CAMARADERIE

An air-conditioned spacious room,
With all comforts
Ambience – cool, calm and serene
The negotiating table,
Large, wide and rectangular.
Embellished with flower vase, paper weights
Both got seated across the table
Customary greetings followed.
Smiles, warm hand-shakes,
Pleasantries exchanged
Something personal, something about
The climate in each country.
“Here quite hot and humid”
“Same case over there”
Moments lapsed.
In came business
Files opened.
Both looked serious and gracious.
Who should begin?
“Yes I shall start”
“Okay”
“Terror must stop”
“First the core issue of valley”
(In came steaming tea, cutlets and vadas)
“First terror must stop”,
“It is our ‘core’ concern”
“We are fed up with terror,
You know” (A serious smile)
“But don’t bracket the two” (Serious smile in return)
Discussions, deliberations
One hour, two hours
Gone
“It is lunch-time already”
Oh, I did not notice it in the heat of discussions.
“Even in the ac cabin” (jokes)
“Your sense of humour, I appreciate it” (smiles)
“Your return flight at?”
Quick came the answer.
“Okay, let’s meet another day”
“Certainly after discussions with our Heads”
Warm hand-shakes, beaming smiles,
Have a nice journey”
“Thanks a lot”
Core-issues remain core-issues
So be it.
The dialogue must go on
No press conferences after and no comments to the media
Loud explosions outside,
One after another
Media men run helter-skelter
Shocks, protests as usual
TV screens screamed.
Strewn body parts, wailing
maimed victims writhing in pain cries in the wilderness
frantic searches of parents, siblings, relatives, friends, all sobbing
Shocks and protests
Charge and counter charges
One after another.
Looming war in the horizon
Dialogue must go on
Certainly