Two Paper Tissues and a Conversation | Flash Post 466

Button, Let’s try and make this into one of our most challenging posts! It’s also our first this year. The idea struck me a few days back and I had no idea how to take it ahead!

Let’s do it. What are we writing on?

About a conversation between two white paper tissues.

Really! That could be challenging but…

Shonu and Monu, two paper napkins were lying side by side. Shonu said to Monu, “How did you land up here? What’s your name?”

“I’m Monu. What’s yours and how long have you been here?”

“I’m Shonu. I have been around for a couple of days! So what brings you here, Monu?”

“Last night, the madam of the house, after having used me to wipe her perfectly manicured fingers, folded me up into a perfect square and took me to her room where she gently put me down. When I woke up this morning, I found myself lying next to you. I must have, at some point, slipped off because I distinctly remember that she placed me down just above you!”

“Monu, you didn’t slip off. I pushed you down because you were sleep-talking and I was unable to sleep!”

“What did I say! Was it all blabber!”

“Blabber about how you had been dislodged from a bigger room with a big television where you watched movies from time to time with your tissue friends and how you were concerned about where those friends were! You also mumbled something about finding your way back to that room which had the television and teaching madam a lesson for moving you out. You kept calling out to Shonali and Deepak. Monalisa and Nupur. Plus many more. Did you know them? By the way, are you a Kishor Kumar fan because I also heard you hum some of his songs, yodel, whistle and shake your booty and, I must say, you have a lovely voice!”

“Yes. I am a big, big fan of Kishor Kumar. Have we not met before? Don’t you remember Shonali and Deepak? Monalisa? She’s was a real stunner! And Nupur—she used to regale us with her stories and was a fantastic mimic! She used to mimic Mamata di best!”

“Monu, that could be because we come from different batches. My friends were Sunil and Maya. Monalika and Arjun. Parul and Ambica. We used to have so much fun listening to Bollywood gossip while the family sat for tea in the living room every evening. Also stories about politicians, art, music, the weather and a whole bunch of other stuff! I’d say we are fortunate that we were gently handled and moved from one room to another within the same house and not crumpled and thrown into a bin like everyone else does after using paper tissues! Each day that madam folds us up and takes us to her room at night means that she will be using us again and we have one more night and, perhaps, even a day more to live!

“I didn’t see it like that. I felt bored going back and forth without doing anything. My time was divided into two where I stayed put in one spot in madam’s room staring at a television the family have never used since it was installed. You are so wise, Shonu! But my question to you is: What do we do now? How do we spend all the time we have on our hands? Lie back and talk about the good times we had? For how long?”

“Exactly what you said: Lie back and enjoy the time you have on your hands. Sing some more Kishor Kumar numbers so I can laze and listen to you. Look around and appreciate how night follows day and vice versa. Do you know what twilight even looks like? If you look out of the window to your right, you’ll get your answer! Have you watched daybreak? Have you even noticed there’s a garden outside where you live? Have you seen Messi scramble up the iron gate and disappear? He actually climbs to the top of the roof and sunbathes! There are a million things you can do if you stopped cribbing!

“I’ll sing some of those old Kishor Kumar numbers while you listen.”

“That’s the way to go, my friend.  So what song are you going to sing for me today?

“Help, Shonu…”