Theme:
Epistolary.
An Epistolary Story is written in the form
of a series of documents. The usual form is letters, although dairy entries, or
newspaper clippings are sometimes used. In recent times, emails and blog
entries are used as well.
The Epistolary form can add greater realism
to the story because it mimics the workings of real life and also demonstrates
different points of view without recourse to the device of an omniscient
narrator.
There are three types of Epistolary stories:
Monologic (One narrator), dialogic (two narrators), or polylogic (with three or
more letter writing characters).
A crucial element in Epistolary stories is
the dramatic device of discrepant awareness i.e
the simultaneous correspondences of the protagonists and antagonists creating
dramatic tension.
I have chosen the monologic form of
Epistolary in my story.
***
I’ve
Got You.
Dear Di,
I’m so excited, Di! He asked me out! Can
you believe it? Ashish Verma…the
Ashish Verma has asked me out!
Me! Plain ol’ Neha Pinto, can you imagine!
Oh God! I can barely believe it, Di, I am SOOO excited…
Well, lemme start from the beginning. U
know that I have been crazy about him from day 1, right? So, I followed your
advice and enrolled myself for the same aerobics class that he goes to…and yes,
I even invested in the funky new wardrobe you had chosen for me…and guess what,
I even lost weight with all that serious working out, bcz I didn’t wanna make
it obvious to him that, you know, I was trying t get his attention…
And just like you suggested, I ignored him
completely! You won’t believe how hard it was for me to do that but I did, even
when I saw that bitch Rima hit on him constantly.
I spent the whole of last week agonizing
that he would end up with her after all…she is so slim, that horny bitch! Only
62 kilos! And I’ve been trying to lose the extra seven pounds from my big fat
ass for so long with no avail…The trainer told me that for my height of 5’4”, I
need to be only 58 kilos! Damn! You should have seen that bitch smirk when she
heard that!
Anyways, that blue halter top that you
purchased for me on amazon looks too good on me. I wore it yesterday to the workout
and by the end of the session I saw him checking me out in the mirror, clandestinely
of course.
And Di, I was so full of confidence
yesterday, that I didn’t even give an inkling that I was so aware of him
standing right next to me at the water kiosk. Gosh, I thought I’d die of
holding my breath for so long while keeping my face utterly devoid of expression!
Hehe!
And I had barely made it out of the center
when he called out to me, by my name! I hadn’t even been sure that such a
gorgeous guy was even aware of my existence, let alone know my name but then…he
did! Di, can u imagine?!
And it was all such a blur...all I remember
was that he looked so stunning in that fitted red tee and black slacks…wow Di, his
aftershave smells so sexy, it’s totally divine! And he invited me over to
Coffee day tomorrow at 7!
I can barely sleep now although it is well
past midnight…Di...what do I wear tomorrow?
Shall I wear those blue jeans that Ma
bought for us last Christmas? Or that green jumpsuit that makes me look taller?
Or would the purple halter with the plunging neckline do? No...That would make
me appear too desperate or something, right?
Uff, what the hell am I supposed to wear on
my first dream date, Di?
Wish u were here now…I know that’s not
possible… and that’s why I’m sending this long email…damn! Damn, I wish u were
here now, so u could’ve helped me with my makeup and hair too…
I know, I know…I won’t over do my makeup
bcz like u said, guys like natural beauty over made up brainless dolls. Hehe!
Anyways, I can go on forever as usual but I’ve
got practicals at 8 tomorrow, so I’d better try to catch my forty winks of
beauty sleep.
Lotsa
love, Neha.
***
17th
February, 2017. 10.08 PM.
Hi Di!
The date was amaaazing!
He got me my favourite pastry, yes, the
choco-latte one and a cappuccino too! He complimented my purple jumpsuit too,
said it looked so classy on me…Di…if there is a heaven on earth, it was at Coffee day
for me yesterday!
He was so casual and comfortable, when I
was such a nervous wreck! (Although I think I did a rather decent job of cool
nonchalance, Di, I deserve an Oscar for that!)
And guess what? He even invited me over to
his friend’s place on Saturday evening. His friend is leaving to the States and
they are throwing a goodbye party for him. Ashish wants me to go with him…WOW.
I’m over the moon, Di, I really am!
I’m gonna go shopping and I’ll send all the
pics of my purchases to you…You’ll help me choose the right outfit like u did
the last time, won’t you?
Love u sis!
BFN, Neha.
***
2nd
July, 2017. 1.12 AM.
Hi di!
Sorry, sorry, sorry.
I’ve been unable to keep u updated of
late…yeah I know you’re livid bcz I never called you, but I’ve been busy with
special classes in college, Di..Sorry..I’ll call u tonite ..there is something
I need to…discuss with you..
Ashish is …well..fine. You know, it’s hard
to believe that it has been five months already since that day he asked me out
to coffee day.
I dunno di…things are not as they used to be initially…there is
a nagging feeling at the pit of my tummy that something is really wrong Di..
I mean, he is generally attentive and sweet and
charming and all that but, I dunno how to say this Di..
Well…u being my sis and all, I shdn’t be
this shy, but Di, is it normal for a guy to not wanna kiss his gf even after so
many months?
Di, doesn’t it mean that he probably likes
someone else more than me?
Well, I'll call you tomorrow morning before
college, okay? Or I’ll catch you on Skype
too if u like..Please talk to me…I need to hear your voice...is it very cold
there, where you are? I wonder…
Anyways will sleep now, Di. It’s very late.
Love,
Neha.
***
28th
August, 2017. 8.07 PM.
Di! Sorry I missed calling you for so long.
Don’t worry di..im okay
I m in my room, I was…well…I m sobbing so
much that i cant talk to you or anyone else…
Di, I have been in such a shock all day
that i can barely believe this is happening to me…its all so weird, really..
You remember how I’d told u last week that
Ashish was avoiding me of late…well Di, ..I was sure that he has been seeing
someone else behind my back. I suspected that bitch Rima, but then, my friend
Vicky told me that Rima has been going steady with her old classmate from
school...and yet, this nagging feeling that Ashish is hiding something from me wouldn’t
go away..
And Di...I found out wat the hell was wrong.
Last evening, in the gym.
I’d told him that I’d be missing the class
bcz I had to complete my project, but then the last date for submission was
postponed to next week, so I decided to go after all…
And guess what? He wasn’t there! I finished
the session and was about to leave when there was a commotion at the end of the
hall, where they have locker rooms for long term customers and I heard loud
voices. I would have just left but I thought I heard his voice, in the melee...and of course ..my legs went over to the
locker room on their own accord.
And Di...it was awful...so awful…Ashish
was…he was half naked and the gym personnel were man handling him, accusing him
of inappropriate behaviour in a public place!
Di…
***
28th
August, 2017. 8.57 PM.
Sorry…I can’t stop crying…so many typos in
my last mail ..i know u will understand what ive typed…but Di..it was so
horrible…do u know who was caught with him in the locker room? Our gym instructor Di!
No, not that hot female who comes only on
weekends, but the other one…
Di, the other one…the guy. Yeah, that man, that
tall 52 year old bodybuilder, whose daughter was my batch-mate in PUC tuitions,
the wiry one who wore pigtails with red ribbons to class…u remember her don’t
u? Her dad is the gym instructor for the morning aerobics batches at our gym.
Di…I still can’t believe it! I dunno what
is worse, that he wasn’t cheating on me with another girl after all, or the
fact that he was a gay, but chose to string me along just to show the world that
he was like everyone else!
No wonder he didn’t wanna kiss me all those
times when we were alone! I know u told me he shdn’t be chatting on his phone
on our dates, but Di, u never guessed the truth, not even once, did you?
I can’t type any more. I’ll try not to cry
myself to sleep. U always told me to be a brave and strong girl, didn’t you?
I’ll try, Di.
Bye.
Neha.
***
16th
January, 2018. 9.02 PM.
Di, it has now been a year since you died
in that freak accident. I know that you have never read my e-mails nor called
me all these months, bcz, well, you have been dead all this while.
But then, Di…who else do I have in the
world to share my life with? Ma has barely remembered to call me in all these
months. Her new husband is keeping her well and truly occupied, enough to make
her forget her only daughter who is still alive. I don’t wanna go back home
these hols, I’d rather stay at the hostel instead of having to put up with Ma
and that man for a whole two months. I’ve already spoken to the hostel warden
about it.
I thought I’d marry that rascal Ashish one
day, but then you know how that fake relationship turned out.
Doesn’t matter Di, I’m not alone. I’ve got
you, haven’t I?
I know, I know…people would call me a crazy
nut, if they knew that I still talk to you, but Di, I Do, I really do! All I need to do is hold the phone to my ear and
I hear your sweet voice, telling me what to do, what to wear, what to say to
people…
And I open your pic on my lappy, you know, it’s the same one you sent to
me on the day before your car crash. And your smile reminds me of the way you
smiled at me & everyone else on Skype.
Haha! Didi. Who says that dead people
cannot stay on in our lives? That is so silly.
Didi, you still live on in my life bcz I’m
never gonna let u die…
I’ve got you, I’ll always do.
Just as you’ve got me too. Always and
forever.
Anyways, the latest news is, there’s this
new guy in the Commerce department…I’ll tell u all about him tomorrow on Skype,
okay?
Bye Di!
Love u forever and ever,
Your sis,
Neha.
*****
Note:
The inconsistencies and typing errors in the write-up are deliberate, in keeping with the mindset
of the protagonist.
Picture credits: Google images.
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