The Bastard

A short, well engraved with words and delicately assembled thoughts runs around four souls, each hurt from inside, each wanting to be acclaimed, and eac wanting to be SAAF CHUPTAY BHI NAHI, SAMNAY AATEY BHI NAHI, I was stunned for some while, What a piece!

good writing as in i liked it.

best.

Very good work here!


Ras

nabendu,
very well written. as if real. u don;t have to tell that it`s not autobiographical. hope to read more such stuff.

Very well written. There is great power in a story simply told. Perhaps a different title would not have given away the ending.

Also, the dichotomy between a child`s world and an adult`s world is well brought out.

the title did finish the suspence.......but even with a different title i dont think the suspence wud be there.....the theme is an old one......and the mothers reaction doesnt make it more realistic or deep or whatever.......things were too obvious anyways.....nothing to fret about the characters....but i hope i was not too critical to discourage you.....see you with a new story soon.
ammara

Nabendu:

Nicely done.

This was an understanding between consenting adults it seems. The wife’s anger was the most interesting and layered aspect of the story for me. Bijoy-kaku served as a constant reminder of the reality of her life; a truth I imagine she would sooner forget.

Now being a bastard seems trendy but real snob value may come from being daughter/son of a brother or sister in a bizarre twist to Electra/ Oedipus complex.

The title does does give away the story. However, the story is nice.

Adding to what Hamidm and Beej were talking about; there is one more aspect which has probably been ignored. While I personally believe that adoption is a good thing to do, it is also true that it takes away a lot from the mother. The morning sickness, swelling up, being looked after, the need to be looked after, the baby kicking in the uterus, losing bladder control, all of this builds a connection between mother and child. Adoption takes that away.

When an impotent man lives with a VERY caring wife, I don`t see why he should be dominant. To me, the three decided to go ahead with this unusual arrangement to;

(a) Save the marriage
(b) The couple trusted Kaku
(c) Save the face of the impotent man

Cheers

Re: # 22

oh. nevermind then.

Re: # 13
Your comments were very frank and should I say brave? - I mean- I thought about some of those things but couldnt put them down. But that being said, ouch!

Dear All

Just to clarify, this is NOT an autobiographical story.

I am the youngest of seven children and I grew up in Kolkata

It is not a real-life story of someone else, either.

It is purely fictional.

Nicely written story. And the beauty is its simplicity.
The obvious title reduces the suspense... but had there been suspense, the story would have lost its simplicity.
The climax was the best part, where the protagonist says that he is at terms with reality. Perhaps because he loved his legal father, as well his mother, far too much, to hold them responsible for any kinds of weaknesses that they might have had. Perhaps he had forgiven his mother for not being the virtuous person that mothers are supposed to be; and his father too, for not being biologically capable of fathering him. Perhaps he had always known it deep down. Perhaps he had guessed it a long time back.
I do agree with hamidm, but its useless debating over such a non issue. And that too, with Beej, with his half-baked yet headstrong theories.

Great job, Nabendu. This is incredible.

Re: # 18

beej mian,

........... i don`t know about the wrong side of the border, but on god`s side the village people seem to jump into bed more often than people living in the cities - actually they can also jump into a field of sugarcane or a corn field !.......... most city people in pakistan, right or wrong, believe that country bumpkins and bumpkets have more fun ........... heer and ranjha, sohni and mahiwal and mirza sahib and saiban bibi were village people (not the gay band variety)....... and oh, by the way, i did not say that women ``jump`` into bed without thinking about it .......... unlike men, they actually think about it before they do it ............ but, they still do and have a million reasons for doing it ........of course, the morning-after pill might change all that .............

.......... and i don`t want to start another controversy, but i have to say that most women hate the fathers of their children - they just put up with them for obvious reasons ........ mrs hamidm is an exception, of course (for obvious reasons, again)

#17 by hamidm2

Clearly, things are not easy for you – what with that adrak-eaten brain of yours!

[........ look, who cares why the poor woman jumped into bed - there could be a million reasons: impulse, depression, momentary insanity, a tiff with her husband, ``i am fed up with that impotent brahmin ba%4*rd``, too much adrak, a hormonal attack ............ people do stuff all the time that they can`t explain the morning after, …]

Clearly you are out of touch – this “story” is set in a village and hopping into bed is not the first thing most women do – they certainly do not take that act trivially – like you seem to imply women to, by that idiotic statement that ther could be a “million” reasons for it! (Do some simple math – if you are still capable of that act – one hopping a day would require 3,000 years to reach a figure of million.)

[........ and when it comes to sex .... let`s not even talk about it - the children might be listening !]
You will be surprised – at how much MORE knowledgeable the children can be., than somebody like…. like you!

[..... and what was the other thing ?........ oh, how could the woman love the child if she hated his biological father ?]
Don’t pull your smartypants trick on me by putting words in my mouth! Let me repeat:
“I also find it less than credible that a woman would hate the person who impregnated her without shifting some of that hate to the product of that act! Most women would have mixed emotions regarding the child that reminds them of somebody who took advantage of them. Period.”

I think you should stop having this romantic and idealized view of women where they have superhuman powers of making a clear and neat division of feelings – one set for the “culprit” and the other set for the child – and never the twain to meet! Most women are – as most humans are – just human – and a REAL woman would always get mixed-up. Simple as that! And no, one does NOT need to be a woman to make that simple deduction.

Re: # 16

beej mian.


........ look, who cares why the poor woman jumped into bed - there could be a million reasons: impulse, depression, momentary insanity, a tiff with her husband, ``i am fed up with that impotent brahmin ba%4*rd``, too much adrak, a hormonal attack ............ people do stuff all the time that they can`t explain the morning after, let alone twenty-thirty years later ........ and when it comes to sex .... let`s not even talk about it - the children might be listening !

..... and what was the other thing ?........ oh, how could the woman love the child if she hated his biological father ? .......... first, pardon me for saying, ``duh ?!``........... and why not ?........ i know a lot of men and women who cannot stand the sight of their spouses but love their children ?......... ever heard a divorced person talk about their ex ?...... trust me, it is not pretty, specially after they have had a couple of drinks ...............

............ beej mian, people will always surprise you if you wait long enough - sometimes you have to wait till they die to discover who they really were ............. just wait, you are in for a rude awakening .........

Re#15, #14

Hamidm2, don’t be too sure it is a “yarn” – especially in view of the last line in this story! (If it indeed were fiction – I would not consider it a good one, as explained earlier.)

Just explain to me what you find so “good” about a woman hopping into the bed with her husband’s friend – whom she does not love and perhaps hates – to create a baby so that she will get reminded of that same person all the time. The husband comes across as a total turkey.

No, Hamidm2 – as a yarn, this stuff is pathetic! If it’s true though, it is depressingly sad!

Even that dork of a walking library of Hindvi can get that basic fact – but YOU don’t – see where that adrak has got you to?!

I am sorry if I hit any raw nerves around here with my candid statements in #13 and here.

As some people know, the janitor tells it like he sees it – the labels are for others to choose – the reality does not change.

Hamidm2, you can put aside your morbid fear of the broom and the mop – the janitor has been favorably touched by Behram’s humility and is trying to cut back on the sharp stuff – but as always, no promises regarding the future – this is just a fleeting attack of sentimentality – I’ll get over it!

before the janitor mops the floor with me .....

..... he is more qualified to be a literary critic ..........

Re: # 13

mop the floor !


the janitor should stick to providing sanitation services instead of trying to be a psychologist or an ethicist ............ there is no need to spoil a perfectly good yarn with amateur analysis .......

One needs to be a bit careful in commenting on something like this – it may be autobiographical or perhaps biographical. From the level of details, it appears to be at least partially based on true event.

However, first let me deal with it as pure fiction (note: I have ZERO literary credentials!)

From a little boy’s perspective, the events appear to be described realistically. The woman’s dislike for the person who provided her the offspring is difficult to fathom – it probably would involve some “deep” psychology well outside the range of janitorial depths – you have described her acts but not dwelt much on why that issue would not have been resolved between the married couple over the considerable length of time involved – although it is possible – but unlikely!

I also find it less than credible that a woman would hate the person who impregnated her without shifting some of that hate to the product of that act! Most women would have mixed emotions regarding the child that reminds them of somebody who took advantage of them. Period.

And it is also unclear why the husband – who from all accounts appears to be a less than dominant figure – would keep bringing back this “friend” again and again – just to get news of the city! The only explanation can be that in his mind, he is not able to claim the position of fatherhood – even though he is going through all the motions.

A lot of motions, but no emotions! Perhaps physical impotency is just one part of it!

Now, having got that out of the way let me react to this write-up as if it were a true autobiographical event.

And sorry if I sound harsh!

I am glad that you are comfortable with the situation – not that there was an element of choice, but I can not be glad that an event like that would occur! It illustrates some general weaknesses in our society but mostly some real weaklings among your family members.

Your legal dad was physically impotent. No big deal! The sad fact is he was also a coward, so instead of adopting a child – and the Lord knows how many deserving children miss out on life – he went along with the pretense of your mother going through this heinous act (sex without love) so he could go around claiming you as his product – of his loins, to live out this charade.

And I do not extend any sympathy to your mother – which some others here seem to do! In fact, your mother comes across as the perfect hypocrite! A woman who spreads her thighs willingly to a man she does not love has no claim to acting virtuous – and even less claim to act holier than thou around the person she “used” – as a sperm donor!

Having said all that – the individuals who BRING UP a child are the real parents – pure and simple – not the ones whose linkage is biology and nothing else. Therefore, it was extremely wrong of your dad to make you go through those meaningless rituals!

In the end, it matters little who you come from – only what you make of yourself – and even that effect lasts for a small time only, in the scheme of things!

Hey Nabendu,

I`ll have to agree with some people about the title spoiling the suspense. But hey- we learn right? I guess it`s a choice between making it attractive enough for a person to click on it (The Bastard certainly caught my attention), and keeping them reading once they`re in it. News papers do the former because nothing`s new, nothing`s a suspense per se.

All that being said, the story kept me thinking about your mother at work. I`m sure she made the only choice she could think of at that time. I tried puttting myself in her place- his visits sure must have been painful. But I find it hard to accept that your father was still ok with him being a family friend. Awkward awkward.

Aruna

Excellent keep going

Very nicely written!

............... very nice !

the title killed the first twenty paragraphs, and the writing style is not thing to rave about. Only two things make this a worthwhile read: the way the climax was brought out, and the detached emotions of the narrator that allowed the shame, acceptance and silence of the father to reverberate.

I feel badly sorry for your mother.. poor woman.... caught between the inhuman desires of two men...

The title is too literal gives away the story in the first para. as soon as kaku is mentioned. This piece can be improved with some suggestion & metaphor.

Title killed the suspense

LOL.. nice story.

Psychologically taut, spare, well developed characters with their own silences, a building mystery, twist revelations, several levels of conflict.

Excellent work!

disturbing. was her coldness towards bijoy out of possesiveness for the child or in order to reassure her husband?

Bullshit