The Blogging from A to Z April Challenge was first held in 2010. The challenge is that we have to post every day of April, except on the four Sundays. April 1st is a theme with letter A, 2nd with letter B and so on till April 30th which will be Z themed. This year, I’m planning to do short pieces of fiction (not a series), or a poem based on a word with that letter.
Junk?
It looked like a hurricane had been through Aisha’s bedroom.
Books were scattered, clothes and papers strewn across the floor.
The girl was kneeling in front of the bookshelf, panicked and perspiring.
“Mummy, where is it? My lucky pen, where is it?” she screamed as her mother entered.
The pen had been her lucky charm, her best friend’s Nayana’s last gift before she had moved out of the country. Aisha was sure she had kept the pen in her drawer after the annual exams.
“I thought we’d get you a Parker pen this year,” her mother replied, as Aisha fell on her bed, crying, “so I gave it to Zia aunty’s junk sale.”
Like last year, I’m taking the challenge along with my friend Bhavya. We’re writing on the same themes each day, and giving each other the themes on alternate days. Day 10, the word chosen by us was ~Junk~.
(© 11th April 2015)
Vinay Leo R.
Poetry & writing are to me, a breath of fresh air in a life that is sometimes covered by the smoke of sorrow or self doubt. They also become the sweets I share to celebrate when life offers me a reason to. But most of all, they are to me, my life. For each word I write is a piece of my heart, a thought that just had to find its way into the world.
Ha ha happened to me many a times. My mother once gave my diary to the Radhiwala when I was a teenager. So many lost memories 🙁
Yeah. Parents don’t do it on purpose, but it still pricks when that happens, doesn’t it? 🙁 Thank you, Prasanna.
(Vinay Leo R. recently posted… Junk?)
Well written..!
It happens so often with almost everybody.. My mother once gave away a book which meant a lot and I was so furious then..
Cheers
(Geetika Gupta recently posted… J- Journal)
Yes. Happens with everybody, I know. Happens with me too. Glad you felt it well written. Thanks Geethika.
(Vinay Leo R. recently posted… Life in Ink…)
oh dear … that must be so tough on Aisha…
(rajlakshmi recently posted… Wanderlust Postcards – Jervis Bay)
It would be, Raji.
(Vinay Leo R. recently posted… Agnivesh – Home is where the Heart is {Part 3})
Sometimes what looks like junk to someone is another’s treasure.
(Suzy recently posted… Love is in the Air – Joining)
Absolutely. That’s the point, Suzy. Thank you.
(Vinay Leo R. recently posted… Junk?)
That’s not a nice thing to do. The mother is insensitive. Cute little story Vinay 🙂
They don’t do it on purpose, I think. They mean well 🙂 But it happens. Thanks, Sundari.
(Vinay Leo R. recently posted… After The End…)
Its really sad that most of the times parents don’t understand their children. I wish she had understood that it was more than just a pen…and especially not junk.
(Jaibala Rao recently posted… Are You Ready To Do Right?)
Yeah. Sometimes, that which is unsaid stays unsaid and not understood, Jb. That’s a pity, huh?
(Vinay Leo R. recently posted… Dhyuti’s Diary)
Ooops :-/
(Amrit Sinha recently posted… Jackal)
Oops indeed, Amrit. 🙂
(Vinay Leo R. recently posted… Life in Ink…)
A lucky charm given away in a junk sale. Strange Mommy! 😛
(Shilpa Garg recently posted… J is for Jealousy #AtoZChallenge @AprilA2Z)
Yeah. Strange. But old is not sometimes valued as gold by others, Shilpa 😛
(Vinay Leo R. recently posted… Junk?)
Poor girl! Lucky or not, but once we make our opinion on something, then its difficult to let go of it. So all her future failures will be blamed on the lack of her lucky pen!
(Swathi Shenoy recently posted… Just Listen)
Yeah. I used to do that when I was a child too. I don’t think all her future failures would be blamed, but at least some would be on the loss of that lucky charm. Thanks, Swathi.
(Vinay Leo R. recently posted… Junk?)
HI Leo! I stumbled over from Ishitaa’s blog. Loved the way you have narrated the room of Aisha. Poor She and Innocent Momie!
(Ajay Pai recently posted… Oh Lord, I am Angry!)
Thanks, Ajai 🙂
(Vinay Leo R. recently posted… Junk?)
Oh poor girl. She must be so heartbroken.
(Shantala recently posted… Do not Judge. The truth might surprise you. #AtoZChallenge 2015 @AprilA2Z)
Yes. I’m sure she is. We all would be at the time of such a loss too, Shantala.
(Vinay Leo R. recently posted… At the Food Cart Festival…)
Aww how sad! I know the value that such sentimental objects hold.
(Shailaja recently posted… Joy -#AtoZChallenge @AprilA2Z)
Yeah. For me, they used to be priceless, Shailaja.
(Vinay Leo R. recently posted… Life in Ink…)
It would have been really heartbreaking for Aisha.. Best friend’s gift carelessly given away.. Touching tale.. and as usual brilliant. So simple and yet so powerfully narrated!!
(Shrikant recently posted… Jewellery)
Thanks, Shrikant. 🙂 Yeah. careless, but deep down, I think the mom means well.
(Vinay Leo R. recently posted… Junk?)
Poor Aisha! My first thoughts were…Alladin’s magic lamp being given off to a junk dealer in exchange of a new lamp!
(the little princess recently posted… J for Jealousy)
Indeed. For her, it’d have been a magical pen, Titli 🙂
(Vinay Leo R. recently posted… Kappu – Why Unkind? {Part 1})
What a poignant tale. Familiarity is so comforting, even with something as insignificant as a pen especially if it holds happy memories. Vinay, I thank you most sincerely for visiting so many of my stories in one go! I so appreciate it, and of course your kind words.
(keiths ramblings recently posted… Mirror mirror on the wall…..)
My net/pc had conked, else I’d have been at your wonderful stories/posts earlier, Keith 🙂 Glad you liked my tale, and yes, familiarity matters a lot at times.
(Vinay Leo R. recently posted… Kappu – Why Unkind? {Part 1})
I am the sentimental kind and have with me tons of knick knacks that are considered to be junk by my mom. Esp my pile of diaries. I quit my diary writing habit but i still dont feel like throwing the old ones away :p
I make sure the precious stuff are safely hidden away though. I am scared of my mom’s cleaning sprees :p
Nice story Leo 🙂
Oh. My mom finds even the hiding places at times, Pooja 😀 she’s efficient at that 😛 so my memories and knickknacks are known to her, just to make sure they’re not cleaned away 😀 Glad you liked the story.
(Vinay Leo R. recently posted… Kappu – Why Unkind? {Part 1})
Leo this is a cute little story. It touches the headf.
Thanks, Usha ji 🙂 Hope u are well now!
(Vinay Leo R. recently posted… Kappu – Why Unkind? {Part 1})
Thats what Mom’s always do and I have done that occassionally 🙁 Interesting post!
(Archana recently posted… J is for JJ Garden)
Thanks, Archana. They’re not permanent grudges when our parents give away the knicknacks 🙂 Just that that matters so much, we feel dismayed to have lost it.
(Vinay Leo R. recently posted… Kappu – Why Unkind? {Part 1})
Nobody would dare do something like this in my house! 😀
(Kaddu recently posted… A to Z of Blogging: J – Jargon #atozchallenge @AprilA2Z)
They fear the Kaddu that much, huh? 🙄 😀
(Vinay Leo R. recently posted… Kappu – Why Unkind? {Part 1})
Aww… that’s so sad! Thankfully my Mamma never gave away my stuffs without letting me know 😀
(Shalini recently posted… Forever alone No more- L)
Nice amma, yours 🙂 My amma too is somewhat like that 😀