#shortstory 'S.O.S. Animals' from the book 'S.O.S. Animals And Other Stories' by Fiza Pathan

We all know the history of the magnificent ship the Titanic and its fate. The infamous Titanic which was a passenger ship struck an ice berg thus destroying part of the ship and because there were less lifeboats, most of the passengers aboard the Titanic died.

We’ve heard many tales about this ill-fated vessel; some are sorrowful, some romantic and some hopeful – but, sadly we’ve failed to remember some more important people who were aboard the vessel of doom and they were even ignored that cold and nippy night when the ship was sinking. They were the animals of the vessel.

There were dogs, cats, parrots, geese (to be cooked), rabbits and little canaries and they were all forgotten that night.

As the water levels increased the people got frantic and started to push themselves forcibly into the lifeboats — but, the animals were abandoned.

Alone in one of the now dark cabins all the animals clustered together for warmth and strength from the bitter cold — they already knew that they were being left to die.

A mother cat licked her brown kittens in melancholy, while a little green parrot snorted out a call for his master. A goose sneezed quietly after a spell of tears and a Great Dane whimpered like a puppy for his trainer. Then one of the older dogs had an idea – animals always came after humans and that was destiny, but, maybe, they would take pity on the children of the animals and at least save them.

So, with a lot of hope, the mother cat carried her two kittens while the great Dane carried her Dalmatian puppy by the collar, a mother bull dog carried her new born in her basket while a canary tugged a single egg and all of them headed up deck towards the humans rushing into the lifeboats.

The animals tried their very best to plead with the passengers to save their little ones but the humans were not interested. The mother cat licked a young man’s palm for mercy but the man pushed her away and the Great Dane dropped the puppy Dalmatian into one of the older human’s lap but the human almost swung the puppy overboard, the bull dog whimpered and cried many a tear but no one paid heed to his little basket and in the hustle the poor mother canary lost one wing and was bleeding profusely over her little yellow egg.

They all returned sorrowfully to the cabin and a matron goose tended to the canary’s broken wing.

Now, they had lost all hope, they adjusted themselves to the fact that they would now sink into the cold waters of the merciless Atlantic and drown to their death. They prayed together to ask God to watch over them and the vicar’s tabby cat even sang a hymn.

But, suddenly one of the more perky parrots with a red head and a multitude of colourful feathers had a great idea. “Friends!” he exclaimed, “We have nothing to fear for we shall be rescued.” “How?” asked the vicar’s tabby cat in a surprised tone. “You see,” started the parrot, “we have been living with humans for so long that we have started to think like them. Their thoughts may go beyond the horizon my friends —- but, not their fate,” and as he uttered those words he flew out of the cabin motioning the animals to follow him on deck.

When they all arrived, the red headed parrots started sending an S.O.S. signal through the air. “My dear Sir,” said the Great Dane balancing the wounded canary on his back, “the ships won’t read your S.O.S.”

“Maybe not human ships – but, Sea Gulls,” and as the parrot uttered those words a whole group of sea gulls flew overhead of the sinking Titanic. Seeing this other animals too sent out their own S.O.S.’s into the air and immediately a number of animals appeared — all to help them.

There were sea gulls, dolphins, sharks and flying fish. The gulls immediately commanded the birds of the Titanic to fly up – brave the strong wind and follow them. The wounded canary remained on the Great Dane’s back, but, her egg was carried to land by a male sea gull. A herd of sharks then very tactfully got hold of a long floating rope and with the help of some seagulls tied it to a large broken block of wood and told the cats to jump onto it. When this was done the sharks rode the cats to safety and one kindly shark even caught small shrimp for the mother cat’s brown kittens who were crying for food. The dolphins on the other hand made a dive towards land where an abandoned life boat lay and swiftly dragged it back to the ship and got the dogs onto it. The flying fish also helped the dolphins to pull the life boat and when the dolphins were tired they took over.

At last all the animals were safe and on land with the rescued humans. They thanked their rescuers and the red haired parrot with tears of gratitude.

Till this day no one ceases to speak of the lack of human resources — but, no one dares talk about the abundance of the abandoned animals that had nothing to fear — for, they were not human.

VALUE: Look beyond what the world makes you see….then will an answer be to all the earth’s mysteries.

Copyright Fiza Pathan 2012

(A short story from my book ‘S.O.S. Animals And Other Stories’ available in Paperback and eBook )

http://www.amazon.com/Fiza-Pathan/e/B0091BCNTU

Fiza Pathan's Bookshelf : #Review 'The Painter Of Signs' by R.K.Narayan

Fiza Pathan's Bookshelf : #Review 'The Painter Of Signs' by R.K.Narayan: R.K.Narayan surprised me with this novel. Set during the period when the Family Control propagation came into focus, this novel can shock...

#Review 'The Painter Of Signs' by R.K.Narayan

R.K.Narayan surprised me with this novel. Set during the period when the Family Control propagation came into focus, this novel can shock a person as well as realize the depth of the Indian soul. Narayan in this novel tries to go with the times & is very bold in his writing. Infact, the novel involves many themes of the 1970′s Indian scenario like birth control, Bollywood, dare devil women etc. Narayan also breaks his initial way of presenting his characters & uses a new technique which is refreshing. The tongue in cheek way in which Narayan analyses the ‘birth control’ issue is hilarious.

The author has broken down a way of thinking for us which we have to comprehend as citizens of a nation with a lot of population related issues as well as a nation which is steeped in what one would call skepticism against modern science. Also, through the eyes of the author, one realises how serious the problem of population explosion was (& is), the drastic & almost weird attempts to rid the masses of the ‘evil’ of producing more children is taken up very well by the author. He may have gone into more uncomfortable details if it were not for the fact that he was writing a novel in an India which was not yet all that fine with bold literature, though, foreign readers accepted him well. The zeal of the government workers to sterilize the whole of India may seem funny in the novel…..but the dangerous side of the way things turned out is also underlined subtly here in the story via the character of Daisy, the love of Raman who is the actual ‘painter of signs’….especially the painter of the popular Family Planning Sign, the red triangle…..we two, our two !

Raman is shown as a person rooted in sexuality & intense passion, quite opposite to his lady love whose only aim in life seems to be, the sterilization of the Indian population. the author even ventures to state the various methods involved in this process, especially forced vasectomy which became very popular during that period of time. The author seems rather preoccupied with this part of Indian history as I’ve read about a similar story related to forced sterilization in the book ‘Malgudi Days’. The author even discloses certain delicate topics in this novel which is quite commendable.

Sexuality is a main ingredient in this modern Narayan book which is presented in a very humorous way, without any hint of hesitation. The comic sexual drive of Raman for Daisy in part 2 of the novel is very comic….a novelty of the ‘Grand Old Man of Malgudi’.

In all, the book is a great read & enjoyable to the core.

#Review GODPLAYER by Robin Cook

This novel was a medical thriller classic. It was interesting & engaging…..two qualities that make a medical thriller work. The gripping ending was well written & the characters captivate the reader. The idea of SSD (Sudden Surgical Death) is well laid out in this book along with many other soul searching questions associated with the medical field. However, the main question put forward in this book is one which is still asked till this day………..who can judge who really requires expensive medical aid of a hospital……..everyone ? even when there are shortage of beds ? even those who we know won’t survive for long ?......who is going to bell the cat…..who is going to play God ?

The story is well presented with a lot of heated dialogues about what is morally right & what isn't when one is concerned about treatment. The easy way a person can kill another in a hospital is also very well described in this book. To give internists a chance to work on patients, the risks involved & all the information about a surgery that is kept a secret from unquestioning patients is well illustrated in this novel. The delicacy of cardiac surgery is also one of great importance that is presented in this novel & how many people each day die of heart related symptoms.

Another idea that presents itself in this book is about the egoism & narcissistic tendencies of excellent surgeons. The pressure on good surgeons is tackled very well by Robin Cook including the way such surgeons often take recourse to drugs to overcome the sort of ‘emptiness’ they feel within after too much of adulation. However, as the book describes, such surgeons often are unable to be in control of their thoughts & emotions & therefore, have a terrible end.

Two characters that stand out in this novel are the famous cardiac surgeon Thomas Kingsley & his wife Cassandra (Cassi) Cassidy who is a first year psychiatrist who was earlier into pathology. Both are very different characters. Though Cassi is the protagonist in the story, more emphasis is given to her spouse Thomas who is a very volatile character always on tenterhooks & ready to burst at all times. Their failing marriage along with Thomas’ drug abuse is the focal point of this novel. Both characters have tendencies to be dependent on an external factor to feel ‘fine’. While Cassi finds her solace in her husband, Thomas’ finds his in drugs & extra-marital affairs. The author ultimately relates how intelligence does not necessarily mean one can be successful in life……only when one is happy with ones state of life & takes each day as it comes, only them is one in total control of ones faculties.

The bureaucratic interference in surgery as well as the drastic decisions they take to make a mark in the market is also put forward very well & delicately in the novel. How business has changed the face of medicine especially surgery is narrated in most of the chapters in a very interesting way as well as the loopholes that such groups want to keep a secret or shield from the public eye. In the novel it is shown that truth always does not garner importance if it interferes in the working of the bureaucracy. The story shows the reader clearly how the fine line separating medicine & business is slowly disappearing.

Thrilling & a challenge to read, Godplayer is a real looking glass into the workings of the human mind &………….how at times it is simply too easy to kill.

#Review 'Saint Francis-God's Pauper' by Nikos Kazantzakis

A flawless masterpiece about the devotion of a true devotee.....that is the story of God's Pauper written by Nikos Kazantzakis. The epic story of the life of one of the greatest Saints in the world is narrated in a lucid & yet heart wrenching fashion that makes the reader one with the pain & passion of the man behind the Saint. 

Being a passionate believer & student of the Franciscan way of life, I find this book quite in keeping with not only history but also with the current ideas religious personalities have about the pain behind the total annihilation of the ego (flesh in the case of Saint Francs of Assisi). Kazantzakis in a simple way reveals to the reader not only the life of Saint Francis. The writer does us a favour for which I shall be ever grateful to him as a reader.....he makes the life of this pauper very REAL ! We generally find the lives of most of the Christian saints highly above our normal dealings & therefore most of the time ignore their life histories as well as their writings which seem rather dogmatic....not in keeping with our practical mind-set. Kazantzakis is aware of this failing & therefore, brings out the true side of Saint Francis of Assisi.....the struggling man to become one with his creator. It is not the lofty saint that we encounter in this classic work but, the lowly man trapped by his love for God & the desires of his flesh which he wishes to overcome. The person that we witness in this narrative is the human being that signifies ALL of us with all our faults, yet wishing to love God in perfection sans faults & sinful ways.

This is not merely a religious document, but a mirror into the heart & mind of one of the greatest mystics of the Medieval Age in Europe. In fact, I would not be wrong if I stated that this novel is the life story of a revolutionary. Saint Francis of Assisi indeed was a revolutionary not only where his thinking was concerned but also his ideals on the way his society was progressing. Kazantzakis brings to us that revolutionary.

The story is narrated by St. Francis’ close comrade & fellow friar Brother Leo who although not all that divinely in tune with God (unlike his friend St. Francis) yet loves St. Francis to such an extent that he goes through the worst of situations to prove his loyalty & devotion. Brother Leo in this novel undergoes the hardships of whipping, self-torture, weather changes, sickness, hunger, thirst, mental turmoil etc., all because of his loyalty toward the person he considers to be quite sure about everything heavenly. More than just the narrator however, Brother Leo in this novel signifies…all our doubts…the scepticism that we are born with & in more than one way does he bring out his doubts. Through him, it is we who are questioning the authenticity of God & the divine call of St. Francis. Just like Brother Leo, we do not question because we think we are more than human….we question because WE ARE HUMAN & can a mere human become a saint? Can a human give up the longings of the flesh? Can a mere human overcome the impossible? These are questions posed to us & by us throughout the book.

The characters in this story may have been moulded in a different way by the author so as not to break the rhythm of the narrative….but they all did exist, this is history, and this is fact. Not only was there the ever loyal but doubtful Brother Leo but there was also the loving Saint Clara who followed in St. Francis’ footsteps ; not only was there a devoted Lady Pica the mother of St. Francis but also the crafty Brother Elias who twists the rule of St. Francis to his own liking & for his own self glory. These were REAL people like you & me who lived during troubled times & yet were asking the same questions about God & humanity that we are asking today. 

The author himself has stated in the novel that he has added many stories from his own imagination at times so as to link together certain intricate parts of the legend of this peculiar medieval saint. He does so to merge the myth with the truth to bring out the essence of St. Francis’ teachings. 

The extraordinary part of the book is that, the wild passion of the human soul is dramatised to perfection that even if an atheist were to read this book, he would be pulled in with this tide of emotional outbursts. The maniacal side of the Saint is seen by us & also accepted by us maybe because we realize that he is one of us. His passion was for God whereas currently our passion may be for many other concerns like Democracy, elimination of corruption, feminism, Global warming , communalism……it could be anything, but we all have our own goals & our own personal barometers to assess whether we have achieved our goal. The fanatic following of the revolutionary ideals of perfect poverty, perfect chastity & perfect obedience by St. Francis reminds us of our own fanaticism to our own ideals. His extraordinary way of living…..his stigmata….his fasts……..his bleeding body……..his hunger…..his yearning for Saint Clara…….his semi blindness all shows a level of extreme that was revolutionary for its time & age. It was not accepted readily of course & he resented it much, but did not complain. His job was to show the passion of his devotion to the world, which he did……which we daydream about too…….to show our ‘different’ ideas to the world which wants us to conform with its own set rules. St. Francis in the novel & in real life never followed the bandwagon but was always standing apart & therefore went the distance.

The novel finally is a revelation into our own hearts & minds……..what is our real mission in life? To conform to something that is not right or to change the rules….even if it takes us to the brink of insanity…..or sainthood! 

#Review The Talkative Man by R.K.Narayan

This book of the ‘Grand Old Man Of Malgudi’ although written in 1983  still shows the simple Indian town of Malgudi in its unique rustic setting which makes the book a very pleasant read. The author, in this book focuses on characters rather than incidents, which helps us to put ourselves in the places of the characters portrayed by R.K.Narayan. The novel is comparatively a short one. The author in the postscript himself states that he needed to finish the story with its suspense on page 116 & thoroughly justifies his action which appeals to the contemporary Indian reader. He also states that he wanted to focus on his characters in the story especially on the character of the fraud & Casanova Dr. Rann which the author does well enough for the reader to love & hate the character at the same time.

What intrigues me about this novel was the way the author has analysed his characters. There is an equal amount of action in this novel as well as drama in a very humorous form (very much like R.K.Narayan) to keep a reader wanting to know what will come next. There are the usual Malgudi characters in this story who as usual not only bring out the rich flavor of the book but also adds to its intricacy. I highly appreciated this work for the way it described the charisma of a born flirt & his Home Guard (equipped with pistol) wife Sasara. 

The first mention that I want to make in regard to the literary value of this piece of art is, the role of protagonist i.e.the Talkative Man himself ! This personage has been appearing in most (if not all) of Narayan’s literary attempts. He is never referred to by his real name at all except the pet name bestowed  on him which is that of a very ‘Talkative Man’. He is also called TM for short…..but never by his personal name (except once where an old school friend refers to him as Madhu in this very book itself for the first time) the reason behind the non-usage of the name is plain & simple…Narayan wishes this intellectual character to remain sans emotion & sans opinion & what best way to create an impersonal character than by just not giving the character a name or any overruling emotion. I can state this for, it is a truth that TM does not really have an emotional side to him at all. He is a rich person in his own right, who lives on the famous Kabir Street of Malgudi but does not like to be idle. He therefore spends his time as a freelance journalist, roaming about the streets of Malgudi for stories which he can post to his publishers (somewhat like R.K.Narayan himself during his days as a journalist)TM has no family & is not married which again adds to his anonymity. He speaks a lot & carries tales of the residents to others, similar to the celestial sage Narada in Hinduism whom Narayan is most obsessed with. Yet, he is trusted by his friends & is genuinely a very helpful individual.

The second thing that was very remarkable in this Narayan edition was the person of the infamous Dr. Rann. Now, Dr. Rann has been described  in detail in this manuscript but he does not speak much throughout the novel. His ‘women’ or the women in his life whom he had duped really tell us more about the character of Dr. Rann than Dr. Rann himself. He is the crux of the whole story & the reader will note that Dr. Rann’s character is not only a novelty to Malgudi, but also to us himself. We cannot stop our curiosity about the man & his vague ‘research’ about futurology which seems as peculiar as the person professing it in question. Dr. Rann has some charm about him that endears him not only to TM but also to women…..be they his seniors or his juniors. He seems to know this trait about himself. He tries to avoid its complexes, yet can’t do without it. This brings out a very human side of the character we involuntarily admire & laugh at.

The activities of the characters are brisk just like TM himself & rather mysterious (like Dr. Rann & the librarian’s grand daughter who meet at a Protestant Cemetery to court each other). But the resemblance of these characters to our own selves is evident. Humour is at its peak in this novel, although it's short lived as the novel ends quite quickly. All in all however, a perfect read for a reader who enjoys his characters. 

http://fizapathan.blogspot.in/2013/02/review-my-days-by-rknarayan.html

http://fizapathan.blogspot.in/2013/03/review-world-of-nagaraj-by-rknarayan.html

http://fizapathan.blogspot.in/2013/02/review-malgudi-schooldaysimmortal-swami.html

#Review 'The World of Nagaraj' by R.K.Narayan

Simplicity enables a person to understand the depths of human nature as well as the universe. R.K.Narayan’s novel ‘The World Of Nagaraj’ just like his other books, takes the reader on a journey into the simplicity of a man’s heart who is unable to comprehend the undertones of normal activities of people. At the same time, the description of an Indian town, Malgudi where all of Narayan’s stories are based again soothes the intellectual critic within us & challenges our inner self, especially the Indian within us all to judge the book.

The story is simple yet profound in its unique way. The character of Nagaraj is put forward to the reader as a person whose only aim in life is to pen down a novel on the life of the holy celestial Hindu sage, ‘Narada’. Nagaraj is a domesticated personality who is simple minded (he cannot even mix his coffee properly) & who is unlike his elder brother Gopu, who is materialistic & very ambitious, ready to make a profit at whatever cost. Nagaraj is dominated & humiliated by his brother which as is seen clearly in the novel, he tries to ignore passing it of as a sort of ‘brotherly joke’. The point is however that, no one takes poor Nagaraj seriously…neither his brother, nor his wife Sita, not the card playing pandit who he goes to learn about the life of the afore mentioned celestial sage, nor his nephew Tim who is adored by Nagaraj….not anybody, except one person……that person is Nagaraj’s obsession NARADA.

The reason I state that the sage from mythology is the only one who takes Nagaraj seriously is because, the meaning of Narada’s existence itself is to cause misunderstandings between people (as we know from studying Hindu Mythology) & to pass on gossip from one party to another. This is what constantly happens in R.K. Narayan’s novel ; the mother-in-law misunderstands Sita & questions her actions, Tim misunderstands his doting father & runs of to his uncle’s home, Saroja (Tim’s wife) misunderstands Nagaraj & leaves her abode along with her shady character of a husband…this continues to take place leaving pitiable Nagaraj gasping for a breath of freedom from everyone including his wife & Narada the sage himself.

The novel also brings together a number of unforgettable ‘Malgudi’ characters who not only entertain but who also play pivotal roles in the whole narrative.,example; my favorite the Talkative Man who leads Nagaraj to the card playing pundit. The novel keeps one engrossed till the very end & yet develops a person’s understanding of how not being forthright in ones dealings can create a lot of unwanted issues.,example; Nagaraj was not forthright enough unlike his wife (who seems to act as hi Lady Macbeth) to question the mysterious drunken Tim about his whereabouts during college hours. The hypocrisy of the clergy is evident in the novel as well as the rather amusing side of a stationary shop owner who seems to know more about the Hindu sages & gods than the ordinary pundit. In all, the book was a breath of fresh air for me through the humorous characters & their never ending problems (just like mine….a good read if there was ever one. The ‘Grand old man of Malgudi’ strikes again!

http://fizapathan.blogspot.in/2013/02/review-my-days-by-rknarayan.html