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The crowd puller...[continuation]..[1]...tvk

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kk4646

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THE CROWD PULLER...[CONTINUATION]..[1]...TVK



"News spread like fire that the juggler was dead. People who he


had entertained for the last few months were rushing to the


police station for the last ‘darshan’. Would they perform his last


rites too?


ODE TO THE GREAT CROWD PULLER."
--------------


I have closed the magazine slowly...thinking about this story...


What this writer wants to convey..? This man appears from


nowhere and disappear to nowhere...No one knows what he does or


where he is..?..Riddles..riddles..what for.?..Is it written just to


create sympathy or just for the sake of writting..!!..or the writter


not able proceed further...hmmmm..


To-day is the third day of my retired life.. I am yet to get out of


the 'vacuum' after thirty three years of service..Everything


needs re-organisation.. Time to re-start my book reading..my


shuttle..etc..etc...What a change..? No hurried calls ..mostly


unsheduled..No untimely food..no need to dance to some petty


politicians..yes.. atleast let me start to think about my family..my


kith & kin ...my children now..[ofcourse they are grown-up &


married but still I feel their absence..more so now..]..


My PF, gratutity are yet to be settled..Necessary papers are with


AG's office still..I droped in to DMS just know the position.. I got


the assurance that I will get all my dues cleared within four or


five days..


So..back home..


'O'..I have forgotten.. to-morrow my friend's daughter marriage


at Thirunelveli..Atleast a greeting telegram should be sent.. hmm..


I have already crossed Thenambet..What is nearest post office..?


It is TNagar.. Ok. let me do it..


Greeting telegram sent..and while coming out of the PO buldg..I


saw just at the corner vacant space... next to the PO a small


crowd of twenty odd people surrounding a young man in thirties..I


peeped to in out of curiosity..


That man..Man in thirties was performing some MAGIC TRICKS...




TVK
 
Last edited:
kk4646 said:
Ha..Ha..Corrected.... Thanks.. 'திருவிளையாடல்'...நக்கீரரோ...??



TVK
Click to expand...

நக்கீரர் என்றால் தேவலையே (தாழ்வில்லையே!)

நக்கீரி என்றல்லவா கீரிப் பட்டம் கட்டுகிறார்கள்!!!

நான் கீரி என்றால் அவர்கள்...........:decision:

நாக்குப் பூச்சியா??? நாகப் பாம்பா??? :rolleyes:
 
"the crowd puller--[2]"....tvk

"THE CROWD PULLER--[2]"...TVK




What is this..?.. Only in the morn'g I read 'something'..as
story..now here is some one performing Magic tricks like the story..!!


I was just wondering.. wondering about the coincidence..
I have started to watch as I had some more time.. The show
ended after fifteen minutes or so and the 'Man' started packing
his accessaries in his shoulder bag..Someone in the crowd
approached him and offered some money ..but the performer
smiled and politely refused to take the money.. Again in the same
way as written in the story.. I was 'bit' perplexed..and the
magician walked away ..


"one Stong Tea'.. I have ordered with the road side kiosk just
adjacent to the place where'that' man was performing..
Good magic show..is it not..? I have just engaged another person standing & taking tea next to me..
Yes.. Yes.. a regular free show on some Wednesdays.. I don't
know why that man is doing this..
"O'..Is he doing it every Wednesday..I missed the begining..I will
try to be here next Wednesday..
No..No.Sir not in all Wednesdays ..sometimes..he don't come..
Mostly he does it for the slum children.. see that slum..pointing
out his finger .. You can see him on Wednesday here ..go to
Kodambakkam on Friday ..He does it next to Liberty theatre..I
have seen him there once..
'O'..Thank you..

Hmmm.. So the author of that story must be one among the
spectator..closely observing this Magician and made him as the
'subject matter' for his writtings.. Hmmm...Just to present a Dramatic
and sympathetic Effect to the reader..he need not have made him
to commit suicide..Unnecessarily he has extinguished a buddding life..

This was running in my mind while returning home.. Who could be
that author ..?.. I have not noticed when I read the story in the
Morn'g.. He may be one among the known writers to me.. Let me
see as soon I reach home..
I opened that Mag.. just to get the name of the Writer..of the
story..To my surprise there was NO name mentioned as
author..Sometimes when the Editor himself write something ..he
don't put his name..It is a normal practice ..

Why I have to take so much interest in this..?..hmm..sometimes curiosity kills...

I called the magazine office which is in Kodambakkam..introduced
myself to the operator and requested her to put me to the Editor..
Sir.. Editor is out-of station..would you like to talk to the sub-editor..asked the operator.. I said Yes and waited for the call to put through..
Sub-Editor came on the line..and I have introduced myself once again..
Yes ..Sir..What can I do for you Sir..he has asked..
Nothing important Sir..I just wanted to tell ..I read that story The Crowd Puller.. It is a very nice Story..and written beautifully..
'O'..Thank you Sir..
By the way ..who is author of that story..it is not there..and he may be a known person to me..I have asked..
Author Sir...Sorry..We ourself DO NOT know sir..
What..?..
Yes Sir..This story..a xerox copy was in our mail box two weeks back..Our editor decided to include it in the Mag at the last minute after reading and felt it is something different..Actually we expected someone will claim owner ship of the story after publication..But so for no body called on us..
'O'..Thank you...I hung -up..

What's happening..? ...a story by an Un-known author...and 'things' were happening as written...!!

hmmm..Everything looks very strange.....!!




TVK





 
What's happening..? ...a story by an Un-known author...and 'things' were happening as written...!!

hmmm..Everything looks very strange.....!!


Not at all dear Sherlock Holmes!
The one who wrote is the one who is doing it
- whatever it may be!!! :)
 
Visalakshi Ramani said:
What's happening..? ...a story by an Un-known author...and 'things' were happening as written...!!

hmmm..Everything looks very strange.....!!


Not at all dear Sherlock Holmes!
The one who wrote is the one who is doing it
- whatever it may be!!! :)
Click to expand...


Ha..Ha..Good keep it up...!! And Why..?


TVK
 
The crowd puller--[3]..tvk

THE CROWD PULLER--[3]--TVK


..I was waiting near the Liberty theatre at kodambakkam for the Magician's demo on Friday to find out further progress of the incidents mentioned or not mentioned in the 'story' and I brought the magazine in case needed....I have made enquiries with the nearby shops and located the place & approximate timing on the previous day..
I got the feeling that I was going 'overboard'..but the curiosity to 'know' was more than the possible obstacles..
The young Magician started his demo as expected around 5 P.M and thrilled the small crowd for about 30 minutes..Once he started walking ..after the show ..I too decided to follow him ..After some distance of walking I realised two more people also following him behind ..Nearly one to one and half kilometers of walking ..the Magician entered a beautiful posh Bungalow ..situated somewhat interior from the main road..
The two people who were following also entered the same bungalow ..

I was in two minds..whether to go inside the bungalow or to return back..But having come all the way I have decided to see the 'end' of it..I saw the name plate..Ranganathan..Ranganathan Industries..'O' ..I know this Industry..hmmm...O.k. Let us try..

Mr.Ranganathan is here..?..I want to meet him.. I told the security..and gave my card..[ I know ..my card ..printed for the use after retirement will 'open any door' ]..Within a minute I was called in and seated in a well furnished drawing room..
I am Ranganathan..What can I do for you Sir..a well dressed person and almost of my age appeared ..holding my card..
Sir..this is purely personal ..just out of curiosity...so if you feel by any chance I am disturbing you..excuse me for that..I said..
Don't worry pl. tell me.. Then I opened the magazine showed him the story..and waited till he finished..
Sir..I have seen this magician entering your bungalow and two more people who have followed him too...
hmm. Yes..someone written this story after seeing the perfomance by my SON..said Mr. Ranganathan...
Son..? I was surprised..
....Yes he is my second son..
Sir..If don't mistake me..shall I ask you why he has to do this..and I know you are a leading industrialist...
hmmmm...
I felt he was hesitating and did not like to discuss..
Sir.. pl. do not see me as an retired official..it appears we are of same age..So pl. consider me as your brother..If you still feel it is purely personal..I would like to say thank you..and let us forget about it.. I got up to leave..
Sir..Sir..pl. wait.. you have taken so much interest just to satisfy your curiosity..so I feel it is better I clear your doubt and tell you what happened..
Yes.Sir..please..
I have two sons and I lost my wife when I was 40 years of age..So I brought up my boys without mother for the past 20 years or so..The elder is married and looking after my chemical division..The younger ..Arun..whom you have seen him is an IIT gradute..and was looking after my Auto ancillaries unit..Arun is 34 years of age now and when he was 26 years ..he wanted to marry Lalitha ..2 years junior to him in IIT..and the same was taken place with my consent..They had a daughter Lavanya ..
Right from the age of 8 Arun started getting interest in magic..His maternal Uncle was a stage performer in magic..so Arun spent almost all his weekends,holidays,vacation with his uncle and learned the magic tricks..He was so obsessed with magic.. and before he complets his graduation in IIT he has mastered it.. He did magic for his family friends, on family occassions etc but never interested in any stage perfomance..Almost every day he was doing some tricks for his daughter Lavanya..whom he loved so much..Everything was running smoothly..but..but 'Fate' had other ideas..
About a year back when all the three Arun, Lalitha and Lavanya were returning from Thanjavur..their car had a head-on collision with a lorry near Nyveli..Lalitha & Lavanya were killed on the spot and eventhough Arun escaped..beause of his head injury he fell in 'Coma'..


TVK
 
In school days we had non-detailed texts - abridged versions of dickens or scott novels. We can have non-detailed versions of short stories as well - roughly one tenth the size of original short story.

I had once published a paper - a software subroutine must not exceed one page.

Visalakshi Ramani said:
But I can't sit through looooooong posts!!!

What shall we doooooooooooooooooooo???
Click to expand...
 
Concentrated/ extra strong/ capsule form/ crystallized...
call it what you will but it has its own thrill.
That is why I like poems (even prosaic ones)
much better than pages and pages of prose. :)
 
The crowd puller--[4]..tvk

THE CROWD PULLER--[4]--TVK


Doctors toiled with Arun for more than a month to bring him back


from 'coma'...and he started showing recovery after two


months..slowly he regained his conscious.. but there was a 'lapse of


memory'.. Doctors assured me that it was only temporary


phenomenon and Arun will come out of it in due course.. Arun could


not even remember that he was performing magics.. but we were


very confident and encouraged to him to recollect whatever the


things known to him..As per the advise of Doctors we have avoided


mentioning about Lalitha & Lavanya..and Arun too never rembered


about his marriage..Slowly & steadily he progressed..and


recollected most of his activities..


About 6 months back..I took him to Thanjavur for a marriage ..and


that helped him to recognise most of our relatives..But after


returning..he came back to me with his Marriage Album and the


Album of First year birth Day celebration of Lavanya..which were


with him..and started asking questions..I had no other alternative


except to tell him about his marriage, his daughter and finally


about the accident

... He didn't take his food or spoken to anybody on that

day..Throught the day we heard him crying in his room..I have

consulted my doctors and arranged for further check-up.. After

some session with him for few days Doctors have informed me

that he has started getting depression and put him under

medication..But I found him not getting out-of it in spite consoling

by myself and other family members..About 5 months back just to

change his mood as well as to divert his attention I have reminded

him about his proficiency in Magic and showed to him some of his

equipments as wells as his books and urged him to refresh..Since

he has that in built obsession for magic..he has re-started to

study it again..and to some extent his depression was

reduced..Within a month or so he has reached almost his level of

origional proficiency and did a perfomance for our family

friends..But whatever might be the improvemnt ..we have noticed

he was frequently falling into 'shell'..talks a lot about Lalitha &

Lavanya..Most of the time he was confining himself in his room and

I found him writtig..writing...poetries..stories etc..etc.. and I

didn't like to disturb him as I wanted him to recover fully...

About 4 months back he made a request and my permission to

perform magic for the public which I welcomed and assured him

that all arrangements including auditorium will be arranged as he

wished.. But he made an unusual & strange request..to allow him to

do it free in the street so that everyone can watch..I was in

jittery because of his condition ..but he wanted to do it as he

desired.. I have consulted our doctors..and they advised me to

allow him as it may help him to get over his depressed

mood..Subsequently I have spoken some of my friends and also had

a personal discussion with South chennai IG..After hearing about

the whole epizode IG was kind enough to talk to respective Police

stations and given some space in TNagar and Kodambakkam..So he

has started performing for the public and I have provided Two

additional escorts for him..with strict instruction not to intervene

him unless otherwise absolutely needed..Initially Arun objected

for his escorts as he felt he could handle the situations

independently..But on my request to Doctors without Arun's

knowldge..he was advised by them not to take any risk.. You have

seen only those two persons following Arun & entering this House..


Eventhough he has improved as on date there was a slight set-

back three weeks ago..

Both Lalitha & Lavanya had the same date of birth ..somehow Arun

recollected it and fell in depression totally on that day..We found

it very difficult to console him and we called our doctor to assist

him..but I find him not in the earlier improved condition and once

again he started crying in the night and calling Lalitha & Lavanya

names..He once told me that he was responsible for their death as

he was driving the car..which I refuted and told him it was not his

fault..My impression is inwardly he has that feeling and every day

I pray God to make him alright..


I fell speechless after hearing what Mr.Ranganathan

narrated..What a sad situation in his family...??

I am realy sorry Sir ..for having taken your time and please

consider me as a friend..Pl. call me If I can be of any help..with

that I took leave of him..I returned home with a heavy heart but

with a moral satisfaction that the Mystery of that Magician was

solved..


But I had a nagging feeling...'somewhere'..'something' was WRONG....


TVK
 
The crowd puller..[5]..tvk

THE CROWD PULLER..[5]..TVK


Saturday I was busy with my domestic needs and Sunday came like a flash & vanished ..Started planning for my new Adventure..'Consultancy'...!!


Monday morn'g ..Indian Express ...third page ..left side corner ..gave 'the shock of my life' news:


SUCIDE BY ROAD-SIDE MAGICIAN..


The Magician who was entertaining the public free of cost at TNagar and Kodambakkam for the past two months ..found hanging from a tree..His body was found inside the Mango Grove near Muttukadu.. He is the second son of leading industrialist Sri.Ranganathan. It is reliably learnt ..the magician..Arun by name was suffering from accute depression after the loss of his wife & daughter in a car accident.. and under treatment for the past three weeks ..On enquiry.. It was found Sri.Arun left his home at Kodambakkam in his Two-wheeler on Saturday Evening ..informing the house security that he was going out to buy some materials for his magic show..Since he did not return till night ..his father Sri.Ranganathan was informed..After a thorough search Sri.Ranganathan lodged a police complaint on Saturday late -night.. On information Police located his body at Muttukaadu on Sunday evening and identified by his father..Police removed the body for post-mortem and further enquiry is on regarding suicide or any foul play...


'O'..my God ..only two days back I was discussing about this Arun and to-day he is no more..Suddently I remembered the 'story' in that mag. where-in it was mentioned about his suicide..I searched , got the mag., read the story again...and started getting suspicion..How come this writer..the unknown person could visualise and write about his death..? ..Was it realy suicide..? or any planned murder..? was there any conspiracy..?..Was it a challenge thrown at the police..
hmmm..Why not be this way..? Arun happened to read that 'story' written about him..that exaggerated suicide scenario might have influenced him to think..that was the way to end his agony as well as to join with his beloved wife and daughter..Already he was in a depressed mood and he might have felt..the author of that story has shown the correct way..hmmm..this must be the reason..The illusionary imagination of some unknown author has driven a young & disturbed mind to choose a path ..a path which has taken away a budding life..


I got angry with that Unknown writer..Any writer should think well before putting anything in Block& white.. There is every possiblity for some people to assume what was written as real.. especially when the writer mixes real & imaginary situations...Atleast now the author..the un-known 'entity' should realise ..what a 'havoc' his un-worthy..narrations have created...Who knows he may even be enjoying and boasting himself about his capacity to perceive...


I didn't like to call on Mr.Ranganathan immediately since the police enquiry would be going on... but droped in to his house after two days ..and expressed my condolences ...Mr.Ranganathan was so grief stricken ..he was not even able to speak properly..


Two weeks passed ..I have almost forgotten this epizode as I was very busy in setting up my consultancy office...Suddenly one day morn'g I got a call from Ranganathan..
Sir..Are you busy ..? I would like to talk to you about something important..
Yes.. I will come and meet you in the evening..


I met Ranganathan in his house...
Sir.. you know everything about what has happened.. Police people conducted enquiry with all my family members..and the staff of the house..They have also taken statement of our Doctors regarding treatement given to Arun for his depression..Police have searched his room and taken away all his belongings including his writtings..Yesterday Morning they returned all his belongings and informed that the case was closed as a suicide and it was confirmed by the autopsy report also..
Yesterday evening I was just going through the writtings done by Arun..There are many No. of poetries and some short stories.. Out of them ...I feel you MUST see this one..
He extended a brown cover...I opened it and pulled out the content ..of two sheets...


....the Hand Written Original of "THE CROWD PULLER".....




TVK


Q.E.D.
 
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