Ruchira's Ramblings

The Missing Key We found our compartment and after a brief, ritual fight over the window seats, settled down. There was a group photo (“Don’t leave me out!” “Stop pushing me-you’re still within the frame”) and then the whistle blew. The train chugged slowly out of the platform and moms and dads with waving hands jogged backward from our windows. “Cheers!” said the Pink Princess. “Three days of freedom- no parents, no homework, no…” “We are supposed to study botanical specimens on this trip.” The Bookworm frowned at Princess. “Hey, don’t spoil the fun before it’s begun.” I said. “It’ll be over soon enough anyway.” The Kitten brought out a cake she had baked for the journey, and I started tuning my radio to find the FM. We were all gearing up for the party when trouble struck. The Aspiring Loafer announced she could not find her key. Her suitcase was now securely chained to the berth with a lock that couldn’t be opened. Well, Loafer was legendary for missing things right under h

“Lend you my batmobile? You gotta be kidding, right?” The Batman exclaimed, glaring at me with equal amounts of outrage and disbelief. “You’re taking the batcopter, so you can spare-” “Do you even know how to hold a steering wheel?” “Don’t think there are any flipper compatible ones, Bruce,” the CatWoman sniggered, “I dare say even Wayne Industries is yet to come up with one.” I ignored the collective jibes that followed and tried to plead once more. “I can peck at the button controls. Look, how else am I going to deliver gifts in time to so many people?” How does Santa do it every year, anyway? Note to Self: Find out working up plans from reindeers. Must find one first though, opposite poles! “I don’t care,” Batman replied, “You’re not going anywhere near any of my cars.” This is so damn selfish! He’s supposed to help people. Well, perhaps he doesn’t consider me to be people enough.:( “Then let me come with you,” I said, “I’ll help you rescue Santa and someone else amongst yo

Good Reads for Good Causes 50 Stories for Pakistan by 50 writers Produced by Big Bad Media http://www.bigbadmedia.com Look at the image on the cover of this book.(it's right there on the side bar) A man and a boy knee-deep in water. Father and son? Uncle and nephew? Teacher and pupil? Or perhaps just a kid, lost, tagging on to an adult in the hope that he will be taken somewhere safe, dry? They are wading away from the light into the darkness and gloom. The unknown. Fear. Hunger. Disease. But they are also wading towards you. They can’t ask for your help. You must choose to give it. A simple way of doing that is to buy this book. Proceeds go to helping the victims of the Pakistan floods. Available from the Blurb bookstore: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1678288 £4.95 Shambelurkling and Other Stories is an anthology of children’s stories and poems from writers far and wide, with all profits going to National Autistic Society Early Learning Plus Programme. £3.99