Midnight Express - To Take or Not?

[Slumdog]

Disclaimer: "The characters & locations in this Article are fictitious and any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental."


Long long ago, once upon a time there used to be 3 best friends in a small village & their names are as follows John, Johnny & Janardhan. All 3 of them loved their village so much that they always wanted to do something better for their village when they grow up. During their summer holidays all 3 of them used to go to their favorite destination every day which is 5 miles away from their village to the shore & far away they saw an island , a beautiful island & always wondered what is in that island. The island looked so beautiful from far away that they still can’t believe their eyes that there is such a place on earth.

Everyday they noticed that some people are standing in lines to take the special boat which takes them to that Fairy Island & day by day they observed the lines are getting longer & longer of people going into island but only very few people are returning & whoever is returning are coming back with lots of gold, money etc. Unable to resist the temptation of visiting the island one fine day John, Johnny & Janardhan decided to take that special boat to see what is actually in that island but just before they approached the boat, a watchmen stopped them & said they are not allowed as they are kids & told them it is only for grown up’s. Feeling disappointed they went back to their village & they patiently waited until they became old enough to be permitted to take that special boat. That morning John, Johnny & Janardhan packed their bags & informed their parents & their villagers that they are going to this island & will return in few months with lots of money & probably improve the standard of living which they have been dreaming of since their childhood.

This time they patiently waited in line & when their turn came to enter into the boat, the watchmen recognized these 3 fellows who used see them every summer for last several years & decided to give some advises & warnings to John, Johnny & Janardhan before entering into the island. The watchmen took them aside & told them that once they enter their island they can make money, buy gold, buy cars etc but whispered in each of their ears not to commit one crime in particular (** I’ll reveal later what that crime is **) & he said if they commit that crime then they will get prison sentence & they will all have to do their sentence in a big glass dome which is in middle of island. He warned them repeatedly not to commit that crime because he said once you are sent into that glass dome it becomes so hard to get out even though you have every possibility to get out. The guys did not take his advice seriously as they were in excitement to reach the island first & it is like dream coming true for all of them.

After spending few months in the island John, Johnny & Janardhan made lots of money, bought gold, a house, car but they did one mistake & that is they committed the crime which watchmen had warned them several times & all three of them were sentenced & sent to Jail ( remember glass Dome ). When they entered the Jail they could see no difference in life style in comparison to outside of the glass dome. They could get everything possible what they got outside of the dome & they can also see the rest of the island from the glass dome but the only down side is they can never go outside the dome. Even though they have all luxuries in dome which they can afford outside the dome John felt that he should not be confined to this Jail for the rest of his life & he needs to do something to get out of this dome. Johnny & Janardhan initially didn’t think the same way as John but they didn’t mind being in Dome & they didn’t think hard enough looking out possibilities to get out of the glass dome.

**** To be Continued below in Page2 **************

[Slumdog]

***** To be read in Continuation from Page1 ***********

So when John, Johnny & Janardhan are brought in front of Jailor, the Jailor told them that since this is the first time they committed the crime he wanted to give them a chance for early release but they all have to answer to one simple question. The question was “What was first impression of this prison ( Glass Dome )?”
Sensing an opportunity John (who is smartest of other two) Jumped in & said that this prison is very beautiful & it is like heaven & you are like a god but it is missing security camera’s & there is possibility that with less no of guards & more prisoners there is a danger to prison guards if we don’t monitor them what they are doing . He also said that given an opportunity he can invent security camera & will gift it to prison. The Jailor was so impressed he told John to go to Room 1 & the day he finishes building a security camera he can be relieved from this dome.

Since Johnny & Janaradhan did not prepare before hand & sensing something fishy Johnny jumped in & he said the same thing as John that you are a god blah, blah & he added that he cannot promise that he can build security camera but he said that he has the skill & ability to install these cameras across the prison & build a control room so he can monitor all room’s from one control center. Impressed with Johnny too, the jailor asked him to go to Room2 & told him that once John finishes inventing security camera, you can install them & then you can be relieved until then you are jailed in Room2.

Finally before Janardhan could answer the question, the jailor interrupted him & said that when John & Johnny are working so hard in inventing a security camera & installing them , what would be the purpose of it when I don’t have any prisoners left to monitor & told him that he needs to go to Room3 & when Janardhan asked when will his turn come to get out of prison, the Jailor simply said “Check your priority date” & Janardhan was thrown into Jail called Room no 3 which years later it was named as EB3. John who was sent to room 1 was named EB1 & Johnny room was named as EB2. Every once in a while just like our independence day they gave few benefits to prisoners (July Fiasco) & awarded some of them with Advance parole who can go out of dome temporarily & come back to prison. The lucky one’s who got Advance paroles visited their family occasionally but never they mentioned to family & friends that they are living in a prison & they got so addicted to glass dome they honestly keep returning to prisons after a short vacation.

The watchmen who gave a prior warning not to commit is “Do Not Apply for Island Card” (recently named as Green card). John who was smartest kid built the security monitor devices in less than year & he got out & he became so involved in innovating new stuff that he started building space stations, rackets, airplanes & he is visiting all places, all countries including planets like moon, Jupiter etc except his village. Johnny got out & by the time he got out it took several years & he already lost interest in doing something to his village. And finally our beloved Janardhan has no options left other than to escape from this Alcatraz.

End of Story…


Now guys do not even attempt to start a fight between these 3 best friends imagining you as John, Johnny or Janardhan. Let me assure you that even today they remained as best friends & will be forever. Also for those who are interested in why the title “Midnight Express”? there is a movie by name midnight express directed by oliver stone about an American student ( true story) where in this US citizen student is arrested by Turkish police after trying to smuggle some local drugs & he was caught just before boarding the flight. Initially he thought that it is just a simple crime & the turkish govt sentenced him for 5 years but when his term came to end they moved his priority date back just like EB3  & overturned the previous sentence & sentenced him for life. Although I am not saying that Janardhan life is similar to that of this movie but the concept is same but one things for sure I have admit that Janardhan prison condition is far better than Turkish jails.


~Slumdog

[psaxena]

There is something called BLOG in this site to write these kind of things.

The whole story is a such a waste of time of yours to write and thinking may be something good in it wasted my time in reading the whole thing.

I would give -10 on the scale of 1 to 10.

Take a break and get a bit relaxed , I think you are thinking too much my friend about GC wait time , EB is not a jail and you are always free to give it up and enjoy (the so called freedom you are missing right now)

Try spreading the positive energy and tell you the fact , in turn you definately will feel refreshed and better.

Adios, take it easy.

Originally Posted by Slumdog

***** To be read in Continuation from Page1 ***********

So when John, Johnny & Janardhan are brought in front of Jailor, the Jailor told them that since this is the first time they committed the crime he wanted to give them a chance for early release but they all have to answer to one simple question. The question was “What was first impression of this prison ( Glass Dome )?”
Sensing an opportunity John (who is smartest of other two) Jumped in & said that this prison is very beautiful & it is like heaven & you are like a god but it is missing security camera’s & there is possibility that with less no of guards & more prisoners there is a danger to prison guards if we don’t monitor them what they are doing . He also said that given an opportunity he can invent security camera & will gift it to prison. The Jailor was so impressed he told John to go to Room 1 & the day he finishes building a security camera he can be relieved from this dome.

Since Johnny & Janaradhan did not prepare before hand & sensing something fishy Johnny jumped in & he said the same thing as John that you are a god blah, blah & he added that he cannot promise that he can build security camera but he said that he has the skill & ability to install these cameras across the prison & build a control room so he can monitor all room’s from one control center. Impressed with Johnny too, the jailor asked him to go to Room2 & told him that once John finishes inventing security camera, you can install them & then you can be relieved until then you are jailed in Room2.

Finally before Janardhan could answer the question, the jailor interrupted him & said that when John & Johnny are working so hard in inventing a security camera & installing them , what would be the purpose of it when I don’t have any prisoners left to monitor & told him that he needs to go to Room3 & when Janardhan asked when will his turn come to get out of prison, the Jailor simply said “Check your priority date” & Janardhan was thrown into Jail called Room no 3 which years later it was named as EB3. John who was sent to room 1 was named EB1 & Johnny room was named as EB2. Every once in a while just like our independence day they gave few benefits to prisoners (July Fiasco) & awarded some of them with Advance parole who can go out of dome temporarily & come back to prison. The lucky one’s who got Advance paroles visited their family occasionally but never they mentioned to family & friends that they are living in a prison & they got so addicted to glass dome they honestly keep returning to prisons after a short vacation.

The watchmen who gave a prior warning not to commit is “Do Not Apply for Island Card” (recently named as Green card). John who was smartest kid built the security monitor devices in less than year & he got out & he became so involved in innovating new stuff that he started building space stations, rackets, airplanes & he is visiting all places, all countries including planets like moon, Jupiter etc except his village. Johnny got out & by the time he got out it took several years & he already lost interest in doing something to his village. And finally our beloved Janardhan has no options left other than to escape from this Alcatraz.

End of Story…


Now guys do not even attempt to start a fight between these 3 best friends imagining you as John, Johnny or Janardhan. Let me assure you that even today they remained as best friends & will be forever. Also for those who are interested in why the title “Midnight Express”? there is a movie by name midnight express directed by oliver stone about an American student ( true story) where in this US citizen student is arrested by Turkish police after trying to smuggle some local drugs & he was caught just before boarding the flight. Initially he thought that it is just a simple crime & the turkish govt sentenced him for 5 years but when his term came to end they moved his priority date back just like EB3  & overturned the previous sentence & sentenced him for life. Although I am not saying that Janardhan life is similar to that of this movie but the concept is same but one things for sure I have admit that Janardhan prison condition is far better than Turkish jails.


~Slumdog

[gc_wow]

such a long story,I liked the way you tied GC to this story,unique way of story telling.

[sanjay]

Dude. Thanks for what ever you had written above. ( I didn't even read it ). Who has the time to read this big messages / story. This is an era of SMS and not stories.

If I would have patience to read this long story, believe me I would had done Phd by now and applied for EB1 category.

[another one]

the movie is directed by Alan Parker

Originally Posted by Slumdog

***** To be read in Continuation from Page1 ***********
Also for those who are interested in why the title “Midnight Express”? there is a movie by name midnight express directed by oliver stone about an American student ( true story) where in this US citizen student is arrested by Turkish police after trying to smuggle some local drugs & he was caught just before boarding the flight. Initially he thought that it is just a simple crime & the turkish govt sentenced him for 5 years but when his term came to end they moved his priority date back just like EB3  & overturned the previous sentence & sentenced him for life. Although I am not saying that Janardhan life is similar to that of this movie but the concept is same but one things for sure I have admit that Janardhan prison condition is far better than Turkish jails.


~Slumdog

[mayhemt]

Wow. So True!!! Nice metaphor & A great story to make a movie..

There's another Sci-Fi movie 'The Island' in the same lines. The characters are also lured into something great.. & then in reality...well watch for yourself (I don't want to spoil the suspense).