Catch-22
He looked exasperatedly at the queue ahead of him. He would miss meeting the client for his sales pitch. The cascading effect of that made him grimace.
A faint ringtone brought him back from the anxious thoughts. As he took out his phone from the pocket, he speculated if the call was from the boss ‘reminding’ about his targets and/or impending pink slip.
The phone screen showed 38 missed calls in 10 mins! He wondered what was going on.
As his wife excitedly shared the news of a new life, he wondered if he was chasing misery or unleashing hope.
This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda. We give out creative writing prompts each weekend for Indian bloggers. This time your entry must contain, ‘38 missed calls in 10 mins! He/She wondered what was going on.’
November 9, 2013 10:45 pm|
Really catch 22!! I can’t imagine what he would do next, now! 🙂
November 9, 2013 10:48 pm|
You are on a vacation na?? 😆
Yes, a big dilemma he is into! 😐
November 9, 2013 11:41 pm|
this is so lovely!
🙂
November 11, 2013 1:42 pm|
Thank you Ankita 🙂
November 10, 2013 1:19 am|
38 missed calls in 10 minutes – what a network jam! The cell phone company should start restricting these missed calls 😛
He seems to be chasing misery. BTW!
Destination Infinity
November 11, 2013 1:48 pm|
Guess, the network was working fine, it is just that in the din around and within, he didnt hear the ringing cell phone 😛
Hmmm… could be, it all depends on the attitude that one has towards situations!!
November 10, 2013 8:47 am|
It’s sad when the wife is full of hope for the new member the husband trying to make both ends meet is miserable.Nice take on the prompt.
November 11, 2013 1:49 pm|
Life’s like that… Thanks Kalpana 🙂
November 10, 2013 9:30 am|
My personal feel is that it’s unleashing a new hope for him. A responsibility with love and not burden. Nice take 🙂
November 11, 2013 1:50 pm|
That’s a positive outlook towards the challenges that life throws our way! Thank you Hari 🙂
November 10, 2013 9:42 am|
Ahhhh. That’s a lovely story. Pity for the guy. Now he has to huzzle and buzzle to feed 3 people.
November 11, 2013 2:02 pm|
Yeah, life’s not easy for men too! Thank you SG, glad you liked this story 🙂
November 10, 2013 11:07 am|
I love the way you drabble Shilpa and this one is ‘power packed’ 😀
November 11, 2013 2:02 pm|
Thanks a lot, Bhagyashree 🙂
November 10, 2013 2:50 pm|
Delightful drabble!!! Hope your protagonist balances both worlds successfully.
November 11, 2013 2:03 pm|
I hope so too, Jini. Thanks 🙂
November 10, 2013 5:02 pm|
i think a new hope that is going to charge him up 😀
November 11, 2013 2:05 pm|
Yeah, looking at the things from a positive perspective always help. 🙂
November 10, 2013 5:36 pm|
A little happiness in the busy life…. Even thou he have to slog more now..
November 11, 2013 2:07 pm|
Hmmm… that’s true. Hope he thinks from that perspective too 🙂
November 10, 2013 6:06 pm|
A little happiness but still increased burden. I think this is a poignant piece. I think a lot of us feel overwhelmed when given news like that. Still, by the time the new addition arrives everyone is excited, elated, and happy to welcome him or her. Brilliant story!
November 11, 2013 2:18 pm|
Well said, only when the news sinks in, we are able to enjoy it! Thanks Kathy! Glad you enjoyed this one 🙂
November 11, 2013 7:36 am|
Always difficult to balance our careers with ‘life’!
November 11, 2013 2:20 pm|
Well said, Corinne… difficult and delicate!!
November 11, 2013 10:16 am|
Loved your take on the prompt…100 words conveyed so much. All he best for the wow 🙂
November 11, 2013 2:34 pm|
Thank you Preethi 🙂
November 11, 2013 11:40 am|
Another drabble perfectly executed! Seems like a real catch-22, wonder what his mind and heart felt in that moment…
November 11, 2013 2:36 pm|
A confusion perhaps… 🙂
November 11, 2013 11:47 am|
WOW! Good take on the prompt!! Truly a catch-22 situation.
November 11, 2013 2:36 pm|
Oh yes… poor guy! Thanks Asha 🙂
November 11, 2013 12:06 pm|
Tough situation indeed. But it’s definitely a unleashing of hope I think
November 11, 2013 2:39 pm|
True, as they say, keep your face always toward the sunshine – and shadows will fall behind you!!
November 11, 2013 12:13 pm|
Oh boy, such a wonderful contrast in the limited words..
November 11, 2013 2:40 pm|
Thanks Hrishikesh 🙂
November 11, 2013 2:27 pm|
Life can be tough at times, and it depends on the person’s attitude towards life that would make or break things/ situations around them.
November 11, 2013 2:42 pm|
Absolutely, Rama. Like they say, attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference… If you say you can or you can’t you are right either way!!
November 11, 2013 4:47 pm|
Short and crisp, good one Shilpa.
November 11, 2013 10:35 pm|
Thks Indrani 🙂
November 11, 2013 10:34 pm|
why 38 I wonder? (In the prompt!)
And yes, a perfect Catch-22 situation! nicely written Shilpa 🙂
November 11, 2013 10:42 pm|
I just calculated… if you dial a number and if it is unanswered it goes into voice mail after 50 seconds. So ideally in 10 minutes, one should have been able to give 12 missed calls (10 min x 60 secs/50 sec=12 missed calls) But looks like the caller here disconnected after few rings, thus the number of missed calls is so high in 10 minutes! 😉 😆
Glad you liked this story, Pixie 🙂
November 12, 2013 9:00 am|
Lovely story, Shilpa! How life balances the bitter with the sweet!
November 12, 2013 5:48 pm|
True, life always balances itself out… Thks Rachna 🙂
November 12, 2013 10:57 am|
Here he has his work,his targets at the back of his mind–there a new chapter begins in his life.
Isnt life a mystery?
November 12, 2013 6:07 pm|
Oh yes, life’s a mystery… an adventure, a puzzle, waiting to be found, to be followed, to be fixed.
November 12, 2013 8:16 pm|
A catch 22 situation! Perfectly depicted in a limited number of words.
November 14, 2013 11:11 pm|
Thank you Ma’am 🙂
November 13, 2013 5:26 pm|
superb 100 words!! catch 22 indeed!!
November 14, 2013 11:12 pm|
Thanks LP 🙂