I came back from office, drained of every bit of energy. I felt like just crashing on the bed. I badly needed a cup of coffee. So, I put the water on boil, picked up my coffee mug, put in a tea spoon of coffee, another tea-spoon of sugar and water. Off, I headed towards my durrie grabbing a pack of biscuits and some chips along. I sat down like a king munching on the chips. The first sip went down like energy booster, and I felt better. I took out my laptop, opened media player and put on a random play list. And, had some of my blues playing....
Suddenly, I saw some movements on the top right corner of my room. Another king strolled out on my floor, straight heading to my durrie. I almost forgot the annoying feeling that I had whenever I saw one of these, since this was the first sighting in this room! This is not cool! The two fangs were swaying as if, they were tracking my coffee smell, or maybe the chocolate biscuit smell, or maybe the chips. I don't want to part ways with anything, for this. Cockroaches have always been criticized for being all over the places kitchen, toilets, bathrooms, almost everywhere. People make efforts to any extent to get away with them. But, they are always there, boldly walking everywhere, as if there is no fear of dying. In fact, they are so irritating, that Lakshman ji wanted not just Sita ji to be out of their reach, but the whole humanity to be safe from them. That's why we have Lakshmanrekha available in every Kirana store
But, whatever, this is my room, at least clean to some extent, and I didn't want this cockroach to invade it. I did not want to squash the beast as well (Don't know what all will spill out of it!!!) So, I picked up the broomstick and kicked it out of my room, down to the farthest point, out of my room, out of the house, out on someone else doorstep, go bug someone else! ;)
The bloody cockroach made my coffee go cold! The music played on, the chips were still inviting. So, again, I sprawled on my durrie and munched on my chips. Thinking of changing some music, I picked up my laptop and looked around for new songs. But, couldn't get the cockroach out of my mind. So, off I went around looking for cockroach facts.
I didn't know that cockroaches have been around from the time of dinosaurs. Famines, floods, volcanoes, earthquakes,
lakshmanrekhas....damn everyone on this earth tries it's best to get rid of it and still can't! It can live for 2 months without food, 2 weeks without water and 40 minutes without breathing. That is survival at it's best! What more, it can survive without its head for more than a week. Well, a human will look so creepy, without a head.....but the plastic surgeons will have a gala time....
"
Doc, I need a new head....I lost the old one...This one is a 2nd hand and not looking so good. Please take my measurements, When shall I come for trails?" OMG!
Or better still,
"
Doc I want a head with Android, 4 sim card slots and extendable memory" :D
I was wondering what else will a person look for in a head, when once again the devil was doing its round. The antennas were rolling around, again. I could see the bold walk, no fear of anything, after all it can survive the extremes. Maybe, it is the perfect contender for Roadies X.0. But, this pissed me off...how can it be!
I picked up my slippers, squashed it, then and there itself! That must have hurt and killed a small thing like a cockroach. But, it was just upside down, it rolled over and again started walking. A king's walk! This took my anger to the next level. I could see that it was still heading for the chips.
Thadd....
Thaadd....
This would have woken up the neighbours too. And the cockroach was down. It was upside down and not moving. Finally, I had my own little victory. Myself being a photographer, I could not resist picking up the shutterbug to capture the moment. I clicked a few shots. And there kit was moving again, its antennas were again in motion!
Thadd
Thaddd
Thadddd....
The fight for life put up by the cockroach was amazing....I put down my camera and watched the great cockroach for some time. The fight was gone. The antennas were down, the cockroach had finally given up.
Some people say in anger, as an abuse, "तू cockroach की मौत मरेगा |"
I say, if this is how a cockroach dies, fighting the world, fighting all the odds....fighting everything the life can throw at it, then it is a life worth living. People tend to give up so easily, one set-back and they are down so badly, that everyone around them tries to revive their spirits. If they are alone, then they feel lonely, they feel the life is not worth living. And here, the great cockroach fought alone......I have no hesitation in giving a salute to this devil.
I picked up a newspaper and swiped the cockroach off the floor. I threw it in my dustbin. The legs were again moving.......It was still alive.....It was beaten up, but only physically, its spirit was still alive....it would again fight....fight for survival.....fight to live the life to its fullest......