When Monalisa Smiled…..
July 27th, 2008
“Flight 04200 to Paris, France will be departing from Gate IIC. All passengers travelling on First Class and those passengers with young children can board now”.
On hearing the announcement she got up from her seat and slowly proceeded to the boarding area. She was tired but very excited to be going back. The twenty or so days she had taken off to finish some urgent business had taken a toll on her. She had hardly slept. But now that things were getting back to normal, she was looking forward to the moment she could sit and relax.
The flight attendant greeted her warmly and she proceeded to the window seat, always her favourite. She stowed her hand bag on the overhead compartment, switched on the reading light and plopped on the plush seat and let out a soft sigh. Soon another flight attendant arrived and offered a choice of beverages. Though she hardly drank, she opted for a glass of chilled white wine.
She took her first sip….the crisp clean wine gently exploded in her mouth… it was really good. She opened the book she had put aside 20 days ago and started flipping the pages. Suddenly a shadow fell across, and a voice that caused her heart to flutter wafted across to her ears, “Is this seat taken??” It was a pick up line as aged as vintage wine, but still held that headiness that came along. She looked up into the face of one of the most handsome of men, a cocktail of William Darcy and Rhett Butler. “N-N-No”, she stuttered. He then smiled and with a wink said ” Pardon me for that age old pick up line. Thank you anyway.”
Both of them fell silent and she went back to reading. For some strange reason she felt the eyes of Mr. Cocktail boring into her the whole time. Finally mustering courage she turned and looked at him. She found herself staring into his eyes, a soothing shade of deep brown which had a mesmerizing effect on her. She blushed and turned her eyes away while he smiled looking at her. He got up and from the overhead bin opened his carry on and extracted a small photo album. He showed her a picture and she recognized it at once.
“Mona Lisa”…Leonardo Da Vinci’s enigmatic creation, lay in front of her eyes, but there was something very different about it. Her smile was missing. She looked at him with a puzzled ex-pression.
He said, “You have been chosen!!”. “Chosen? Chosen for what?” She asked still confused by the picture but still mesmerised by his brown eyes. “We need your smile. Your smile is exactly like hers and we have been searching for it ever since the two eyesoles along with another Rambo guy called Frozen Sun messed up the Louvre and the painting”.
She thought she recognized the name Frozen sun from somewhere but could not place it. May be the 20 day business and his deep brown eyes had rendered her completely incapable of remembering anything. He gazed at her and she felt so compelled, some strange force was pulling her, holding her captive. She was completely powerless and all she could do was follow this man, through the airport and out to the transport area.
He said, “You have been chosen!!”. “Chosen? Chosen for what?” She asked still confused by the picture but still mesmerised by his brown eyes. “We need your smile. Your smile is exactly like hers and we have been searching for it ever since the two eyesoles along with another Rambo guy called Frozen Sun messed up the Louvre and the painting”.
She thought she recognized the name Frozen sun from somewhere but could not place it. May be the 20 day business and his deep brown eyes had rendered her completely incapable of remembering anything. He gazed at her and she felt so compelled, some strange force was pulling her, holding her captive. She was completely powerless and all she could do was follow this man, through the airport and out to the transport area.
Suddenly, there was a commotion and two guys with their heads together were running helter-skelter chased by a third guy. It was Banta and Santa chased by a bleary eyed Frozen Sun who was so cross at them for messing up everything.
As good fortune would have it, the two ran straight into the stranger who went “ooooooooof” and the spell was broken.
She woke up from her trance and ran straight into the two guys who charged. They screamed in unison, “We found her, we found her.” Frozen Sun looked around bewildered and then saw her and said,” You You You …Oh Mona Lisa.. You are back !!” With a smile on his lips.
The wise Ant who had hitched a ride on the Frozen Ones back pack smiled and said “She is Back!”
“The flight to iLand will be leaving soon and I have bought tickets for all of us.. come on hurry up all !!!” Frozen sun announced to Mona, Ant r, S and B. On the next flight to iLand the poor Frozen was in a total stupor without even getting sozzled.
Feeling tired she dozed off and when she woke up she was in a rocky terrain surrounded by some strange looking people and two really weird looking thugs. Frozy blinked and bellowed , “Oh my!! It is Gabbar Singh and Mogambo..”
The extras there had a hard time controlling Banta and Santa who were scampering to get an autograph.
It seemed she was kidnapped by the old villains for the same reason as the deep-brown-eyed stranger. Mona Lisa’s smile!
“Haso Mona haso…humein tumhari hansi chahiye… We want your smile. HA HA HA” Said Mogambo in his deep evil baritone of a voice. He had an aged Fuji camera with him.
Listening to this Frozy lost control and shouted.. “Nahiii Monaaaa… In kameene kutton ke saamne mat hasna..”
Gabbar who always hated that line, whacked poor Frozy and he lost consciousness. Then Gabbar in his trademark, lethargic, marijuana induced voice continued where Mugambo left off.
“But, before we take away your smile you shall dance on the song…Jab tak hai jaan…”
But Mugambo yelled. ” No…not that stupid song..” “You will dance on the song Hawa Hawaii…” and he started shaking his hips like Shakira oops.. Sridevi..
“Sridevi? kabhi nahi.. like Basanti” said Gabbar …”Like Sridevi” said Mugambo..
“Basanti”… ” Sridevi”… the argument continued
The old goat Mogambo and Gabbar had it out and at that time Banta and Santa screamed ..” Watch out !!! Here come Jai Veeru…and there I can see Mr India too…”
Gabbar said shit and ran like hell.. Mogambo didn’t even bother to wait to say shit. But in the end it turned out to be three camels and the eyesoles S and B, they had mistaken the camels for jai-veeru-mr.india.
And thus Mona Lisa was finally free. She beamed the loveliest of all smiles that anyone had seen and with that smile she returned to her home in iLand .
Mona Lisa smiled!
PS Inspiration Moe..for his latest blog “And Now its Monalisa” auroraborealis.rediffiland.com
Acknowledgement FABS….Frozy…Ant r …Banta ….and Santa…
Thank you to all who missed me..
