Voices

During a car ride:

Grey: This is a bad idea. It’ll wreck everything! At any age it’s rare to find someone who is this compatible. But at yours, it’s next to impossible. God only knows why the age difference didn’t deter him!

White: Because he’s not ageist!

Grey (Ignoring the interruption, continues): It was fun till things were casual. But this… this is bad!

Black: Yep! Get ready to say goodbye to hot sex!

White: Or, it could be a start of a new chapter. Think of it as an adventure. And, let’s not forget you do love him.

Black: Listen pumpkin, let’s not use the ‘L’ word just yet.

White: Why? He said it. 

Grey: But she hasn’t.

Rainbow: Don’t go there!

Grey: You had to pick this silly dress! It barely reaches your knees. What if his mother is one of those hidebound hard-asses who yells “Whore” at the sight of a woman’s kneecaps?

Black: Hidebound hard-asses don’t wait for kneecap’s debut. They see a woman with an opinion and they yell, “whore!”

Rainbow: She can’t be that bad.

Grey: Let’s hope not.

White: Oh, stop it! The way Henry talks about her, she sounds amazing and I bet she will love you just like Henry does.

Black (sniggering): Just like Henry does? 

White: You know what I mean! He is perfect. So smart, so kind, so loving…

Black: And so well equipped… Man is a beast in bed! I can’t believe you’re ruining all this by agreeing to meet with his mother!

Rainbow (feeling flushed): Quiet!

Three Minutes Later

Grey: Why the hell do you hate make-up? At your age, you need it!

Black: As if make-up would help! Does his mother know how old you are? That you can’t have and don’t want kids?

White: Henry doesn’t want kids either.

Black: Wanna bet who she’s gonna blame for that decision?

Grey: You should have worn that spandex. You’re looking bloated.

White: Everyone, shut up! We are here! Oh my god! I can feel butterflies in my stomach!

Black: You mean “our” stomach and a bloated one at that!

White: yeah, yeah… Oh, Henry is so caring. He always opens the door for her…

Black: I hate it.

Grey: As if we can’t open a door!

Rainbow sighs.

White: Whoah! This is a posh restaurant! How come we haven’t been here?

Black: We are poor.

Rainbow (nervously): Guys, quiet down. 

Black: You’re losing your strength, kid.

Rainbow takes deep breaths before getting out of the cab. Henry pulls her closer and kisses her cheek. She sweetly smiles at him, feeling a little better.

Henry (looking at her intently): Ready?

Rainbow (trying to seem convincing, smiles brightly): Of course!

Henry: You look lovely, you know.

White: Awwwww…..

Black: Ah, jeez! Get moving, man! We all know where this is heading!

Grey: Maybe you should run to the ladies room and pull your hair up in a bun? Maybe wearing them down wasn’t a good idea?

Rainbow (kisses Henry lightly on the lips): Thank you! Now let’s not keep your mum waiting.

Henry (holds out his arm): My lady…

Black: Ugh… He’s cheesy as fuck! If it weren’t for that toned, milky body…

Rainbow (sharply): Pipe down!

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Had the outline of this story knocking around my head for sometime now, but each time I’d login to make a post, one thing or the other, seeking my immediate attention, would pull me away. Today, forced by a bad state of health, I had to take a long break with the bright side being that I am finally writing this story down. The link in the word “silly” takes you, hopefully, to blogger Fandango’s site where you can find daily one word writing challenges. I found today’s word-prompt after reading my friend and fellow blogger Jen Goldie‘s post who regularly writes short stories and poems.

In case I failed to convey it well, the story is about a woman’s conversations with the voices in her head. Mental health struggles are so deeply misunderstood and vilified in societies all around the world that it’s often assumed that if one is suffering from a mental health issue, one must be a raging psychotic threatening to pull a gun on you, or, be a reclusive creep walking around like a ticking time bomb! The woman in this story, like millions of people with mental issues, is anything but. Just like most people do, she, too, has become used to dealing with her inner demons. So much so, that she is having a conversation as if she were amongst friends. Her vulnerability in failing to quiet down the negativity and her efforts to keep the little positive voice chirping despite the relentless criticism, all the while coming up with humorous retorts while playing all the parts, is, to me an interesting exploration of human strength and complexity.

@entangledesigns