Like, Misunderstood (excerpt)

[Guest guest]

CHAPTER 106: Bombay War Zone

 

Back in Vrindavan Gurudev talks to me about plans to build a large

university of culture in Vrindavan, a new study center for both local

men and foreigners to come to learn about Vrindavan.

 

‘We have the plan ready and the prospectus,’ he tells me. ‘For this we

need money; at least two lakhs rupees. I want you and Gopesh Prabhu to

take train to Bombay and meet some of our supporters. Have you seen

Bombay?’

 

‘No, Gurudev.’

 

‘It is the most beautiful city of India,’ he tells me. ‘And there are

many rich seths. I will give you introduction. You will like Bombay. It

is very peaceful and safe place.’

 

Well, Gopesh and I make it to Bombay. But ‘peaceful’?

 

We’re on a bus, driving down a dark street overlooking a darkened

Marine Drive stretching below the hill and around the bay. There is a

total blackout of the city. Air raid sirens are howling. The bus breaks

to a screeching halt and all the passengers, including Gopesh and I,

are ordered off and onto the shadowy street.

 

We stumble out the door into the dense darkness and stand next to the

bus for shelter. I look up at the night sky from on top of the hill

overlooking Marine Drive and can see the bright tracers of the

anti-aircraft guns all around the city. It looks like fireworks. Lights

of gunfire rounds bursting over Bombay. Cool. Awesome. But not exactly

‘peaceful.’

 

Next day the newspaper headline is, ‘Pakistan attacks India.’ Holy

sh*t, I’m in a friggen war.

 

I have no idea, but at the same time, my Dad, Colonel Dick Brown, is

taking cover under his cot as incoming mortar rounds whiz overhead and

explode all around. His face twists with a grimace each time the earth

shakes from a mortar explosion. No, Riverside hasn’t got quite that

bad, he’s at Bien Hoa Air Force Base in South Vietnam. And they’re

under attack.

 

The next day he watches two choppers land and dump off loads of young

kid soldiers fresh from heavy jungle combat. The choppers land and the

guys inside, caked in mud and blood, literally fall out onto the ground

where the fall sleep immediately, before the choppers even take off

again. They are wasted beyond all human limits. And they’re the lucky

ones.

 

In spite of Vietnam’s hell, my Dad still helps the war effort – nuke a

gook for Luke! Like, hey Mr. USSA, you’ll dropped more bombs on little

Vietnam than were dropped in the whole of World War II. And why’s that?

For peace? Sh*t! Bombing for peace is kinda like screwing for

virginity. SIR!’

 

In spite of the ongoing war with Pakistan and nightly blackouts Gopesh

and I still carry on with our mission: raise the money. Jeez! It’d be

easier to raise the friggen Titanic.

 

Following the list of contacts given by Swamiji we sit in the expansive

and opulent office of millionaire G.D. Somani.

 

‘Yes, Brij Narayana is my close friend,’ he tells us from behind his

vast desk. ‘So vhat is his plan?’

 

‘Well, sir,’ I explain. ‘He says we should form a committee, with you

as president, and organize a musical concert. He says that many top

singers will perform for free, to help the Vrindavan project.’

 

‘And ve shall sell tickets?’

 

‘No sir, Sri Narayanaji says we should hold the concert for free; and

invite many VIPs to come. Then we can give out a souvenir book about

the concert – which also explains the Vrindavan project.’

 

‘Aha! And you will sell advertising?’ he grins slyly. ‘That is the best

idea because the donors can get tax exemption.’

 

I nod. ‘That's what Brij Narayana said.’

 

‘Vell, I agree to be president. Your Guru is a great saint; and

Vrindavan is a Tirtha. It is a worthy project.’

 

I go on to explain that we’re booking the Tej Paal Auditorium to hold

the show, and that Laxshmi Shankar and Gita Prem have already agreed to

sing for free. Rajendra Shankar, Ravi’s brother, is also willing to

help.

 

Somani tells us he’ll give a list of contacts who may also want to be

on the program committee or advertise in the program. He’ll start the

ball rolling by booking a full-page advertisement himself.

 

‘Now if this war would just stop, this madness!’ he says, changing the

subject. ‘We are winning, but America is supporting Pakistan and the

madman Yahya Khan.’

 

‘What?’

 

‘You didn't hear the news?’ Somani shows me his Bombay newspaper.

‘America sends 7th Fleet to India’ is the headline.

 

Gulp! Hey, don’t look at me. I’m not this body.

 

TBC

 

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[Guest guest]

LOL....I like it! I am again reminded of my impending 20 year retirement date from the military. I am about to make a Christmas loop chain and pull one off day by day (remember being a kid?), as this doggone day can't come soon enough! Richard Shaw Brown <rsbj66 wrote: CHAPTER 106: Bombay War ZoneBack in Vrindavan Gurudev talks to me about plans to build a largeuniversity of culture in Vrindavan, a new study center for both localmen and foreigners to come to learn about Vrindavan.‘We have the

plan ready and the prospectus,’ he tells me. ‘For this weneed money; at least two lakhs rupees. I want you and Gopesh Prabhu totake train to Bombay and meet some of our supporters. Have you seenBombay?’‘No, Gurudev.’‘It is the most beautiful city of India,’ he tells me. ‘And there aremany rich seths. I will give you introduction. You will like Bombay. Itis very peaceful and safe place.’Well, Gopesh and I make it to Bombay. But ‘peaceful’?We’re on a bus, driving down a dark street overlooking a darkenedMarine Drive stretching below the hill and around the bay. There is atotal blackout of the city. Air raid sirens are howling. The bus breaksto a screeching halt and all the passengers, including Gopesh and I,are ordered off and onto the shadowy street. We stumble out the door into the dense darkness and stand next to thebus for shelter. I look up at the night sky from on top of the

hilloverlooking Marine Drive and can see the bright tracers of theanti-aircraft guns all around the city. It looks like fireworks. Lightsof gunfire rounds bursting over Bombay. Cool. Awesome. But not exactly‘peaceful.’Next day the newspaper headline is, ‘Pakistan attacks India.’ Holysh*t, I’m in a friggen war.I have no idea, but at the same time, my Dad, Colonel Dick Brown, istaking cover under his cot as incoming mortar rounds whiz overhead andexplode all around. His face twists with a grimace each time the earthshakes from a mortar explosion. No, Riverside hasn’t got quite thatbad, he’s at Bien Hoa Air Force Base in South Vietnam. And they’reunder attack. The next day he watches two choppers land and dump off loads of youngkid soldiers fresh from heavy jungle combat. The choppers land and theguys inside, caked in mud and blood, literally fall out onto the groundwhere the fall sleep immediately,

before the choppers even take offagain. They are wasted beyond all human limits. And they’re the luckyones. In spite of Vietnam’s hell, my Dad still helps the war effort – nuke agook for Luke! Like, hey Mr. USSA, you’ll dropped more bombs on littleVietnam than were dropped in the whole of World War II. And why’s that?For peace? Sh*t! Bombing for peace is kinda like screwing forvirginity. SIR!’In spite of the ongoing war with Pakistan and nightly blackouts Gopeshand I still carry on with our mission: raise the money. Jeez! It’d beeasier to raise the friggen Titanic. Following the list of contacts given by Swamiji we sit in the expansiveand opulent office of millionaire G.D. Somani. ‘Yes, Brij Narayana is my close friend,’ he tells us from behind hisvast desk. ‘So vhat is his plan?’‘Well, sir,’ I explain. ‘He says we should form a committee, with youas president, and organize a musical

concert. He says that many topsingers will perform for free, to help the Vrindavan project.’‘And ve shall sell tickets?’‘No sir, Sri Narayanaji says we should hold the concert for free; andinvite many VIPs to come. Then we can give out a souvenir book aboutthe concert – which also explains the Vrindavan project.’‘Aha! And you will sell advertising?’ he grins slyly. ‘That is the bestidea because the donors can get tax exemption.’I nod. ‘That's what Brij Narayana said.’ ‘Vell, I agree to be president. Your Guru is a great saint; andVrindavan is a Tirtha. It is a worthy project.’I go on to explain that we’re booking the Tej Paal Auditorium to holdthe show, and that Laxshmi Shankar and Gita Prem have already agreed tosing for free. Rajendra Shankar, Ravi’s brother, is also willing tohelp.Somani tells us he’ll give a list of contacts who may also want to beon the program committee or

advertise in the program. He’ll start theball rolling by booking a full-page advertisement himself.‘Now if this war would just stop, this madness!’ he says, changing thesubject. ‘We are winning, but America is supporting Pakistan and themadman Yahya Khan.’‘What?’‘You didn't hear the news?’ Somani shows me his Bombay newspaper.‘America sends 7th Fleet to India’ is the headline.Gulp! Hey, don’t look at me. I’m not this body.TBCSend instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.

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