Baggage of dreams

It was his first TEDx speech.

He rehearsed yet another time on the way to the venue. A lot of people already knew about his achievements. This was his chance to let them know the story behind it all – the pain, the hardships he had endured to make it all happen!

“Dreams don’t just fructify out of thin air! They need intense effort, discipline and dedication! They need a lifetime of sacrifice!!!” A sense of pride creep into the corner of his lips as he rehearsed his lines. Continue reading

Tangled

Should I do it? Would I be able to live with the guilt? I thought to myself.

My mind wandered to the day when I first met her.

I work as a consulting neurologist and movement disorder specialist here. It would have been just another day in the hospital, but for this particular case.

Adhira was referred to me by our neurology resident Dr Kumar.

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The bank loan

Part I

I received a memo from head office today. It makes me nervous.

They have marked Surya homes private limited as a red-flagged account and have asked me to prepare a report for the Central Fraud Monitoring Cell.

Making it worse is the fact that this case will be directly reviewed by our Deputy General Manager, Mr Bharat, a long-timer in the bank known especially for his honesty. Continue reading

திருடன் – a short story

“ஏன்டா! உனக்கு இதெல்லாம் தேவையா? படிச்ச பையன் தானே நீ!”

“இல்ல சார், இந்த ஒரு தடவ விட்டுருங்க சார், தெரியாம பண்ணிட்டேன்!”

“என்னடா தெரியாம பண்ணிட்ட?! விசயத்த பாத்தா ரொம்ப ப்ளான் பண்ணியில்ல செஞ்ச மாதிரி இருக்கு? இதுக்கு முன்னாடி மாட்டியிருக்கியா?”

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The fortune cookie

A sketch by my daughter that actually inspired this story (and perhaps this post)

“You’ll soon be with someone you truly love,” her friend read the fortune cookie aloud after snatching it from her.

She tried to smile, but her inability showed as she snatched it back and stashed it away. She turned her face towards the window and wiped a silent tear. They all turned silent. Continue reading

Shutter jam

I am a professional photographer.

Strange things are happening around me! I cannot explain it yet.

I think it all started after that particular client meeting on August 5th. The meeting was a disaster!

We met at CCD. The old man wanted a photographer for his daughter’s wedding and had asked for my portfolio.

I would have been fine if he had simply rejected me. He rubbed it in by laughing at my photos. “Enappa idhu? Ondu photo’nu nettagae illaa!,” he pushed the sample album aside with a smirk on his face.  It was the most humiliating moment in my career! He didn’t even pay the coffee bill, I had to.

What a jerk!

As he got into his car, I took my camera out. For some reason, I wanted to take his picture.

I pressed the shutter button. It didn’t work. Damn!

The shutter button had gotten jammed. I took it to the service centre. The technician took it in. He came back after 10 minutes and said he didn’t find anything wrong with the camera. The shutter button worked just fine.

Really? I asked him to check again. Continue reading

The last novel

“Which idiot is calling me at 2am?”, he muttered annoyingly as the phone rang, piercing the silence of the night.

“Hhhelloo?”

“Listen to me carefully, Simon. Don’t waste time trying to understand whats happening now. There’s been a murder… your best friend Vishal is dead. Dress up immediately. Go to 14th cross and locate a brown coloured Maruti Omni. They are running away. Go now… gooooo”

“Whhh, whoo is this!?”

Dead tone. The person on the other side hung up.

He called Vishal immediately.

“The number you are trying to reach is switched off”, an automated voice answered.

“Smitha, Smithaaa, get up! Get up!”, he nervously shouted.

“What is it? Another emergency case?”, Smitha woke up annoyed by her husbands sudden action. “It’s time you quit your police job!”.

“No, this is serious. Someone called me and said Vishal is dead. His phone is switched off too. I need to go and check.”

“Ah.. that guy! Might be a prank of his. Or another attempt to create content for another novel that no one wants!!”

“Smithaa, don’t waste my time. There was something strange about that voice. It didn’t sound like a prank call. Oh, Smithaa, there’s no time. I am leaving now.” Continue reading

The misadventures of an unnamed pup

Once upon a time in 2010, there lived an unnamed puppy.

He was playful and naughty. He liked going out on his own to explore the neighborhood. It gave him a chance to spin tales of his heroic adventures to his 4 siblings. Of course, the mother knew he was spinning tales and warned him not to go alone into this big bad world!!!

But our dude would listen to none, let alone Mom! And off he went again exploring the big bad world of J.P Nagar, .. alone!

His bad luck, it rained that day, heavily! Lightening struck! Streets were filled with water! Every little place was wet!

He lost his way, got wet and was almost in tears.

Heroism turned into fear, fear into helplessness!

Am lost! Mom is nowhere to be seen!

His Mom and siblings were nowhere to be seen. He searched and searched and searched… only in vain.

Its raining! I lost my mom! Can you help me find her?

He then fell into a culvert and couldn’t climb out despite all his efforts. All he could do was to wail.

Continue reading