"We do that, We all earn the right to go home"

Watched Saving Privates Ryan for the hmmm......maybe 20th time, this time on Sirasa TV. South korea was getting kicked out on the other channel. was knocking down with sleep (after a tired day of work and classes), but managed to stay till the end. This film is very close to my heart. Striking coincidences and simmilarities in the film and my life (hold it ! NO military involvement here !!) I have mentioned this part earlier in Great Quotes but I cannot refrain from posting it yet another time.

" I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle. I feel how weak and fruitless must be any words of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering to you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save."

" I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours, to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the Alter of Freedom."

Abraham Lincoln

From The collected works of Abraham Lincoln, edited by Roy P. Basler, Volume VIII, Letter to Mrs. Lydia Bixby (November 21, 1864, pp. 116-117)

Thought I was gone, something else was !!

Yesterday after work,I got into the bus from Kollupitiya with a friend, went forward and got a seat. After some time another friend got in. we were chatting along. Suddenly I noticed the man seated next to me had something in his hand wrapped in a brown paper bag. It looked like a remote. To my horror he started pressing from outside of the Brownpaper cover. He peeped through the window and kept on pressing the this thing in his hand. I heard the click noise of the buttons of a remote. My blood curled. I remembered the Kebitigollawa Bus claymore explosion carried out through a remote. I thought I was gone.

I could not tell my freind who was standing next to me or my other friend in the bus seated a couple of rows behind. I can't afford to get the passengers panicked. confusion was taking its toll on me. who knows this guy could be some maniac out of his mind. Then he got down at Bambalapitiya Junction. I watched him cross the road and walk towards MC. I told my friend who was standing by me what happend. He took it for a joke. I think the girl seated next to me got scared listening to this. So I tried to act normal.I wasn't convinced who knows if he had set a time bomb to blow us up. Ideal targets could be a VIP or a crowded Junction. I was imagining how it would be to be blown to pieces.

Well, it was not yet time for me to go. However, anyone of you who roam the city, keep sharp. I Dunno he could be just a wayward man or who knows a prime suspect.

That was yesterday. Today, I was the one pressing the remote ? no my Mobile. I was checking the Cricket Match score. I read the score loud for a friend also to hear. Shit ! Then I put the Mob inside my bag since it could have fallen off my pocket. When I came home my Mob was gone !! Someone must be laughing at me for being such fool. (I did not notice some one had opened the side pocket zip and made the Mob vanish.) Awwww..... Now the fun begins. Inform the service provider, Police, and everyone I remember that was in my phone book. Happening..............!!

change ?? hmm....

I seem to be meeting all kinds of characters these days. Some, known individuals seem to take another character. I'm not really sure whether I'm going bonkers or not. Well here's another one of them. This lecturer (where I go for classes) seem to have a fascination for Charles Darwin.

This guy always says "Darwin said we must change" (tries to give the idea we have to change according to the examiner) and goes on whereas he is supposed to teach Accounting & Tax. Apparently he has done Biology for his A/L's (same school as I and 5,6 years senior. awww....) I hate Biology. I remember my mom pulling me by my ear and teaching me the Biology part of O/L Science. Brain refuses to take in anything Bio. Then he says, "Director says, put my wife on the Balance Sheet and depreciate her........" huh ?? how do I do dat ??

After some time he starts talking about putting Biological Assets in the Balance Sheet. My spoilt mind starts thinking. Hmmm... Noooo Damn it !! I manage to gather my thoughts and stay calm. Lecturer says "those are things like" (here we go....) "Karawila, Pathola, Wattakka....Agricultural stuff" Phew !! Few minutes go by. He says, "We have to change.... who says ?? Darwin !! The Mosquito changes, so must we.." again!!

He seem to be saying this every day and there are no signs of stopping. Terrible example for change. Would have been OK if the change is automatic. Problem is we have to kill ourselves to bring about the change. Well, here goes, another character. God only knows what sort of characters I might meet in the future !!

The SlipOff of the Year (So Far !!)

Last Friday myself, with two other friends, went for a funeral of one of our school batch mate's Father. Felt really sorry for the guy as he was an only child. we stayed there till about 12.45 a.m. (although I had a hectic day tommorow) since there wasn't much of his friends to be seen at that time.

When we decided to come home, awww.. no one had come in a car ! so, called a cab. We were turning to Galle Road. I was seated at the back seat. I looked through the shutter and saw that it was very dark. No lights to be seen. There were two street lamps burning although it was very dim, it did not click me they were burning. I turned to the other side saying, "machang parey mey paththey light gihilla....". For a brief moment there was pin drop silence. Then whoa, the whole cab was roaring with laughter, even the cab driver. Their bellys about to burst with laughter. Dammit, I did not realize that the 2 back seat shutters were tinted.

Oh brother, that was the slip off of the year for me (so far !!). Promises all around. One guy promised to include this in next years Big Match souvenier. Another guy promised to write it in a "Bye potha". I assume that this would have been laughed over for so many times the next day (at the funeral). Well, so long for me, I meet these fellas after a long time and I manage to blow off the bellys. Feel like a damn idiot for saying what I've said, but 'da Hell !! I find solace in telling myelf "I've been blessed with the gift of making people laugh !!"

How to Pass Physics with Gin & Tonic

Never knew there was another way to pass Physics. Shit, he should have told before. I go to his place to watch the Cricket Match (no cable at home) he's seated with 2 empty cans of Tonic . He says, "You're late u bugger, see I've finished it" Its the maniac uncle dude(my neighbour) mentioned in The Present. This guy, when he's high after a drink gives me a lecture on Physics and Chemistry. He starts with Dalton's Law of Partial Pressure - when two gasses that.... . Then goes on to mention there is K2Cr2O7 (Potassium Dicromate) in his food. Best part is he has repeated this about three times (Each time was after getting cut) I tell this to my father and he says he & their friends heard the Physics lesson (Dalton's law, Potassium.....) for over a thousand times. (My father and this uncle were freinds from small days)

To add to the fun he mutters a statement from Albert Einstein,
(of course it is uttered with the drunkard touch)

"Ahaganing bung, Albert Einstein kiuwa",

"When I was descending that declimity,
With such an excessive velocity,
I lost my center of gravity,
And macadamise on the thoroughfare"

Match that !! Crazy old fool. I didn't know the damn secret of passing Physics as my uncle claims. Sometimes he starts to make a calculation of about a light bulb. (again after a shot)I often tell him "You might not have been able to complete that sum at your A/L's" sure as hell.

Muttur - Idea ??

Hey, a sudden Flash of an idea crossed my mind. Since the LTTE has threatened the Muslims in the Muttur area, to vacate their homes, what if Al Qaeda thinks that the LTTE are against the Muslims too ?? Man, won't that fire up Al Qaeda ?? who knows. Then there'll be one terrorist shooting the shit outa nother. Bin Laden vs Prabha. Would be fun to watch !!

OK hold it, Then we'll have to bring in Coalition Troops to see the backs of the Al Qaeda Fellows. Naaah Stupid Idea.