Worlds Apart

#18, Lemon,
Well, let`s say that I have been involved. :)

Also, I am not known as a cunning linguist merely for my knowledge of Punjaibi. :)

Very nice piece of Word,
Thought provoking,
Above all a reality,
Glad to see such situation in Pakistan,
Really enjoyed, each and every line,

Best of Luck for future

Regards

Re: # 25

Thanks for your appreciation. I`m glad you enjoyed reading it. :)

#16Kamran

``Just Jesting. Don`t let my miserable thoughts taint your world. ;p``

on the other hand you might be the hopelessly pessimist who only sees the glass half empty ....there is silver lining to all life
dont paint all with your single brush with your genralisation

#11 by neembu on June 10, 2007 1:16pm PT
Re: # 10

Tolkinin,

Are you married?
[Reply to interact #11]
............................................

I am a VERY happy married man are you?
does not seem you r with all your baggage of sceptisism

I agree with Naqshbandi, too ``slushy.`` However, while reading it I did not know it was a true story. But interestingly I was dissapointed that it was, because I`d rather enjoy it as a good piece of fiction writing.

Re: # 21
Thank you for your comments.

Interesting, indeed, why you were disappointed to learn it is not entirely a fantasy! Things do turn out for the better even in real life depending upon mutual commitment.

This story is a fictional piece of writing `based` on true events ...which does not mean it is a word for word account at all. Perhaps I have not been very successful in my story-telling, to make you feel it would`ve been better as just a figment of my imagination? :)

Thanks to all those who took out the time to read and comment on the story with criticism and appreciation.

About this piece:

Contrary to popular concensus within this forum so far, this is a true story...and no, not the author`s own life. Sometimes , truth is stranger than fiction and harder to believe. It might appear to be all that you feel: `slushy`, `pink and fluffy`, `fantasy`, M&B/Bollywood happiness`, `does not reflect naunce and interiority of marriage` - well, welcome to life from a different, less cynical angle!

The details of the children`s growing up seemed irrelevant to the theme, and might have dragged the story on unnecessarily; hence the element of `fast forward` introduced in the end. Also, there can be many versions - or `senarios` - of the same story. However, this piece is about the choices the actual characters made. So be it.

Thanks again.

Re: # 20

I`m afraid that labelling readers with expectations of literary device as ``cynical`` is not acceptable. Its very nice that this is based on a true story, its very nice that such a story exists. My questions are why should we have engaged with a piece that offered us very little in self examination, revelation, fresh use of language, conflict all of which are conventions of literature?

Re: # 22

`a piece that offered us very little in self examination, revelation`

neembu,

Wasn`t there any exercise of self examination for you? Wasn`t it revelatory?*

As for `conflict`, wasn`t the last line poignant (note the italics) trivializing all the `stretched out` conflict earlier on? Does that hurt you sweetie?

*As much as you might see the ending as encouraging spouses to stay in difficult marriages, the author is merely relating a true story. If you won`t even admit empirical anecdote on grounds that it counters you emotional and intuitive stereotype about desi men, then you shouldn`t be advising battered spouses..

Re: # 26

Kaka,

Aha...so thats what this is about...and you and your ilk have the nerve to call me bitter, given the stereotypical behavior of many desi men.

How is this for an anecdote? The females of a spouse who batters his wife exist on a steady diet of Bollywood movies. Would you care to grapple with that, or are you just going to shoot your mouth off?

Re: # 32

There you have it then, neembu! A counter to this article which is so bollywoodish etc. Don`t you want a TRUE representative sample rather than a deluge of bad endings selected just because they are bad endings? And that right there is the diagnosis of your psychosis. You have been unable to learn lessons from bollywoodish endings because, one, you don`t have the proper training to approach these subjects; second, you have become too emotionally involved with the worst of these stories too close to home.

A symptom of this psychosis is that you want to shoot down any happy ending, however true or frequent it might be.

Re: # 35

Are you saying that having seen the stable, happy marriages of several family members who continually negotiate issues of money, immigration, religious interpretation, child rearing, career choices, and extended familial expectations disqualifies me to comment on the authencity of this piece with regards to marriage, you kaka, have clearly been partaking of too much bhang with your bollywood diet.

And god knows what training you have had in reading fiction...feel free to let us know about your degrees, your published work and the composition and literature courses you design and teach.

To me this is a story about the power of perseverance. Not to sound like a fortune cookie, but sometimes there is value in just carrying on, and to have faith that things will turn out alright.

Re: # 19

Thanks for your appreciation.

I`m glad you enjoyed the piece and were able to grasp the underlying theme. In all relationships, ultimately - for any arrangement to succeed - both parties have to `want` to make it work. :)

Nice fantasy. Thank you. I mean it. Warmed my heart. Nice change from reality.

In real life, the husband would give up his job; Obtain a visa to come to England; Find it hard to get a job as a `surgeon` (Are there surgeons in Pakistan? I could not even find a `real` dentist); Work as a taxi driver; Divorce his now demanding and pregnant, fat wife; Re-marry a drunk white-girl that he picks up as a fare; Have 2 kids; Get divorced by his second wife on the grounds of physical abuse; At the age of 40, attend the local mosques, and start preaching morals to everyone who will listen.

The lady Raniya, may try a few Joshs, Kumars and Leroys, and even a Samantha, before settling down, eventually, as a single parent. :D

Just Jesting. Don`t let my miserable thoughts taint your world. ;p