Sep 15, 2007

Duty

Finally things were in place. After months of preparation, tension, uncertainties and fear, he finally got the green signal from the Major in the hastily called meeting today. He had been unable to control himself then. And as he wept, and the Major took him in his arms, and his comrades all stood up as one and cheered for him, he knew that his life was fulfilled.

When he got back home and watched them huddled around the television watching the usual junk, THEIR junk, but he didn't shout at them or told them to switch the damned thing off as was his usual practise. Instead, he made space for himself and pulled his son on to his lap. It would be the last time he would do so. He looked across to his wife and gave her a wink and it was the first time he had done so. And when his mother reached across and caressed his hair, he allowed her to continue, and it was the first time in years that he had allowed her any such public display of affection towards him. And he thought of what might have been, how he could have lived like a human being instead of like a hunted animal, and how THEY had not made it possible for him and for thousands others like him, and his resolve strengthened.

And then he looked across to his father and saw that he was crying as he was watching the TV, one of THEIR idiotic talent shows. And he looked at the screen and saw his brother singing on a stage, and all the people watching him cheering him and loving him, then people rushing onstage to hug him and everyone spreading the message of love and brotherhood, about peace and harmony, about history and roots, about a future of togetherness..and he lurched out of the room.

He triggered the bomb at precisely 10:45 AM in the crowded market place. And in the split second before he was torn apart by the force of the blast, he thought of his grandfather's village in Punjab, and he cried.

16 comments:

kaushik said...

awesome.. your first good crack at a good story..

Have you heard about Raj Kamal Jha??

Shuv said...

thank u..

first?? what about the porn stories?

no.

Vikas said...

brilliant, too much said in too little space. People take 300 pages to put all this together.

Shuv said...

dhanyawad dost..

Scout said...

raj kamal jha is a modestly famous but pretty good writer :)

kaushik said...

Scout: Not only that Raj Kamal Jha started off as a techie and is from IIT KGP. I see another one slowly budding through his blog.

Shuv: I seriously like this piece. I dont even want to talk about your earlier Aniruddha Bahal effort.

Ace of Spades said...

a few months from now some guy will be saying the same thing in a award winning 500 pg marathon. as far as i think, u just got it.

ps: did u tell the cops about the terror and talent show links? maybe that will stop them talent shows.

Shuv said...

koushik: cant porn be a classic?

ace: i think these silly comedy shows and talent shows that showcase paki talent is actually doing more than the wars and talks have done over the past years..but then i may be a fool.

ghetufool said...

what to say, brilliant!

and i second your opinion on these foolish shows. it actually have done more than the wars and dialogues.

and yes, we got to know that pakis can actually laugh and make others laugh too.

wasn't they almost a demon, we thought? those bengal torturers!

Shuv said...

well ghetu..the joke may be on us..it may be also as ace says..but one cannot lose hope can one?

Ace of Spades said...

in that vein what about a talnet show called "Kaun Banega Terrorist?" at the least we would have a definate "face of terror" instead of plastering an arbitrary breadrded man as the "new face of terror"

S said...

i agree with so many here. it's short, succinct and interesting. great post!

Anonymous said...

Good story.. superb craft...

But.. bk after a dogs day in the office.. i would rather read ur light stuff..

Ok. its accepted and proven that u can write GOOD stuff! Now get back to ur BETTER stuff... stuff which makes us all smile :)

Vikas said...

can't figure out which one made me smile??????

Shuv said...

hey pine country: thanks. at least someone likes my porn stories

Anonymous said...

porn??? definitely missing something here!