Love Duel

LOVE DUEL 
A Story

By 

VIKRAM KARVE

“I want to have a word with you...”

“Later. I’m busy...”

“No. I want to talk to you right now...”

“Not now. Please. We’ll talk at lunch break. I have a deadline to meet...”

“I told you I want to talk to you now. It’s urgent...”

“What’s so urgent…?”

“It’s about Nisha…”

“Nisha...?”

“Just lay off…”

“Lay off…?”

“You took Nisha out to a movie and dinner last evening – didn’t you...?”

“So…?” 

 

“So nothing – you just stop seeing Nisha – I don’t like it...” 

 

“You don’t like it…? Just who the hell are you – to like it or not…?

“Who the hell am I…? Nisha is my girl...she is mine…We are in love…”

“Love…? Nisha loves you…? Bullshit...!!! Go and look at your face in the mirror. Is she crazy to love an uncouth clot like you...?” 

“You just shut up. And – you just lay off Nisha. I don’t want you too see Nisha – or even talk to her ever again. Do you understand…? I am warning you…”

“Warning…? You are giving me a warning...? Hey Dude – you just buzz off. I like Nisha – and –she likes me too. And – we are seeing each other. So – it is you who has got to vamoose. Got it...? So just get lost and let me get on with my work – I told you I have a deadline...”

“I’ll break your bones…”

“Hey – what are you doing…? Just take your hands off me – this is the office…”

“Okay – I’ll meet you in the evening – outside office – and I will sort you out properly – once and for all…”

   

“You will sort me out…? Ha – Ha... You sissy – I’ll thrash the hell out of you...”

“Hey – you stop fighting. Just look there – Nisha is coming here – she is walking towards us – she is saying something...” 

Nisha comes near the “duelling” men – and – she says to them:

“Hi guys – I was just coming to meet each of you – and – I find you both together – what a coincidence…!!!”

“You were coming to meet us…?”

“Yes. I have got some great news for you – I am getting married…”

“What...? You are getting married…?”

“Yes...”

“To whom are you getting married...?”

“He lives abroad – in the US – in Houston – he is a childhood friend – my classmate from school – we had lost touch with each other – he found me on the net on Facebook a few days ago – we chatted – he proposed this morning – and – I said YES…”

(Maybe this story should be called एक फूल दो कांटे और एक माली – “One Flower, Two Thorns and One Gardener”) 

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 
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Disclaimer:

This story is a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the story are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Copyright Notice:

No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Copyright © Vikram Karve (All Rights Reserved)

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

  

This story was written by me more than 9 years ago in the year 2008 and posted online by me on my creative writing blogs a number of times including at urls: https://vikramwkarve.wordpress.com/2010/04/15/infatuation-love-and-marriage/  and  https://karvediat.blogspot.in/2011/11/one-flower-two-thorns-ek-phool-do-kante.html  etc

DAUGHTER versus DAUGHTER IN LAW

DAUGHTER versus DAUGHTER IN LAW

Summer is has arrived in Pune and the weather is terrible. 

It is very hot and sultry. 

So here is a story to cheer you up in this hot climate.

BLOW HOT BLOW COLD
A Teaching Story
By
VIKRAM KARVE

It was a hot and humid summer afternoon in a sea facing flat on Marine Drive in Mumbai.

A young woman was unable to bear the stifling hot climate.

So she switched on the air-conditioner in the room to cool off a bit.

Her mother-in-law came into the room.

The moment she saw her daughter-in-law (whom she barely tolerated) relaxing in cool comfort, the mother-in-law shouted at her daughter-in-law sarcastically:

“You think you are a Maharani or something? 

Just look how you sit in such style with the air-conditioner full blast all for yourself. 

Who is going to pay the huge electricity bill – your father?”

“I’m feeling hot,” the daughter-in-law said. 

“It’s not at all hot – just open the window and let the cool sea breeze in,” the mother-in-law shouted.

The young woman moved to open the windows.

The mother-in-law looked at the daughter-in-law and commanded:

“Shut off the air-conditioner at once and do not unnecessarily put on the air-conditioner. 

Electricity costs money. 

Besides, sitting in an air conditioned room is not good for your health. 

You must get used to the climate and learn to adapt with nature!”

Scared of her mother-in-law, the hapless young woman had no choice but to obey her commands.

The young woman switched off the air-conditioner and sweltered in the oppressive heat.

Suddenly the young woman’s sister-in-law (her husband’s sister) arrived on a surprise visit.

The mother-in-law was overjoyed to see her darling daughter whom she adored.

She could not bear to see her own daughter “suffering” in the heat so she turned towards her daughter-in-law and scolded her daughter-in-law:

“What are you doing just sitting there? 

Why have you opened those windows to let the hot air in? 

And why is the air conditioner switched off in this oppressive heat?

Close the windows and switch on the air conditioner at once. 

Do you want my daughter to suffer a heatstroke?”

Then the old woman turned to her darling daughter and she stroked her daughter's hair and lovingly said to her daughter:

“My poor dear, it is so hot here and how you suffer in this terrible heat. 

You must take care and protect yourself from the harsh vagaries of nature!”

Seething inside but silently complying with her mother-in-law’s instructions, the bewildered daughter-in-law said to herself:

“What a miracle indeed? Wonder of wonders! Have you ever seen a room with such a variable climate? Yes, the same room where it simultaneously blows hot and it blows cold at the same time!”

Moral of the Story:

 

Most people are partial and biased, have likes and dislikes, and therefore have double standards of behaviour. 

This is particularly so in the case of daughters and daughters-in-law.

I have observed that most women have double standards in the way they treat their daughters and their daughters-in-law.

This is human nature and there is nothing you can do about it. 

So if you do not like it you have to just lump it because there is nothing you can do about it.

Of course, you can just remember this story BLOW HOT BLOW COLD and have a laugh.

VIKRAM KARVE 

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2013
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.

Did you like this story?
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About Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer. Educated at IIT Delhi, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories, creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional research papers in journals and edited in-house journals for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing. Vikram lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
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Email: vikramkarve@sify.com

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