“Dude, why do they even call that thing a Balance?”

“What?”

“The Balance. A statue of a blindfolded lady was holding it on the TV. Weren’t you watching?”

“Dude. Wherever I see, I just see rainbows. No balance.”

“What shit have you been smoking?”

“You don’t wanna know.”

“Hey! I’m sitting right next to you and inhaling the same stuff. I do wanna know.”

“No you don’t. I’m giving you possible deniability. “

“You mean plausible deniability?”

“Well it is possible, ain’t it?”

“Never-mind. So I’m saying those balance’s people used to use for weighing and stuff like that. I’ve never seen that thing balanced in my life. Ever. The two sides keep going all see-saw over each other and never stay balanced to each other. Then why the fuck do they call it a balance. It should be called unbalance. If you’re calling that a balance then it means you don’t want the life to be balanced. Wait that makes sense. Coz if everything is balanced then there is no hope in the world. Coz if whatever good we do, there would be bad to balance it and the world would remain fucked up. That aint good. Right?”

“What?”

“Were you not listening?”

“All I heard you say was balance a buncha times, so see this I’m balancing this bottle on one finger.”

“You’re such a jer.. wait… that is coool.”

Nick hovered around Jenny’s bed trying to figure out if she was asleep. She had her face buried in a pillow, but he could hear soft mumbles.

“Are you still up?” He asked softly.

She sat right up. ”I-I’ll call you back,” she said over the phone and turned her flaming eyes towards Nick.  ”What?”

“Who were you talking to? Its late.”

“None of your business. Isn’t it past your bed time?”

“Oh-kay. You don’t have to be like that. I need your help.”

“Oh Nick, what have you done now?”

“Nothing. Just valentines day is coming up.”

“So? You wanted to ask me what I want?”

“What? Um.. yes. Of course. That too. But see…,” he looked down and moved his feet around, “you’re a girl….”

“I’m so hoping you didn’t just realize that!”

“I mean. You’re a girl and you’d know what other girls like, right?”

“Oo-oo! Way to go lil’ brother! So who are these ‘other girls’?”

“Just ‘other girl’. What should I give her on valentines day?’

“Well, we like shoes, and hand-bags, and pretty dresses and jewelery. You know like the ring Dad got mom this year. Something shiny.”

“Where am I going to get money for that kinda stuff? I’m twelve!”

“Where are you going to get money for anything?”

“Well, I thought you’d help me out a bit.”

“How much is ‘a bit’?”

He brought out his best puppy dog expression. “All of it”.

“Now why would I do a thing like that for you?”

“I’ll ask Dad for any birthday gift that you would want. And I’ll give it to you. Promise.”

“Interesting. Okay, its a deal. You’ll ask him for an i-phone”

“I don’t even have a-phone. He’d never get me that.”

“i-pad it is then. He wants one for himself. So he’ll get you that to look good. But since, it’ll be your gift, it’ll be kept in your room. By your room, I mean my room. We might even be able to guilt him to buy some apps for us. Just make sure to bring out these puppy-dog eyes of yours that you are showing me, when you ask for it. And some tears, if needed.”

“You’re genius.”

“Evil genius, Nick. Evil. Genius.”

“I was just being polite.”

“Watch it. So forget everything I said. You should start small. We always expect something better each year. So its better not to overdo it the first time. Here’s 20 bucks. Take her to a movie.”

“What about pop-corn?”

“Okay, here’s 10 more.”

“And coke?”

She bent forward and stared into his eyes.

“You’re scaring me.” He managed.

“I’m just re-assessing whether you actually are an idiot or have just been acting that way all along. Here’s another five. I’m not giving you a penny more.”

“Thanks Jenny. You’re the best.”

“I can tell a lie when I see one.”

“Okay, you’re not-so-bad.” He ran towards his room.

“Just remember the deal – Eyes and tears. Eyes.And Tears.”

All there on a beach we sang,

Danced and so did the dark spaces on the sand.

Moving with me, finely cut out under the sun,

They had no qualms as I, liked the run.

Queer animals I drew on the wall,

That flew and barked till lighted was the hall.

Laughing them off, I turned to another curtain,

That had a fine outline of a lady who did refrain.

Tangible circles and slender fingers set her hair

That fell cascading, would have been for a fare.

Walked, I in a moonlit night.

Stretched from my feet till my sight,

A shaded patch, until I marked my jacket latch.

Me, spread on the street, but my eyes didn’t match.

All obscure, thankfully my tears n grins didn’t matter.

But the silhouette kept following for the better.

Back sometime in bright sunlight as I looked;

Funny shaped ovals ran through my book.

And funnily I gazed at my ruffled hair,

Earphones oddly fixed into my ear.

Later, three orbited to my left on the street;

Sharpening in turns, converging at my feet.

Shadows, thanks to each passing bulb dangling,

Darkened, to fade out with a step, past future and the lingering.

Past, future and the lingering I thought,

Stared and looked at what my gait brought.

The play of the lamps in line and my pace,

Paced, as three needles of a clock, at equal space.

A barking dog distracted me,

And lost I, my shaded trinity

Just smile and nod

to the passer-bys

They too shall

do the same

It sure helps lot

to ease your day

It’ll be our

lit-tle game

I thought its one of

those good things

Moms are supposed

to preach.

But it seemed oh-kay

to check it out

She likes me-to-let

her teach.

So I smiled and nodded

at every-girl

I met on way to

school…

And they smiled right back

the pretty-ones

too, oh it was so

cool!

My mom is smart

but a trickster too,

she knows her bits

and stuff

She says cleaning

will bring me luck

Even I can call

that bluff!

“What happened? It won’t burn?”

Startled, Nick turned to face his sister. “What? What won’t burn?”

“Well, the way you’re staring at that calendar, it seemed to me that you were trying to set it on fire with your blazing glare!”

Feeling glad that he didn’t accidently set fire to something he was not supposed to, like that Barbie doll from last year, he sat back on his bed.

“Very funny, Jenny. Though now, I wish I had those blazing glares, cause I really do want to set it on fire.”

“What happened to you? Your girlfriend dump you today?”

“No! And Cathy is not my girlfriend.”

“She sure looks like your girlfreind to me.”

“You also find that twilight guy hot, so obviously we see differently.”

“Mom says she’s your girlfreind too.”

“Well, Mom is…ugh. She’s mom, you know.”

“Yeah, I know. So what did the calendar do to you?”

“I just hate to look at it. Look at that. Its the biggest symbol for mankinds hypocrisy.”

“‘Mankind’s hypocricy’? Where are you learning this stuff?”

“I’m serious Jenny. Look at that thing. Those bright and shiny red colored numbers.”

“I sure hope you know why they are in red. We share the same genes after all, so you can’t possibly be that dumb.”

“I know what they stand for, but do you? Really?”

“Um, ye-ah! They’re sundays.”

“Just like I thought. They’re not just Sundays. They are important days. Special days. Days for being with family. Days for having fun. That’s why they are colored bright and shiny red. So we know when they come and celebrate.”

“A-nd your point being?”

“Point is when we know that being with family and having fun is important, why have we kept only one day a week to do that.”

“Well, Mom and Dad have Saturdays off too.”

“So two out of seven makes it all better, does it?”

“Why don’t we have five days to have fun and two days to work instead. Who made these rules of workdays and weekends?”

Jenny slumped on her back over the bed. With her arms stretched wide, she breathed out a sigh.

“What happened to you?” Nick inquired.

“Now I’m gloomy too, you idiot.”

“So what’s your story man?”

“I don’t wanna talk about it.”

“Dude, we’re going to be stuck here for a while. We better get used to each other. And what better way to kill time.”

“Kill time… Seriously?”

“Ironic right? ” he chuckled, “Sorry, couldn’t resist.”

“Alright. My married life was getting a bit, um, mundane. So my wife and I decided to spice things up a bit.”

“Tell me you weren’t having trouble down there buddy? Coz if you were, you just might be better off here.”

“You want to tell me the story or not?”

“I am sorry. I didn’t mean to poke you. Aherm. Please continue.”

“Sigh. So we decided to take a trip to nowhere and you know do it out there in the open. Under the open sky. We thought it’ll be just the right spark we needed.”

“Wanted a spark and got a full blown lightning, eh?”

“You can say that again. So we reached here. Which is the middle of nowhere. We got naked. Fooled around a bit and then she said she’ll go grab a condom from the car.”

“And she grabbed more than a condom.”

“You bet. The next thing I knew she was holding a gun to my chest and boom, shot right through my heart.”

“And dumped you in this swamp. This blows man. I mean death sucks as it is. But getting you here for sex and shooting right through your heart. This really blows man.”

“I know. At least she could have dumped me someplace nice.”

“Yeah, like Disneyland!”

“I meant someplace that wasn’t muddy and stinky.”

“We’re allowed to go places where we’ve been while we’re alive but we have to get back here by sundown. So its not all bad. You can still go to nightclubs?” He grinned.

“You’re having a fun time aren’t you?”

“Hey, there’s not much to do around here, is it? So I’ll take all the fun I can get. Besides when I first saw you, I just thought you were some weirdo, running naked. Now I know the whole story.”

“About that. Since I died naked. Will I always be like this? Please tell me thats not the case. I mean look at you. You didn’t die in a playboy robe did you?”

“May be I did. May be I didn’t.” He disappeared.

“Dude. Not cool.”

‘What are you doing?’

‘What do you think I am doing?’

‘Wasting your time building a plane, thats never going to fly?’

‘Tch. Tch. Wrong answer. You should give up any dreams you might have of going to Who wants to be a millionare? You’ll just embarass yourself.’

‘Very funny. Shouldn’t you be doing your homework?’

‘Shoulda… woulda… coulda. Its a tricky road to travel. Oh and it goes both ways. You see, you shouldn’t be talking to your boyfriend past 9 either. Think of that, before you run to mom.’

‘I was not going to run to mom. I’m not a tattletale.’

‘Yeah, right. And I’m not human.’

‘Have it your way. Besides, even if I told mom, she’d be happy that you are creating something rather than breaking it.’

‘Interesting. I can see how that beats your purpose.’

‘So why are you making this anyway?’

‘Because I’m a guy.’

‘And?’

‘And guys love fast things. Bikes, cars, air-planes…you name it.’

‘This is not going to be fast. In fact its not going anywhere. Fall it might. Fly it will not.’

‘I know that.’

‘And you’re still going to build it?’

‘Sometimes one need not see something to believe. It may not be the thing. But it represents something great. It may not fly, but I would want to believe it can.’

‘That doesn’t make any sense.’

‘It makes perfect sense. Just like you keep making those futile attempts to irritate me and never show it, but I know how much you love me.’

‘I…I…uh… you’re a moron.’

‘Where are you going? I have tissues here!’

‘You’re a sleeze Nick.’

‘Love you too Jenny.’

“Insignificant. That’s what they think of us.”

“I respectfully disagree commander. I’m sure they never intended to hurt our feelings. In fact there was a lot of support for us from the masses.”

“Our feelings? You must be joking. Those ignorant fools don’t even know we exist. I never agreed with our President to adapt their culture and language. Our language had 531 alphabets. A whole 504 more than this stupid English we have adapted ourselves too.”

“You mean 505, sir. But the whole point was too simplify our communication systems. Also, it would have made rehabilitation easier to their planet if we ever had troubles on our own.”

“We are a far superior race. We can not possibly get into any trouble these earthlings could help us with. The only thing they seem good at is increasing their numbers. Their numbers increase in integral proportions. I’m amazed how they do that when their species possesses only one genitalia per specimen. Its shocking.”

“Erm. I’m sure they are good at other things too. Sir. We have observed and implemented other systems from them too. Like their judicial process. By not killing anyone who committed a crime and having them imprisoned after having them tried in the court has both increased our relatively negligent population and also increased employment prospect. Not to mention their game of football. You do realize a petition has been made to convince other planets to take up the sport too and maybe, then we can have interplanetary club teams and all the planets can compete in galaxy cups every held every century.   The possibilities are limitless. It’ll help in establishing peace across the universe and understand new life and new civilizations.”

“Did you just quote Star Trek on me? You know I hate that thing. Universe is not something you can dress pretty and talk your way through. You’ll be disintegrated even before you step out of your solar system. Leave alone your galaxy. Now, Firefly I can relate too. But don’t ever mention Star Trek again.”

“I’m sorry sir. Won’t happen again.”

“I see we’ve reached within range. Shoot the fizziles.”

“Are you sure you want to do this sir? This may be considered as an act of war.”

“An act of war would have been had I shot them with gizziles and annihilated their race. This will only stun them for an hour. Let them know, Pluto is a planet. And we Plutonians don’t take kindly to be ignored or their planet to be demoted off the solar system.”

“Acknowledged.”