A LOVE STORY - Episode 2

Oh god!
Y dont u sir post the full story?
I cant wait to know what's next..!!
:)

Dear Devika Mol,
I also hate soaps, Devika. But I know how difficult it is to produce a soap with a good TRP rating. Many soaps in many TV channels have died an untimely death because they could not hook enough people on.

What I like about the soaps is their easy to digest, easy to understand format. If you had noticed the way I posted in small bits you'd have found out that TV soaps are delivered in identical formats. There is just a 3 minutes scene before the next commercial.And the writer, the Director and to some extent the actors have to reach a "high" within that three minutes.
That's what I have been attempting to do so that it won't be a strain for the people to read and follow.

I am very happy that I am making my Mol happy with this story telling. When my daughter was a kid she'd insist that I tell her some stories every night before she went to sleep. Our Puranas came to my help. While telling stories to her I learnt a lot about our Mythology the way an allegory is built and the reasons behind it.

I think I am undergoing a similar learning experience when I narrate a story to Mols like you in IL. Their enthusiasm, their interest, the way in which they appreciate gives me some insights into what I should write and how should I deliver it.

When I wrote the first serial, I had all the episodes neatly prepared even before the serial started. With The Beauty and the Brain and SHE I had at least four episodes ready. With HE I was down to two or three in the beginning and close to one in the end.
With ALS I am writing every episode fresh without disturbing the basic story line which I developed years ago.

I am happy to know that you liked the Kumars, mrs. Sharmas, rajeswaries, Charis et al. All these characters add spice to the story and help me contrast and compare the main characters.
thanks for the lovely fb, Mol.
love,

Dear Sridhar ,
Arun’s conversation with his dad is enough justification for his assigning the ringtone ( the dog’s barking ) to his father’s number ! Writing about what Arun’s heart tells - side by side – is something unique that adds charm to the scene ! Well- done , sridhar !
"

What hard work and harder thinking could not accomplish in months, a woman’s love and her simple acceptance of his friendship had accomplished in a matter of a single day

." - that shows how Arun longs to be loved & cared by somebody ! You are right, Sridhar – only ‘love’ has the power of doing such mracles !

Arun’s cool ( caring ) dealings with the customers shows a ‘man’ in him ( manidha neyam ) which is rarely seen nowadays ! His hot & pin-point argument with the manager raises his image level to the peak !( By the way dear , how would you have behaved if you were in his (Arun’s ) place ? …I need only the genuine answer , please …. ! ) His lovable character makes me pity him more & more ! Please put an end to all his sufferings & depressions and help him to start a very happy life with his sweetheart , vidya ! Let the last scene be in the world’s most beautiful beach & let them have a pleasant time there as Arun dreamt of ! ( The way you described his dream was so … romantic & I could feel their extreme happiness in the fullest form ! )

Arun & Dr. Kamla - both making each other speechless with their touching words …wow … that makes me too speechless ! Their hearts spoke , actually !

Arun was dressed in semi-formals. Dark brown full hand shirt and beige colour pants.

Wow …. Once again you make me ………. Ok .. let’s change over to some other comment ( only that is safe for me ! ! ! )

Arun was careful enough to use his pseudonym while signing the books.

- Point . but do you do so ? I ‘ve not noticed – just curious to know !

Kumar’s attitude towards life is awesome ! “

Life is not about money. It’s about the good time we have, the sweet memories we can share and the learning experiences.

“If work gets you all these things, fine. If you can get these things without working, it is even better.”

– a man , born to feel & enjoy life !

‘When there are so many good men around why should God in His infinite wisdom choose the one and only Mr.Krishnamurthi to be my father?’ Arun could not help thinking.

These lines show the depth of his sorrow & make me pity him to the core .

Hmm…… have to wait for TWO DAYS & THREE NIGHTS to hear Arun telling about his love , vidya ! o……….k …..
Love ,
Indhu.
PS : sorry for having made my FB so……..long !

Originally Posted by varalotti

Part 10!

“Doctor, I have never had such a delicious lunch in the recent past.”

“My contribution to this lunch was perfect non-interference. I let Kumar chose the menu and the third member of our family, Rajeswari, cook it.”

Arun was moved by Kamla’s calling the cook as the third member of the family. Kamla called Rajeswari and introduced her to Arun. The fifty plus lady was swelling in happiness and pride.

Arun congratulated her on her culinary skills and thanked her for the good food.

They had a dessert of gulab jamuns and vanilla ice-cream in the living room. After a decent interval Dr.Kumar excused himself.

“Carry on guys. I need to go to my club. Good day young man. It’s a pleasure meeting you. Remember you have a great friend in Kamla. “

“And one in you too, Sir.”


Dr. Kamla and Arun were left alone in the living room. The cook had gone out for some purchases.

Kamla came out with an ice-breaker.

“Arun, I know two things are weighing you down. One is your father. And the other is your love. I don’t want to hear about your father in the very first meeting. Now let’s talk about love.”

Arun was looking down.

“Are you by any chance looking for a paper knife?”

He looked up at her and smiled. He saw the small spot on her blemishless forehead, a sad reminder of what he did when he met her for the first time. The smile vanished from his face.

“Come on Arun. Cheer up.”

It took some time for Arun to become his usual self.

“I’m just curious, Doc. Tell me one thing that made you find out that I’m in love.”

“I’ll tell you five, my dear friend. First, I am a woman. Second, I am a mother. Third, I’ve been in love. Fourth I am a psychiatrist. And finally, you don’t need the other four. It is written all over your face. And written in underlined, bold, capital letters on your eyes. Now be a good boy and tell me about your love.”

Arun started to talk. About his love. About Vidya.

Wow,No wonder Arun is depressed .The pressure he is put thru by his dad.On top of it he didnt have a shoulder to cry on.All of this add up to 2 words.Anger or sadness.

Dear Sridhar Sir,

I am amazed by your words, narration and what not ??????.... In a nutshell , I can see your verstality in you through your words ....

What a justified imagination you have ? Arun assigning ringtone ( dog's barking) to his father's number !! Added to the flavour, you have echoed what Arun's heart tells, side by side. Absolutely fantastic ....

Arun having an argument with his Manager, wonderful sir. He is now getting to the top, after I read about the argument. His character is too good.
With the description of Dr. Kamla with her attire in this episode : - Tabu is better than Geeta, Am I right. sir ?

What a matured, intellect, caring couple they are ? There are real ideal couple !!!

I am moved by Dr. Kumar's words : " Life is not about money. It’s about the good time we have, the sweet memories we can share and the learning experiences " .

Sridhar sir, I whole-heartedly agree with you ( You have written about "My life till date" in two sentences ) ... Hats off !!

Will be waiting for the next epsidoe ............

Dear Sridhar Sir,

A very fancy begining for this episode ! The place you've described sounds like an ideal getaway !

Arun had assigned the sound of a dog’s barking to his father’s number. So when the cell phone barked, he knew for sure, that within a minute or two, his father would follow suit.

Somehow, I am not able to digest that.... to keep a barking tone for his dad...sort of contradictory to his nature. Just when I thought he was very romantic, sensitive and attuned to others feelings..!

If Arun feels that his dad talks "at" him, then why doesn't he talk "to" his dad? Doesn't his dad love him, has been responsible for his well being for so many years? So, why this aversion to his father..beats me..!!

I know this is just a figment of your imagination...but just voicing my thoughts unlike Arun..(.who does not )

And yes, liked the way you've arranged the conversation between Arun's heart, mouth and his dad !! Enjoyed visualising this scene !!

Had he told his mental state to Dr. Kamla she would have explained that the mere acknowledgement of one’s depression set the curing process in motion.

Very true...she would have for sure...always "on the job" ! :)

What hard work and harder thinking could not accomplish in months, a woman’s love and her simple acceptance of his friendship had accomplished in a matter of a single day.

Strange but happens and works most of the time ! Friendship and love do have miraculous and healing powers !

I was quite impressed to see (read) that Arun treats his customers as people and not as mere numbers ! Shows his soft, caring nature.

“Sexual harassment law is meant for protecting women employees. But the law as it is drafted does not discriminate between men and women. If you don’t believe my words, allow me to switch on my cell phone and record your words.

Excellent ! Admire the way he stands up for himself and is firm about it ! What he says is the harsh reality...these sexual harassment laws are partial to women..wherein even genuine men are not believed ! This reminds me of the Michael douglas movie ! :) Proud of the way he does not succumb to orders/threats ! So..he has a backbone after all...remarkable !

The Manager was wiping off the sweat that was not there in his face.

The voice now was different and Arun immediately recognized its owner. Dr.Kamla.

Yes, I guessed this one right !! :)

“We should love our work, Arun. But that does not mean that we should depend on it for our happiness. The ability to stay complete without one’s work is the hallmark of real maturity.

Well said...totally endorse this...wish everyone follows this...the world will be utopia !! :)

When there are so many good men around why should God in His infinite wisdom choose the one and only Mr.Krishnamurthi to be my father?’ Arun could not help thinking.

Uh Oh..there he goes again...hating his dad...this attitude of Arun is disturbing me..!

“Carry on guys. I need to go to my club. Good day young man. It’s a pleasure meeting you. Remember you have a great friend in Kamla. “

Loved the camaraderie between the three of them..especially the cheerful exchange of goodbyes between Arun and Kumar.

Love is the reason the world is going around, miracles happen and relationships sustain through hardships ! So, what kind of love was Arun's?

Oh..was about to ask you whether Kamla had kids..there comes my answer..so she does...interesting !! Will that be Vidya?! No? Ok...let me wait for your next episode :)

Just like last time..read it in one go...captivating..!!

Hopefully, you will post the next serial early (just like this time)

Regards
Krithika

Dear Sridhar

I am in my height of excitement reading the second part. First i should appreciate your style of writing. You are a towering intellect. The editing was perfect throughout. Such a classy piece. I really loved Arun..Wow what a romantic,handsome and inteligent guy he is..

"That was a beautiful expression which Arun managed to bring out at a very critical stage in the novel. The lady was ecstatic. She tightened her grip over his neck and planted a wet kiss on his cheeks. "

Arun's conversation with his Dad!!!!!What should i say...How realistic expressions.....Sridhar your way of expressions were ineffable. More than the story line i loved the way you have brought out the emotions..Hats off to you Sridhar...I have to use this style in my writings too..

"Arun’s heart: “You counted up to fifteen, Dad? Great. That’s about the only ability you picked up in your career as a bank clerk.”
Arun’s mouth: "Sorry Dad was not well. Got up just now. Feeling very tired.”
His Dad: “When are you going to sign up for that Officer’s Examination Course? And when the hell are you going to become an Officer?
Arun's heart: “I have a one word answer for both the questions. Never.”
Arun’s mouth: “Sometime next week, Daddy.”
His Dad: “You have just a year’s time. Either become an officer. Or get married. Or else…”
Arun’s heart: “Dad, please, why don’t you add a third alternative, like for example jumping before a running train and killing myself? I would happily opt for the third.”
Arun’s mouth: “Ok, Dad. I need to go now. It’s already late.”His Dad: “Today’s Saturday. You call me on Monday. You should have signed up for the course by then.”

You have brought out Arun's kindness and caring nature very vividly. Loved these lines..
Many bank clerks treated their customers as just account numbers and ledger folios. But for Arun every customer was a human being requiring personal attention

Also on the other hand you have shown how straight forward(Not agreeing to go for a treat just for the sake of Money) and a simple man( Not liking the showy diamond necklace) he is.

Now i have to mention about the Dear Dr.Kamla. What a kind hearted and thoughtful person she is. And Kumar, there's a lot to learn from him..I loved the conversion between Arun and Kamla. It was very touching like a caring Mom and Son conversation.

Me and Arun read it together during our lunch break and both of us cud'nt talk to each other for quite sometime..Quite mind blowing Sridhar.....

Thanks for such a wonderful piece..I am writing this with a lot of excitement so please bear with me for some bad grammer here and there.......

Well waiting for my entry.......and will stay tuned........

Love
Vidya

Dear Mindi,

Thanks. I tried various alternatives to bring out the fact that Arun never spoke his heart to his father. Any other technique would mean at least a hundred more words than what I have allotted to that section of the episode. I am happy that you liked it.

My pranams to your DH. People like your DH are becoming rarer and rarer in this materialistic world. I have a young client whose target is to have a hundred crores deposit in bank. He already has about 10 and is working towards his goal. I only have my sympathies for him. Poor fellow, when is he going to live with that money? People like that man should be educated and trained by people like your DH.

And yes I had to stop at Vidya's entry. I had originally planned one more scene. But already I have touched 3400 words and did not want to go any longer. Don't worry.What's next episode for. Let's dedicate the next week fully for Vidya.

there is a sort of thrill to wait for the next episode.....I remember my mother waiting for her magazines like ananda vikatan and kalki..becuse she was hooked on to the serials in them....

I too enjoy the thrill. But in the interval I have to work hard on the next episode. Will do that. Stay tuned.
Thanks for the fb, Mindi.
love,

Thanks krithi. That's about the best compliment paid to me.
I could not post the whole story in one go because
It will be more than 40000 words long, the size of a big size Sydney Sheldon Novel.
Second,I don't have the full story with me right now. I am building it as I go along.
And third, I don't want you to miss the thrill of waiting for something and then enjoying it.
If you don't believe my words, see Mindian's post and my reply to her.
love,

Originally Posted by krithi_swami

Oh god!
Y dont u sir post the full story?
I cant wait to know what's next..!!
:)

My Dear Indhu,
I was a little reluctant about the dog-barking ringtone. I will explain it in detail in my reply to Jithiks. I am happy to see that you okayed it. And the heart-mouth divide which is universal in human beings, which I have emphasised in Arun's character.

As J.K.Rowling, the famous Harry Potter author said, Love is the only magic in this world. There is no miracle greater than love.
I have been wanting to deal with sexual harassment from a man's angle. I could do that through Arun. Here again there is a kind of subtle male chauvinism. The Manager encourages Arun to go along with the wealthy lady.Because it's okay if a male goes astray. But he is hesitant to make the same offer to his woman staff.

( By the way dear , how would you have behaved if you were in his (Arun’s ) place ? …I need only the genuine answer , please …. ! )

A very tough question, dear. On the face of it I can say that I would have behaved exactly like Arun and win over your heart and the hearts of all the ILites. But will I truly say that? Especially when the Mrs Sharma is good looking, beautiful and all.. Give me some time to think.
God knows about me. He knows that I am not as good as Arun. That's the reason he does not put me in situations like that. ha ha ha.

His lovable character makes me pity him more & more ! Please put an end to all his sufferings & depressions and help him to start a very happy life with his sweetheart , vidya ! Let the last scene be in the world’s most beautiful beach & let them have a pleasant time there as Arun dreamt of !

I would love to. But let me see where the flow of the story takes me.

( The way you described his dream was so … romantic & I could feel their extreme happiness in the fullest form ! )

I was wondering why no one has appreciated the love scene. Probably because the ILites were shy to talk about that to a man. ha ha.

Arun & Dr. Kamla - both making each other speechless with their touching words …wow … that makes me too speechless ! Their hearts spoke , actually !
Wow …. Once again you make me ………. Ok .. let’s change over to some other comment ( only that is safe for me ! ! ! )

You have now made me speechless. Being married to me for a quarter century I think you have perfected that art.

I have not signed many of my books. But when I do I use either my real signature or my pen name depending on the person.

These lines show the depth of his sorrow & make me pity him to the core .

thanks.

Hmm…… have to wait for TWO DAYS & THREE NIGHTS to hear Arun telling about his love , vidya ! o……….k …..

Arithmetics wrong, dear. From today (Sat 10 30) you will have to wait for 9 nights and 9 days. Because Episode 3 will be posted only on Monday morning. (27th July)

PS : sorry for having made my FB so……..long !

thanks for making your fb so long.
love,