Articles from the author

It's quite remarkable how, even after so many years, the more serious moments of one's school days, long forgotten and rarely thought about, are immediately brought to mind with a startling clarity, with the occurrence of a current incident.

There was an article in the newspaper the other day, proclaiming, 'Shakespeare comes to Sharjah'. Not in the flesh, of course, because the bard had breath'd his last in 1616. No, this article was announcing that a school in Sharjah was about to stage excerpts from some of Shakespeare's famous plays, and in this way introduce schoolchildren of today not only to a great dramatist, but to English as it was spoken four centuries ago.

But best of all is, while I agree that this beast-like behaviour is brought on by the exigent nature of coming face to face with death, I must disagree with all those who think it is only a war that can do this to human beings.

My young friend Vish, who stands on the threshold of marriage, is off home, possibly to get a first glimpse of his bride-to-be and a last glance at his days of bachelorhood.

When the offer for employment arrived, Shankar's wife said take it, you may never get the opportunity again. Shankar agreed, observing, my B.Com isn't paying much here anyway.

I'm not so sure what tabs Johnny's been keeping on me, but if you ask him he just might say 'uncle Kevin is my best friend' and that would be the clincher,clear proof that I've made this regression successfully.

When you travel day after day down the same asphalt stretch, populated on either side by soaring glass towers, a silver point disappearing into the daytime haze like a needle into flesh, a façade gleaming good day, you stop wondering at the genius of the architect, or the wonder of modern design that probes a fresh dimension to aesthetics.

Off the Cuff: All walls serve two purposes

When my Chief Advisor, the Internet, is unable to provide me with the information I seek I immediately lapse into my role as the King of Vagueness.

They meet every Friday. Regular as clockwork. At mid-day. For brunch. For three hours. Brief hours. Brief as a Dubai weekend. Brief as short sentences.

Affluent parents use their money to help their children scale the career ladder. Those on the lower rungs employ a device called 'sacrifice'.

I think I gaped. James and Shakespeare? I said, so what do you know then about Shakespeare, and James rattled off Cowards die many times before their deaths, the valiant never taste of death but once.