sitting in the shade of Peepal,
he invited the gossip
from around the village-
Who ran away with whom?
Who beat his wife?
Whose children disobey?
he lived his years in shade of
his best companion, Peepal,
as his own life slipped away;
.
his condolence meeting was held
eventually in shade of that Peepal
.
* For dverse Meeting the Bar, where Brian celebrates his birthday and invites us to write a story in 55 words. Also for Friday Flash 55, as suggested by Brian.
* Peepal is also known as Sacred Fig, its binomial name being Ficus Religiosa.
HA's Place 
Interesting. Perhaps he was so interested in gossip that he had no real life of his own?
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ah i wish they buried him as well under that peepal… a sacred fig doesn’t seem to be the right place for gossiping though..ha… well done in 55 words
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nicely done. I agree with Claudia, hopefully that was not his final resting place.
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Full story, of a rather lonesome sounding life…and a little sadness lingers in the close of the tale of it. Well done.
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A man, (a village, a community, a tree) or (a court house, or a cross or a church) is usually at the center. I think this is a poem, a story that is in itself a symbol of life at its most fundamental.
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I can see a life of inactivity and how a life slipping away…
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interesting indeed….it makes me think of those places in all villages where people gather for the news and gossip…and if that is where they always found him, then i would think it honor they recognize his end there…you have to be careful knowing all the dirt you know…smiles.
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Oh, how sad. At least it was at his favorite spot.
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I was sad reading this but smiled at the ending. The perfect finish.
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What a sad way to lead a life! We can’t help feeling a bit sorry for him.
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To bad his life was spent that way. There must be better ways to invest your time and energy. Well done.
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I like how you painted his life and eventually his death, under the shade of the tree ~
Enjoyed this one ~
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Poignant and sad. Well done.
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Yes, there is a poignancy to this, and yet, how much more blessed to spend your life in the shade of a beautiful tree then in street gutters or…Nicely told.
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He was centrally located in a protected–and beloved spot– and, in spite of his implied inactivity, it sounds as if he was the town’s information center–how much more connected can you be? Good characterization.
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Beneath the shade of Peepal… he never really lived. Nicely done 55.
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Very nice–so, is social media the new Peepal? I love how this is open to two completely opposing interpretations. Great work!
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Reminds me of watching TV, all wrapped up in news and stories of other lives. Nice write.
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how apt meeting his end under the Peepal with its binomial name being Ficus Religiosa.
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How sad to live and die in the same spot, no traveling, no change, the same thing day in and day out. A very lonely life indeed, I would think-to know the latest gossip, but never experience anything new.
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it sounds like that this is the center of their world.
Very nicely written Howanxious.
Thank you so much for this GREAT 1st time 55.
You are welcome to play anytime my friend
Have a Kick Ass Week-End
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Very sad story, but that’s the way it is for some…great story in 55! 🙂
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Wasting his life by vicariously consuming the lives of others – what a sad existence, but it says so much about the cult of celebrity that surrounds us.
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…interesting to find company with a Peepal…but feel sorry for him not able to make it with real human companion/s… smiles…
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A sort of continuation of that sad ciricle.
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