Tête-à-tête

Hey People!
Last night, as I sat down to write this report, I'd been in a very pleasant, relaxed mood, thinking about all the new things I've learnt this week, and the mails I received, and how I'd share them with my readers. How was I to know that within a few hours, everything would by changed by a senseless act of violence?

The story of the mayhem at Paltan is not news to you by now, I think. As the drama unfolded before us, some of us witnessing it firsthand, some of us glued to our television sets, where everything was being telecast live, and at the DS office, everyone working the phones, trying to collect information and verify rumors, the violence continued.

While the wards, the cabins, and even the corridors of the DMCH and other hospitals filled with the stench of blood, the ghastly sight of human bodies ripped open by the explosions, and the moans and wails of suffering, a different kind of nightmare was being enacted on the streets. Buses were burnt, cars trashed, and people beaten up. Which makes me wonder, what did the people in those buses and cars have to do with the attack? Moreover, what will this added violence prove or solve? Normally, I don't really support hartals because of all the inconvenience they cause, however, I do understand that there has to be some protest for this inhumane act of terrorism. Does it justify all the violence on the streets, the victims of which had nothing to do with the matter at all? What is the world coming to?

Well, I've waxed lyrical on this matter, but I'm more interested in knowing what you readers have to say regarding the issue. Send in your thoughts and arguments, and share it with us. Till our next tete-a-tete, take care, and stay safe.

Send your polls, opinions, and queries to thegirlnextdoor1@hotmail.com

By The Girl Next Doo

Just when you thought you were all safe and cosy snuggled up alone in your body with no one to interfere…BAM! It hits you right where it wanted to. First it tickles you teasingly inside your head. Then it slowly wraps itself around the conscious side of your brain and only when you start saying "YES" to all the "No No" can it genially celebrate its true victory! I am talking about that avaricious and egotistic part of all human beings which I prefer calling (drum rolling in the background) THE ME-ME MONSTER! (Drum stops rolling) So when does the me-me monster spring up?

Situation 1: 35 degrees Celsius, boiling hot sun and nowhere to go for shade. You have been walking for the past two hours but just then; at a distance you notice an ice cream parlour with only one ice cream stick left! A five year old dashes for the ice cream right in front of your scorched eyes. Now the right thing to do would be to simply stand there defencelessly and watch the (innocent!) 2 feet lump swallow the most artistic and delicate bite of luxury while you are being hammered with roasted fireballs from the sun. Nevertheless, the real plan of action would probably be to sprint after the kid, snatch the lolly from him/her, gulp the lolly as fast as possible and laugh proudly at yourself for having won over a five-year old. You would still turn around and show him/her that there should be no hard feelings. Let's face it; it was either ice cream or death!

Situation 2: A busy fair taking place where people around you are far too busy concentrating on what is being sold. Again, unexpectedly you spot a 500TK note lying there lazily on the grass. You don't move your eyes from it. It appears as if this fragile piece of paper is singing out a love song to you and you find yourself flying towards it. Just as you are about to touch it, another disorientated looking hand lands on yours but you manage to get hold of the singing taka. However he doesn't let go of your hand covering the money and you realise that to win the heart of the 500 TK you have to destroy your competitor because as the saying goes, all is fair in love and war. Thus the battle begins! Bachao bachao… ay lokta amar shate beyaddobi korche! (Help, help this man is behaving vulgarly with me!) You will find yourself skipping away with the money as the crowd ruthlessly beats up the me-me monster out of the poor old chap.

Situation 3: You happen to have a huge crush on the school's hottest hunk. Apparently he just looked and smiled at you for about two and a half seconds so you are going to try and ask him out. Ironically it is known to all that he is in love with your worst enemy Neha. Logically, you should stand out of the way and let them be happy. Instead you (ahem) accidentally drop juice all over her skirt, drop liquid glue on her hair and white out all over her face. Ha! That should do it. No one would want to date a handicapped doll!

Okay so maybe the situations described are too exaggerated and you are not convinced that there is a me-me monster inside you, but you just wait for the right moment to come along and you will soon find yourself gambling with the devil…MUHAHAHAHA.

By Shayera Moula

Place: School's Student Toilet
Time: School hours

Amazingly, most of the time, going to the school's toilet has nothing to do with attending one's call of nature. Just face it! Toilets are built for addafying. It's the only place in the school where the teachers don't dare to venture. Can you imagine a teacher entering the student's toilet? (Well, maybe sometimes you can!). With no teachers breathing down your neck, you can addafy as much as you want to.

The topic of most addas can be as lurid as you can possibly imagine. You can scheme outrageous pranks (things you'll probably never actually do) like mixing laxative in teachers' drinking water, stealing exam question papers, exploding stink bomb, sticking chewing gum in your chemistry teacher's hair, locking your Principal in the teachers' toilet, spray painting the walls of your school etc. You can also devise new and ingenious bunking tactics and cheating techniques.

Inside the toilet, you must be careful what are you stepping on. The puddle of water on the floor may not be a harmless puddle of water! You must always keep the fact that you are inside a toilet at the back of your mind. If you are tired of standing, then sitting on the commode is not a good idea. Also if you are scared of roaches and suffer from arachnophobia than the toilet is not the place for you! Also watch out for close circuit video cameras. Some schools do install those inside the toilets (for what purpose??…. God knows…but makes you wonder doesn't it?). You should also avoid going near the senior 'cool dudes' who smoke cigarettes (and sometimes marijuana) inside the toilet.

Pros: Ummmm…can't think of any apart from the fact that it's a perfect place to hide when bunking classes.

Cons: The horrendous odour of you know what, flying roaches and hairy spiders, cigarette smoke, dirty toilet seats, close circuit spy cameras (gaah!!), possibility of getting locked inside the toilet, intense temperature (you can't expect air conditioners inside the toilets!) Etc

By Incognito

Hey people!
Seems like the flood is affecting all of us, especially since we have not been able to stay regular with this column. Anyway, we are trying our best, and so we would like to thank all those correspondents who have managed to stay regular. Keep reading and enjoy the column. And do not forget that we will be giving out gift ideas, so mail us about the occasion and we will print out the reply. Cheers!

Dear Farhana,
How are you? I am not doing that well. My days just do not seem to pass, since we are not talking with each other. But one thing is for certain; our friendship is still there, no matter what happens. Miss you. Take care.
From Rashad Banna

To Silvi Ammu,
Get well soon! Love you loads!
Sanita

To Ata and Tota,
Thank you for taking such good care of me while Ammu and Abbu were away!
Sanita

Hey Preanka!
This is Sam & A shouting out to you. Remember the poem you sent us on friendship day? Well, this little poem is a response to that. Hope you'll enjoy this.
I stepped in through that gate and into the school,
I saw a pink -faced girl and- no she didn't look cool.
I made my decision "No way could I be seen in public with this girl,"
Whenever I saw her I would just hide my face, duck & whirl.
But then I was blind, I didn't see the angel inside you,
Who could give me a friendship forever true;
Whose every word would make me jump in joy;
Whose every action would make me say "Oh boy!"
Whose virtues would make me praise her 24/7,
Make me often think she was just a light from heaven!
We finally managed to push the differences aside,
Hit the streets of friendship and simply glide.
So it doesn't really matter if you are into hip-hop
While your friend spends most of the time listening to N SYNC's ' Pop' .
If you have fun together and share the love
Then just join hands and leave the rest to ' The One' above.
-Sam & A

Dear Nez,
We are really sorry for what happened the other day. We value your friendship a lot more than anything else in the world. Please forgive us and forget whatever happened.
From the other two musketeers

By Crucified and Slayer

Jokes

Confucious Says
Man who stand on toilet high on pot.
A bird in hand makes hard to blow nose.
He who eats too many prunes, sits on toilet many moons.
Lady who live in glass house should dress in basement.
To make egg roll, push it.
War doesn't determine who's right. War determines who's left.
Man who fall in vat of molten glass make spectacle of self.
Man who jumps through screen door likely to strain himself.
Man who drive like hell bound to get there.
Man who run behind car get exhausted.
Man who sneezes without hanky takes matters into his own hands.
Man who walk middle of road get run over by bus.
Man who run in front of car get tired.
People who make Confucious joke speak bad English.

Ten things you shouldn't say to mastaans

1. That is the smallest knife I have ever seen!
2. By the way, you forgot to close your zipper.
3. You seriously need some Fair & Lovely Kalo, bhai.
4. It's bad enough that I have to give so much money to beggars, so beat it!
5. Wow, add a bindi and you would look just like Aunt Pinky.
6. Hey! Don't you know it's bad to smoke in public? I am telling your mum on you!
7. Wait…these cheap fake gold rings are hard to take off you know.
8. By the way, I just recorded all those teasing comments you made at me and I am on my way to see your girlfriend, so I suggest you start praying, my friend!
9. I don't mind you guys coming together as a group, but do you really have to put your arms around each other's shoulders ?
10. Look behind you, it's the police! Ha ha…just joking. You people are so stupid!

By Shayera Moula

Apology

On August 19, 2004, an article was published as a reader's opinion in the Cell Watch column in the Rising Stars .
The writer, who is a new contributor to the RS Reader's opinion, was misled by too much data on the Internet, and apparently received incorrect information on the product.

The Rising Stars had no intention to mislead or confuse the readers on the quality of the product in this manner. We regret any inconvenience caused.

RS Editor