Short stories

I fancied Isaac Asimov a lot, and wanted to write. When I was a kid, I wrote a few short stories. They are, unfortunately, very contextual. The jokes can only be understood by those whom the stories were written for. But still, since I’d put in several days of effort…

Love in Texas

Kumar first saw her at the US Consulate while waiting in the queue for his visa. He had definite opinions about what his wife should look like, and she fit perfectly. “She’s not too tall,” he later told his friends. “Just about this tall,” and indicated his neck. “Quite fair. Brown eyes. Sharp nose and high cheek bones. A really cute face. No, not a bob-cut. Short hair, and she pins it up like a bun. Usually wears salwars. Today she was wearing a yellow and green. Why don’t you come to the Consulate in the afternoon? She’ll still be waiting in the queue just behind me - the poor thing!” ...

The Superstar and I

I was watching the shooting from a distance. You must have heard of the film "Muthu" being directed by K.Balachander (he's KB to us). KB was explaining the shot to my husband, but he seemed to be shaking his head in confusion, so I decided to have a look. "Rajni, you cannot throw up a cigarette and catch it in your mouth this scene. Your father has just died. Your eyes are blinded by tears." ...

He Who Finds a Voice Loses A Pleasure

“Thank you, madam”, and the phone went dead. Thirteen, I counted mentally. This was the thirteenth time I was called “madam” (and also my fourteenth telephone call to an unknown person). Every one of my numerous and heartbreakingly piteous appeals to my father, the telephone department and the Heavens above to change either my voice or the telephone were in vain. Often I wondered if it could be an International Conspiracy to insult me. Madam, indeed! Let me call one of those sweet voiced females “Sir” even once, and they would choke me with my own windpipe. But I (my noble, peace-loving and holy self), would do nothing more than moan over every millisecond of it. But worse was to come! ...