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Trija Mukherjee

Drama

5.0  

Trija Mukherjee

Drama

The Editor's Choice

The Editor's Choice

10 mins
17.2K


“Good morning sir, I have shortlisted the top 10 letters and the best one should be ready to be published in tomorrow’s newspaper,” the editor informed his boss in a joyous tone. The serious voice on the other side replied, “I expect it to be good Satish, we don’t have many exciting stuff for this Diwali. Good luck!”

Satish was feeling good today, the ‘Open Letter’ competition was his brainchild and the response was overwhelming. He was delighted with the diversity of the responses. He received letters from different age-groups, religion, beliefs and orientation. He wanted people to open up and express what they couldn’t for so long and he was elated that so many of them did. But he had to choose just one. From the response, though he could now propose to his boss to run this on a monthly basis, but for now, it had to be just one.

With a cup of coffee, he started the screening process. He took the bunch in hand and thought, ‘just one’ and started flipping through them. Looking at the addresses on top of each letter, he thought, ‘clearly the writers had no idea the results will be announced on Diwali.'

He read all the letters one by one. He was touched by the intensity- love, longing, passion, hatred, anger or just a mere wishing well.. He could go back to the point when the letter was written and could go even backward, and visualize what actually made the person write it. ‘So many untold stories and questions bound within the specified word limit, I wish I could publish all of them,’ he wondered. But as he couldn’t, so he started making notes and tried to choose the winning one.

While jotting down, he realised each letter had its own selling point. For some it was the ‘From’, for some it was the ‘To’ and for the rest it was the ‘Subject line’. Likewise, Satish noted them along with his own comments to refer back. After the second round of reading, his note book read:

Open letters:

1. From a Fat woman who has always been ‘accused’ of being an obese since childhood. She explains her embarrassments with a punch of satire. Her point- She is absolutely fine with the way she is and she considers herself ‘pleasantly plum’. She hilariously quotes, “Remember: Skinny people who never eat out are unhappy loners who will never get laid.” I love her, already!

2. To Sushant Singh Rajput, a woman in her mid-20s confesses her love for him. She beautifully wrote his journey forming a timeline of his achievements and moments. She occasionally compares his smile with particularly beautiful entities from his movies (like the Canal of Bruges or like the fresh smell of water washed grass in a cricket ground). Cute!

3. To Momina Mustehsan, written by a disappointed fan. Disappointment over her coming in the limelight so late, people applauding/criticizing her beauty and not her talent and also her getting married so early. Cuter!

4. From a working Northeastern girl to all the men in the country – “Stop judging us. Everyday life of a woman in this country is anyway nothing to be proud of and you men ensure that we suffer that extra bit, always – An officer or maid.” Men!

5. To my lesbian girlfriend whom I thought to be straight all this while. But still I didn't want to let her go. Wanted her even more now. Passionately complicated!

6. From a man to his now pregnant ex-wife whom he saw the other day. She was enjoying baby-stuff shopping with her husband. He wishes her well and mentions that he was pleased to see her finally having the share of happiness which he couldn’t afford for her. “If you are reading this, I would like to see your child once he/she arrives. For I always wanted to see a reflection of you in a baby.” Emotionally Churning!

7. To the Yazidi woman the journalist fell in love with while covering a Syrian story. He describes her bravery and how she helps him come back, even when she herself couldn’t. The journalist says, “I still can’t fathom how they could put a price tag on you and of course a few dollars extra for those blue eyes. But what amazes me more is your hearty laughter, even after what you have been through. The entire world’s wealth can’t afford it. I’ll be back, I promise. Just know, the glitz that I see now are all in blue for me.” Moving yet enchanting!

8. From a Soldier who believes that the war is being deliberately prolonged by those who have the power to end it. Bravery and politics!

9. From a Father – Re- read!

10. From a Daughter – Re- read!

After the second round, Satish was once again overawed with the letters. He took a bio-break and was back with another cup of coffee. ‘Time’s running out, I have to decide soon,’ he wondered and looked at his notebook where ‘Re-read’ glared.

Out of the lot, the last two letters left him intrigued. They were curiously interesting. He was in a perfect dilemma whether it was a perfect coincidence that these letters were written for each other and both chosen in the top 10, perfectly. As all writers were anonymous, he couldn’t be sure but he had a very strong feeling. So he wanted to re-read them, between the lines.

Both the letters were profoundly different, portraying difference in beliefs of the two radically diverse generations and mindsets. Yet both of them had this uncanny relation of the blood.

Satish decided to read the two letters again, simultaneously this time. He started with the father’s:

“I am not writing this to apologize or say that I or things have changed. It’s pretty much the same. Only, I get more of your mother’s time now. So, technically things have improved. You never listened to me anyway, be it your career or choice of groom. So I still stick to the decision of me asking you to leave that day.”

Then continued with the daughter’s:

“Dad, I am happy. I am glad that you asked me to leave your house that day. It’s only then I realized that life isn’t easy but it’s on us how we take it. Thank you for making me learn it the hard way. I have learnt it after all.”

Thereafter he started reading chunks of paragraphs alternatively from both the letters:

Father:

“I still think you could have done a lot better being an IAS officer, people don’t have it but you did. While others paid for my advice, you never bothered to listen. You spent all your day for that job which neither paid you well nor had such respect compared to a civil service. Days, weeks and months passed and we hardly got to see you. We waited for your time, while you were just busy working and doing your ‘thing’.

Don’t think that I am now writing to you because I am getting older and will be too feeble to do things on my own. I still can and always will take care of your mother and myself. I don’t need any assistance there. But that’s what I wanted for you too. To raise you as such that you don’t have to be dependent on anyone ever. I still don’t understand where we went wrong.”

Daughter:

“I am not married yet and I am not sure if I am tying the knot anytime soon. Do you remember the guy you embarrassed, dad? I am not with him anymore but it is not because he was from a different caste (as you had stated), it’s because of the happiness quotient. We weren’t happy anymore together and so we cordially parted ways. For me, my happiness matters. And once again, I am happy that I left and thank you for that.

I quit my job last year and recently started my own business. It was an eventful journey - from being rejected for business loan to having my own small working office. Though I am yet to break-even, but the bliss of my own small cabin makes all of it even.”

Father:

“I wanted everyone to look up to you as they looked up to me, with immense respect and honour, also wanted you to settle down with a right partner and visit us sometimes. Was that too much to ask for?

Honestly, I tried thinking from your standpoint but I failed. At this juncture of my life, I can’t change my thoughts, I confess and I still can’t think how you chose that guy?!”

Daughter:

“I miss mom and her food. I still remember her face on the day I left, I would never want to see her like that. But the argument we had over your car was beyond my threshold. I still don’t understand what if I had borrowed your car that day? What would have gone wrong?!

I know you wanted to raise me as your ‘perfect’ daughter but somewhere you forgot that I was JUST your daughter as well, a simple, silly girl who just wanted to be pampered by her daddy. I never wanted to become like you dad, I wanted to become like mom - just a happy soul. Tell mom that I have become like her, I know she’ll be proud. Because now, I have learnt to become happy. You people are and always will be the major part of my happiness. But on that unfortunate day, you ensured that I don’t feel that part ever again.

But now, no hard feelings, dad. I love you and mom very much but over the years I have understood, sometimes distance ensures the peace that proximity can’t afford.

I won’t let her crush between our arguments, ever again. I’d rather not see her than to see her like that. I’d rather not visit than to visit and return unhappy.

Wishing you and mom well.

-Your happy daughter”

Father:

“I know you have heard all of this a million times but I am reiterating to set your expectation that nothing has changed here except for one thing, that we miss your presence very much.

Yes, I asked you to leave that day but I never stopped you from coming back. You moved on but we still are where you left us. Leave if you don’t like, but come and see us once and that’s why I am writing this to you. I can’t write enough on how much we yearn to see you or at least hear your voice.

I know you must be thinking how come I am asking you to return?! Well for that you have to become a parent.

That car is still there, untouched ever since you left.

Hopelessly waiting,

Daddy.”

Phone rings. Satish gets startled for a moment and then answers it, “Hey, I am sending you the final one in some time. Yes, I know I am late. Give me another 5 minutes.” He hung up and stared at his notebook. The key words flashed through his mind, ‘Diwali-first letter to be published-daddy-foodie-celebs-eve teasing-orientation-child-daddy-monthly proposal-boss-Syrian blue-martyrs-Diwali-car-daddy..

He closed his eyes, leaned back and rested on the couch. After a few seconds, he gently turned his head towards the corner table and saw his son’s smiling picture in his convocation robes. Satish again closed his eyes. ‘Daddy…’ the word again flashed through him, a multiple times. At that, he suddenly opened his eyes and sat straight back up. He picked up the phone and confirmed the open letter to be published.

The next day’s newspaper in hand, the Boss greeted, “Good job, Satish. Now, the Diwali is awesome for our newspaper as well. Going forward, you can have it monthly and also gradually publish the top five, as you were mentioning. I rest it on you.” Satish thanked him heartily for the words and further responsibility.

“However,” the boss continued, “you made the right decision in choosing the winning letter with respect to the relevance of the result day but I think the other letter would have been an even better pick. As we most cater to the youth, that letter would have been more relatable to them."

“Agreed sir.” Satish replied, “But probably this Diwali, I just wanted more than one person to come back home.”

The boss smiled and said, “Well I give that to you, Satish. Cheers and Happy Diwali!”

While they both smiled and laughed over the conversation, somewhere a telephone rang.


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