Duet in Canteen Plate……….

Just as usual I am again infront of you, but in contrast to my earlier verbalizations I am not here to shake you with heavy indigestible philosophical cerebrations. I will tell you people, my dear friends; a short love story. The fellow beings in this anecdote are not humans but two silly germs. Through this recital, I want to avow to the world that not only we bipeds but also each and every living creature ranging from the gargantuan blue whales to the microbial amoebas have a cute loving heart and with your silent assent I will guide you directly to my story; an unwonted duet.
This is not a fictional account of some intriguing events occurred in some parts of the globe but a real mind-blowing incident that happened in a disheveled canteen plate which resembled a rectangular foot ball ground with some four small circular swimming pool like pits beside the main rectangular crate. As if to accompany the main rectangular crate it was also having another smaller dimple on its left side which almost resembled its main counterpart. The smaller pits were used for serving some liquid dishes called curries and the main crate provided space for the major members of the contingent including chapattis, rice, dosas and even uppuma. Various visitors like some saadhams also rarely occupied the central portico on some blue moon days. The prodigal fact about our canteen plate was that it was having two skins- one the accumulated dark and dirty black outer skin and a steel shining inner skin. Thus in this aspect our plate was in contrast to those humans with shining exteriors and dark mind. Because of the very good cleaning which was done daily, the dullness of the plate increased day by day and the steely shine is almost beyond our ocular reach.
There lived two germs in the hostile corners of that canteen plate and fortunately or unfortunately they were of the opposite sex. . As they were born and brought up in those corners, it was like their own home and the accumulated black dirty food waste which painted the corners provided a friendly milieu for them. They started their journey of life together and were travelling through the spring of teens. At the midst of this journey, by the laws of nature which are the hardest to refute, that ravishing feeling of love tied them together mentally but not physically. As days progressed they wanted to come closer and closer and shift their residence from the inimical crannies to anyone of it. After lots of mental calculations they selected that cranny where the female germ was staying as their future nest.
The male germ decided to travel across the central crate diagonally to reach their dream home. But only after starting his journey he realized one thing, the path through the crate is not easy. The oil from those food materials occupied the crate was still persisting there and its smell is unbearable even for him. As he plants one step forward, he was skidding to two steps backward. Being a hard hearted fan of Napoleon he tried many times and all was in vain. So he changed his path and decided to go through the walls of the plate. Here also the conditions were not favoring his expedition. He was not able to overcome those lofty barriers created by the decayed comestibles. Their disappointment was ponderous and the thought of suicide governed their brains but nothing negative happened. Finally the virile told, “We shouldn’t give up. As we grow up we will get more power and strength. Then we can easily cross these barriers and can unite. Let’s ‘Live and Try’. That should be our mantra.” Days progressed they became stronger but even then they were not able to cross those barriers because the obstructions also grew larger and their dreams remained dreams itself.
The need of an alternate plan was an urgent demand of the situation. They thought too much sitting opposite to each other without sleep or food and finally the couples arrived at a wise yet risky solution. The virile explained the plan to his mate as follows, “Let’s wait till tomorrow’s lunch. Then some unfortunate man will come to have food. When he puts chapatti in the plate, I will try to walk over it and will come near you. Chapattis will surely provide a smooth path for me without any slip. Let’s pray for the successful fulfillment of our wish.” The female germ tried her best to revoke her soulmate from that dangerous attempt but her attempts were useless infront of his love. Next noon arrived and as planned one unfortunate man came to have food and instead of chapatti he took rice only. But our hero was not ready to look backward he jumped over the rice heap and started climbing the heap towards his destination. The nooks and crannies in the heap made his peregrination difficult but he covered each inch with courage and at this time his female partner was there in silent prayers. However he climbed up to the peak of that heap and assured himself that the difficult phase is over and the rest he can cover easily. He was having a sigh of relief but before completing that sigh the worst thing happened… The strong hand of that unfortunate man took our virile along with a fist of rice to his mouth and the hero was swallowed!!! While passing through the oesophagus to the stomach of that man the male germ shed some tones of tears and finally died. The sight was an ordeal for his mate. She gave a loud cry which reflected in the walls of the plate and bounced back as some thousands of echoes. She herself changed into some white ensembles resembling a widow and is still staying in that dark corner. Days have been passed; but even now that unfortunate man is continuously vomiting and someone with a device called stethoscope hanging in his ears have diagnosed the disease as Cholera…………