Happy and Aria fight like cats and dogs. The bone of contention can well be a bone – wooden or a treat, or it can be a squeaky toy. Do I need to say they are both tiny furballs with cute tails and dark eyes? Happy is down with a stomach infection, and Aria refuses … Continue reading Fragility and Tenacity
“Peel onions the right way. There should be no wastage.” “Boil eggs correctly. They should not be overdone or underdone.” “Is this the time to read? Aren’t you responsible for housework first?” “A woman has to place her family on priority. Career is just your indulgence.” The old woman is fed up of mouthing these … Continue reading Beast
I wake up in cold sweat as I dream about the abandoned dog in the desert. It suspiciously looks like the one who left me for her heavenly abode. Did I fail her in some way? I bring up kittens and puppies, looking for a reunion with the same soul. Aria looks like her and … Continue reading Dreaming of dogs
The image that stares back at me is not me. This does not match my always optimistic mind. The skin is blue, however improbable it seems. The lake of unshed tears is frozen, and refuses to provide a glance into its dark interiors. Callousness, continued distrust and malicious remarks draw a blank. There’s no disappointment … Continue reading Scarless
“Look for hidden clues or evidence left behind, but shift active investigation to Singapore. Criminals no longer active here.” The email raises many more questions. How did they manage to skip airport security and leave the country? Are the systems adequate to detect fake passports? More important than that is how did the chief arrive … Continue reading Spying
It was her first taste of whiskey. “You look wasted. Learn to stop at the right time,” a so-called well-wisher quipped. “The first sip is the right time.” Gloria replies wryly. She is impressed by the exquisitely carved glass, not the drink. Disappointment boiled and fermented inside, till she changed completely as an individual. Her … Continue reading No impact
Irrestibubble is an aerated chocolate, and cream cakes are naughty but nice. Prospective buyers see innocent faces of kids in these words. The copywriter who coined these terms is proclaimed guilty of sacrilege, and fatwas are issued against him. He survives an assassination attempt, but is stabbed again just before a scheduled lecture at Chautauqua, … Continue reading Literary Artist
It's not a kiss, just a smear of jamsays the head of an unhappy famtears in eyes not wiped or noticedthe child moves to solitary confines says the head of an unhappy famdon't spare the rod to spoil the childthe child moves to solitary confinesin her old age, she cries for the fam don't spare … Continue reading Smear of jam
I grew up in an era when television screens received inputs from metal antennae planted on terraces. Watching the sun entangled between bars saddened the child in me. I was taught at home not to catch butterflies and cause them pain, but dissecting a frog in the lab was forgivable. Dear Nature, your silence has … Continue reading Speak to us, threaten….
“I ordered baklava today, but it does not live up to my Mom’s cooking”, coos her daughter on the phone while ordering dinner online. Her husband senses her disappointment. “Let them live their own lives. You did your best.” She used to gloat in compliments after guests enjoyed her lavish dinners, and erroneously built her … Continue reading Retirement
Creative Experiments and More 