Friday, June 15, 2012

Friday Night Music

Rahul Miglani, a fellow blogger gave me this challenge to write a fiction in not more than 
3000 words which must include the following -  A honeymoon couple, tears , 
kinky, dwell, sincere, sky, lipstick, cherish, breezy, rose and satin.
Rahul, here it goes...!!




Tony comes here every Friday night. Mostly the same old drunk faces greet him. Maybe sometimes a few new ones too. He doesn't remember faces much. He is too drunk each Friday.

As Tony entered the dimly lit, smoky pub, he could hear Rose already making music. Her usual numbers. She was strumming her guitar, in a way that was as pleasant as her looks. Tony looked closely at her. Her dusky skin, red dress, high heels and matching lipstick made her look attractive. 

'Those drunk swines will pounce upon her in no time', he muttered .

Tony went over to the bar and asked for his drink. It'll be a while till Rose starts becoming careless and sloppy with her music. It will be his turn then. He looked around the pub. Cigars had been lit, smoke had filled up the tiny room. The low powered fancy light bulbs enclosed by ergonomically designed satin light-shades where hanging dangerously low from thin,kinky-looking metal chains. The blinds on the two small windows had been shut tight enough to hide every evidence of a breezy evening and a starry sky outside. All in all, it was a perfect ambiance for a Friday night drink.

In the table by the window, there were two men in their mid-forties, down with their third drink. They were rolling their own cigarettes and were talking in hushed tones.

A couple, most likely a honeymoon couple, had taken the corner table and were engrossed in a sincere lip lock. Her wine remained untouched and his beer unnoticed.
A large group of men had taken the big table in the centre. Their pink health and porky hands told they were well-off, but with a troubled horizon. Four drinks down, the philosophers in each had started to peek out!

None in this small, dingy pub cherished music.

Rose drank while she sang. It was her fourth when her words started slipping and her tune started tripping. Sounds of laughter and mockery were the only thing that reached her ears. Tony silently walked up to the small wooden stage and took over. He was drunk, yet his voice was as smooth as a satin.

Rose walked up to bar and sat down quietly. Her eyes had welled up with tears. She let them flow. After what seemed like an eternity, Rose felt a soft touch on her shoulder. She looked up to find Tony. He planted a light kiss on her lips.

"Tony...", she choked on her words.

"Hush Rose, don't cry. It'll be our day soon", he whispered into her ears as he held her close, "when we will make music for the world".

Music dwells in their heart. They were no different from each other. They were two unrecognized, struggling, starving, musicians who kept returning to the pub every week for the same goddamned reason.

"Rose..."

"Yes, Tony...", she whispered in her hoarse voice.

"We got an offer to perform in a show at Texas next weekend", Tony's voice cracked as he broke the news to Rose.

A speechless Rose looked at Tony. Her tears were uncontrollable now. The only difference being they for shed with joy. Tony's eyes welled up too.

'It's a small step towards our big dream Rose".

After a long time they smiled. They were happy. They clinked glasses.

"To Friday Night Music."

28 comments:

  1. A story to say, when you love what you do and pursue it, even with the tiniest bit of hope, it can come true. Very nice.

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    1. Leo! Thanks sooo much for everything! Your comments are something I always look forward to :)

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  2. Very skillfully placed,well contrived story. love it. :)

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  3. Love......the truth in it binds two souls together even if they go through turbulent times. The story is a perfect example how they stood for each other and shared the pain to see light at the end of the dark tunnel.


    Its an awesome write-up. Kudos to the one who wrote this.

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    1. Thanks Jeet! Its about the struggle period we all face in life at some point or the other. And how having a loved one helps!

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  4. Liked it, very skillfully written. But if I was writing it, I would have changed the name "Rose" to something more contemporary. Rose to me brings up images of mediaval times, but you were referring to more modern times.

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    1. Glad you liked it Anonymous! For me Rose is very synonymous to the pretty Kate Winslet in the movie Titanic, which isn't much medieval! :)

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  5. :-) Very well written.Keep up the good work...

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  6. The first para made me glued to it.
    awesome Narration , awesome picturesqueness , I loved it.
    I wish you all luck , you just made the perfect reply to my challenge.
    kudos !

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    1. First of all, thanks Rahul for the wonderful challenge! I thouroghly enjoyed writing this. And am glad you liked it! :)

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  7. Actually it was too great..the description was awesome..I loved the way you described the pub environment and the people are you. Loved it

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  8. Hmm...umm..well...okay...good...nice...hmm...umm...well...okay...good...

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  9. Lots of hearts, short story..What more do you need on a lazy sunny afternoon drinking Pina Colada with Sunny by your side ;)

    I liked the description ( Gosh! You have got experience woman !! )

    Seems inspired by a personal event..

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    1. DG..! its not experience, man! its just imagination!! :P and no, its purely fictional, not a shadow of personal experience!

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  10. Apala I love that way you handled the challenge. You tied up the words in an interesting and unpredictable manner and churned out this beautiful piece of love and struggle. Keep writing! :-)

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    1. Thanku Di..! encouraging words from you really keeps me going! keep visiting :)

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  11. brilliant, lovethe way you have handled the challenge, and used the words beautifuly... the words just formed a patr of the story which y itself is commendable.


    P:S - please get rid of the captcha :(

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  12. Wow..!! That one was unpredictable.. I like the fact that till the last line I couldn't tell what the story was turning into. Good one.. :)

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    1. You know what.. I had to get back and write this coz I strongly feel you deserve this.. You have a Charles Dickens style of writing where you describe with immense detail to a point where the reader can visualize the scene you are telling.. Its a gift..Keep it up..!! :)

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    2. Wowieee!!! That too much of a compliment! Anyway, thanks much for visiting my blog and leaving your feedback! You know it is highly encouraging when you drop by :)

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