Short Fiction
PHONY
Short Story
By
VIKRAM KARVE
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PROLOGUE
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Dear Reader – you must have heard the word “phony” (also spelt “phoney”)
Well – “phony” is the American Spelling whereas “phoney” is the British
Spelling.
I will use the American Spelling “phony” in this story.
“Phony” means “counterfeit” or “fake” or “bogus” etc.
When used in the context of a person – he is a “phony” – it means that
the person is a “charlatan” – a “fraudster” – an “impostor” – a “swindler” – a
“trickster” – a “cheat” etc.
In a milder connotation – it may mean that the person is devious,
duplicitous, hypocritical, dishonest, pretentious, insincere etc. – a person
who is not genuine.
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STORY
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“He is such a “phony”…” that was the
WhatsApp Message she had sent to her friend from her Smartphone.
Obviously – she was referring to me – since – I was sitting with her in
the Coffee Shop for around 30 minutes – and – she had sent the message just a
few seconds ago.
I was stunned on reading this.
I recovered my wits – and with my smartphone – I clicked a picture of her
WhatsApp Chat with her friend – which contained her message: “He is such a
phony…”
Then – I put her smartphone on the table at the same place – and – I
waited for her to come back from the washroom.
____
Dear Reader – before you brand me as a “phony” for clandestinely looking
at the WhatsApp chats on her smartphone – please hear me out.
This is what happened.
I was “seeing” a girl for marriage – an “arranged marriage date” – in a
coffee shop.
The girl’s name was Nisha.
We talked for around half an hour.
It was a wonderful conversation.
I liked her – and – it seemed – she liked me too.
As we sat opposite each other and talked – I noticed one thing about
her.
She seemed quite obsessed with her smartphone.
From time to time – she would pick up her smartphone – look at the
screen – key in some text quickly – and – keep the smartphone down.
She did this deftly – without interrupting our conversation.
It seemed she was chatting on WhatsApp with someone.
The second round of coffee arrived.
Unfortunately – the waiter slipped and spilled the mug of coffee on her
dress.
“Oh My God…” she said, “my dress is ruined…”
“I am very sorry…” the waiter apologized.
“It’s okay…” she said to the waiter.
Nisha looked at me and said: “I’ll quickly go to the washroom and try to
wash off the coffee stains before the stains become dark…”
She went in a hurry – she left her purse on the chair – and she forgot
her smartphone on the table.
I know it is most unethical to look at someone else’s smartphone – and
snoop into their WhatsApp conversations – but – I was most curious to know with
whom she was chatting while she was talking to me.
So – curiosity prevailed over ethics – and – I picked up Nisha’s
smartphone and looked at the screen.
Her WhatsApp Chat was open.
____
(Normally – most smartphones have a default screen timeout of 30 seconds
– and – the screen goes to sleep of you don’t interact with it for 30 seconds.
Of course – if you keep interacting or looking at the screen – then – the
screen remains on. And – 30 seconds hadn’t passed – since I had picked up her
smartphone immediately after she left for the washroom)
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I was shocked to see the chat Nisha was having with a friend called
Monika.
It was clear that they were talking about me – the “Boy” she was meeting
at the Coffee Shop for the “arranged marriage date”.
“How is the guy…?” Monika had asked.
“He is such a “phony”…!!!” Nisha had
replied.
____
Dear Reader – words cannot describe the emotion I felt on reading this.
What had I done that this girl Nisha had concluded that I was “phony”…?
It was baffling and I felt terrible.
____
I quickly recovered my wits – and with my smartphone – I clicked a
picture of Nisha’s WhatsApp Chat with her friend Monika – which contained her
message: “He is such a phony…”
Then – I put her smartphone on the table at the same place – and – I
waited for her to come back from the washroom.
When Nisha returned from the washroom – she seemed very upset.
“My dress is permanently ruined…” she said, “I don’t know if these coffee
stains will go away…”
“They will go away…” I said, “just wash them away with some strong
detergent…”
____
I thought to myself: “The coffee stains would go away quite quickly –
but the “stain” she had created in my heart would take a long time to go away…”
____
I looked at Nisha – she seemed quite upset about her dress.
“Would you like to go home…?” I asked her.
“Yes, please – if you don’t mind…” she said.
“I’ll drop you…” I said to her.
“No. No. – I’ll walk down – my house is very near from here…” she said, “Thank
you for the coffee…”
With these words – Nisha smiled at me and then walked towards the
entrance of the coffee shop – and soon – she disappeared from sight.
____
I sat in the coffee shop for a long time – contemplating.
Why did she get the impression that I was “phony”…?
And that too – after meeting me for just 30 minutes.
I thought that I was a most genuine, sincere and upright person.
What had I said or done that she thought I was “phony”…?
_____
I thought about it – from the marriage point of view.
The girl – Nisha – my prospective wife – she thought that I was “phony”.
Whether I am “phony” or not – it doesn’t matter.
What matters is that she thinks that I am “phony”.
And – what matters even more is that I know that she thinks that I am
“phony”.
_____
“Did you like the girl…?” my parents asked me when I reached home around
two hours later.
“No…” I said, “I don’t want to marry this girl…”
“Why…? What’s wrong with her…? We thought she is a suitable match for
you – and she is from such a good family…” they said to me.
“She is not suitable for me…” I said, “Or rather – I am not suitable for
her – I think she didn’t like me…”
“That’s surprising…” my parents said, “the girl’s mother called a few
minutes ago and she said that her daughter had liked you…”
“What…? The girl said that she had liked me…?” I said – surprised.
“Yes – the girl has liked you – they even wanted to fix the date for the
wedding…” my parents said.
“Well – I don’t want to marry this girl…” I said to my parents, “you tell
them – and – let’s close this topic – no more discussion…”
My parents seemed disappointed.
But – I had made my decision not to marry Nisha.
_____
I wondered to myself:
“If Nisha thought I was “phony” – why did she want to marry me…?”
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MOOT QUESTIONS
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Tell me Dear Reader:
1. How can I live my entire life with a woman knowing that she thinks
that I am “phony”…?
2. Even worse – how can a girl marry a man who she thinks is “phony”…?
3. If we get married – won’t the marriage be “phony”…?
_____
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
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