Did we realize how the small unexpected events in our life brought to us by some unknown strangers could also be God’s way of cheering us up when our days are gloomy or when we are drowned in our own mundane life? Just at the point where we almost give in to our sucked life while anticipating the next heart break, something or someone just popped from nowhere offering us sweet temporary solace motivating enough to get us through another day in our lives. I had a taste of this great surprise last night and it lasted till early in the morning.
There I was, still numb from work experience and all the personal chaos that either happened due to my own mistake or the acts of others from the past few weeks. These two days was the worst because I was battling against my own demons yesterday and finally buried the carcass of my own guilt and unrequited love under piles of bitter remorse. I was tired from the whole affair that I could not go to sleep that night and killed my time by browsing the net. Then I saw a familiar name appeared on my chat list and greeted half-heartedly.
“Do you have a speaker? Can I call you? I want you to listen to something”.
I had met stranger souls during my short 30 years stint so being asked to listen to something at 3 am by a person who only utter a few syllables during our encounters was no biggie. I let him call me and then I heard the strumming of a guitar.
“What song do you want me to play?” He asked. This is definitely a first. Receiving red roses at 2 am in the morning-checked. Mediating a friend-cum-mistress with the wife of her lover-checked. Having a man sing while playing the guitar at 3 am through the YM Phone Chat-this was a first. Within a few minutes, a string of Metallica and Nirvana songs sang passionately by an unknown man accompanied by skillful but slightly awkward rendition of the guitar filled my empty hotel room that morning. I lay on the floor, eagle spread, with the earphones intact, listening to this man displaying his raw emotions without any barriers.
“I don’t know what to say”. Of which I wasn’t exactly lying. Seriously I did not expect him to disclose his personal side. What prompt him to do so?
We continued our chat through the YM, getting connected not through cyber conversation but only by the music that he put on for me on the other side ranging from the Weird Al Yankovic up to King Diamond. Not my type of music but his eagerness to share overrode my regular music preference. Then after a while did we communicate about our losses and gains in life. We shared personal stories like two old friends when in fact we were only properly introduced to each other that morning. “I am sorry I talk a lot,” I apologized after sharing what I felt about life at the moment. “Its fine, you listen when I talk and now I will listen to you,” As we continued to enjoy each other’s companies, we let go off our futile hopes and nightmares and let it float and vanish in the universe above us. I stood up, said good bye though after those momentous cyber jamming session and talking, saying goodbye seemed to be very hard
I smiled broadly, peeped out and saw that it was already light.

Coldplay kinda sealed the Attack of the Indies or rather Attack of Former Indies on the Grammies by notching 3 major awards. I hated them for that without prior self reflection (to those who know me damn well, me? Self reflection? You gotta be kidding!) But yes, with Coldplay, I need to have some sort of in-depth reflection because “we” both went a long way together. When I was a fresh wide eyed intern with the only Islamic party in the country, my long endless nights of vetting and keying amendments for the electoral rolls were made bearable by “A Rush of Blood to the Head “cassette played with utmost caution and almost inaudible volume because I was still a poor student with no money to buy a walkman plus I was at the political party’s markas, for crying out loud.


