Its surprising what can serve as fodder for a blog. Thought of the following lines when I had to sign a cheque for a new motoscooter (as the company likes to call it)

The hands shaky, not used to such procedures yet, the 10-yr old scribbles his initials with as much importance as he could muster, letters as huge as he could make them, his first ever signature on that piece of paper for a class trip

Meticulously, very carefully, cross-checking the name, date of birth, and the board exams center, he signs off at the bottom of the page, using a brand new fountain pen specially bought for this purpose

A huge sense of relief, a medical graduate, it was hard to believe he was a free man now, no classes to attend, no exams,umm, it wasn't all that nice, there would be no girls to woo, no more canteen romances, a careless, illegible scrawl as he collects his degree certificate

His first personalised chequebook, glossy pages, his name neatly printed at the bottom. His first cheque, at a department store, gifts for his family, proud they would be, of him

The Day. Getting married to his sweetheart, the registrar's office, a huge sense of responsibility seeping in, the bride, her bangles tinkling sweetly as she daintily signs next to his promises of companionship till death do them part

Something wasn't right with his patient. The heartbeats growing faint by the minute, breathing irregular, frantic pumping by the doctors, realisation, furtive attempts to wipe off the tears, the core of his being shaken as he certifies the demise, wondering how many more such certificates would come his way

Family life, the roses and the thorns, countless signatures, house loans, car loans, telephone, electricity, credit remittances, the proud signature on his child's kindergarten form, speculating as he signs off on an obscene amount for coaching classses and graduate college fees

On the other side of 70. The lawyer's office, reading, re-reading the will, his hands shaking, the grip wasn't firm now, the cold further stiffening the bones, peering closely into the legal papers, signing next to the cross sign, the letters as huge as he could make them, mixed emotions, of having lived life to the fullest and of accepting that death would come knocking any day, at the same time, joking that they would make him sign on the gatepass at heaven's door too.