Five Stories-Closeup
SHORT STORIES BY KISHOR PANDYA |
1. CLOSEUP |
2. DEFEAT |
3. PEACEFULMEN-SHANTILAL |
4. MIRROR IMAGE |
5. TRAVELING TOWARDS YOU |
Short Story Close up by Kishor Pandya |
1. CLOSE UP |
KISHOR PANDYA |
As tsunami in the River, and wetting both the side of the riverbanks with |
large amount of water, similarly, sometimes he was remembering Rupa. He likes |
to become wet with remembrances of her in this manner. |
That day Rupa was in displeased mood. |
“I don’t want to see ,” she uttered with slight anger. |
“Why?” He asked in lower voice |
“Your sentimental words sounding me hollow ” |
“Rupa, you have ” Before uttering the word love, word itself reached in |
the very deep abyss of the earth “When I come close to you, let me say truth, I |
forget everything ” |
“Pratik” immediately her hand came very close to his mouth and |
remained there. |
He tried to see the color of wings of butterflies in the handkerchief |
remained in her hand Then he forcefully tried to avoid his eyes from Rapa’s |
eyes. Then again, he was staring at beautiful face of her without winking. |
“Do you want to hear a story?” |
“Then, you try to going to sidetrack ” |
“Let us see, sometimes people are troubled with inferiority complexes If |
you will look at another side, yet I will tell you that-” |
You are repeating your words. You said these words earlier also ” |
“What? Then listen again ” |
“No I don’t want to hear again ” |
“Some stories are so interesting that we like to listen it again and again ” |
“ nd after listened to the story, we were remembering it again and |
again ” |
**** |
He closed the file. Searched the cape of the pen, which was below the file. |
He put the pen in the pocket. |
Today is Friday. If Sir would give the permission, then tomorrow is half- |
holiday I reach to Rupa. She came to the door. Moreover, before she could open |
the door completely |
He tried to build the castles in the air. |
Tomorrow he will go there. Four hours bus journey. Then he will reach |
there, sun will travel to the west gradually. Darkness of the night proceeds |
further systematically. |
Let me watch until, dawn a few hours remaining yet. This time I will bring |
something for Rupa. |
*** |
“Will you please, show me good articles for present? |
Do you require it to gift somebody”/ |
YES |
You want to give it to your beloved one. |
He liked the word gift instead of present. He also liked the attitude of |
shopkeeper. He tries to select the gift one by one. |
*** |
“How nice this is!” Rupa will ask |
“ Really ? You are Very nice Really You are looking beautiful!” |
“Who is? m I or is this ?-...,”Rupa will question |
Answer of the question will be there. |
There will be a smile on the lips of Rupa just like a small boat dancing on |
the water in a steady wind. Her eyes were looking along with full of love. |
What would you like for breakfast? |
Rupa will prepare breakfast. Imagine the unlimited amount of breakfast. |
Time will stop. Moment will freeze. |
This is Excellent! |
What is excellent? Breakfast or.. |
You are excellent. |
Rupa will seat between his separated words. |
Last rays of the sun will slip away from the window. |
Then, they are walking on the street. |
Rupa will walk with him. She will describe the area with specific stress on |
the special word. At that time, he will try to decorate the close up of the side |
face of Rupa in his eyes. |
*** |
He came out of the shop without taking anything. |
Close up of Rupa is now spread all over the limitless sky. |
***** |
Shantilal- |
Peaceful Man In Hurry |
KISHOR PANDYA |
Whenever you meet Shantilal, he is always in hurry. |
When he met you, he would immediately ask. |
What happened about that we had talk? |
What we had talked? You are not remembering the reference. |
On Thursday, there is a meeting for Ramesh to see the bride for him. |
Oh! I have forgotten that fully. |
We apologize, really, as we have no importance of that talk. |
You are very idle man. If you will not become an active, never wed |
Ramesh. Understand my point, this is a jet time, do some hurry, let me go until I |
meet Maheta. |
When you hear the last sentence of Shantilal completely, he is walking |
away to meet the other person. |
Shantilal is very quick. |
Shantilal is also perfect. He works for everyone .If anyone suggests to do |
work for him; he will never sit until the work is completed. However, a question |
is that whether anybody has seen Shantilal in a relaxed sitting position. |
I have never seen that Shantilal has ever talked with anybody in seating |
position. I have never seen that Shantilal has ever taken a cup of tea by sitting |
with anybody. |
He is always in hurry. |
Once, I, Ramesh and Dinesh were standing nearby the tea-stall. I saw |
Shantilal was coming towards us. I stopped him and gave a cup of tea from my |
hand to him. |
Have a cup of tea, Shantilal and relax. |
I thought that my speed of giving him a tea would please Shantilal and he |
would stop to take a cup of tea. |
Where is relaxation in this life, Shantilal sipping the tea and speak, if we |
try to relax our half of the work will remain unfinished. Shantilal gave back |
empty cup to my hand and, said let me go, until I have to finish my work. |
Ii overcome with surprise Shantilal finished his tea and walked away |
Ashok and Dinesh try to cool the tea. They have not even taste the tea. |
There is an empty cup on my hand so Ashok asked, |
You have emptied your cup so immediately. |
No. I have not emptied the cup. Shantilal had sipped a cup of tea and he |
gone like wind. |
I pointed my finger towards the Shantilal. He was more than thousand |
feet away from us. |
When did Shantilal come, when did he take a cup of tea, and when did he |
go, he went away so hurriedly, we even did not see him. |
In any kind of traffic, Shantilal proceeded further like auto rickshaw. |
Traffic had no effect on his speed. Heavy traffic is unable to make any change on |
his speed. |
He collided with anybody on the way and other person just recovered and |
try to say something that men should walk with carefully, before that Shantilal |
walked away by touching and fractioning with other two. |
Shantilal is really living as a man of jet age. |
He has invited me at the ring ceremony of his daughter. |
However, on that Thursday I cannot attend the function due to some |
work. I thought that afterward I would apologize to him. Moreover, on another |
Thursday, I remember that function. Today I must go to the house of Shantilal. I |
came out of the office and directly reached to the Shantilal. |
I see that Shantilal was standing in the foreground of the house and |
workers are collecting the table and chairs. Some type of ceremony is over. |
“Welcome, welcome ”Shantilal exclaimed with relief |
“I came to congratulate your daughter on her ring ceremony.” |
“You are very lazy person Just one minute ” He gave a note of list and |
paid money to the workers. Then turned towards me and said, “I have not seen |
you on occasion Take some sweets ” We entered in the house Then he said, |
“Persons like you are must be in the fire brigade and not in the bank ” |
“Why?” I asked |
“Let us see, you come for the ring ceremony, but wedding ceremony is |
over ”Shantilal gave me sweets “One minute please, I just finished this work to |
submit crockery and other things. |
Without stopping anywhere, Shantilal reach to the workers, who are |
collecting the materials . |
After the marriage of a daughter, Shantilal never relaxed. He immediately |
completed all the work of marriage. |
When I was sick, he came to me and asked me for any type of work, he |
can do for me. He also guides me and gives me some health tips. He also talks |
about various subjects and relax me. After his talk my irrelative nature becomes |
joyful. My mind was relaxed like flower. |
On that day, I met and saw new Shantilal. |
After recovery, I started to go to office. Generally, Shantilal meet me two |
to three times in a week. However, I have not seen him for fifteen day and I |
wonder about that. Where will be he? |
When in the morning I have started for the office, I confirm in my mind to |
meet Shantilal in the evening. |
After completing my work in the office in the evening, I reach to the |
house of Shantilal. My Mansukh uncle was coming out of the house. |
“Why you are here?” He asked me |
“I came here just to meet Shantilal ” |
“But where will now he meets you?” Mansukh uncle speak very slowly |
I found some newness in his words. |
“Why are you talking in this way?” I asked |
“Then what can I say? Do not you know the news?” |
“Which type of news?” |
“Shantilal is now not in this world Shantilal is no more. |
I mute and kept silence. |
Shantilal was very ahead of me with his speed. In this situation, I am not |
in a position to reach him with his speed. |
Short Story Close up by Kishor Pandya |
Defeat |
Moreover, there is nothing in this talk. |
Mau is not a good storyteller. The method of his talking is not even |
interesting. He talked in such a detail that everybody thinks that something |
more interesting story was there. |
Moreover, he gets such an audience that normal happening is to become |
most important thing of the society. Audience gave more importance to the |
Manu and his speech. |
Too many people marry in the town. |
There is nothing to surprise in the wedding of Ashish and Alka. In the |
town boy and girl run away and without concern to their parent they get |
married, is a common thing. There is nothing to be surprised. |
Yet, they are somewhat more interesting to heat the wedding story of |
Ashish and Alka. They get pleasure in this story. Somebody has conquered the |
world and people are hearing that. Repeatedly they are hearing the wedding |
story. |
Manu has brought that story. He has done great brave thing by getting |
this story. Therefore, he thinks that he has a right to give information from the |
beginning to the end of the story. Who knows that Manu has every detail of the |
story? I also know this story from the very begins. |
Nevertheless, never mind. The thing that happened is now past. By |
digging past in the present without mud, nothing will be come in the hand. |
Future will not be changed by digging the past.. |
Boy and girl become adult. They see each other on different festivals. |
They know each other. They are afraid to talk to the parents. Otherwise, a |
parent may say no and they run away from their home and get married. |
So many couples have married in this manner. |
There is nothing to surprise in the marriage of Ashish and Alka. |
Nevertheless, as Manu think that he knows everything, he gives more and |
more detail in his story. Whether Manu has known every detailed of this story? |
How much he knows about this. In addition, how much salt he is adding in his |
story? |
shish and lka ran away from the town They ran away at seven o’clock |
on Tuesday. They had earlier decided to meet near the garden of the town. Alka |
was there at six o’clock, but shish had to prepare too many things so he was |
late. Ashish reached the place exactly at five to seven o’clock |
Alka immediately reached to him and they got the bus. Bus went with |
Ashish and Alka. |
Manu has no manner to talk. The method of his talking is not proper. |
Somebody has solved the great problem of their life and they have taken a |
Short Story Close up by Kishor Pandya |
decision of their life. This is not a great story to throw in the air in this manner. |
There is nobody beneficiary in this. |
Manu has a different personality. |
He is always bringing such a story from the society. Moreover, he puts |
forward in the public in such a way that each step of the story is like a single |
ladder. |
Ashish has warned me on time. Otherwise, if he knows everything, Manu |
has declared the war-trumpet in whole town. Now nothing will change by |
tearing the rag. |
It is unfortunate. Otherwise, everything well planned. |
It is same Tuesday. |
It is same time of seven o’clock in the evening |
It is same garden. |
It is same bus stand. |
Ashish and Alka are the pieces of the game only. |
No doubt that they very courageous. Suddenly run away in this manner is |
not a small thing. |
Alka is also a brave girl. No one can predict that she could decide |
suddenly. |
Really both are courageous. |
They showed the whole world that they fully bold to run away. |
Look, if you want to marry, run away like this. |
One cannot even see the mirage with thought of running deer by sitting in |
the house. |
Both are brave and courageous. Otherwise, everything is fixed. Ashish |
also gave courage to me. Alka has also tried to persuade Shilpa with so many |
examples from life, but no one knows at the last minute my feet dissolved in |
water. |
Ashish and Alka were ready to support. They were coming to bus stand to |
send off Shilpa and me. Let it go. The story is now past. By digging it in present, |
it cannot shape the future. |
Now it is too much to hear the sound of Manu. He is pestering person |
with incessant talking. His continuous words are like bombshell. He continuously |
talking and talking the same story. It is now headache to hear his words. I am |
tired mentally. By his, story someone blowing my head. |
***** |
MIRROR IMAGE |
You have a friend, named Mr.Balwantbhai. He has been your friend since |
long time, because you and Balwantbhai are engaged in the same profession. |
You meet Balwantbhai frequently. He also visits you often. You are fond of |
Balwantbhai in your friend circle, and he is having a dominating place. You have |
always-new people ready to introduce to Balwantbhai. Due to his mixing nature, |
he makes his friend circle more and wider. |
Many times you have feeling of dislike for your friends. Seeing to their |
behaviour you feel like breaking all the bonds of relationship. But Balwantbhai is |
unique and different from this entire people. For you he is having a unique place |
in your heart, because of him only your relation with Surendra is now limited. |
Once upon a you were travelling in the city bus. High school girls were |
sitting on the front seat. Their talk was heard. The topic of their talk was |
involving a name Balwantbhai, so you became alert. From the uniform of the |
school it was easy to assume that the talk was about your own friend |
Balwantbhai, but to make it sure you were eager to inquire |
that which subject does he teach and you can make sure that the topic of the |
talk was your own friend Balwantbhai. Giant Kumbhakarna sleeping lazily in |
some corner by your side was now suddenly awakened, due to tone of hatred in |
the voice. |
“Gita brought jamun once in her lunch box Balwantbhai was passing by, |
she offered it to him also to taste but he ate whole stock within few minutes!” |
A girl of thirteen was speaking. |
“Do you remember, he took away all the chocolates from Rita?” |
“I don’t like him at all ” |
“Balwantbhai is like that only Lina and Bina went to ask, when Bina was |
not able to understand properly. When we entered, at first stage he stared at |
us, and then he asked, why have you all come? We told that Bina want to ask, so |
he said to Lina and me that why have you come? And he also drew us out of the |
office ” |
“But he made Kuntal cry in the office ” |
“ nd he stares at us as if we are not aware of anything. In fact I told him |
on his face that I am not Vina, I am not going to become a chamchi like Vina and |
flatter you. Therefore he acts indifferently in front of me ” |
And. |
And you remember his straightforward attitude in your house. |
“Today I shall have a cup of tea and then I shall go Your wife’s |
preparation of tea is having its own speciality Where is she?” |
And he used to forget your presence and your identity in your own house. |
But you are to take pride when he used to act in this way because you thought it |
was a sign of a true friend. At present his whole character sketch is cleared in |
front of you and you are aware of his intension. |
“I shall drink tea and then go Munna tell your mummy to bring water |
This Sunday, let me have dinner, at your place cooked by her ” |
His manner of talking- he takes the talk around instead of straight to the |
point - now everything is being understood by you. You suddenly remember |
Surendra’s comment on Balwantbhai. But at that time you neglected his talk. |
Moreover you thought Surendra is envy of Balwantbhai so he is talking like this, |
Surendra disliked your friendship with Balwantbhai. |
“This Balwantbhai is not good natured In his nature ” |
Surendra’s half talk and words are sudden regaining your memory You |
thought you should have let Surendra complete the talk. On one hand you are |
thankful to Surendra; on other hand you are disturbed. Surendra is your well |
wisher now you have known that. Now you have known the key morals of |
Balwantbhai i.e. his public disguise and his private self. |
Now what happens after this depends upon circumstances. |
It can happen that if you see Balwantbhai on the way while passing by |
then also you overlooked him and passed away When Balwantbhai’s attention |
is drawn towards you, he will be astonished and will think of calling you. He may |
probably call you. But you pretend, as if you have not heard anything and you |
may walk away. In the evening while he |
comes to your place you won’t welcome |
him as warmly as you did till yesterday. |
Your behaviour- your changing attitude |
towards Balwantbhai may be understood |
by him and he may then visit you rarely. |
Or you may tell everything on |
Balvantbhai face to face and not behind at |
his back. |
It is probable that gradually your |
relations with Balwantbhai go on reducing and one-day relationship may end. |
But then you would always be dissatisfied about not to tell everything to him. |
One possibility is such that you and Balwantbhai may always play hide |
and seek and you will always be seeking him. |
There are numerous probabilities. |
But you know inspire of numberless |
probabilities under any circumstances, nothing is |
going to happen. You are not going to tell anything |
to Balwantbhai. You are not going to change your |
attitude towards him. BEWARE OF BALWANTBHAI. |
You are going to stop only by thought of awareness. You cannot tell anything to |
Balwantbhai. Probably you may tell Balwantbhai to be alert, but it is because |
both of you are engaged in the same profession. |
***** |
Travelling towards you |
Conductor pulls the string to ring the bell so bus could start. |
Now bus started. |
Airs rushing forcefully from the window of the bus collide with his body. |
Cooled air fill up his mind. An imagination begins to create in the mind. |
Sound of the Engine of the bus is too noisy. In that, noise of engine |
colorful imaginations slowly vanished away. Bus runs forward. |
One can see the City from the window of the bus. |
One by one stop is there. At every stop bus stops. Thoughts in the mind |
also stop. Mind follows in the imagination that who will be boarding today in the |
bus of your city. |
There is one spark in the mind. |
Memory remains behind the sound of started engine of the bus. |
Conductor rings the bell and bus continues to travel further and further. |
One can see, the City from the window of the bus. What is the distance |
between city and window? |
If one can measure the space distance between the moon and the earth, |
then the distance between you and me can also measure. However, who can |
measure this distance? Somebody says that there is nothingness between us. |
Our relations are truly by heart. |
Who is speaking these words? |
To see the face of the speaker just turn around and conductor ring the |
bell same time. |
Yes, today I am sitting in the bus travelling towards you. |
Which bus is this? |
Bus runs towards your city. |
Which city bus will reach? |
Where is your city? |
The game of finding the questions from the answers started. One fix way |
is decided when the journey started. All are going in the same direction. The bus |
towards your city started and he seated in the bus. The city has no name. If |
there is a name of the city then nobody knows the name of the city. |
What is love? |
What is relationship? |
What is binding? |
One cannot bind the love in specific definitions. |
To connect the broken threads knot is required. Then what is the meaning |
of single thread. Sensation of beating remains on thread. |
Whether knots are strong or lose? Knot between two threads speaks too |
many things. There is nothing between us. Banks of the river are disappeared. |
We dissolved in each other. |
The river is never possible without bank. |
The death is never possible without life. |
The fog of the memory disappeared. |
It is slowly raining on the palace of the mind. Everything is vanished in |
sudden flood. The pearls are swinging on the eyelash. |
He came back in the boarder of reality. Until the stop to climb down from |
the bus is not there. On which stand he has to climb-down. Yet there is very |
much time. The bus catches the speed. However, after some interval speed of |
the bus breaks. |
Empty glass and empty life is there. To live alone is not a life. One can |
touch life smoothly. Can anybody gain life? |
Who is speaking? From where, all these words are coming? Repose is |
that, when it started, there will be an end somewhere. |
When the bus started, then your city will definitely come there. |
He has read somewhere that the life begins with the birth. It is a |
beginning of life, or journey towards the death. Day by day death comes closer |
and closer, called life. |
He is sitting idly, in the bus, and the bus, will carry you towards, your stop |
to climb-down from the bus. |
There are so many Passengers are there in the bus. Their words come |
closer to the ears and without any meaning spread away. Now there is no care |
to understand the meaning of the words. Desire is dead. The bus is running. |
When will your city come? |
He is steady on the seat of the bus. Bus is running. |
He thinks, that when the speed of life, is in decreasing order, why the |
human being tries to run very fast. |
Pictures and landscape he sees through will never come back. Then what |
is the meaning to dig the dunghill of past. Yet the pendulum of mind swing |
towards past and future and present dissolved in it. Up to what extent one can |
tie with the memory. |
Bell of the bus is much sweet now. Now he is decisive to leave everything. |
Therefore, he is in the bus. Conductor pulls the string, ring the bell, speaks the |
name and then he has to climb down. |
When the last stop will come in this bus, he has to climb-down. |
At last conductor raised his hand to pull the string, he proceed towards |
the door in the running bus. The conductor pulls the chain at last |
***** |
Short Story Close up by Kishor Pandya |
WHEN DO YOU SiT |
CONFORTABLY |
After so many years, I could sit comfortably under the tree. |
Short Story Close up by Kishor Pandya |
Short Story Close up by Kishor Pandya |