Aunty Moonlight
Kamal Adarachchi writes:
“When I was around ten, there was this dog called Bulto. He would fetch anything I threw. If I threw a stick into a big bus, he would go scampering after it and after a tedious process of work lo and behold! He comes with it in his mouth. One day, there was a well that was dried up and not so deep. When I saw it, I was tempted to do a mischievous thing. Seeing Bulto by, I threw the stick into the well and snakes alive! He jumps in after the stick. Well, I did not tell anybody for fear of being bashed up, but thereafter, I never did anything like that again. And the dog was pulled up, quiet unhurt.
Just Men and Just Kids
Short Story - Hearts on Fire
I hear that song in every shop, from every corner, and now I listen to it at home, on my cassette. The whole room is in a mess, and while I run about putting things in their places, I listen to my voice singing the words in that song – ‘Hearts on Fire’. For a moment, I stop all my work and listen, is that me? Me – a mousy little person, who has made her life upside down. There is Jimmy, my husband who loved me so much that he was good. So good to marry me; but all I could give in return was – to leave him. I said goodbye to Jimmy two years ago. I wanted to have a life of my own. I had dreams, my passion was music. Loitering in the streets was not so easy. For some time I had no income. I felt like running back to Jimmy but by chance, I got a job at the bar. It gave me an opportunity to sing. I sang to the crowds, and they began to love me. Things were getting better. Even with a very low salary, I felt happy. I had a room for myself, I could afford three meals and once a month I got a dress for myself. That was how I began my singing career. I was independent, I had got what I wanted. From morning till noon, then throughout the night I would sing, practice and do more lyrics. Days passed by without my noticing. I was doing good. That was when I came to meet Jesse. He was a manager and had his own recording studio. He spoke with me on several nights are the bar, then he asked me if I would like to do some recordings of my own songs. He was just voicing my very dreams. I was so thankful, I fell in love with the idea. But it was not easy. There was so much to do. I had to refine myself. I had to adjust my voice and all these took hours of hard, tough work. When I had passed these tests, then we began to work on my lyrics.
Jesse was very experienced in music and he guided me through. He was young, very tall and had curly black hair that reached to his shoulders. Jesse was very thin; he never slept proper hours and he never ate proper food. He would not take care of himself. I got suspicious of him using drugs. It was not drugs that was ruining him. Jesse had no purpose in this life. He had no family, and there was no one to love him and he did not care for anyone. But he spent enormous time on my work. Sometimes he got so worked up thinking that our songs would not do well… at times we argued and either Jesse or I would walk out of the studio. but then… we were falling in love.
We realized it in the hard way. Our anger, frustration and fear was because we loved each other. We had only each other for comfort and to care. Jesse cared for me and in return I took care of him. That was a period in my life which I would not forget. I was the source of his happiness, the meaning to his life. He was very special to me. While things were so, I met my former husband Jimmy down at the country. He was surprised to meet me. I told him about Jesse; he was happy for me, but he still wanted me back. But he understood that things have changed for me, my life was different and I was going my own way with Jesse.
We began recording my latest album. It had ‘Hearts on Fire’ in it. Jesse watched me sing it… a slow rhythm. He got really mad. ‘Hearts on Fire would freeze at that tune.! Work it up! Give it a beat!’ he yelled. That was how we worked. I walked out, returned and began with fresh energy. Jesse could not believe it. I was doing it so well. I sang it with a lot of force… yes I can hear that power now. I am to move to a big house in the country these holidays, I wanted some big, empty and quiet place so I could write more songs and also for Jesse. We should be considering marriage now.
With my bags in the truck I drove down towards the highway to the country. Jesse would be waiting by the road then we would both go in my truck down to the country. I smiled at seeing him there and stopped. Wanting him to drive, I got down but he was not going. It was over between us, he said. His lips touched mind for the last time and then with his hands in his pockets and head down, he walked up the road away from me. Neither of us were happy. Only red leaves of Autumn danced between us to touch winds of winter.
Beauty Tips - N.N
The Twinkle T’s
When the men in the truck saw Tamara and Tamy, they took off. “Hey! They are going!” Tamy began to follow, gaining speed with every pedal. “Tamy… you can’t get them! Here, I got their number!” that was the big sister, Tamara. Tamy slowed, but she still had second thoughts. Anyway it was too late, the truck had turned the corner. “Phew! They are fast!” Tamara said to cheer her sister at failing to follow.
The sisters decided to go home for they were hungry and it was nearly tea time. But all the way, they spoke of nothing but the robbery. “After tea, we will go and check this number,” they agreed. So they did. The lady at the office gave the name Mr. Gerard, as the owner.
Always Yours
Cavin watched Jaqy till she turned the corner then walked back into the house. Shutting the door after him,he came and looked into the same photograph that took Jaqy’s attention a moment ago. He was there with Dian, and little David was just beginning to speak. He picked up the picture and went to the sofa and sat himself down.
He traced Dian’s every feature, she was pale and just fighting through her last days when this was taken. He remembered those days so well. It was a fighting period for him as well. He was getting himself ready to face the end of.. of a very beloved friend. Dian was a friend. She was only a very close person in his life; she did not have first place. No. there was Jaq. Taking a deep breath, Cavin rested his head on the back of the sofa, and stared at the ceiling. After all, he remains all alone, he thought. The only reason for his living was David… and he had hopes. His only hope is that Jaqy returns to him. But Jaqy is as distant as the moon. ‘No’, he told himself, ‘she is coming back.’
Cavin got up and returned the photo frame. He had work next day, so he needed to rest. He went up the stairs and switched on the light, then sat himself on his desk. There were some blueprints to complete on a mansion house. It was a big contract. He thought about indoor decorating. It was to study this that he left for USA and met Dian for the first time after they parted. She was his childhood love, and there was something magical in her that he could not resist. It was at their first evening together that she spoke openly to him; it was then that he realized how much she cared for him, how much she suffered after leaving him. Cavin ran his hand through his dark hair. Was it that he could not choose between Dian and Jaqy? No. there was more ground for his actions. He loved Jaqy and pitied Dian. He left Jaqy to take care of Dian who was carrying his child and dying of cancer.
When she arrived at the late hours, everything was just as she left them. The house was all asleep. Jaqy stole in from the side door into her room and in doing so, got her bracelet stuck in the lock; she jerked her hand free and her precious bracelet slipped off her wrist onto the ground.
“Stupid of me…” she muttered to herself, stooping down to pick it up. The bracelet had broken at a point into two. Taking in a deep breath rather regretfully, Jaqy pocketed the piece of jewellery and went into her library. She sat down at her desk and brought out the broken bracelet once again. It was beyond repair, yet she fumbled with it. Her fingers played with it, and her mind wandered far off.
“He is a cheat!” she said to herself of Cavin. She pulled out the top drawer and dropped the bracelet in and cast her glance at Cavin in the frame, then shut the drawer with great force. The second drawer had her diary which she got out to inspect. She turned to certain pages, she knew them by heart. Then she stopped at middle page; she held her breath while reading the lines, yes she remembered every word, she had written in hurt and pain. There were tear stains on the pages... tears shed on losing Cavin. But now the tears have long dried, Jaqy put the dairy back and got up with unexpected energy. There was a stack of files on the edge of the desk, all on the new apartments. She opened the top one, and as usual as it always happened she buried herself in the files to be free from heartache. To escape from her sorrow. Cavin nor anyone mattered any more. She had to complete the project by next June, and there was no time to lose. She just thought of doing something different on the project, she would put an Indian touch to it as well, the guests would love it. She picked the phone to called the professor but no… he would be asleep now. She had to wait till tomorrow.
To be continued…
No comments:
Post a Comment