Short Fiction- What is A Proxy War?

What is A Proxy War?

In a political science class, a professor asked his students this question: “Can anybody tell me what a proxy war is and why it is fought? Why is a proxy war very popular in these days?”

The professor replied to his own question, “A proxy war is that which is fought without weapons and physical presence. If a country is far from the battle field and only helping with promises to one of the countries involved in the actual war, then the country far from the battle field is in a proxy war.”

Raj continued, “If a country motivates another country to attack on a third country for its own interest, it is a proxy war.”

 “A country, in a proxy war, only divides the people of an intended country and motivates them to fight with their own fellow citizens without any reason, Raj added.”

“A proxy war is a low-cost and high-benefit war.”, James said.

“Why?” the professor asked.

James answered, “The country involved in a proxy war never goes to the battle field, and never bears any expenses on the military and weapons. It just motivates people of the targeted country and drags its people into the battle fields. The country involved in the real war, helps to achieve the goal of the country that is behind the curtain and fighting only the proxy war.”

“How is the country involved in a proxy war politically benefited? asked the professor.

“The country involved in a real war feels it needs the help from the country that drags it into the war.” Diamond answered.

“Yes, you all are correct.” the professor exclaimed.

“Conventional wars were expensive and lingering. The cold war era was productive for one side only. That era helped only one side achieve its goals. Only one side expanded its ideology across the globe in that era. To get rid of the demerits of conventional war, the proxy war was invented.”  The professor continued, “Some of Asian and African countries are very troubled by proxy-war loving nations.”

The professor continued. “Knowing that a proxy war is fought only for other country’s interest, not one’s own, why are countries motivated to fight with each other?” Why are they fighting for proxy war-loving countries?”

“The countries involved in real wars and helping the countries that are fighting proxy wars are poor ones and their people are mostly illiterate.” The professor added.

“Then the proxy wars are the results of illiteracy?” Raj asked.

“Not only illiteracy, but ignorance also causes proxy war. Interestingly, the main cause of a proxy war is radicalization. Radicalization is a byproduct of illiteracy and ignorance. Radicalization helps the proxy-war loving countries to achieve their goals. Having said this, the professor adjourned the class.

Bishwa R Adhikari

A Surrogated Mother- A Short Fiction

A Surrogated Mother

I was working for a European based International Nongovernmental Organization in one of the south-east Asian countries. My job was to help sexually abused women and troubled surrogated mothers in a big city in the country. Rather than medicine, counseling was the best method to enable the victims to return to a normal life. I was a counselor.

The poverty prevailing in the county had forced women either to be involved in prostitution or to be a surrogated mother just to make a living. Many brothels, running illegally, were exploiting young women and making a huge amount of money by using the innocents’ body. A large number of women who were involved in prostitution were not happy to be in the profession and were seeking alternatives. Some aid agencies were helping them to get out of the brothels and away from the pimps and start a safer life. Many women were fighting with HIV and most of them were dying for lack of medicine that was very expensive.

One day a woman in her late twenties came to my office with tears in her eyes and requested help. She was a troubled surrogated mother. She agreed to be a surrogated mother for the intended parents for a large amount of money. The money she took was just for her survival. A couple from another country had just used her uterus because it was a gestational surrogacy. It was not a traditional surrogacy. In gestational surrogacy, the resulting child is not related to the surrogate. The gestational surrogate is referred to as gestational carrier.

I asked her, “Why are you crying. What is your main problem?”

She said, “I agreed to be a surrogated mother. Yes, I am a gestational carrier; however, I don’t want to sell my child. It is a part of my body. I don’t want him to go with them. They are forcing me to give up the child with the help of the law.”

“Why did you agree to be a surrogated mother?” I asked.

“It was my poverty that compelled me to do so.” she replied.

I asked, “What can I do for you?”

“Please convince the couple to leave the child with me. Please ask them to show mercy and not take any legal action to take the child. They are only biological parents but I am the real parent. I am the true mother. I have kept the baby in my uterus for nine months while they have done nothing. They just have given some chemicals which were inserted into my body. That is it.”   She began to cry.  

She continued, “I did a very shameful deed. I am regretting it, but at same time, I am finding no any reason to live.”

“If the couple agrees, and the legal case comes to an end, will you give up being a surrogated mother?” 

“I don’t know.” She said.”

“Why?”

“It is better to be a surrogated mother than starving. An empty stomach can kill any one and everything. It can kill religion, nationality, morality, humanity, and soul.”

She added, “This is my first child. I want to keep him with me. I love him deeply. Motherhood is stopping me from abandoning him. My request is only to leave this child with me.”

I remained silent.

She said, “You are rich people. You never have experienced the fire of hunger. This fire can burn anything without any mercy.”

I had no comments. 

Bishwa Raj Adhikari

Fiction of the Week-A Hangman's Confession

A Hangman’s Confession

While traveling to some South Asian countries, I was in a country which had highest death penalty rate for serious crimes in that region. I found myself excited to meet the person who was famous for hanging convicts.

I met the hangman in the second biggest city of the country. I told him I am from a news agency and would ask some questions. In the beginning he was hesitant, but quickly got agreed when I assured him that his name and address would be kept confidential.

I asked him “Are you happy with your present job?”

“Yes, I am. I am completely satisfied. There is no any doubt about it.” He continued, “I am happy with my job just like anyone else. Aren’t you happy with your job too?”

“I have never killed anyone but you have killed so many people.” I commented immediately.

“This is my job which provides me bread and butter “said the hangman. “While hanging convicts, I do not feel even for a second that I’m being inhuman “.

He continued, “I do not get emotional when I’m hanging them, I take that as my duty, nothing personal. While hanging someone, I focus on carrying out the assigned job and do not care to think that someone is going to die. Above all, I think, I have to complete the job within the given time”.   

“May I ask you a different question?” I asked.

“What reaction do people usually have when they are brought to the place where they are to be hanged?”

Those who have committed crime are normally silent but those who are innocent ask many questions.  Innocents ask same question; for what crime they are going to be hanged. They look very nervous as well.”

I asked another question, “You have hanged more than 300 people as you already said. Now you are in your early sixties. When you put rope around someone’s neck and put a black scarf to cover his or her face before hanging, don’t you feel that you are committing a crime by killing another human or do you think that you are the part of judiciary and just giving out a fair justice for the crime he or she has committed?”

He replied, “I have no emotion when I’m hanging someone. I think I am just performing my duty like anyone else. I already told you this. This is my job”.

“I will ask you a last question. Will you quit this job if you find something better that this?”

“No I am happy with my current job .I’m very used to it. It is very easy to perform.”

I came back to India, my home country. The hangman and his story got completely slipped out of my mind until I had an opportunity to visit that country five years later. I tried locating him without any luck. However, I found out from someone else that the hangman quitted his job and started a dhaba (a fast food restaurant) on one of the busiest streets of the city. Interestingly, He had made a move from a secured job (permanent job) to an uncertain future. I was hard pressed to find the motivation behind his move but  it did not take long for me to conclude: Taking someone’s life is not an ideal job for anyone no matter how tough they are!!

Bishwa Raj Adhikari

The Prison of Emotion

The Prison of Emotion

It was my third meeting with Alexander at the restaurant in the city. This meeting made us more open and closer to each other which enabled us to exchange our views and experiences without any hesitation or fear. I still clearly remember the first meeting at which he introduced himself, “Hi, I am Alexander Robertson.”

He continued, “I enjoy the unique taste of coffee at this restaurant, and above all, I enjoy its country music played for its customers.  The crowd gathered in the restaurant brings me here every day. I enjoy interacting with people of different backgrounds and learning about their way of life. This is the main reason I come here. I am an author. This restaurant provides me the opportunity to learn more about human behavior and to write about it. I get different subjects about which to write while overhearing peoples’ conversations. They talk openly about their ups and downs, joys and sorrows, and achievements and struggles.” 

At our third meeting, Alexander said something very interesting.  He said, “I spent 25 years in prison. I had been sentenced to 50 years in prison by the Supreme Court. If I would have served the entire sentence, I would have died there. Unexpectedly, my life took a different turn. The court released me earlier on the basis of the positive changes in me.

I asked, “What crime did you commit?”

“I killed two people in the hotel with my pistol.”

“Why did you kill them? Were they trying to kill you?”

“No.”

“Then, why did you kill them?”

“Actually, I was a gang leader at that time. The gang challenged me to kill them.”

I kept silent.

“I regretted the crime because I killed two innocent people. They had done nothing wrong.”

He continued, “I would be happier if I had not been freed.”

His statement astonished me. I asked, “You should enjoy your freedom. Now you are free to go anywhere you like.”

Alexander said, “My freedom is ruining my life.”

“Why and how?” I asked immediately.

“When I was in jail, I realized that I was being punished for my wrong doing. That realization satisfied me. Now that I am out of the jail, I feel guilty all the time.” Alexander explained.

“It is better to live in a physical jail than to live in my own emotional jail. Now I am out of the physical jail, but in an emotional jail. Living in my emotional jail and regretting the committed crime is much more painful.” Alexander said and vanished.

Alexander’s last statement ignited my mind to find the meaning of an emotional jail that he was in. What is it? How does it make one feel?  Have I ever been in an emotional jail?  I wonder.

Bishwa Raj Adhikari

Truth of the Truth-Fiction of the week-29

Truth of the Truth

The professor in his philosophy class said “There is a close relationship between the truth and the power. Whatever the power says, it becomes the truth. A person who possesses the power bears the capacity of changing untruth into the truth. The professor continues “Actually there is neither truth nor untruth in the world. Truth is something that can be proved as a truth with logics. Common people also accept them as the truth. Likewise, untruth is something that can be proved as untruth with logics.

Most of the students couldn’t understand what the professor said. One of the students seemed interested when he asked “You mean there is no truth. How is this possible, professor?”

The professor replied immediately “Yes, there is no truth.” The student asked again “The sun gives light. Is it not the truth?”

The professor gave explanation of his answer. He said “The truth that the sun gives light is absolute truth until the sun gives light by burning itself. But when the sun stops burning and gets cold then the truth that the sun gives light would be untruth. So the sun gives the light is truth only until it burns but when it stops it would be untruth.”

After listening to the professor’s explanation the student asked “You mean the truth has life time. Isn’t it?”

The professor said “Yes, truth has life. And not only the truth has life but it is relative term also. The truth differs from place to place, time to time, and person to person.”

With a confused face the student asked the professor “Tell me how is it possible?”

The professor laughed and said “If someone believes something as a truth in one place that may not be the truth in another place. Truth is something that is perceived as a truth by the people. If someone says to the people living in the desert region that the deadly floods can kill thousands of surrounding people, nobody of that region will believe.  They might not have ever seen the flood and that is why they would not believe. In the same way, if someone says to the people living near the river that the flood cannot take the life of people then no one would believe that. The people who live near the bank of a great river might have witnessed deadly floods that have killed thousands of people.” 

The professor laughed again and said “people do things that are done by the majority of people. What all the people believe as the truth, is the truth.”

Although the professor had a lot of explanations about the truth he stopped his speech because he could see the hint of disinterest in the face of his students. 

Bishwa Raj Adhikari

A Tall Building and a Small Building-Fiction of the week-28

A Tall Building and a Small Building

There was a tall building with more than seven stories, in a busy commercial city. There was also a small building next to the tall building. The small building was only one storied and had only one room. The owner of the tall building was Seth Girdharilal and small’s was Rama- Ramanand Jha.

Once there was an earthquake in the city. It destroyed the city very badly. The deadly earthquake destroyed nearly all the buildings of the city. The next day, one of the magazines published the news in its front page.

Big surprise

By the reporter

The owner of the tallest building and the richest person of the city Mr. Girdharlal died in the earthquake. The deadly earthquake did not leave a single person from his family. Even finding a dead body was quite impossible because of the number of rooms and the size of the building. The rescue members couldn’t go through all the rooms of the building in a short period of time. But the building which is close to the tall building had very low impact of the earthquake because of its size. Only a small part of its roof is broken. All persons staying in the building at the time of earthquake were rescued and are out of danger. It was possible only because the building was small and easy to make rescue efforts. This is one of the big surprises which were observed in yesterday’s earthquake.

After reading the news Mr. Jha looked at his building for a long while. The tall building of inferiority that had been constructed in his heart because of his small house next to that tall building also got destroyed in that earthquake.

Bishwa Raj Adhikari

The Beggar-Fiction of the week-27

The Beggar

The senior officer ordered his assistant “Chase these beggars from the sidewalk of the busy road. They never follow the order of making the side walk clear and clean. They have not only made the side walk narrow but also very dirty.” After giving the order the officer waited for the implementation of his order.

The assistant started chasing the beggars using his administrative and physical power.  One of the beggars defied the order and stood still. Instead of running away he approached  the officer.  He did not care about the severe action that the officer and his assistant could take. The beggar had courage and boldness in his voice,and he said “Sir, if we beg inside the street instead of the side walk of the busy road the leaders who have promised us that they would take care of us would never see our needs and poverty. Those leaders never go through inside the street rather they chose the busy roads which are wider and clean.  Their long cars cannot pass through  the narrow  street . To make them recall the promises they have made to us we need to beg in the busy road’s side walk instead of going inside the street."

After listening to the beggar the officer looked at the wider and  the clean road for a long time.Then he looked the dirty and narrow streets. The assistant was still chasing the beggars from the side walk of the busy road.  

Bishwa Raj Adhikari

The Perception-Fiction of the week-26

The Perception

Standing at the corner of Ratna Park some boys were saying, “How foolish the person was? He didn’t notice when we picked his pocket up.”

“Stupid.”

“Silly.”

“Seems, he just came from a village.”

“But his dress up seems as if he from a city.”

“Any way, I picked up Rs. 5,000 from his pocket very skillfully.”

“I covered you with my body taking high precaution so that nobody could see you while you were putting your fingers in his pocket. If someone would have seen that you might have been beaten ruthlessly.”

 “My part was also crucial. I had engaged those people who were around.”

“Listen, I cut his pocket. That job requires skill and is risky too. That is why I will take 3 thousand Rupees first then you all divide the rest equally.” 

An old person was standing little far from the boys. He stepped close to them and said “I was hearing your arguments  from the place I was standing. I am not so stupid to allow you to take my wallet from my pocket. The money you stole is my one month’s salary. I could have shouted and told people that you are stealing my money. Even I could have beaten you ruthlessly. But I didn't do so. Do you know why I did so? I was trying to protect you from the severe punishment. If I would have shouted and informed people that you are stealing my money many of them would have  started breaking your hands and legs. My silence was to protect you. My silence is not outcome of foolishness. I am not a stupid person. And, please, you three people take the money equally. The money you have stolen is not five thousand Rupees, it is fifteen thousand. And lastly, don’t tell me stupid. Don’t give the name stupid to my gentleness.”

After listening to the old person the boys ran away in different directions. But they met at the same place after few days. One of them said, “In such a selfish world there are still some people who act foolish to help poor people like us and give something to other making themselves empty.  

Bishwa Raj Adhikari 

The Successful Candidate-Fiction of the week-25

The Successful Candidate

The interview which was set to select a marketing manager ended. The chief of the company who was also in the chair of the interview committee said ‘The last candidate whom we interviewed little in depth than others seemed to have the skill and ability we are looking for. He can sell the new product launched by our company very successfully. So we need to select the last candidate. My view about him is appropriate I guess.”

The view expressed by the chair put in a great surprise to the rest of the members of the interview committee. All the members had heard the most of the answers given by the last candidate were gone wrong. One could see the anger in their faces; it showed their unhappiness on the selection.

The chair tried to justify his decision. He said “the answers given by the young man, I meant the last candidate were mostly wrong. I knew that fact very well. The last candidate was giving wrong answers so confidently as if they were correct ones. His strong confidence was making wrong answers look correct. The last candidate could make the wrong seem right. He is a very smart guy. These days the society likes people like the last candidate, and not only that they trust them as well. The second candidate was very knowledgeable and talented too. He gave all the answers correctly and very gently. But the way he gave the answers was making them as if they were wrong. Now a day’s people don’t like that approach and never believe as well. That is why I can say that the last candidate can sell the new product of our company. I have no any doubt and I am fully confident on his ability. He is hundred percent appropriate. But how you all think about him? I meant the last candidate.”

All the members of the committee laughed at a time after listened to the chair’s concluding remarks. The members saw each other’s face meaningfully too. All the members said at a time in a similar tone "Sir, you are correct. Your decision is unanimous and as per time’s need."

Bishwa Raj Adhikari  

The Gentleman-Fiction of the week-24

The Gentleman

Until I reached Hetauda the seat next to me was unoccupied, might be due to lack of passengers. But when I crossed Hetauda, one person got in the bus, in a hurry. He sat in the seat next to me. In his initiative we introduced each other and became co-passenger very quickly.

We started talking. I was really impressed by the point of view of that newly introduced friend. He gave me long and interesting details of those who were engaged in corruption and also with the proof. On the basis of his talking and proof about corruption I drew a conclusion immediately that this person is very honest.

His honesty made me regret on myself for being selfish. Being highly educated my effort was so less to contribute something for the nation. I thought it would have been better if I had provided free tutoring to the students.  Being embarrassed, I carefully tried not to bring it up while talking. I still remember what he said during the conversation very clearly. I still remember the lights of truth and confidence in his eyes. With full confidence he had said “Joint efforts of the youths like us can change the face of the country by alleviating the terrible poverty.”
 

I was also happy to get such a honest person by me, as it was a night bus, and it would mean I could catch some sleep without worrying about my luggage or theft. I felt the journey up to Kathmandu in that night bus would be safe. At about midnight, our bus reached Narayanghat and stopped for a while to drop some passengers off. The stopping of the bus woke me up. I looked up immediately to the seat next  to me. My new friend was not there in his seat.

At first I got little upset as he didn’t even tell me goodbye when he left. I became little confused too. I recalled he had told me that he was going all the way to Kathmandu.  As I get frequent headaches, I tried to open my bag to get the medicine. I couldn’t find my bag. I did not see my bag which was under my seat. I yelled- hey, where is my bag? Has someone seen my bag?  

The helper of the bus asked me surprisingly ‘what type of bag……..? Was that blue color? Unlocked……..? The bag under your seat? Was that yours?’

The helper said again ‘That bag…………the man who was sitting next to you took it. When he was getting off in Bharatpur I saw the bag in his hand. He was in a hurry. I assumed that was his bag, and also could not suspect him because you both looked very close friends from the way you were talking. I thought you knew each other.

I had no words to say him. I was speechless. Seeing me in such a situation the helper asked me ‘was he not your friend, really? For sure?’ Didn’t you know each other?’

I replied reluctantly- no, I don’t know him.

Bishwa Raj Adhikari 

The Serious Disease-Fiction of the week-23

        The Serious Disease

The chief of the hospital suggested to the people who were taking care of a patient, “this patient has been discharged. He does not have any serious disease. He just got sick of not having any food for a couple of days. That was the main cause of his illness. Please get him out of the hospital; otherwise other patient may not get bed due to high occupancy. If we cannot provide a bed to the needy ones, it may cost them their lives from not getting the care on time.”

     “This patient does not have any relatives or anyone responsible for him. Where should we take him? We brought him to the hospital from the street where he was lying unconscious,” the people who were taking care of that patient replied.

     The chief of the hospital said, “You people have to solve this problem at any cost. Our responsibility is to cure the disease and we fulfilled that. But we don’t have any treatment for the poverty which he is suffering from.” The chief of the hospital got angry but he concealed his anger to show himself as calm and polite. The patient looked confused. The patient was not sure what to do; be happy for getting cured from the physical disease or be sad for the social disease from which he was suffering. 

Bishwa Raj Adhikari

A Human is Stronger than a Donkey-Fiction of the week-22

A Human is Stronger than a Donkey

In a class room the teacher said to his students "a human brain is slower than the donkey’s.’ He also said “humans are fool because donkeys have to carry loads when the owner wants them to. They are forced to do so. But humans carry loads, voluntarily; they carry of thoughts, ideology, and philosophy of others. Humans are not compelled to do so like donkeys but they still carry it. And interestingly, humans never ask to stop when the load gets too much. They are happy to carry the load of their life time without any complaint. They don’t care that the load might take their life." The young students couldn’t understand their teacher. The expression on their face displayed their confusion. But one of the students tried really hard to say something to show his understanding. The student said to the teacher “………………….so the humans are stronger than the donkeys. Right?"  

Bishwa Raj Adhikari 

                                                                              

Mother, Father and He - Fiction of the week - 21

Mother, Father and He

He went away to find happiness and joy for his parents. After few years he found both of it. Even after finding all those happiness and joy he was not content because by this time he was already very far way from being in touch with his parents.

Bishwa Raj Adhikari 

The Lethal Portray - Fiction of the week - 20

Lethal Portray

“Mom, you always favored him. You always admired him too. You loved him more than me as well.  To show people off you pretend to love him more than me so people thought you do not care for me. I am your own son whereas he is your sister’s son. The love which comes from a mother cannot be shared with another child. The love should be for me than him. Am I right? But I don’t mean that you should neglect him. My only concern is that you don’t ignore me in front of him.” 

After listening to her son the mother was not only disappointed but also got very serious. She was surprised at the reluctance of her son to understand her love towards him. She never thought she would get such a negative reaction from her son. She was utterly surprised. She said to her son “my child, there is no doubt that you are my son. You are the sound of my heart. My love for you and your love for me is natural. My love for you, which comes from my heart, does not need to be exhibited to other people. It is not necessary. He is not my own but my sister’s son. That is why I need to show off people I love my sister’s child more than my own, even though I don’t love him as much as I love you. I need to portray the fake love as a real one, especially in front of his parents. You should understand this, my child. Why are you so innocent with the transactional life and the world where we live in?”

His mother’s explanation could not make him content. He looked angry. He asked his mother “Mom, what is the proof that you love me more than him and your love for him is only a show off? How can I believe you? If your love for him is only a show off then how can I believe that your explanation of love for me is true? It might also be show off and false. Isn’t it? Mom, please tell me the truth.”

The son’s allegation pulled his mother back to the past. She started recalling her behavior towards her son.

 Bishwa Raj Adhikari

The Environment - Fiction of the week - 19

The Environment

‘If we keep this Pakad tree the ghosts will continue to live in it. To get rid of the ghosts we must cut it down’ Yogendra said his proposal publicly and waited for a positive reaction on that. He looked very angry too.

‘The tree which is in the middle of the road is not only disturbing the traffic but also providing shelter to the thieves and loafers. They hide themselves in the tree in every evening and night. If nobody would stop me I am ready to cut and bring it down’ Nanda Lal looked at the tree and said this in unpleasant voice.

‘Uncle, what do you think about this? Should we cut down the tree which has more than  hundred years of history and is also the recognition of the village?’ Babu Lal asked this question to one of the most seniors of the village looking at Sukdev.

 ‘Why should I care for this tree? The people of the locality where the tree is situated should think about it. I have nothing to do with the tree’ Sukdev expressed his indifference view.

Prem Lal, who was believed as a most wise person of the village, came there to know why so many people are gathered there and what they are talking about. Prem Lal got angry after knowing about the subject matter of the meeting. He said ‘we should cut the tree down right now without making any delay. The tree is shelter for those birds which have eaten up my crops making the investment worthless.’

A young man got excited after listening to Prem Lal and walked towards his house to bring the ax. He whispered ‘the shadow of the tree is the main cause of killing the vegetables in my garden. This is appropriate time to cut the tree. I never should miss the golden chance to change it in many pieces’. People very near to him only heard what he whispered.

Sikandar, who was in the meeting, became very happy after knowing the views of different people who were gathered there to discuss cutting of the tree. He however concealed  his happiness. He was in a great need of firewood to burn the raw bricks that he needed to complete his house, which was under construction. He thought that using the firewood to burn bricks, he would complete the construction of his house very soon. He again smiled on his conspiracy, which he had made to get the firewood by cutting the tree. He was satisfied  that nobody noticed his secret plan. Rather, he was surprised getting all people united in his plan which he had hatched for a long period.

Bishwa Raj Adhikari 

Modern Laxman - Fiction of the week - 18

A story to be posted.

A Unique Characteristic - Fiction of the week 17

A Unique Characteristic 

 God asked Narad jee ‘why did you bring me here and what do I have to see, please tell me, Narad jee?’

 Narad Jee, the Rishi, from the heaven smiled genteelly and replied ‘God father, I brought you to the earth to see the different creatures who share the earth as their common habitat’

Narad jee said further to make his statement more clear ‘God father, all the living things whom you are seeing are creatures of the earth. The earth is their common habitat. All the creatures of the earth have few characteristics which is similar. They all need food to survive. All of them breathe and have a life cycle. To go from one place to another they have motion too. But one creature has a quite different characteristic than others. That characteristic is not seen in the rest of the other creatures. God father, the creature whom I am talking about has one unique and interesting characteristic.’

 God asked Narad jee immediately ‘Name the creature which has a unique characteristic and also tell me about the uniqueness, Narad jee.’

Narad jee said ‘that creature is a human being.’

 God asked again ‘what is the unique characteristic that human beings have. Why is that characteristic of the human being so completely different than other creatures, could you explain me please, Narad jee?

Narad jee bowed his body to pay his respect and said ‘almighty you know all the things; there is nothing which is not in your notice. But still I am going to explain you, humans have one unique characteristic than rest of the other creatures and that is- all the creatures in the earth get unhappy when they are in trouble however humans get unhappy when they see someone else happy. 

Bishwa Raj Adhikari 

The Last Letter - Fiction of the week - 16

The Last Letter

The wife wrote a letter to her husband who was living in abroad. She wrote “You are not here for five years. You went abroad just after one month of our wedding. You earned a lot there. The amount of money you have earned is quite enough for our rest of the life. So, get back soon to live together, please. See, going abroad to make much money was your desire not mine. I never encouraged you for that. I was quite happy with the income which you had here.”

The husband replied “I will get back when I make that amount of money which would be more than enough to build a house in Kathmandu and buy a luxurious car. Please keep the money which I have sent carefully. Making a lot money is not a joke. Only hard work pays off.”  

The wife wrote on her next letter “the desire to make a lot of money is endless. The more you earn the more you want to earn. The desire to earn more and more is like a disease which has no treatment. The money which you have sent is more than enough for us to live in this village. I am alone here which saves the money little more. Having no children is another advantage to save the money. That is why our expenses are limited. There are no any unnecessary expenses.

Writing letters from both side continued for two years.

But the last letter written by the wife made the husband baffled. Some of her words hit him very badly. Those words were “you glued with the money like a stamp with an envelope. There is no certainty that you are coming back home. That is why I deposited all your money in a reliable bank. I kept your valuables in a safe place as well. The money which I have deposited in the bank would give you a good return. Whenever you get back here you can draw the money from the bank and take the valuables. Your each and every property is okay because they are stored safely. So you do not need to be worried. The only thing which I cannot store is my time. My time is my own and that I can expend as I desire.” 

Bishwa Raj Adhikari

Who is Guilty? Fiction of the week - 15

Who is Guilty?

Arbitrators were present there to hear the complaints of a couple. The husband said “Respected members, I did love my wife more than my heart. I fulfilled her every desire. She had no desire which I did not fulfill, I am sure. I full-filled her every desire, even by sacrificing my own needs.  She had complete freedom, as well. There was no control on her from my side. She was free to go wherever she liked. She was free to eat whatever she liked. She was free to go anywhere with anyone she liked. I had given her that much freedom to keep her happy. But, now, I am not going to give her that freedom; I am going to leave her forever. I saw her with a man in such a condition which I cannot describe here. But I am surprised that, for this situation, she calls me guilty. Her accusation is baseless and completely wrong.”

After listening to her husband; the wife said to the arbitrators, ”Respected members, what my husband said was not false; his every word is correct. But, still, he is guilty for this, I believe.”

One of the arbitrators asked, ‘but how”, after hearing the allegation made by the wife with a little surprise on his face. 

The wife tried to prove her allegation. To prove her allegation, she gave her side of the story,"my relation with another man was not built in a day. It might have taken more than a year. In that period, why didn't my husband stop me from that wrongdoing? Why did he let me do that? Why did he accept my every wrong step? Why did he love me so much?”

The wife continued, “loving too much without pointing out one’s wrong-doing is a kind of crime. Is not so, sirs? My husband only loved me but never alerted me of things I was doing wrong. That is why my husband is guilty! The wife added, “I am honest than my husband because I am not claiming myself clean whereas he is claiming himself innocent despite being guilty.”

The statements, given by the couple left the arbitrators in deep thinking. They took long time to decide whether the husband or the wife was guilty.

Bishwa Raj Adhikari

The Kindhearted People - Fiction of the week - 14

The Kindhearted People

The boy entered Kathmandu, the biggest and the richest city of the nation after losing his parents in the deadliest landslide and flood. The boy decided to survive in the city by begging around.

First day in the city

Sitting at a corner of New Road, Kathmandu the boy was begging “please give me…….some…. money. The deadliest flood swallowed all my properties, even my parents”. Nobody threw a single coin. The boy was still crying. Nobody even noticed his pitiful condition. Rather some bystanders commented “the boy is acting”. The boy got disappointed.  He spent the night on the footpath without any food.

Second day in the city

The boy was shouting in the same place. He was in minimum clothes even in that shivering cold, because of his poverty. Some of the bystanders looked at him with pitiful eyes. Only few threw some coins at him. He managed the food for his second day in the city somehow with that money.

Third day in the city

The boy was begging in the same place where he begged the last two days. The boy was almost naked and all bystanders were throwing money on him. There was a pile of coins on his body. Bystanders were throwing the coins on him continuously. This day the boy had not only sufficient foods but also a good amount of money. This day he had cut on his body.  Many wounds which he had made on his body himself were bleeding with fresh blood.  

 Bishwa Raj Adhikari