* This is my
latest short story…
The Young Woman
It was an endurable October evening that had acquired
some amiability due to the forenoon rains, which had smothered humidity to a
large extent and added a bit of chill to the lazy wind. The officers with their
wives were rejoicing in the Army Mess. The get-together was organized in the
honour of the visiting general officer. The crowd was smartly turned-out. The
women in multi-coloured sarees, back-showing blouses and jewellery dazzled. Each
one of them was dressed to outshine the other. The fairer sex added grace and
beauty to the gathering. Among the officers only a handful had taken care to
dress well, otherwise most of them had worn clothes as required by the occasion,
without bothering to match the colour of shirt and pant. They were out there to
enjoy some good whisky, good conversation and good food with their friends and
comrades.
A wide range of perfumes wafted across the lawn. In
the corners pungent smell of the anti-mosquito coil struggled to spread. An
hour later the smell of liquor, mostly rum and whisky, overpowered every other
smell in the air, barring the smell of the tobacco. The jazz band was playing
tunes. In between a singer sang new Hindi numbers in which anybody hardly seemed
interested. The cacophony drowned the dull music.
(for complete story, please go to the short stories section)
