Category: Short Stories
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The pugilist
I announced my retirement as a professional boxer today. I won fifty fights and lost only four, and my manager patted me on the back and said, “You should be proud of yourself, son. You owned this sport,” but I cried in the shower. I sobbed and screamed, “What a tragedy! What a fucking waste […]
Nitin Lalit
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I’ll be gone in the morning
He sits on the kitchen floor in the new apartment, holding a sharp knife. The refrigerator, sink, cabinets, and tube light indifferently look at him. They don’t care about what he’s about to do, but she does. She grabs the knife from his hands and backs away from his menacing stare. “This needs to stop!” […]
Nitin Lalit
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The Normans
We founded the Taproom of Norm a few years ago after watching the television show ‘Cheers.’ The character Norm encouraged us because he represented the quintessential, lovable loser. But our beliefs have changed over the years because some Normans decided on a more hardcore, puritanical approach. At first, we were reluctant to add to our […]
Nitin Lalit
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The merry andrew
I painted my face white, wore mascara and my clown nose, and set out in full motley. I never earned a dime entertaining the people I passed by, and they often insulted me or beat me senseless. But I loved the job. Before I prattle on how satisfying the work was and how it assuaged […]
Nitin Lalit
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A rose for Valentine’s Day
I work as a team leader for a non-profit organisation in Bangalore, specialising in publishing poetry written by people from minority communities. It’s a tedious desk job, and I sit in my cubicle and edit manuscripts that show promise, among other tasks. I recently found out that Arjun, the accountant, has embezzled funds over the […]
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Turn the other cheek
Men with peace signs: We only want love. Intelligent woman: So do something about it! There are two groups vehemently arguing. Men with peace signs: We only want love. Intelligent woman: Listen, we can stop this before things get messy. But I need your help. So I’ll do the talking, and since you’re strong men, […]
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Narayan’s Dilemma
Narayan read a poem on an obscure blog, and it left an indelible impression on his mind. Growing up, he wasn’t religious, unlike the rest of his Tamil Brahmin family. He wasn’t even spiritual. In his twenties, Narayan renounced every form of institutional religion. He deemed them ‘chimerical tales given undeserved importance by authorities, giving […]
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Going to church
I went to Good News Church because Roshan implored me to. “It’s a global community of like-minded brothers and sisters who emphasise on right doctrine and don’t preach legalism. You’ll fit in there,” he said. So I made my way, one humid July day, the flames of the forest burning orange in the heart of […]