My father leans over the balustrade to look at his garden. He is making sure plants that need protection from frost have been tended to. There is a chill in the evening air and a good chance that temperatures will dip below freezing tonight. I stand on my tippy toes, bolstered up by my elbows, chin …
The Case of the Missing Coat
Lucy entered the hospital through a side entrance to avoid passing the front desk receptionist who might recognize her. She had waited in the dark alley and when the old man entered she briskly tailgated in. She overtook him with a brief nod keeping her face averted. Lucy wore the white coat she had stolen earlier. It looks enough like a doctor's …
My New Friend
My day started as it usually does. I half opened my eyes: clear, sunny morning with a cool breeze in our loft, in my city, Dilli; you know the one - if there be heaven on earth, this is it, this is it – penned by a Mughal emperor who I guess fancied himself a poet too. Well I agree …
My First Friend
His name is Mahmoud. I don't think anything of it even though I know no one else by that name. True, my mother's name is Prakash and I have another aunt by that name. My father has a brother in law with the same name as his. So does uncle Sheel. But then, my name …
Holiday Thievery
Recent reports of robberies in the ritzy Union Square shopping district have left me intrigued. For example, Chanel on tony Maiden Lane reported the loss of a 40 thousand dollar bag! The police say a group of girls called the Rainbow Girls (no relation to another group) are responsible for that and many other such …
Closet Communications
When John and Mira went looking for a place to live in suburban San Francisco the first thing Mira wanted to check out were the closets. And she would laugh "this is not a closet, not even close!" Growing up, Mira's favorite place was the closet in her house. Besides being the place where she …
Murder in the Mansion
John stared out the window, hands behind his back, stiff, tense, bored. The rain had steadied to a drizzle but the atmosphere remained gloomy. A dull dark grey sky seemed to want to push through the big bay window into the room. John sighed. It was as if the greyness outside mirrored his mind. He hadn't …
Bread, Book and Candle
When Milo and Kirsten decided on a divorce, we all expected it to go smoothly. After all they had high-powered professional lives, were independently wealthy and blessed with good genes in the looks department. No kids. Milo was the son of globe trotting diplomats (tact flowed in his veins in place of blood) and Kirsten …
Miles to Go and All That
Dear Rani Lakshmi Bai, Most people won't write to you because you are not only dead but you have been dead for more than a 100 years. But I have to. You, Queen of Jhansi, leader of men, I want you to know that poems have been written about you, children sing songs about you, …
One Evening in the Park
The man was lounging in the park, discontent oozing out of every pore, when he heard a car door click. He ran to hide behind the bushes, and saw a petite woman walking away from her car, towards the open space in the middle , carrying a yoga mat. It was clear that she was …
Neerja Raman 