copyright – Indira by way of Scott Vanatter
“The truck driver had fallen asleep on his way to Kanpur,” he was reading from the newspaper for the benefit of his wife, who was serving him tea.
“An accident then, huh?” she said carelessly.
“Yup, it claimed 5 lives, that of the truck driver and four others of the same family riding in the car, the truck smashed.”
“That is sad.”
She was looking beautiful in her magenta sari with that brilliant red mark on forehead, which declared that she was his.
He lovingly pulled her onto his lap on the newspaper with the photograph of the harrowing accident scene.
*Written in response of the Friday Fictioneers Writing Prompt.
HA's Place 
Dear HA,
An interesting contrast between the newspaper article and the newlyweds. Nice.
shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks, Rochelle. 🙂
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I like this piece, well done. Lovely contrast.
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Thank you for the kind remark.
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Good illustration of how we can be totally unaffected by tragic news that’s not connected to us. Of course, it’s easier to ignore with a beautiful woman in front of you. 🙂
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Right, you are… Thank you for reading. But sincerely, no one could actually feel the horrors of such an event except for those who have survived them, I guess.
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Sharp and a little worrying contrast between the two scenes!
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Thanks for reading.. 🙂
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An effective vignette illustrating our tolerance for bad news when we’re not personally involved in it.
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Thank you.
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Yes, interesting story about contrasts
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Thank you for reading.
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Very well done. The callousness of them is very jarring considering what they’re reading.
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Thank you for the kind remark.
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You create a very interesting contrast here — the photo seems full of motion and frenzy, and yet the scene you describe paints a picture of serenity. I found it very intriguing, darling.
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Thank you very much for the kind remarks. 🙂
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la-la-la-la life goes on. Once sad, turns glad, life’s a little mad…
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Life does go on. You write wise words… that somehow make me smile.. 🙂
Thanks for reading. 🙂
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Contrasts yes, but also perhaps a touch of appreciation for all we have while we have it. Which is what sad news should teach us, if it teaches us anything.
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That is absolutely right.. Thanks for reading.
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and we should look upon good fortune while it smiles our direction
great lesson
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That’s kind of the way it is, isn’t it? LIfe does go on after all. Good take on the prompt!
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Thank you.
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It reminds me of the pictures that came out after 9/11 of teenagers laughing and having fun with all the smoke and destruction in the background.
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I can only second other comments.. The story brings out how unaffected one can be about the bad news until its a loved one involved in it..
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It is true. We can let our tears flow for those whom we say we are ‘related’ to.. but what about the relation we have with the human kind- we all are humans and thus related in the most precise way of having the same bones, muscles and the blood coursing through our hearts.
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yes well said… in Sanskrit there is a sentence/saying .”Vasudeva Kutubakam”.. which loosely translates as we (human kind) are one family of the all mighty…
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We are indeed. That is true. But if only we accept this sole truth… I wonder at the feeling of love that would swirl around in the entire world.. It is sometimes good to think of a world with no wars, no violence.. everyone living in peace and harmony.
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I like the way your last line buried the bad news under the good feelings, literally and figuratively.
janet
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Thank you for the kind remark.
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I dig THAT! You described her well, too! Fine story! Good account!
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Thank you for the kind remarks. 🙂
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Well written but I have a question? Did he pull her on his lap on top of the newspaper with the photograph because he did not want her to see who was in the photograph (as in her family?) And she was now his to protect?
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That depends on reader’s perspective.. As Anton Chekhov well said that the role of an artist is to raise questions, not to answer them. Thank you for putting forth this question because no one else did. I was actually expecting it. I had different scenarios in my mind at the beginning and at the end; so even I won’t be able to give you a clear answer.
And thank you for your kind remark.
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You’re welcome. It was the way you wrote “he lovingly pulled her on his lap on the newspaper ‘with the photograph'” that made me think it might be a possibility. Thank you for answering my question and I did view the story from that perspective!
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As I wrote earlier, I had different scenarios in mind at the beginning and at the end.. what you guessed was the scenario I was looking forward to create at the beginning when I started writing it.
I hoped that some one would be able to gather it and you did.. that is good! 🙂
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🙂
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Bad news and life goes on 🙂 good life story.
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Thanks.
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The contrast between the scenes is so stark, yet the meld together just right. A nice job with this.
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Thank you for the kind remark.
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Life does go on, even for families who were related to the victims, The narrator’s ‘yup’ comment only adds to my feeling that in recent years we have become too desensitised to violence. That’s the chilling impression I took from this story.
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Yes, that is true. Thank you for sharing your views.
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Neatly presented snapshot of everyday life, the good and the bad.
Well done.
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thank you.
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Great contrast between love and the horror of news
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Thank you for the kind remark, Bjorn.
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Sex and violence, suggestively done. Nice work.
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Thanks.
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Nicely done. Still find it hard to believe that anyone could be so unaffected by such tragic events. But that’s just me.
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Thank you.
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great story. i loved the contrast as well. but what i loved most is imagining that the sad news might’ve jolted him to realizing how short life is and thus, made him appreciate his wife all the more, reminding him to make the most out of the given moments and suddenly hugged her 🙂 i get like that when i hear sad news. 🙂
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an amazing observation by you! thank you for sharing your views. 🙂
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Tragedy and romance rolled up in one.
Nicely done.
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Thank you for the kind remark.
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