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This post has been published by me as a part of the Blog-a-Ton 14; the fourteenth edition of the online marathon of Bloggers; where we decide and we write. To be part of the next edition, visit and start following Blog-a-Ton.

January 10, 2010
As the last of the moving vans drives out of the massive wrought iron gates, I can’t help but feel a little bit  smug. Here I am, the sole owner of this huge, nah, humungous  old mansion, kind of feeling all “Return of the Native”y.

I remember the first time I saw this sprawling old place. It was when I was little boy and had visited the place with my Dad and Mom. Apparently this was where Dad spent his days as a young boy.  It had belonged to his grandfather. I’d promised myself then, all those years ago, that I’d be back (yeah, yeah, make all the Terminator jokes  you want).  It was just  a few years back, when I was thinking of getting back to my roots in India that I’d learnt from some relatives that the place was on sale. The last occupant had died leaving no heirs and the rest of the family were not interested in maintaining it.  So of course, I remembered my childhood oath and wondered at the serendipity of the whole deal and hoofed it right back. 

I, Aakash Deep, now feel like the king of the world (dang it,another movie dialogue? I think I watch too many movies).  The best part is, things are only going to get better if all were to go according to my plan. 

Oh! Life is Good! Well, almost good barring the minor setback of Mina having dumped on my behind. That,  so did not go according to plan.  I’d proposed to her last evening after we reached “Serendipity”(yup, that’s what  I’m calling my house). The whole room was bathed in the warm glow of a dozen candles (more out of necessity than romance, the power was not yet up).   Got down on one knee all proper and gave her this magnificent diamond solitaire. I was kind of expecting her to swoon into my arms and whisper “yes, of course”.  After all, it had been quite a while since I’d been stringing the poor girl along with nary a promise from my side. Imagine my surprise then when she slapped my arm aside and strode out of the house, without even another glance or word.  Now in hindsight, I see where I must have gone wrong.  I should have told her of my resigning my software job in in the U.S.  and coming to settle in this huge house, in a tiny village in India, after she’d accepted my proposal, I guess.  I’d counted on her companionship to inspire me to greater heights in my true calling.  I feel too tired to write anything today, after all the unpacking.

January 11, 2010

Hah! Guess what else I inherited with the house? The services of an excellent Man Friday, Birju.   The bloke is a bit like the house, a little decrepit and crumbling around the edges but solid inside.  Apparently he used to work here before for the previous owner. He cooks, he cleans, he washes clothes, irons, and tends to the overgrown garden and so I wasted no time in hiring him. Wish the guy would stay through the night though, but he says no. He is surprisingly adamant on this matter. So I leave it.  After all thanks to his presence, things moved on quite smoothly today and I’d hammered out at least the first six pages of my yet to be published masterpiece, MY great Indian novel. Yes, my dream of being a bestseller author, would soon be true. World, here comes Akash Deep!

January 12, 2010

Bah! Something weird about the house. Or maybe it’s just my mind playing tricks on me. I swear I heard someone move around the house yesterday night after I’d fallen asleep.  My sleep was ruined and I was in a foul mood the whole day. Still managed to get six more pages done. Offered Birju more money if he’d stay through the nights, but he refused to budge. Made sure all doors and windows closed so no one could sneak in.

January 13, 2010

Well, well, well!  Guess what? “Serendipity” is haunted! Yup! I now, officially live in a haunted house! Met the spook yesterday night. I heard a noise in the bathroom, so I sneaked up, silent as a cat and switched on the light (thank God, the power’s been fixed).  Poor spook, was so startled he, tripped over the bucket, almost fell at my feet, then scooted out of the bathroom.  I have to say this, for a guy who’s already kicked the bucket, he doesn’t seem to be any good at it. Ha ha. LOL.  My wit slays me, sometimes. You wonder why I am making jokes? Why I am not scared witless after this close encounter?  There was nothing to be scared about. Mr.Spook looked pretty much like an ordinary dude. A little more translucent than an ordinary dude, perhaps. But that was it. No gaping wounds, no clanking chains, no weird irises and definitely no howling dogs in the background.  Tried to quiz Birju, but bloke’s as tight as a clam.  Finished seventeen pages in one go today. Thank you, Spook!

January 14, 2010

Hmph! Spook seemed a little curious today.  I swear, he was trying to peep over my shoulder as I was typing, and since that annoys me a lot, got only  three pages done today.  Not that I minded him being there. It does get a tad lonely out here. Was even tempted to call Mina and beg her to reconsider. But on due consideration realized she probably would not want to live in any place that’s not within driving distance from a spa or salon, the superficial bore that she is. Promised myself to never ever think about that miserable old hag.

January 15, 2010

Yawn! Spook and I have sort of slipped into a companionable relationship by now. He tried to peep over my shoulder, again and again. I minimized the screen again and again . He then turned on the faucet. I got up to close it. I get back and  there he was in front of my laptop reading my work, with I think, a slightly supercilious sneer.  I glowered at him and that sort of dispirited him (LOL, got that? Dispirited a spirit. What  a “punny” fellow I am! Ha! There I go again). Anyway, still managed to finish four pages today. But honestly am not sure how to take the storyline forward.  Have not yet attempted a work of this magnitude.  Mostly I’d written short stories, never a novel.  I am sure, it will come to me, though.

January 16, 2010

Well! I tried to pump Birju for info again. But he just pretended not to hear. I kind of knew he wasn’t going to spill the beans. Just needed some conversation for a change. Typed out two pages and deleted one. So, decided to check out my blog after a very long time. That cheered me up. What stuff I’d churned out. Sucks that I wasn’t paid for it. So many appreciative comments! Spook seems surprisingly quiet today.

January 17, 2010

God! What an awful day! The silence is stifling me. Didn’t even feel like turning on the comp. I think I hear Spook moving around in the living room. Plan to creep up and scare him, just for fun.

January 18, 2010

Hmmm… Had a strange yet disturbing conversation with Spook last night. I tried scare the guy but he wasn’t in the mood for games. He was in the mood for conversation. So we sat down and conversed, Spook and I. And it wasn’t all unpleasant, to be honest. Also I shouldn’t be calling him Spook anymore, since I kind of know him.  So the convo kind of went like this -

Spook :  Quit it bozo, I know you are there *sigh* .

Me: This is my house you know, Spook. Ever heard of something called courtesy?

Spook: Go away, don’t bother me. Let me wallow in my own misery.

Me: Hey! I’m reasonably miserable. Lets wallow quietly in MY living room

Silence ensued for a while. I took a good look at Spook. He kind of resembled me. I appraised him of that. He shuddered. I was a little offended to tell you the truth. I am not that bad looking a chap.

Spook: That may because I am related to you. I think I am a distant cousin of yours thrice removed.

Me: What?? You’ve been removed thrice? One time would have done it, I thought. *Chuckles at own wit*

Spook: Good God! Was that a joke?

Me: Kind of mean spirited for a spirit, aren’t you? " *Again, chuckles at own wit*

Spook: *Groans* I can’t even wish to be dead!  Some writer!

Me: What would you know about writing?

Spook:  What would I know? Me? Do you know who I am?  I mean, I was? You wouldn’t ask me if you’d ever read my blog, “Raconteur's Rambles” I was one of the most widely followed bloggers in Blogosphere.

Me: What? You are Roving Raconteur? RR? I wondered where you’d disappeared to! Don’t you recognize me? I’m Secret Scribe, of  Scribe’s Scraps

Spook:  Ha! I thought I recognized the labored punning.

Me: *aghast* What????? You always raved about my narrative and pace! And you LOL’ed at my puns, occasionally even ROFLMAO’ed.

Spook: Duh! I never said anything you didn’t say to me. So there!

I am really shaken by now. Wonder if I am going to sleep at all tonight.

January 19, 2010

I am still a bit worried. What had happened to Roving Raconteur? Why was hanging around haunting my writer’s retreat? Have to find him and quiz him today. Find him I did. He was again in the living room, stretched out languidly on my couch.

Me: Hey there, RR!

RR: Curiosity got the better of you, eh? Well, well. *With theatrical flourish* Sit thee down then, mate, and hearken to my tale of woe, that it might be a lesson for thee. 

Me: Hey, hey. Less of the “theeing”. I could barely tolerate it on your blog.

RR: Ok, cut to chase then.  I had a popular blog. Apparently, I wrote funny stuff. I also wrote emotional stuff that reduced grown men to bawling like babies. My readers loved me and my narrative and pace. They LOL’ed and ROFLMAO’ed copiously. I got carried away. Quit my decent job as a stockbroker. My wife tried to talk sense into me and in the end gave up and divorced me. Came out here to my ancestral home and started working on My Great Novel. After a few months I was done. Puffed up with as much pride as a new mother, I went around parading my first work to publishers big and small.

Me: And?

RR: They did not LOL. They did not ROFLMAO. Most of them wanted to just TMAO (Throw my ass out).  I came back here, got depressed and quietly drank myself to death. Happy now? Curiosity sated?

Me: WTH??????

I am even more shaken as I stagger into my room tonight. I know sleep will not come easily.

January 20, 2010

Called the real estate broker. Told him to the sell the house for whatever he could get.  Birju smiled knowingly as I paid him his salary and a little extra.  Now, it’s time to return to the world of coding and binaries. I feel real good about this. I am sure I can get my job back. A little bit of groveling and wheedling may be needed. But it will all be worth it.  Talking about groveling, I am going to call Mina right away.

 

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