Scrapbook 1.

At the office he was a
ready reckoner.
Retired, in an armchair
beside a window
in a 10-storey apartment,
inks notebooks with
Ramajayams.....

......

Friend, Old Man
slipped into an armchair
with his Prayer Book:
Jejuri by Arun Kolatkar
rhyming railway time tables
for khandoba....

.....

Junking friend to Ram and Ravans, Old Man timed out to Karuna Road over which was a February moon, fresh from a face wash at the beauty parlour. Putting strides to an evening, Old Man paused at the walled woods of St. Francis Assisi School, spotting a female shikra; reasonably sure; rather lost himself as shikras are not regulars. Checked with Dr. Salim Ali and the Book of Indian Birds; and then the bats (Flying fox), took him for an evening fly over Borivili (West) with its bikes, cars and people; at a park without trees, Old Man requested a landing to have paper cones of theekha bhelpuri from Ramdev, the bhaiya from UP, stuck on the road not voting; 'saab, pet ka mamla hai', said he smiling tambakooed teeth. A dozen bhel puris, each Rs.20, were ordered by Old Man for nine bats and self, to spread tones of delight. And then Old Man set out to track the shikra and the ghosts flying with owls of nights, a belief grandma had seeded in Old Man; he did not see shikra, owls and ghosts; nothing looked haunted, too many men and women and children; yet, he was unsure; none searched Old Man; they were used to Old Man missing; the morning found him under a spotted gliricidia covered with its pink flowers. Spring 2017 is on. From his pocket took out the Prayer Book; read the prayers; thanked Jejuri for being alive; went home.