Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Words that trigger stories - Part 1

I joined a Readers' Club called Literati Bugs last year. I started off as a less engaged member of the group, but as I attended few meetings, I started liking it. I started reading more books and also attended a book writing workshop. I am not sure when I will actually write one, but this workshop definitely keeps my dream alive.

While all of this was happening, something else happened too. On the WhatsApp group of this club, a word of the day is shared everyday. I started writing short sentences or tales everyday using that word. The group members appreciated my efforts and I now feel confident sharing some of those tales with larger world.

In this part, I share 3 such short tales.

Cosset
verb [kos-it]
to treat as a pet; pamper; coddle

Tale: Love Cubicle 

He had silently loved her for three years now. She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen or talked to. As she worked on her laptop in the adjoining cubicle, he would watch closely that strand of hair kissing her cheeks. Sometimes he would spend an entire day for that moment when she would bid him goodbye in her sweet voice, calling his name out. Fridays were lucky for him as she used to have lunch with him that day. They didn't really talk much, but he was happiest when she used to eat with him. He never confessed his true feelings for her, as she was married and so was he. He regretted marrying earlier and also felt that he found his true love late in life. One Friday, she broke the news of her pregnancy to him. From that day onward he became more vocal, and started cosseting her. He would bring fruits for lunch and ensured she gets her taxi on time. He would keep checking about her health every few hours. She also really opened up with him during her pregnancy. One day while talking about her loveless marriage, she confessed to him, that she loves him a lot.

Stentorian
adjective [sten-tawr-ee-uh n, -tohr-] 
very loud or powerful in sound 

Tale: The Dutiful Son 

"You are doing it wrong son. Don't do this son. Don't do that son. You can't do that if you want to earn money son". He heard these stentorian voices in his head all the time. Always a class topper, he became an engineer because his parents wanted so. Marriage happened as he got his first job and he had kids soon, so that his mother can play with her grandchildren. He just kept going through his life for others. Those voices in his head just became louder by the day. His wife discovered last year that he has a flair for writing. She encouraged him to find time for it. He just got his first book published. The runaway success is titled "Raising a Coward."

Zymurgy
noun [ZAHY-mur-jee]
the branch of applied chemistry dealing with fermentation, as in wine making, brewing, the preparation of yeast etc.

Tale: Chemical Imbalance

The chemistry between them was palpable. Every time they met they couldn't keep their hands off each other. Their public display of affection made the onlookers embarrassed. They never realised that. They could just see sparks and stars when they touched each other. No one could have predicted this turn of events given their first awkward meeting. He, a connoisseur of wine with an expertise in zymurgy, comfortable with luxuries of life and socially upwardly mobile. She, a nerdy biochemist, knew everything about the matters of body but heart. They both will not forget that wine tasting session.

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