Story within a story (Short Story)

“She had read that story twenty five times so far.”

After reading the above line, did any feeling arose in your mind? Did you feel angry, depressed or irritated?

I am sure you would not have got any feelings. “That was a very simple line. How do one get angry or feel irritated on reading such a simple line”, might be your thought now.

Now, I will tell you a story. After wards I will again say the same line and ask your reaction. Let’s read that story now:

BLACK DOG

If you can catch the electric train to Gummidipoondi from Chennai Central and get down at Minjur and travel four kilometers inwards, you will reach a house near a small private school. That house is in festive mood today- the reason being the birthday of Mahesh – the only child of the house.

After the tiring birthday celebration, during the course of which he would have gained few kilos of weight thanks to the countless sweets eaten by him, Mahesh now sleeping next to his beloved Grandma decided it’s the time to ask for birthday gift from his Grandma. He had already got a beautiful bicycle from his dad and a remote controlled toy car from his mother.

“Grandma, I want a puppy” he asked. Grandma was not at all surprised. She knew her grandchild’s interest with pets for a very long time. So he was expecting to be asked for such a gift from her grand child right from the morning.

After Mahesh slept off, Grandma slowly went to the back side of the mouse. There lying in the cold was a tiny black colored puppy, that due to some genetic deformity looked so bad. Grandma poured of some milk for it. The mother of that puppy- a street dog- had died after delivering six puppies including this one, after being hit by a speeding lorry.

Few days later, Saroja, middle aged women in the neighborhood came to meet grandma along with her ten year old daughter. She used to come to see Grandma often to share her problems- mostly to complain about her drunken husband’s cruelty. That day, however she had yet another reason for coming. Her daughter wanted to have a puppy, and she had come to take the motherless puppies lying in the house. Grandma asked Saroja’s daughter to select any one of the puppies and take it to their home. “Take anything other than that black one. It looks bad” was the first comment from Saroja. After some selection dilemmas her daughter ended up with the white one with few brown spots near its neck.

After Saroja, came people in neighborhood one after one, each selecting their favorite puppy, and all that remained there was this black one, which thanks to its ugliness was rejected by all of them. “From tomorrow, it would be Mahesh’s pet”, decided the grandma.

………………………………

A year later…........

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“Blacky” called Mahesh. Blacky was the name given by him to the puppy gifted by his grandmother to him. It had been one long year, and Blacky had become his close companion. He had taught it to play football and various other games. Blacky had grown up into an obedient dog that simply loved its master Mahesh.

“Grandma, I want to celebrate Blacky’s birthday like we celebrate mine”, said Mahesh. He remembered Granny saying that Blacky was born on the Independence Day.

“Sure, why not” said Grandma.

“We got to buy cakes, candles and all those things” – Mahesh.

“Okay” – Grandma.

“For my birthday, Ramya and Suresh (his cousins) come. In the same way, I want Blacky’s brothers and sisters to attend its birthday” – Mahesh.

“We don’t know where are its brothers and sisters” – Grandma.

“You have said to me earlier that Saroja aunty, Rajappan uncle, watch man uncle, Renuka’s mother are those who took and went Black’s brothers and sisters. We can go and ask them”, said Mahesh.

Grandma was astonished at her grandchild’s memory power. She was happy that he remembers so vividly the details she might have said casually long time back and she readily agreed to his plan. The next day Mahesh set out in the morning with the purpose of inviting the brothers and sisters of Blacky for birthday celebrations.

After few hours, Mahesh was back to the house but the happiness in his face was missing. He was at the verge of crying. His grandma’s question of “What happened” opened the floodgates for the tears as they came rolling down.

“Saroja Aunty says that the puppy dies long back. Rajappan uncle said that the puppy ran back some where. The watchman uncle is the worst. He says he doesn’t even remember taking any puppy from our house. Why they are so irresponsible? I feel so sad for those puppies” – Mahesh said all these things still crying.

Grandma tries to wipe out the tears from his face. “Don’t cry child” She tried to pacify him. Blacky came there at the moment from some where and stated licking Mahesh’s legs.

“Thank God, they did not take Blacky. Otherwise even he would have ended up suffering” saying this, Mahesh hugged his pet.

“Thank God, Blacky was born ugly, and was rejected by those who don’t deserve him” said Granny.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The above story was lying in the bed. In the bed, a twenty eight year old lady was sleeping. She was dark, and her face had spots all over thanks to the chicken pox, she had when she was young. This story was written by her close friend, and he gave it to her, after she was rejected by the first prospective bridegroom citing her lack of beauty. She felt confident after reading the story. From then, when ever she feels upset after prospective bridegrooms reject her one after one due to the same reason, she reads the story.

Now I will tell the same line, I told in the beginning:

“She had read that story twenty five times so far.”