, it held out its hand and with a certain uncertainty, I took it and following that I flew. Up, up, up in a sky which was hardly blue. It was strewn with stars, and between some of them their were palaces, one more mightier than the other. Mesmerized, I wished to enter one. And surprisingly, the kitschy form took me in. Guess what happened next? It could easily be Junagarh Fort, or any haveli in Rajasthan. I went inside a particular room and the form let go of my hand and broke into a scream. Before I could realize what was happening, it became the multicoloured, tinted window-glasses, each bringing in the starlight as if they were soft sunshine. Oh, and then there was a fog. A cloud in the shape of a Batmobile, only grey in colour, vroomed outside the window. Something told me it was there to take me back home. So I ran to the windows, but they laughed back. "You are trapped" placards came up. And then I hurriedly looked for my phone and found a ring instead. An emerald. As soon as I ran my fingers over it, I was in the middle of tea-gardens, holding the hands of that caped form. It was programmed to deceive me, I felt and decided to run. As I tried, I found chains which tied me to the base of a sea-bridge. "You are trapped" placards returned. I was helpless and had no idea about what to do next. I could not swim in a sea and looked for something to save me. A caped shark came my way, showed me its sharp teeth and went away. I thought I would cry but I was reminded what Daddy had taught us about boys not crying. I thought I heard voices, they turned to screams. There was a war over the sea and I could see the stray bullets being misfired. And then I was on the football field, in a cape. I was the goalkeeper and it was the final penalty. The coach, in his kitschy suit asked me to take the shot. I scored. And I was flying back to those technicolour skies. This time, the palaces and forts were all wavering curtains, veils and capes. I ran. And was thinking how I could I run on the sky. I must be dead and this is what being dead feels like. And then someone who resembled one of my relatives told me to light the pyre on myself. I could not decide. She insisted and there were ambulance sirens and finally under a strobe light, I began dancing on that pyre. I was wearing the cape, and it all returned to me in that one flash of a moment in my professional consciousness, leaving me blank. My students would know better if that was just a moment. I thought I saw the cape come in, and I wanted to run but I was chained.

Feels good to have spoken, brother. Twenty minutes down. Do get back if you have any thoughts to spare on this technicolour extravaganza.

PS: Have never told you, but I was the happiest when you chose me godfather for your unborn child. 

Micky.

Zacharia: What the fuck was that buddy? See the shrink. Like right now.

Mikhail: You think so?

Zacharia: Hell yes. Its psycho creepy. Let's catch up on a beer tonight?

Mikhail: Cool. Sat-Club. 8 30-9? How come you are so desperate?

Zacharia: Just.

Zacharia smiled. I was in the cape. I built those skies. Now die the same death. I planted that dream. He went inside the bathroom, washed his face and looked into the mirror. Mikhail smiled back