| Username |
Post |
| Sangey |
Posted
on 28-Aug-02 01:58 PM
“My baby is the most beautiful thing in the whole wide world.”
Ask any parent and they will not hesitate to emphatically assert that the total embodiment of the entire universe’s finest beauties have come together and blossomed on their child alone. And thank God for this irrational exuberance, for heaven forbid should the parents find their own offspring ugly because that goes beyond the understanding of our most natural motherly and/or fatherly love. Wouldn’t you agree?
Well, this is what happened to Mr. and Mrs. Oda. They found their newborn baby girl so hideous looking that they were embarrassed even to show her to friends and relatives. Odas kept the baby locked inside the house, cursing that stork which brought her into their household. Weeks and months went by, the infant grew up like any normal child would, but still the ugliness that fate so cruelly bestowed upon it remained.
On her fourth birthday, the Oda family decided to take the baby for a dinghy boat ride at a nearby lake. It was one of those rare occasions that the baby would get to see the outside world, so with obvious delight, she was reaching over the side and stirring the water with her little fingers. What could happen to her? Momma and Papa were just inches away, with their usual glum faces, looking over her. She looked at them and smiled, feeling safe, continued playing with water, leaning on the side of the dinghy.
Miura-san was enjoying his third Kirin Beer and marveling at the sound of the new Honda motor on his power-boat. He was glad that there was no one else on the lake except for that couple with a little kid in a dinghy boat at the far side. He took another swig of the bitter ale and thought it's about time to head for the shore. Suddenly he heard screams and cries for help. The couple on the other side of the lake were flailing their arms and shouting "Daskete" (help). The kid was not on the dinghy. Miura-san fired up his engine and rushed over to their location. Turns out that the child had fallen overboard. The mother was crying and looking into the water from the dinghy while the father was in the water diving in and out. Miura-san also jumped into the water to help but their effort was of no avail. They could not find the girl in the lake. The rescue team was summoned and after couple of hours of exhaustive search, the body was found. The ugly Oda girl had drowned to her death.
Few years passed and Mrs. Oda gave birth to another child. And this time the fate was kind to them, for the baby - again a girl - was overwhelmingly beautiful. There was a big celebration and Odas invited all their friends and relatives to come see the new baby. Indeed, she was their little bundle of joy. Whenever they had a chance, the Odas would take her outside in the stroller and all the passers-by would ooh and aahh, congratulating them on their beautiful baby girl. Weeks and months passed, the little girl grew up as any normal child would and also became more and more beautiful. Mr. and Mrs. Oda were very happy but the distant memory of the dead child remained in their mind.
Perhaps to appease that painful memory, they decided to take a dinghy boat ride again, for the first time since that incident, at the same lake on their new child's fourth birthday. At first the child was afraid to be on the dinghy, but soon began to enjoy the ride. She reached over the side and began playfully stirring the water with her little fingers. After all what could happen to her? Both Daddy and Mommy were just inches away from her. She looked up at their cheerful faces and gave them a big smile. They smiled in return and told her to be careful. The child went back to her amusement, leaning on the side of the dinghy to play with the water.
Then suddenly she turned around and almost nonchalantly said, "Momma, Papa, please do not push me into the lake, again."
==============================
- first published in an internet journal 5 years ago.
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| DWI |
Posted
on 28-Aug-02 02:17 PM
Beautiful story...has some psychological aspects seen in Tagore's stories.
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| oys_chill |
Posted
on 28-Aug-02 02:23 PM
Sangey, WOW!! all i can say is WOW (old compliments come back ;) )
oys
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| NK |
Posted
on 28-Aug-02 02:35 PM
What a crime thriller! And, spooky! And, selfish love. And gruesome infanticide. Ok lemme stop here.
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| jannanai |
Posted
on 28-Aug-02 02:46 PM
next M.k SHALMAYAN( ibet i got the last name wrong)
good one!
are a bnks product? 700 batch
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| DWI |
Posted
on 28-Aug-02 03:07 PM
Indeed a good one.
Jannanai, you almost spelled him : Shyal-Maya
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| deep |
Posted
on 28-Aug-02 03:40 PM
"Momma, Papa, dhakalne haina hai mu** paani ma feri", she would've said had she been my character.
When the next baby was born I had a feeling that this baby is the reincarnation of the ugly one. Nabhandai ho re chha.
Kya guess gardya ta daile!!! Ahem!
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| deep |
Posted
on 28-Aug-02 03:40 PM
I forget to write the most imp. thing. NICE one, sangey.
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| Nepe |
Posted
on 28-Aug-02 03:46 PM
Disturbing story !
I have seen on American TV the parents of babies with severely compromised look and health telling how blessed they feel having these babies. I have seen in real life parents deeply troubled and worried about the quality of life these babies are going to have in future. I have seen yet other parents cursing their luck to have such babies. I am unable to judge. I don't know what is/should be/should not be the moral of this story.
And not to be forgetful like Deep, yes a nice story writing !
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| Sangey |
Posted
on 29-Aug-02 08:24 AM
Thank you, folks, for your good response. Time permitting, and with your encouragement, I will post my other attempts soon. There are more arrows in the quiver.
The above story was meant to be as much a social commentary as an outright somewhat "paranormal" account. We tend to give too much emphasis on outer beauty without realizing the worth of the blessings that don't meet the eye. I found this especially pronounced in Japan (hence the Japanese setting) where every apple is shiny and every cantalope is of perfect shape. The people are ultra glamorous and much thought is given to appearance. But often, as it was made obvious by the bursting of the bubble economy, what lies underneath is...hmmm... left with something to be desired.
Anyway, I'm glad you liked the story.
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| joie de vivre |
Posted
on 29-Aug-02 10:26 AM
Is this the same SGY I know? Nice going, sgy. I love the way you write, simple, easy reading we don't need to consult a dictionary to understand (unlike some people who love to pepper their writings with big words that are not always used in the right context).
Way back in the good old days when I was still a free-loading (thanks mom and dad!), free-wheeling college student, I remember reading an essay by Warren Buffet on the merits of writing in simple laymen English. Can somebody please tell me why everyone can't write like Sangey instead of trying to show off their vocabulary? Perhaps Sangey could give them a few pointers, esp. if they want to reach a wider audience.
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| Gazal |
Posted
on 29-Aug-02 10:44 AM
How cruel !!! :(
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| joie de vivre |
Posted
on 29-Aug-02 11:06 AM
On a more serious note, unfortunately, there are still societies and countries that shun mentally and physically disabled children, children born with abnormalities, and children who are perceived to be ugly by their societal standards. Coincidentally, I was watching some program (Dateline? Nightly News? Discovery Channel?) just the other day, on the same subject matter. It’s hard to believe that even in the year 2002 children born with abnormalities in Russia are hidden away from the rest of the world in special homes. And then (as Nepe pointed out) there are families who look upon disabled children as gifts from God. Like Nepe, I don’t know what the solution is or what the moral of this story is, but something obviously isn’t right in this world where parents are trying to genetically custom-order their babies. I think it all boils down to the values we have and hold close to our hearts.
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| Sangey |
Posted
on 29-Aug-02 12:04 PM
Very much so, JDV. And, yes, thanks for your kind words.
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| conscience |
Posted
on 31-Aug-02 07:34 AM
hey sangay...
Keep up the good work...the story is good n thrillin ......brings reincarnation thing back into our senses ....i m wondering now...what would the little gal do when she'd grow up..?? would she sue her parents or would she give them the second chance??? anyway...keep writing.......
peaceeee
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