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Monday, July 24, 2006

Killing a friend

A friend visited me this weekend after a long, long time. Before I move into the main story I must tell you that he hasn’t changed a bit since the last time we met 15 years ago. Same old personality; same old physique. Perhaps he has become a little chubbier and slightly taller, but his warm smile is still flowered with the same old enthusiasm. Sriram was gracious enough to give his room to our guest for a day. While he was having a shower, I walked in to the room and saw his stuff spread all around the bed. In the chaos was an old copy of ‘The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor’. I picked it up and causally turned the soiled front jacket. Man! I couldn’t believe what I saw! Hand written autograph by the great author himself – Gabriel Garcia Marquez! I turned the next page, and there was a hand drawn smiley face with one more signature!

At that instant I became unbearably green with envy. I wanted that book, and wanted it badly. I knew he would just laugh at me if I ask him. So I thought about killing him. I like my friend a lot, but I have other friends too. But this book - this is one of a kind. I planned to press a pillow down on his face while he slept. Then I could drag him along the trail and toss him to the Lick Mill Creek, which runs right behind our home. He could spend the rest of the night there while the crocodiles worked overtime on his sorry ass.

So I lay in wait last evening. After dinner, he was watching ‘The flight of the phoenix’ on my sofa, and I was keeping an eager eye on him to doze off. It was 11:30 and he exhibited no desire to sleep. It was 12:30 and still the guy was sipping beer and watching TV. I dont remember when I slept off, but I woke up today morning on the sofa still holding the pillow that I wanted to press down on him. I guess either he got lucky or the crocodies were terribily unlucky. Because he was still sitting there with my son watching Elmo!

He got away this time. But if he ever comes back to my house with that book, he may be more difficult to locate than Sukumara Kurup, once I'm through with him.

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