a billion dollar dream

Today, Instagram sold to Facebook for $1 billion. A week ago, when TIME asked Instagram founder, Kevin Systrom, if he would sell the company, he said “It’s not really on the top of our minds right now.” 

Kevin is 27 years old and started Instagram 18 months ago with Mike Krieger, in October 2010. The company has grown with just 4 staff, and today has just 9 in the team. With the $1 billion deal that was announced today, was Kevin just plain lucky, or was there some simple steps that he (and others who have had the same luck) have in common?

If you look the way instagram made it to a staggering billion dollar valuation. Its founders followed 3 simple steps...

1. THING BIG FROM DAY ONE - THEN LEARN FROM OTHERS:

It was while Kevin was studying at Stanford 7 years ago that he had the idea of a photo-sharing site, from his passion for photography. That was before iPhones, and before Facebook. Step one was he cultivated his idea by learning from others. He met Mark Zuckerberg in 2004 and talked about his idea. Mark then offered him a job at Facebook, which had just launched (in hindsight, a cheaper option that the $1 billion he’s just paid to work with Kevin). Kevin turned him down but they stayed in touch. He went to intern at Odeo with Evan Williams, who sold Blogger and Jack Dorsey, who launched Twitter. This is where Kevin got to understand the power of social sharing. Kevin later said “Comparing Instagram to photography is like comparing Twitter to Microsoft Word”.

He then went on to work at Google. All in all, it was a full six years after having the idea of a photo sharing site that he worked with others leading the field: Getting paid for his own education before he launched his own start-up. As Kevin says, “I was given the opportunity to be in the middle of a ton of innovation, and meet some of the smartest people doing the coolest stuff in the world. When I finally did it [myself], it just felt so right."

That just leaves us once question to ponder...

Who could you (and should you) be working with today to lay your own foundation?

2. KEEP 100% FOCUSED ON WHAT PROBLEM YOU’RE SOLVING - AND FAIL FIRST:

When Kevin launched Instagram in October 2010, he explained in his first blog what problems Instagram intended to solve. He listed the top three problems users were having: 

“My mobile photos look lame.”

“It’s a pain to share to all my friends.”

“Photos take forever to upload.”

How would he know these were the problems? Just by talking to people? No, by getting it wrong the first time. In early 2010 he launched his first attempt “Burbn” as a location-based photo app, using Foursquare. It was a one-man-band, but after a year of hard work it had failed to catch on. It was, however, a failure that allowed him to learn from his users what would work, and to attract interest from like-minded people, including his future co-founder of Instagram, Mike Krieger.

By focusing on these three problems, Instagram launched in October 2010. Kevin relates the first moments of launch: “It was 12:15am, October 6th and we had been working on the app non-stop, day and night for 8 weeks. With a bit of hesitation, I clicked the button that launched “Instagram” live to the Apple app store. We figured we’d have at least 6 hours before anyone discovered the app so we could grab some shut-eye. No problem, we figured. Within a few minutes, they started pouring in... The night of sleep we were hoping for turned into a few meager hours before we rushed into the office to add capacity to the service. Now, only a couple months later, we’re happy to announce that our community consists of more than a million registered users.”

Insight!

What problem are you solving, and what are you learning by failing, that is setting you up for your own overnight success?

3. CUT OUT ALL THE NOISE:

Kevin explains the difference between Instagram and Burbn: “We actually got an entire version of Burbn done as an iPhone app, but it felt cluttered, and overrun with features. It was really difficult to decide to start from scratch, but we went out on a limb, and basically cut everything in the Burbn app except for its photo, comment, and like capabilities. What remained was Instagram.”

Kevin cut out all the noise. He then launched Instagram just on the Apple App Store - (One of the first apps I downloaded  on my iPad. Its amazing - All I can say.. It just works! Also instagram was launched on google play (Android) last week) and focused on sharing on Twitter and Facebook (Three platforms that didn’t even exist when he first had the idea). That’s it: Photo, comment, like. No other platforms. No other noise. 

Simpler means sharper means easier to cut through the noise. Instagram went from one million users by Dec 2010 to 30 million users today. In 2011, Apple named Instagram the “App of the Year”. Why would Facebook buy it now for $1 billion? Because Zuckerberg already knows it will add more value than that to Facebook when it has its upcoming $100 billion IPO.

If you are already thinking big, connecting smart and focused at the problems you are solving - How could you solve them in the fewest number of steps?

A $1bn. STORY

It obviously takes more than three simple, not-so-simple steps to get the pieces lined up and timed right for the kind of 18 month run that Kevin has had. 

As an end to this chapter of the Instagram story, here’s how Kevin relates the beginning of his photo-sharing idea. It is at the heart of his journey (as your story should be at the heart of yours, if you ever want to be an entrepreneur):

“When I studied abroad my teacher set what I do now in motion by saying, “Give me that camera of yours.” He took my camera away and gave me a little, plastic camera. I was studying in Florence at the time and he told me that I wasn’t allowed to use my camera for the rest of the class. I had to use this plastic camera with a terrible lens. He said I was too focused on sharpness and “I feel like you’re more artsy than that.””

“He said, “I want you to use this Holga,” this plastic camera with a plastic lens that had this cult following in the ’80s and ’90. I was blown away by what it could do to photos. My photography teacher was totally right. I was too focused on being meticulous with these really beautiful, complex architectural shots. It helps to see the world through a different lens and that’s what we wanted to do with Instagram. We wanted to give everyone the same feeling of discovering the world around you through a different lens.”

It’s ironic that as Instagram hits a $1 billion value, mimicking the feel of these disposable cameras, the biggest producer of them, Kodak, has filed for bankruptcy.

Each wave that crashes is followed by another. The only question is who is already positioning themselves to surf it. 

You may also like the talk on stanford university's ecorner site - From Stanford to Startup (Its a very good site, I'd recommend - bookmark it!)

Resolutions

It's new year time,  New year resolutions -Check!

Well, before making any new year resolutions, let's reflect back what happened in my life in a to be called as yesteryear 2011... :-) 

I kick started the new year celebrating with my family. Followed by scoring an internship @ Broadcom India Research, as Systems Design intern. Fantastic fun it was.. So was the work, and still is :-) 

1. The very first day I entered BRCM, I decided I wanna be a part of this elite faction. Which I did! :-) Now I own firmware design delivery for one of the amazing wifi chips ever designed at BRCM Bangalore R&D centre 

2. I'm a bit tech savvy - All I wanted in 2010 was to own few of the cutting edge products in the market in my wish list. And now I don't have just the few.. in fact have all of em' :-) 

3. I wanted to learn an instrument - Well I dint find enough time of the 24x7 platter to devote on. This year I'm gonna master one :-) 

4. I wanted to get lost in the nature - I tried, well I didn't visit even one place of my *dude-check-this-out* list - I'm not gonna miss out this year :O)

5. Girl - Well it turned out she's more ambitious than me :P Destination: ETH Zurich (long distance sucks!). 

6. Learnt cooking! :D

7. Got to know, what it means *paying the bills* is :P

8. Lost a little pound-o-buck investing - thought "Let me rest, let the money work it out for me" figured out.. Not a good plan, I decided "I'll do all the work, let the money rest" :D

9. I couldn't make a 9point plus in my final semester - fell short by 0.04 :-/

10. Unbelievable! Four-year-transform was so fast! 

I haven't made any new - new year resolutions yet, well there's a plan but.. Sketchy ;-)

dolce far niente! ^_^

Tranquility surrounded… a cool breeze flowing across the bay which innervate your senses, makes you feel alive... a chilling evening at that… sitting by the pool side at your apartment on just another Saturday – Creating waves on water, which illuminate on the wall opposite with inexplicably gorgeous abstract images… Splashing the water now and then to see whether the disturbance adds more aura to vibrant illuminations… Enjoying every bit of *sweet doin nothing!!* feeling… A pint of beer by the side – And not just there yet… but some random thought exceeds the threshold and captivates the grey matter which was rumbled with million others. 

Blog!

And there I go… a *3min 37sec* quick update, My first blog-post from my phone :D

I love weekends!! B^)

An Obtuse motility

It was 0830hrs, Saturday morning – at Home, the cell phone tooted its last wakeup call captioned “Avi – U gotta jump!” (Which I did, literally for past 6 months.. I used to hop up only past 0830hrs :P thanks to the work culture at Broadcom! ;))

I was feeling eerie this morning. “I ain’t going back to blr to go to college this time” – It was weird! I hurdled from the bedroom across the hallway into the kitchen. I hugged momma! – She looked at me “en aythu Shonu? All of a sudden? :)” - “Result of a Good night sleep I guess! :)” I fired back.

Dad was sitting there reading his newspaper. He knew what I was feeling. Mom poured a cup of tea for me...

“Obtuse motility?” – Papa inquired.

“Yeah... totally!! :)” – replied the son with a grin.

Dad asked me whether I checked my email yesterday. “No I haven’t... why?” (Probably i was having a life after a long time, which kept me away from logging in!  :P) I was curious. He said he had mailed me a speech by Bryan Dyson, CEO - Coca Cola, which in a nutshell described the essence of our yesterdays' talk over dinner.

This is an awesome speech... Probably the best short vocalizations ever toward professional courtesy I have come across. 

"Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them - Work, Family, Health, Friends and Spirit and you're keeping all of these in the Air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four Balls - Family, Health, Friends and Spirit - are made of glass. If you drop one of these; they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for it 

Work efficiently, leave on time. Give the required time to your family, friends & have proper rest.

Value has a value only if its value is valued"

I thought this is definitely worth sharing, which almost came near to my personal favorite, the one by Steve Jobs, CEO - Apple Inc addressing at the Stanford commencement for 2005 fall semester. It still tops my list :)

"Stay Hungry... Stay Foolish"

***

Just Hostel

For those who have stayed in hostel, they know... they've had the best times of their life! 

Independence, sometimes too much of Dependence, Loneliness, Togetherness, Departure of buddies with passing of every semester, Arrival of the new breed, Introductions, Silly fights, Later a friendly delight, getting Influenced, being Influential, Dreams in those captivating eyes, Awaken souls, placement Celebrations, Parties on roof top... if one sits and populates the list.. Its endless!!

From a basket of bread, the memories of four years staying away from home, my engineering life is the sweetest slice in the loaf; probably I don't have more fond memories than those post 3.30pm to 8.15am at my Hostel (and that of the college.. Click Here) - A snippet of what we did.. A chunk of the whole bunch of conversations, events, activities - of all sorts - here are few (very few) 

A few of these have more than one person muttering it - figure it out yourself :)

****

Le.. night show, tonight! – Okay!! :)

Dude... On the terrace, just two neat shots maga..  yerade yeradu c’mon! – Loafer nadi, hattu mele! :P

Where is it? – Ille itt alvo! That was all the material I had!! – Magne naale neen band baritiya examna? Hudku...!! =O

E bidbedro avanna – Hold him; where the f* are my shoes – Magne satthe neen ivvattu! :P

Hosa Bike – Treat! Hosa Phone – Treat! Hosa phone number – Treat guru!! :D

Le.. ond game baarale.. Onde ond last gamu!! – Yellru id ond aata admele malkollrappa; Okay na? :P

Ha Ha... Headshot!! :D – B*tch!! :P

Poker game, Monopoly!! =D

Pizza nights :)

Facebook, Gtalk, Skype - Yaaro avlu? *starts shouting* Hey everyone... reporting direct from Room #2, illond count++ madro :P

Cricket match, Volleyball, B’day Cakes, High Tea (:P), IPL, EPL, B’lore Rains, Load Shedding (a.k.a. emptying eatables as soon as someone arrives from their native :P) and the infamous Vade – Payasam concept (eww.. :D) !!

Endless list of series – movies – whole lotta discographies (and also the Bhakti Sagar :P) – a single source to infinite information :D - our LAN :P - Illappa, nan computer tumba cleanu (Saak sumniru, ninashte cleanu) :D

Night outs.. Out in the night... and sometimes the best of all.. Just getting WHACKED OUT o_O !! :P

And LOADS of FUN (with lots of puns)!! ;)

****

I miss my Hostel, I miss y'all, I'll miss it all!! :-|

(No.. I'm not crying... Dammit! :( )

Desperate Times... f**ked up measures!!!

The need for 5 more minutes of sleep just when the alarm goes off... You scream “Snooze!!! – The Booze aint off yet!”

The shower that stops all of a sudden, with which the humming viva la vida slips to what the vida!!!! in tandem.

You go almost 200m off the house and realise you don’t have the ID/cellphone/key (in case you share a house)/..../...../..../those goddamn earphones... man!

When you just miss the bus.... Damn!

When you want to continue the conversation with the pretty young lady that you just caught up with, and your destination arrives.... fish!

When you turn around just to avoid getting into a particular lift for a particular reason (!), someone inside screams to the top of their voice “V come in!” .... SH!T !!

The times when you’re just short of a rupee to buy something!! And that something (jujubi otherwise) becomes priceless!! – Ofcouse You’ve a loaded pocket Mr. but do you have that one rupee coin with you?! .... This is unreal man!

The last text message filled up with 160charcters full! – Lik dis – And all you need to make it look good is a 2 character smiley, the luxury that you don’t have – and it looks.... *yuck*

The last 50ps of your prepaid balance and you have to call someone really important, right away! .... Total Imbalance!!

Times when you call back the person who just gave a ring to discover that he/she is not picking it up! ... ftw – What you call me, drop the phone and leave it at that?!

And

11.59.59pm just before your birthday! .... @#$%

the Clutter

I wade through the peak hour traffic, with no time to eek into the frolic…


I plug in the music, with no intention to understand the lyric… Its goddamn traffic!!!


I hate the noise, but I love the pace, I like the way city breathes in and out everyday… The energy that makes people tick… All of them - Whimsical nitwits!


I wonder, how the hell they stand such a monotony, Its freaking Insanity! It’s the same place, same work, same stuff… Again I feel atleast not with me.. Not with me – I’m a Designer, I glorify myself! - Yet I work from the same cubicle as others – Its comforting! Just the tag – A Designer, an innovator! – “Screw it!” sometimes I feel. My inner self says – This is not meant for you, this is not your cup of tea! – “I know” I retort. It is a quirk, A whim, It is a rat race!


I wonder how I fit in the most of the misfits I work with, I know even they feel it! I express it! They don’t!


I ask to myself – “Will I ever be what I always wanted to be?” - With this tedium, I’m sure… I wouldn’t be in the medium – Leave alone the podium!


by the way;  It’s not just me – the ‘I’ – the Protagonist… Here ‘I’ is a generic clique…


In the end…


I’m just another coding junkie, may be sometime later a glorified monkey!


...

Another brick in the Wall

A tribute to 15 years of ejju-kay-tion 

Invigorating long chats,
writing graffiti on campus walls,
the randomness of thoughtful Sundays,
the gruesome Mondays,
the instant noodles,
the casual irreverence of youth,
the mind-numbing third sessions,
discerning Christie’s, Dan Brown’s and Ludlum’s,
trying to discover oneself,
the inspirational jam sessions and loud spots on the rooftops,
the stars that gaze upon and the daze we catch on.


Devouring idealism,
thinking about particle accelerators,
getting drenched in rains,
the long hair and Guevara Tees,
the thousand possibilities, probably a million dreams….


I will miss them all.
whenever I see the old slam-books (*now the new facebook!), I miss them all.
whenever I tell you about them, I miss them all
for they were all part of me
but do they miss me too?


I feel that they still remember my name,
but I fear tomorrow they will stop.
I fear it because I love it.
and everything you love, you fear you will lose.


I was there...


I can still feel the cacophony, dissertations
hear the echoes and snatches of conversations
I still go there
from time to time
In my memories in the mist


Glory Fades….. Glory is fleeting as once I said!
But we had actually thought that it was possible.
We had dreams in our eyes once.
All those years, all those sacrifices.
Not just for once....


I often think of those days
When we were trying to change the world
Who did we think we were?
And the world may not have changed in a thousand ways
But at least, we tried. We did all we could.
We believed
We almost won. And we’re winning still!


Even if you amputate a person’s arms, he can still feel them tingling
The past clung on to my fingers like gum
The days of being wild


The grudges, writhe, anger
Voices that echo and slur
and then were lost forever


My pen chased this story across the page tossed this way
It was quiet today in yesterday
But we had filled that classroom with the echo of many voices


It had welcomed many summers Embraced many laughter and tears
Yesterday stretches, yawns and is awake. Here I am, again in the waiting room. It’s going to rain
When it rains it’ll pour...
And when the rain goes away,
These memories in mist will remain at last
One day, far into the future,
Again the clouds will gather.
And again it will rain
Will history remember our name?


P.S Its just what I feel... Do you feel the same?! :)

Labyrinth

When you ran into NOT JUST someone... 

Shonali?........................................................ Oh my God! After all these days!

Um, hi............................................................. What’s HE doing here anyway?

This is so surreal. Remember me?........................ Say yes; say yes, yes, please

Yeah, I remember you from school... I never forget how I used to feel about you

Me too ................................................................... Do you believe in Déjà vu?

I know ........................................................................................... So long ago

Was it just a dream?......................................................... Seemed so real to me

Maybe.................................................... Perhaps we’re, still inside our memory

We can’t prove anything, right?................. Space is an illusion and time is a lie

Eternal now - We’re never born. We never die... Why did we meet again? Why?

What’re you doing here, V?............................ I wanted to run into you, Shonali

I’m writing my next book...................... Oh, do you realize how lovely you look?

Oh, what's it about? Tell me ................ A writer - that’s all he ever wanted to be

Um, it’s a thriller.................... The twist is that the detective himself is the killer

Sounds really interesting .............. Tell me more. Are you rich? Is it a bestseller?

So, I became a writer.................................. That just sounds nice and brighter!

Shon, what are you up to? .......................... Last night, I had a dream about you

My story is fictional too................................................ No place or event is true

What do you mean?....................................................... Its all simple and clean

I’m just a locked room mystery.................... A character living out of your poetry

Listen, I want to keep talking with you…........................ I hope you do, you too?!

Let’s take that table....................... For once, silences weren't this uncomfortable

Think of this as time travel.................. It’s THE December, I hope she remembers

I hope so too..................................................... We were talking. Just me and you

Being part of someone's memory................ Seeing myself through your eyes on me

All I can remember is us fighting........... Looking back, I’ll complain about nothing

I guess a memory is never finished............. Inside each moment is another memory

You really believe that?................................... That everything is fate and destiny?

Is truth an illusion? Or I never lied?................. After a day, is there always a night?

Am I speaking or is it being written for me? ……......................... To be or not to be

I feel these words have telepathic properties........ btw are we reincarnated entities?

There was a writer who wrote the future........... thought he knew the answers at last

Maybe he wrote about the present & called it future….............for he lived in the past

He found romance in remembrance. I did too....... In my implanted memories of you

I know we’ll miss those times always...At least we have the sweet remains of our days

I wish I could lock up your laughs in a box............. So I could listen to them some day

The past is immutable, frozen, buried............................. It was meant to be that way

Even if you go back to that day?....... Can I see the future if it didn’t happen that way?

They don’t just remember the conversation........................................... They’re there

They’re in both worlds simultaneously, dwindling.... If it is a memory, they don’t care!

P.S: My first attempted lyric! :) ... I don't know whether its creating the magic! ;)

*The conversations are all mixed up... It's up to you to figure it out, Listen to the tone of the speaker.

Stuck in between 3 and a half!

(Imaginative trance of mind dealing with - a Textbud, a Sweetheart and a Best friend)

The Textbud

A toot on the phone... 

Text from Shriya! – Suddenly your face starts gleaming.

What it could be? Wait... It has been so long since she last texted me.

(Shriya is one who made a repulsive dumbass from being a texto-phobic turning into a textoholic!)

You open the message just to find out – “Heyyy!! I finally found a bear J  (she meant a boyfriend, probably this time a steady one. Otherwise she woudn’t call him a bear) I want you to meet us today!”

So... she had found a bear and she wants me to meet it! – still glinting, unaware of the fact what it meant until the last line holds the attention.

What?! Are you serious!

“What will I tell him? I’m the guy with whom your lady had endless chatter and poked anytime she wanted, and that too for two and a half years..? That’s how you’ll introduce me to your bear?!” – you retort back.

------- After 3 long minutes, you get this ---------

You’re soo... rude. I don’t wanna talk to you

You didn’t care, because you knew - eventually she’ll show up again in the Inbox, when her 6^th bear cant bear anymore!

Ironically she never did!

The Sweetheart

You get a call in the mid-night.

“Hi... Hope you’re not sleeping J  - [Good question.. Nooo! who sleeps in the night? No one does...] - Because I can’t! Not today!” the breathless voice continued “I got into Ivy League!! I can’t believe this! – Am I living a dream?!” – Before you could congratulate her and tell how happy you are, the earpiece quirks – “I’m leaving this weekend to uncle's so that I get to acquaint with the new... What do you think?” – All you end up saying is “Can’t tell! How Happy... J - Kudos!”

A treat follows on the next day and later bid adieu.

It feels so dramatically subtle! – Its ending. Well, All things end.

Yes, All things end.

The Best Friend

What is the fastest way a healthy joyride of a awesome friendship between two guys can head for disaster? – Think!

The answer seems quite obvious - Just one of them getting committed. Catastrophe!

Out of nowhere, when you least expect it! And that ONE is NOT you!

Initially you yap around with big eyes with a guess what look – telling everyone your best bud has a girl friend, as though he has won a Olympic medal or something.

Your pure unadulterated joy goes tumbling down soon though. Your buddy starts acting pricey. She assumes the position of "the ONE" and you are relegated to "Someone". (FTW?! – you say it to yourself, coz he knows when you feel that – like you are connected) The only topic of conversation you have is when he asks what to gift her and where to take her out and you try to contribute with utmost sincerity though you have minimum knowledge and absolutely ZERO experience.

All weird things start happening after that. When you intend to crack a pot with sarcasm, all you get is a – “Dude, Not cool!” response (+ that dumb attitude) from the guy who appreciated the wit and backed you with his, all the times.

Instead of action and sci-fi thrillers, the discs get loaded with mushy trails.

His wit withered, because all he now thinks is being with her. You start feeling - Who has lost the sense of humour? You or Him?

Eventually you’ll find out – The friend you had, has lost in a vortex- Probably the Dude pair still exists in parallel universe. That he’s not going to return unless you find out how to bend time-space continuum to get him back. Plus you get Nobel Prize and save someone’s ass too!

Turns out this is what you experience when something like this happens to your best friend!

P.S: Before you think I've gone nuts and this is happening to me or I have started hating all things feminine, A strong disclaimer that this is work of pure fiction and except the results (to me, personally) seem true... (I hate it when I have to explain it)... hasn't happened to me just YET! J

A sudden Chill - Part 4 (Hush... Shush)

8.45 PM (The Night the flight Delayed_)

I was terrified. De-Poised. I still felt the warmth of her breath. Trembling, my hands reached out to push her off. Hitherto and again, I was helpless... I was taken by surprise, What in the world?! How could this be even possible?

Numbness empowered. Engulfing darkness was intense. Ruffled, entangled by reminiscences I stood still. I felt- A sudden Chill!

I remembered the day I first met her...

She was the same, the serene, the scintillating. The engrossing emotion in her eye was the only difference.

I met her at the ceremonial unveiling of one of my best creations.

_____________________________________________________

With the homicide dept calling me in on the investigation, I was too boggled up with the profiling. Captain himself took the case into his hands. He was enraged, he wanted to get revenge I could see in his eyes what he felt being distanced from his colleagues, his best friends, the top guns. The only thing in his mind was to hunt down this killer.

It was a long day. Gathering evidences, decrypting clues, an assisted walkthrough of the crime scene by an expert, looking out for something, something which could be very familiar to being chalked out as evidence. Something that could uncover the trail left behind by the killer. Something vital! Something very basic!

Thoughts Interrupted.

A heard a toot from my phone – 7:00 pm: It’s D Day! Be there!!

Since I had to get to this place, I called it a day. The place where it felt very much like me – Organised, Structured.

______________________________________________________

It was at inaugural of cities one of the most prestigious builds.

The Galleria – Art de l'excellence.

Well the name of gallery seemed a bit off. I didn’t understand “What is freak** is this?! A French tag!” that isn’t trendy... “No! Not by any standards. Or... may be many think it is?” Again I wasn’t paid to name the gallery – Wish I had the privilege, But I was to design it. How Ironic!

I thought something geometrical like Abstracte Geometric, or may be the kind which says Grandiose Creation will suite. Suite?! Ah... That’s a perfecto!

I took out my camera. The gallery was gleaming with beauty. The very sight of it was so pleasing, so very alluring that one might take their gawk off – because it would provoke them, they’d feel guilty if they were prying. I slid the lens cover, Zooming I aimed at the pinnacle like a sniper – I focussed - A neatly crafted regular pentagon. It had my signature on it, clandestine in the circular section.

“Yeah, that’s it!” I exclaimed with euphoria.

By the split second I would capture it, I felt a jolt.

“What in the name of ...” I subdued. There she was. I’d never seen anyone so strikingly ravishing.

“Umm... I’m so sorry” she continued. “You’re the famous artist! I’ve seen you on the Mag, the architect right?”

I was hopelessly awestruck. I was still staring at her. Anyone would! For it she was not the one you want to take your gaze off. Like the Galleria –Blah Blah... which was lifeless – here she was - full of life!

She was feeling a bit nervous as my eyes lay involuntarily fixated. The exchange of muted faces was cut short by a blurry flash from my camera when I hit the capture frame. Again that was involuntary. Oh snap! Wrong timing...

“Yeah... I am. The artist. Aren’t I?” I sounded like an idiot. What was that, how could I slip over a conversation? What is going on...? I’ve never missed to pick a line making a dialogue! Never before... like ever! – Dumb me! Something wasn’t right.

She was in an atypical outfit. Silky black backless attire - which resembled a full length cloak with an envelope cut on the left. A cut envelope on the curves – that’s artistic! Artist within exclaimed. I never before had seen a magnum opus both artistic and beautiful.

A lock of velvety black hair spilled over her face as the breeze blew by the loggia. She tucked the wisps of hair behind her ear, and then again her eyes met mine. Those intoxicating eyes - they could drive any nobler men to sin. They looked calm, peaceful. But at the same time apprehensive. One would never decipher what they said. The moment was inexplicable!

Time froze, everything seemed motionless.

The hush was slashed by the announcement of inaugural. I felt wary, I had been too inappropriate with her. I sensed the Shush she has been keeping. I was sceptic if she felt the same as I was feeling the very moment. She smiled, as for her she was used to this, and for me, she was too precious to even let go of my sight, for even a split second. We walked towards the huge open veranda on the uppermost tier of Galleria. It was my favourite of all the spots in the Galleria. The view was breathtaking.

“It’s so beautiful! How did you conceive it?” looking off the gallery veranda she turned to me. “I... yeah it’s my job” the douche in me spoke. At least that is what I do better I thought.

She continued with a smile “Mind if I ask you to walk me through the artistic fineness you’ve created in this monumental build” finally she made a point where I was comfortable to open a talk. “Sure... this way...” I said. The architect in me took control. He explained it - neat and clean and kept the curiosity in high. She was a good listener.

The stage was put up at the central foyer. We were on level 3 right in front the atrium on the decahedral loggia protruding out – put on a strut dive down and took a shape of inverted pyramid. “It is so magnificent! So very perfect.. the city will remember this day – I will remember this day” She whispered. I smiled in response; one thing was sure - she wasn’t as innocent as she was pretending to be. The moment of truth - She came dangerously close, heaved me towards her and A Kiss! I refrained myself... There was a rage in the drag, I could feel it! It was no gentle.

**

Soon my cell phone sprung to life. It was text from my assistant. **It’s time. Come down to the podium. **

I looked at her; she gave consent as though she knew who had called in. She was still close to me, gave a warm hug, and shook hand with mine. “All the best with the unveiling!” saying which she walked down the alley.

I wasn’t able to comprehend what happened, in disbelief I turned around to her “Hey... Aren’t you here for the inaugural?” “Yes I was Detective... It just happened!” She smiled with a content of accomplishment behind the elevators doors slammed shut. I ran to the elevator... but didn’t make it.

“5 minutes to the inauguration. Where are you?” my assistant called in “Get here right away...” she commanded. “Yeah... on my way” I said a little distressed. I Took the stairways.

**

Level – O :: Galleria - Art de l'excellence

I was handed a briefing on that night’s schedule. I was asked to join the delegates at the central podium by the vestibule. The brochure had the list of delegates who were to attend the investiture. I scrolled the list to find one – Interesting! Captain is attending the ceremony. I thought it might be homicide depts. new hunch to please me by appreciating what I do. Nevertheless I was glad. But Cap’n was nowhere to be found. May be I was too preoccupied. I couldn’t let go with what happened few moments ago.

There was a huge block next to lobby – Something looking like a square block covered completely with red silk. I asked the curator what is that thing. He had no clue, but had instructions from the event organiser to unveil it at the ceremony.

The clock tick 8 pm. The curtain was raised followed by a deafening applause.

Bizarre!! Oh dear Lord! Unthinkable, Unbelievable, Impossible! It just happened. A bolt from the blue.

It was just in front of us. The whole crowd was put to shock by the dreadful kill. And of all I was shell shocked.

A text from the same unknown number – **That is what I call Art! Detective ;-)**

Indeed - Art de l'excellence!!

Jesus!! It was her!

**Yes I was Detective... It just happened!** a moment ago conversation Resounded!! She called me detective. How did I miss it! I felt terrible for what I had done.

 The cadaver of Captain was hung from a Golden tripod staged on blood red flooring– anti pose, twisted head and all fingers cut!

There was a perfect hush in the whole of Galleria. No one would have ever imagined – It was a nightmare.