Good or Bad – Others Cannot Give!

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Prompt: 4. Story - Write a short story depicting a personal tragedy, or accident, with a national catastrophe unfurling in the background, resulting in an unexpected homecoming and revealing some hard hitting, universal truth about human nature

 

 

Good or Bad – Others Cannot Give!

(Kovai N. Deenadayalan) 

     

People, in particular the Scientific Community, were shocked on hearing the news in the early morning. Mr.PaunKarte, a very popular, world known scientist was killed in a car accident. His knowledge on Geological Science was much appreciated around the world. He attended a Geological Symposium in Delhi along with another well known Scientist and his scientific disciple Ms.Guruvammaa. While returning from the airport, Mr.PaunKarte started in his car. His driver, who was in hospital with some injuries, was telling, that, Mr.PaunKarte was in a hurry to reach home and gave him much pressure to drive fast.

Now let us enter into the story behind. To start with, Mr. PanuKarte himself will narrate the story. After his death, as the writer of this story, I will continue.

Mr. PaunKarte narrates:

Last month 20th I had a call from the Science Forum in Delhi. Whenever I came across about this Science Forum on various social media, I was wondering if it would be a virtual forum, without any physical location. But that perception of mine was proved false, when I had a call from Mr.Dera, claiming to be the Scientific Secretary of the forum located in Delhi.

After the formal ‘Hi’s and ‘Hello’s, Mr. Dera said, ‘Sir, we are going to hold a Geological Symposium on the main title ‘The Planet Earth’ ‘

‘Oh, interesting. it’s a good news..’ I replied

‘Yes Sir. On behalf of our Science forum, I want to invite you to the Symposium to chair and organize the symposium of title ‘The Life of Earth and Human Being’ ‘

‘Thank you Mr. Dera. But there is a very Eminent Scientist, Ms. Guruvamma, mastering the Geological Science. So, I think she will be more fit than me to take up this task. ‘

‘True Sir. But the forum members wish to have you in this symposium, for the grand knowledge you have gained in the field of Earth Science. They say that you will be a boon to this symposium at this point of time’ said Mr Dera.

‘But Ms.Guruvammaa’s recent concentration on this field is abundant, Mr. Dera. She can deliver very interesting aspects of her research on The Earth’ I stressed.

‘OK Sir. In that case, we will invite Ms.Guruvamma also to the Symposium to present her speech on an interesting geological title ‘ said Mr Dera

‘That is fantastic. Exactly I wanted that only. And while suggesting the title to her, you just specify this title: ‘The Raise and the Probable Fall of Earth’’ I told Mr. Dera.

‘Sure Sir’

‘OK Go ahead’

‘Sir I will send the full details shortly Sir’

‘Ok.. also please inform the participating scientists to send the synopsis of their papers a few days in advance. Ok..’

‘Sure Sir.. Thank you’

‘Okay Thank you’ I said with a victorious smile.

I immediately called Mr.Haser.

‘Hi’ said Mr. Haser from a far-off country.

‘Hi Mr. Haser, an opportunity has come to bring the mouse into the mouse-trap.

“Oh, that’s a blasting news.’

‘Mr. Haser I have touched the base at step one. It is still to progress. I will get in touch with you when it gets closure.’

‘Ok Sir’ said Mr. Haser

 

 

After about half an hour, I called Guruvammaa.

‘Hello Sir, how are you Sir’ she joyfully screamed on the other side, after hearing my tone.

‘I am fine Ms.Guruva, how are you?’

‘Super fine Sir’

‘Well. I hope you would have received a call from the Delhi Science Forum’ I told

‘Yes Sir. But there is some hesitation from my side’

‘What’s that?’

‘Sir, I am almost nearing the end of my research on certain aspects of the Planet Earth. But it may take some more time to present my final findings. In this circumstance, presenting a paper on a similar title is not advisable Sir.’

‘Oh IC. It’s OK. You just appraise the highlights of your research, in the Symposium. You need not touch up on the beginning and end of your research’

But Sir.. It will be too early to touch up on my findings Sir.’ She said.

‘OK Ms. Guruva. We will do one thing! We will personally discuss this and come to a conclusion shortly’ – I spread my net.

After some hesitation from her, I convinced her for a discussion.

Ms.Guruvammaa was my research student for about 10 years. I guided her for her two PhDs. But, for this research on “The Earth”, she has avoided me totally and was under the guidance of one of the IIT professors. I was irritated from that point of time. Now, I want to interfere at this stage for two reasons. One is to misguide her to an absurd research result and kick her out from the fame light. And the other is to share her research papers with Mr. Haser for an amount of fifty crores rupees.

On the day of our meeting, I not only convinced her to take part in the symposium, but also, on the name of review, I copied her important documents on her Laptop, into my cell phone. This became possible when she went to the rest room for some time.

Immediately, after Ms. Guruvamma’s departure, I called Mr. Haser and appraised the happenings.

‘Wonderful Sir. You please Whatsapp the documents immediately.’

‘No, Sorry Mr. Haser. First let the fifty crores be deposited as per the guidelines given by me. Immediately you will get the documents.’

‘Sure Sir. I will get in touch with you soon’ the phone was disconnected.

On the day of Symposium, Fifty crores were deposited in my favour as per the guidelines given by me. Then, I immediately shared Guruvamma’s documents through a special arrangement, in a digitally embedded double coded package.

The Symposium went on interestingly. Ms. Guruvammaa’s paper was much appreciated. The main research of Ms.Guruvamma was “diffusing the natural or man-made forces, that may endanger the existence of the Earth or Human kind”. In her speech she covered many aspects like: When the humanity may extinct, the force required to disturb earth, some cosmic catastrophes that could wipe out life on earth (Astroid impact, Expanding Sun, Moving stars etc.), the threats to the Planet Earth (Nuclear War, Global Pandemic, Global System Collapse; Major Asteroids impact, Super Volcano etc)

All participated scientists expressed that they are eagerly waiting for her concluding factors to preserve Our Mother Earth.

After the symposium, myself and Guruvammaa reached Delhi Air Port. Our flight departed and reached our native city as per schedule. We reached the airport of our city and came out of airport. Our drivers were waiting for us. Guruvammaa left in her car and I boarded my car.

 

NOW, dear readers, since the narrator of the story, Scientist PaunKarte is ‘no more’ to continue the story, as the writer, I will continue the story:

The ‘Doing Good Community’ had an information through its Intelligent Sources that the famous scientist PaunKarte has established a connection with some international anti-social elements. On probing, it was inferred that his intention was to exchange the results of the research of his disciple Ms.Guruvammaa, for a huge sum. His contacts were watched and tracked. Ms. Guruvammaa was alerted in this regard. So while meeting Mr.Paunkarte for discussion on her research, she did not reveal any important findings. She took only junk papers of her research which would technically appear to be fruitful but truly is not so! It was those papers which he photo graphed when Ms.Guruvammaa was deliberately in the rest room for some time.

After exchange of money for the junk papers, the evil elements, with whom Mr.Paunkarte was dealing, got and annoyed wild and had arranged his car accident.

The Good or Bad – others CANNOT give!!**

(The source for the Good or Bad will emerge from within ourselves only.)

 

**“”Theethum Nanrum Pirar Thara Vaaraa” – Courtesy - Kaniyan Poonkunranaar - a Tamil Poet of ‘Sangam’ period)