A to Z Challenge: Keeper

Links to previous parts:
Hanged

Insomnia
Jaded

A week later, Aryan found himself sitting in a cafe which by the looks of it was one which served those airy fairy green teas and vegan cup cakes. Oh my god! This social worker was already living up to every stereotype that he had imagined and he had not even met her yet. Why oh why did people have to drag their beliefs into everything including their food? This meeting was already heading towards a disaster. What a ruins of a Saturday!!

"Hello, Aryan I presume?" A pleasant female voice called out to him from the wicker gate of the cafe. " Would you mind stepping out?" Aryan got up and walked out irritably. Now what, she was already late by 15 min. She was a surprisingly tiny person, her elf like face framed by long dark hair. The smile on her face was making it difficult to stay angry with her. " I assumed you would wait outside. Aaron of the Journal lifestyle section should know better than to go in." she said cheekily. " The cafe I wanted to meet you at is just around the corner. I wasn't sure that you would know it."

Over pancakes and the yummiest truffles he had ever eaten, Rini outlined their plan. They would leave next week to India. Aaron would be filming and recording her work. They hadn't decided if it was only going to entail only print coverage or video show as well. They would evaluate that once they had a significant amount of material.

A to Z Challenge: Jaded

Links to previous parts:
Hanged

Insomnia

Aaron aka Aryan sat at his desk, staring intently into his screen. He couldn't focus on the article he was writing. It was three years since he had joined at the Journal and he was still writing about which fire escape had failed city codes with more than the allowed number of potted plants, which new loft restaurants were the best and which speakeasy was the one to be seen at. This was not the dream of journalistic ideals that had burned in his heart when he left NYU. " Dreaming of overseas war postings again?" Jim swatted his head from the neighboring desk. " That's asking for a bit much. I at least want to get off the lifestyle pages, " sighed Aryan. " Man, I don't understand you. If I got anything like the fan mail you get from those women, I would expire from joy." "I wish it had more to do with my writing than my byline picture." "Narcissistic much?" " Nothing but plainspeaking truth. I have had enough for the week. Leaving now."

As Aryan swept his belongings into his leather bag and swung it across his shoulder, he heard someone call out from behind him. It was Sean, his boss, mentor and now permanent bearer of bad news. He was the one who had informed him that thanks to his great skills on the lifestyle page, he would get a permanent byline and fixture. This week had been a long one as it was. He wondered what new news he would get and how it would affect him. Would this weekend give him reason to rejoice or mourn?

Aryan headed out of the office with a confused expression. "Hello, are you there, Aaron" Jim's cheerful tone went unnoticed. He did not know if one should be happy or sad with what he had heard just now.

A to Z Challenge: Insomnia

Link to previous part:

Hanged

"Close your eyes and think about a space that makes you feel safe. Go to the happy place in your mind and enjoy these moments that your mind is at peace." The instructor walked around the room whispering among her students in her mellifluous voice.  Rini fidgeted in her cross legged pose. She flicked her long dark hair away from her face and tried to refocus her attention on the task at hand. She could feel the instructor at her side, laying a restraining hand on her shoulder. " It was easier said than done, Rini thought to herself.

Later, when she lay awake in bed, she regretted not paying more attention in her meditation class. The teacher was only trying to help. If this continued any longer, she would have to consult a therapist. That wasn't something she wanted to do. It was the absolute last resort for her. As an international aid worker, neither than luxury of staying in one location for long nor the money to afford the therapy was available to her.

These were sudden episodes she has become prone to soon after her visit the  previous month to India. Her insomnia was making her less functional at work. Her boss Linda had stopped by her desk the previous day. "Rini, I am postponing your next trip back to India. You can go next month. I am not sure you can handle the stress again. You look like death boiled over." "I agree with her" Rini thought. "I am not sure why but India is getting into my bones. Probably I am taking all its problems too personally, After all its home in a way." 

A to Z Challenge: Hanged

Rini jerked upright and urgently scanned the room with searching eyes. She was still in bed. It was just before dawn. She leaned back on the headboard, gazing out of the glass pane of the window. The horizon was still a faint line in the distance with a golden tinge just peeping over it. The light was filtering in slowly through the pane covering Rini in iridescent dust. But the last thing on her mind this morning was the sunrise. Once again she had woken up with a wildly beating heart, covered in sweat, running in her dreams from dangers she could not recollect.

Today however there was a difference. She woke up remembering. She knew what she had dreamt was unlikely and  probably something she would never witness. But why did she wake up with such a sense of disturbance like it was real? The high beep of the alarm radio brought her back from her thoughts. It was time to kick start the day. She hoped it would be a good day. As good at least as it would get, with her disturbing dreams and distracted mind.

As she looked into the mirror, adjusting her make up, Rini had a Ring moment. You know the one in which appears in the mirror behind you. Her vision made her throat dry up and she choked on her scream. She turned back wildly and found only air.  She thought for a moment that her dream had come to life. The hanging tree and the man hanged from it had flashed behind her on the mirror. This day was going to be a long one.

Battle Hymns, Fundamentalism and other stories- 2015 Reading Challenge

Finished the Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother today. It's an interesting book, funny and poignant. I was definitely not shocked, outraged or anything else of that sort, that's probably cause I am "Asian" in a manner of speaking. It was more about the difficult relationships that mothers and daughters have with each other, especially during those angsty teenage years. I guess I am more like the younger daughter- I gave up on learning an instrument and on learning classical dance, which my mother would have liked. A refreshing tongue in cheek look at rebellion and control.

The Reluctant Fundamentalist- This was a book I went back to. The first time I read it, it did not go down well with me and I gave up on it. There is something about the cadence of this book. You need to be in a certain frame of mind to read this book. It puts forth the changes that the so called bourgeois undergo  when they move to a new country and how a disaster can make you take action in unforeseen ways, urging you to return to your roots. It is a confusing, cheeky and weirdly funny book.  

I have previously read only one book of Jostein Gaarder. I should thank a neighbor of mine for the introduction to Sophie' s World. Gripping bite sized chunks of philosophy suitable for consumption by all ages is the best descriptor I can apply to his writing. The Solitaire mystery explores destiny, family and all philosophy surrounding the dimensions in which we exist. With strong veins of Greek philosophy and ideas running through it, we follow Hans Thomas on a quest of self discovery and an understanding of the world around us and the mystery of our creation.

Now I am switching between three more books- Gora by Rabindranath Tagore, The Photograph by Penelope Lively and Running through the family by Ondaatje.