THE CURE

I still remember the day I buried my dog Bosco a golden furred Labrador. We were together since I was 4. Mom and dad had brought him as a birthday present. We grew up together...

We played together. I taught him many games and tricks, but his most loved game was ‘bring bring’ in which he we would bring the ball back thrown afar. Everything was going great. We were happy in our lives, enjoying ourselves, until suddenly he started acting weird. He started howling and growling for no reason. He just kept sitting in a corner all day long staring, being clueless. Didn't eat much or made eye contact with anyone. We all got worried and took him to the doctor where he was diagnosed with an incurable tumor in the brain. Devoid of any hope he was put to sleep.

I was shattered, my world went upside down. He was not just a dog...he was a family member...he was my younger brother. After he passed away, I started hallucinating him everywhere, developed psychiatric symptoms because of which I was taken to doctor. But even medicines didn't work. I found relief in sleeping all day because I didn’t want to open my eyes just to find out that he isn't there. I didn't want to face the reality.

But one day he came...and talked to me in human voice, he said; “Brother what have you done to yourself...you are not the one whom I have known from the day one, he was strong...he was caring....he was empathetic. I know you are disturbed with my death. But brother life must go on.... you have so many responsibilities on your shoulders...so much to accomplish in life. I will not allow you to morn my death anymore. Stay strong and take good care of mom and dad. I am always with you right there in your heart. Now leave all the worries aside and get up ...GET UP!”

I woke up with a jerk, soaked in sweat.

It was a dream... he came to cure me...to reinforce the sense of responsibility...to let me know that it's time to get okay, because he's okay. After that day I became alright. But the void he left in my life is still there. I miss him a lot...a lot!

THE MYTH GODDESS

I was sitting in my room surrounded by crenellation of paper clutter scribbling down some ideas illegibly onto my notebook when suddenly the doorbell disrupted my thought process. I dashed towards the door praying that it should not be the same cunning cable waale bhaiya , who comes every second day with his huffy  ‘aaj ka best offer ‘ and tries to coax me into buying his cable connection , despite being told a thousand times that there is no need for  a cable connection  as I don’t watch TV and like being accompanied by my pen and paper most of the time while watching some infotainment content online itself.

If boomerang could be person, it would be him only, because ; Chaahe jitna zor laga lo…yeh wapas zarroor ayega ( Do whatsoever…..but this man will return)

Dandling with deliberation I opened the door, and to my pleasant surprise, thankfully it was not him.

He was the postman, who usually doesn’t have much to offer me, apart from subscription letters from various scholarly magazines and journals  about which I keep inquiring through mails.

He scanned my shabby appearance from top to bottom and gave an understanding and sympathizing look. He handed over an envelope. I took the envelope and put it in my pocket without a glance. I thanked him and went inside back to my crenellation of papers and opened laptop .

Due to constantly working upon my ideas for weeks now, I hardly got any time check mail box . The inbox was filled with junk mails from various social media platforms and websites which just keep on bombarding your dashboard with latest offers and end of reason sales . I was scrolling, being clueless... unsure of what I am looking for. But just then something caught my eyes. It was a mail from the representatives of Booker awards. I was flabbergasted.... you don't witness such mails every day. I opened the mail while earnestly praying to my favorite deity...

In the mail it was written:

Dear Mr. Chaitanya

We are pleased to inform you that your book 'THE MYTH GODDESS' has been longlisted for the booker award.

Regards

Booker Awards Association

Further in the post script it was written; a hard copy of this mail will be sent to you at the given address within a week.

The post script of the mail really gave me goosebumps because today was the 7th day since the mail  has been sent and I should be receiving the hard copy today itself.

Just then,  something struck my mind and I went for my pocket with shaking hands. I somehow managed to pull the envelope out. And after actually looking at it  for the first time...I was about to faint not because of a psychogenic shock but because of the shock of disbelief and excitement. It was that hard copy from booker Awards Association. I got escalated with joy. It was hard to believe my luck. I phoned my agent to confirm the news, he said: Yes!

I thought of replying the mail to express my gratitude.... but just when I sat down to write...

Somebody tapped on my shoulder.

I turned around to see who it was…

My mother was standing there... she said to me. ...” beta it's good to right down your affirmations but it's more important to act upon them...plus whenever you sit to write down, you don't keep track of time, come and have dinner it's already getting late”

All of sudden I realized that I got so immersed in my affirmations that I actually started visualizing them....and The Myth goddess was still in its first draft.

Image Source: https://www.britannica.com/

Story Time...

Author Richard P. Denney says:
 "Authors do not choose a story to write, the story chooses us".

My latest collection of original  short stories is one such example. The source of this stories are prompts, whims and self-realizations.  Unbox a certain aspect of everyday  life with each story.

Starting with first story  ‘The Myth Goddess’ , coming up this Sunday  i.e 22.03.2020,  get ready for some story time every weekend to  upbeat yourself for the challenge  called  LIFE.

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