Daily Prompt : Juicy

In response to daily post’s one-word prompt : Juicy

On the backyard of our home in Comilla Bangladesh, we had a lot of mango trees. Some of the trees had mangoes that were really juicy, they were called chushnio  aam(mango  capable of being sucked) all we had to do was  make a hole on top and squeeze the  juice in our mouth.

I never liked mangoes but I had fun watching my brother sucking the juice of these special mangoes. He was little and had no idea how to hold the mango properly, so more juice ended up on his shirt than his mouth. I’d make fun of him and say, ‘looks like you shared the juice with your clothes and your face?’

You could see half of his face covered with yellow mango juice.   🙂

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Daily prompt: Only Sixteen

Tell us about the person you were when you were sixteen. If you haven’t yet hit sixteen, tell us about the person you want to be at sixteen.

When I was sixteen, I was a first year student in a local co-ed. college. I had a few friends, one of them felt sorry for me, because she knew my sister-in -law before I knew her, she didn’t think too highly of her. As time passed I became aware what my new friend told me.

I wasn’t fond of the new addition in our family, but was afraid to express my opinion for I was scared of my eldest brother who was her husband.

I remember my brother was not nice anymore he believed his wife and she took full advantage of our insecurity. At some point I believed this torture will  come to an end. I will be free to lead my life independently and my brother won’t be able to threaten me.

I carried the feeling of dislike towards both and a few years later, refused an invitation to his house for dinner. He told me he bought prawns, my favorite shell fish, and his wife would cook it for me. I told him, “You eat your prawns I’m not interested.”

My sister thought I was cruel to refuse the invitation. I didn’t think so, the way he treated me and the younger siblings left a scar too deep to forgive him.

I know if Dad was alive I’d have a wonderful time, but too bad he wasn’t and I had a tough time at that young age.

Even though I stayed quiet, the love and respect I had for my brother vanished forever. My home circumstances taught me to mistrust everyone when I was sixteen. I know it’s a terrible thing , I cannot write an amazing story when I was sixteen, it would be a lie if I did.

………………………………. 🙂

 

Daily Prompts: Brilliant Disguise

Tell us about a time when someone had you completely fooled, where the wool was pulled right over your eyes and you got hoodwinked, but good. Was it a humorous experience or one you’d rather forget? What was the outcome?

Once my uncle came to visit us, he was a politician who always disguised himself so no one would recognize him. This particular day he had a long bushy beard, we never saw him with a beard. My brother did not know who he was, both were arguing, my brother was about to throw him out, when I heard him I was in the bathroom, I recognized his voice,I told my brother it is our uncle.

My brother was embarrassed, I had a  good laugh, I told my uncle, it was good  he didn’t disguise his voice, if he had my brother would have thrown him out of our house.

My mother was praying at that time, when she heard the noise she came out to see what was going on, she smiled and said,  “Dear brother, when will you stop being so silly?”

……………………………………. 🙂

Daily Prompt: Circle of Five

A writer once said ,” you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” If this is true which five people would you like to spend your time with?

The five people I’d like to spend my time with are 1. Valerie(my neighbor) 2. Evie ( my college friend) 3. Dilruba (my friend) 4. my daughter and  5. my brother.

All the people I have mentioned possess very unique qualities.

Valerie is an English Prof in the university, she is a delightful person. Recently she came back from Ireland after a three week trip. She brought a beautiful scarf for me.

Evie is my college friend, she has a very sweet personality, she calls me often to tell me about the places she visited. She tells me not to call her, she has a plan where it doesn’t cost her much to call. I told her it doesn’t cost me much either. She insists she’d call me. Isn’t she sweet?

Dilruba is my friend who lives in Montreal, she is very good to me when I visit her. She has three awesome kids, I love them all.

My daughter is an angel, she does a lot for me. She loves to give me gifts. I adore her.

And what can I say about my brother, he is the kindest person I know. He is a writer. He offers online courses. I love taking these courses, I must admit I have learned a lot. I thank him for all the information he provides us.

The above are the five fabulous people I love and adore. They are delightful and the most trustworthy people I know.They make our world a very happy place.

………………………………:)

 

Writing 101 Day Twelve: Dark clouds on the (Virtual) Horizon

Today’s Prompt: Write a post inspired by a real-world conversation.

Today’s twist:include an element of foreshadowing of your post.

One day I came back from college and found my mother holding a letter and crying. I asked her why she was so upset, ‘it’s  your brother’s letter from  Chittagong,’ she barely finished the sentence and let out a heartbreaking cry.

“Ranu” she said ,” you have to go immediately to look after your sick brother.”

We only had one train that went to Chittagong, I didn’t know whether it had come and gone, or there was a possibility I could get it.

I found out there still was time, the train arrives at 4 pm, it was 2 pm . I quickly gathered my belonging and headed to the station in a rickshaw. I bought my ticket and waited in the lounge. The train came promptly at 4 pm . I boarded the train and for four hours I thought the worst, how was he,is he seriously ill, will he live, am I going to see him alive?

After exactly four hours we reached Chittagong station. I got off and immediately hired a rickshaw to my brother’s place. I found my sick brother lying in bed, my eldest brother and his wife were somewhere else. My eldest sister who also lived in the same house was doing her own thing.

I soon realized all the siblings there had no desire to look after the sick brother. I went to my brother’s room, collected his medication and noted the times each should be given.

I was there about a week , my brother was recovering well, I wondered when I could go home.

I was sitting in an empty room thinking how I should ask the siblings when I could leave. Unexpectedly I heard them having a serious discussion, I leaned closer, I heard my name, it was my sister in her loud voice : “I don’t think she should be here any longer, she is missing her classes, which she loves to do.”

I did not have the patience to hear her anymore, I packed my bags, next morning, called a rickshaw and was on my way out.

She stopped me pretending she was surprised, “Where are you going Ranu?”

I was livid, I replied:”Where do you think?” I walked out the door, got in the rickshaw and was off to the station.

……………………………

 

 

DP Daily Prompt: Cut Off

When was the last time you felt really, truly lonely?

It was a while ago, my mother went to the village to see her sister-in-law, although my eldest brother and his wife were there, I felt uncomfortable and lonely. My brother had just married, and he was one of those men who was always ready to scold us whenever his new bride complained against us.

During this time my aunt(Mom’s youngest sister) came for a visit with her children and uncle also came. Mom left us a servant who she thought would help us. I hate to say it he was dumber than dumb. All he would do whenever I asked him to do something he’d  find a room and fall asleep. My aunt I’m not sure if she ever did any house work, she was a housewife lacking the skills of being one.

It was just me fourteen years old taking care of cooking, even gave a bath to her infant daughter, aunt would sit around and gab. those were the times I missed my mom and dad, I felt lonely I worked day in and day out but never heard a single “Thank You”. My mom was visiting her brother and his wife and dad died when I was twelve. I never had a soul to talk to. my younger siblings were scared of big brother so they kept out of sight.

Those were the kind of days I wished no one should face!

https://sabethville.wordpress.com/2015/02/24/dp-daily-prompt-cut-off/

365 Writing Prompt: Whoa!

What’s the most surreal experience you’ve ever had?

A few years ago my brother died, before he died  he left some instructions for my younger sister. He communicated with her on the phone. I did not know what he said, she told me what it was about.

After his death I asked her to carry out his wishes, she refused and told the other siblings ‘I was lying.”

I really felt bad, I told my husband, he felt, my brother needed to put the instructions in his will.

Early one morning I dreamed my brother came to the house, I asked  him about his instructions to my younger sister,he smiled and said I told her to divide equally among the siblings.

I asked him to write it on a piece of paper what the instruction was, I even saw him writing it.

When I awoke it was 6 am, I kept wondering, “Did he really visit me?”

https://sabethville.wordpress.com/2015/02/11/365-writing-prompt-whoa/

 

DP Daily Prompt: Connect the Dots

Open your nearest book to page 82. Take the third full sentence on the page, and work it into a post somehow.

He smiles.

I entered my living room to look for a book, suddenly I felt there was someone else, besides me, I turned around, at first I could not recognize him, he called my name, I looked up straight at him and asked, ” what brings you here?”

My unfriendly question took him by surprise. He smiles. ” Wow you’ve changed he said, do you always welcome your guests this way?”

It was my time to reply, “not really I said, you always show up when you want something, I’m afraid today is a bad day I’m in no mood to give you anything, please leave.”

He stood up I could see clearly he was disappointed, I was in a sour mood and was hardly in a giving mood, he quietly left without saying another word.

It was a few years ago my brother Waseem wrote a book, he sent the draft to one of his friends, I knew nothing about it, I was angry, he did not trust me enough to let me know about his book.

His friend liked what he wrote, he published it in his name, my brother found out about it but took no action against his friend.

This was the first time I saw my brother, I was still annoyed with him  for being so stupid, he trusted anyone and everyone but could not trust his own sister,somehow he thought if it’s a friend, he is trustworthy.

I could not believe he’d come after all these years to see me, after he left I got ready to go out to run some errands, on my way out I saw something in the mailbox, it was an envelope I picked it up, came inside to see who left this piece of mail for me.

It was a note from my brother, he apologized for not trusting me, this time he said, “I’ve written another book I  want you to read the draft and let  me know what you think.”

Those words made me so happy, I instantly forgave him and invited him to come to the house for dinner!

k: https://sabethville.wordpress.com/2015/01/14/dp-daily-promp…nnect-the-dots/

 

DP Daily Prompts: Unsung Heroes

We all have our semi-secret, less known personal favorites –a great B-side, an early work by an artist that later became famous, an obscure(but delicious) family recipe. Share one of your unsung heroes with us–how did you discover it? Why has it stayed off everyone’s radar?

I have a few unsung heroes on my list, one of them is my dad, his accomplishments were many, unfortunately he was in a part of the world where his gift was not recognized, instead of welcoming him, they tried to push him aside, they were not successful, but he died very young.

Second is one of my youngest brother, he was a brilliant student, he loved to read about everything, he was doing Phd. in space science, he too like my dad died early.

Then there was my mom, she’d wow anyone with her cooking skills, friends and family knew her, the knowledge of her gift stayed within the family and friends.

At this moment I know another gifted individual, who is capable of being very famous, he knows it but as far as I know, he doesn’t use his potential as he should which in my mind is a shame.

k: https://sabethville.wordpress.com/2014/12/15/dp-daily-prompts-3/

365 Writing Prompt: From the gut

Tell us about the last time you had a real,deep, crying-from–laughing belly laugh.

I cannot remember laughing that hard, I do laugh when some of my siblings make mistakes. Once one of our aunt asked my brother,Riaz,  “How is your middle sister?” He was disturbed, instead of giving a reply, he showed he didn’t like the question.

He said, ” She is not my middle sister she is My  sister”.

There have been many occasions  I laughed because some of the questions my classmates asked were stupid. I know I shouldn’t but I could not control myself.

I know laughter is the best medicine, it’s not always easy to laugh I think.

: https://sabethville.wordpress.com/2014/07/04/365-writing-pr…t-from-the-gut/