Dorian Gray

A famed comedian dies after a month-long struggle for life, and condolence messages swamp the internet. Someone writes “Why I don’t care” followed by a screenshot showing abusive language used by him on Twitter. Can this be the same person? It’s not easy unboxing another life, to find remnants of strange secrets and unknown temperamental … Continue reading Dorian Gray

Gentleness

She was the best vet my furry baby could have ever had. Dr. P followed all procedures by putting a muzzle on her mouth, before treating her. But the gentle submission and total absence of resistance always surprised me. The bedside manners of a doctor influence a patient more than the medicine. It matters a … Continue reading Gentleness

Bonding

I distinctly remember the midnight mass I attended with Aunt Josephine, and the purple frock with golden checks stitched by my mom for Christmas. I was all of five years old. Eid was spent with Uncle Latif and Aunt Mariam. The childless couple doted on me, and cooked vegetarian food for us, respecting my family’s … Continue reading Bonding

Light and Shadow

we’ll meet where magic happens in the eveninglight and shadow both play games astoundingshadow falls when opaque comes in way of lightif there’s darkness behind, is the process right light and shadow both play games astoundingis that a door or a visual perception changing?if there’s darkness behind, is the process righthow can shadows fall on … Continue reading Light and Shadow

Blended

“This is Indian food for me, not Chinese”, exclaimed a Dutch guest in an Indian restaurant. A friend’s family asks for ‘Indian Chinese food’, on a holiday to India from Thailand. They’ve been missing it so much. There was a ‘Boycott Chinese’ wave in 2020, when the world held China responsible for the pandemic. Consumption … Continue reading Blended

Who knows?

Someone told me seashells carry sounds of the sea. I hold it close to the ear for secrets nobody’s ever heard. A crashing sound hits the ear drums, but only to distract. Those are the waves hitting the shore to get scattered and gather themselves again. I ask the shore what stories it absorbs and … Continue reading Who knows?

Buzz

life in limbowaiting to restartsounds waiting to be heardsellers projecting wareskids using all methodsto manipulatehelpless parentsbazaar is meant to buzzmarkets are meant to mediatetrade turns the economy wheels darned virus….you may threaten usagain and againand there’s no oneleft to blameyou lose potencywith every re-run you fuel vaccine businesslet the investorskeep you aliveto extricate their profitsor … Continue reading Buzz

Interrupted

“I completed my homework. Now you complete the story.” Even in a fatigued state, I can’t help thinking that my baby has learnt to negotiate.  I try to recall the last narrative. The princess is locked up in a castle on top of the hill. Fairy Godmother gives him the Prince the power to fly … Continue reading Interrupted

INFINITY

The fear in their eyes is palpable, despite the herculean effort to disguise it as anger or contempt. How dare she espouse a cause unheard of before, and pollute the minds of nubile young women, who will raise the next generation? They shudder to think of the future. It blows the roof on their existence … Continue reading INFINITY

A new era

The light is unaware of the lens above it. The fluid in the glass is about to splash in excitement, but stops as it feels being spied upon. Can you believe this was just before the advent of the Aliens? The Innocent did not know their lives were being taken over. Thereafter, they became specimens … Continue reading A new era