A Nearly End: The Conversation

When all is said and done, no stone left unturned, the three of them lean back on the wooden chairs in the coffee house.  Glancing everywhere but at each other, the mood is very sombre.  Some tears, some disappointment, something lost forever, something worth saving, something forgotten, something worth remembering, something shattered, something worth repairing, something best buried. They depart one by one, hoping never to see each again….

A snippet from a new short story I am writing, more to come.  The Conversation.

Five Word Fiction (Part I)

“We are trying to encourage the kids to write a story using no more then five words” said my son’s English teacher.  Interesting…I thought

 

He found the news devastating

 

What’s your five word fiction?

Chapter “the” Quarter

…the previous chapter – pre-notion

Light music plays in the kitchen, it’s my wife’s funky DAB digital radio, it’s a duet, a song which lasts about 3 minutes but manages to encompass the entire worldly feelings of two lovers.  I go to the kitchen first, to get a sip of water; I am feeling a little nervous. 

Once again I stare out to the garden, you see, half our kitchen faces into the garden and has a glass roof and glass walls, it’s something I always wanted, a fantastic feature that simply blows people away.  But we like it best at night, sitting at the dinning table, staring up at the stars, it’s like one giant telescope.  Walking out of the kitchen, I float to the main lounge and venture in.

“Hello” I say.

“Vikram, Vikram, my son”.  That’s my mum, I get a huge hug from her, tight, she get’s emotional, tears in her eyes.  I nearly drop my guard, but I just smile back.

“Mum, so great to see you,  you look different, you’ve lost weight”.  Something’s wrong.

“Hey bro, how are you, wow, so long, I see you have been working out”.  My brother and I shake hands and exchange a tame hug.  My children are ecstatic, clinging to him like he’s a tree.  It’s amazing how kids are so innocent, so easy to forgive and forget.

“It’s so good to see you both, after such a long time” I say.

“You’ve stopped caring altogether, if it wasn’t for my lovely daughter-in-law, your wife, then you would never have wanted to see us”.  She get’s emotional again.  Maybe I am being too hard with this, “loosen up Vikram”, I tell myself.

“Mum, please, relax, have a drink” – I stop her flow of tears.

“It’s so good to see you Vikram, this place is so lovely”.  My mum’s now got a huge grin across her face.

“How far are the other’s Vikram”?

“They should be here within ½ hour Kunal, in the meantime have your drink and we’ll show you and mum around the house”. 

The other’s, they are my extended family, cousins, who I haven’t seen or had any communication with for two years. 

“Your sisters in the States with the family, she won’t be able to attend” my mum informs us. 

“Yes, she got the message to us via our company email address, I don’t think she has our number”  She wouldn’t I tell myself, I never gave it out to anyone.

So why are we all meeting now?  It’s my birthday today, falls on a weekend and my wife thought the moment was right.  There always comes a time when we have to face our demons, our fears, to see if we are ready. 

As my wife does the guided tour of the house, I walk out through the large French doors into the garden, the rain has now stopped and the sun is peeping through the clouds, is this an omen?

I am going to write a story – here’s a snippet

Pre-Chapter, pre-notion

It’s started to rain now, the sun was out not long ago.  I am standing alone, staring out from the large bay window, high up, looking down, I can see people, walking across my pebble-dash drive.  My face is stone cold, its been a long time, I am finding it hard to describe the feeling.  I look around inside, this room is large, empty, it’s covered in teak, only room of its kind, I love standing here, opposite the only one large bay window.

“Everyone’s arriving now”.  My wife suddenly breaks my trance.  I must have been in some sort of out-of-body experience. 

“Thanks darling, I’ll be right there”.

“What is it with you?” She asks.  “It’s been almost two years since you last saw them all and I thought you’d be jumping with joy that I organised this event”.  Her voice sounding very concerning.

“Oh, yes I am excited, maybe nervous”.  I lie.  “Please help them in and ask Shanti to organise the drinks, they’ll be thirsty.  I’ll be there in a mo”.

I walk out of the large empty room and make my way to the family bathroom, I look into the mirror at myself.  I did it myself, I am Big Time now, but instead of smiling, I am left with a feeling of sorrow, I am too scared to recall that moment two years ago…..

Number Unknown – I keep missing that call

It happened to me again today, my phone rang, I couldn’t get to it in time and when I checked, number unknown, no voicemail.  It’s the 4th call of its kind I have missed in the past 2 weeks.

Experience tells me it’s probably some sales call, but what if it’s opportunity knocking on my door and I keep missing it?  What if it’s luck and money wanting to speak to me and I keep missing them?  What if it’s the Big person up there, wanting to tell me to keep focused, to advise me and I keep missing Him?

Some food for thought!