Rivalry
Two brothers are trying to solve a puzzle. The answer to which is 'flamenco'. But they don't know it yet and they have been staring at the page for a few minutes now. Please God, pleads the younger of the two silently, give me the answer. My brother has everything in life. Heck, he even found a free voucher in the cereal box last week. Me, I never win anything. My relationship is a mess and my career a non-starter. My car brokedown on the way here and I can never find trousers my size. It's all going wrong for me. Just let me solve this puzzle before he does. By now, it has been close to 4 minutes that the brothers have been focussed on the clue with no sign of cracking it. The answer is on page 56, suggests the older brother, should we take a look? If you insist, says the younger brother. Shrugging his shoulder as if he didn't care.
p.s. Inviting readers to write the other side of this story. From the point of view of the older brother. Call it 'Around the same time as a quick tale 158' and post it in the comment section or email me at ammania@gmail. com
18 comments:
Oh God! I think like that all the time when Im competing with my sister for the most silliest things! I am an awful person! LOL!
Good one Ammani!
Hmmm. The younger brother has attitude problems - isn't strong enough to impose his will. (But Boo, in my opnion, doesn't fit the bill :) )
how well u put into words what goes on in the mind
Amani,
I was getting impatient, so I posted my version on my blog, hope you don't mind.
Around the same time as a quick tale 158
The older brother is thinking:
Damn it, damn it, damn it. I can't believe I don't have it. It's been three minutes 53 seconds and I don't have a clue. Well, I have a clue, but that's only because it's right there next to the puzzle. Of course, he doesn't have it either. I mean, it's him. He'd be dancing naked right now if he had it. All his life he's used every petty thing to put me down. Exactly this kind of thing. That stupid cereal voucher... he went around telling everybody how I tore the box and spilled cereal all over the floor. I'm lucky he hasn't found out about my wife and her sleeping with the enemy bit. Oh god, was it him? Should I ask her when I go home? OK, focus. I don't have it. He doesn't have it. I'm just going to say it before he cracks it. "The answer is on page 56, should we take a look?"
G
Around the same time as QT 158
Two brothers are trying to solve a puzzle. The answer to which is 'flamenco'. But they don't know it yet and they have been staring at the page for a few minutes now. Gypsy, dance, clap, stamp - clues keep flashing in his head, the elder one. He knows it from somewhere but can't quite get it yet. He looks at his brother , equally frantic to solve the puzzle. "Poor sod, his life is a mess. I wish I could do something to help him", he thinks. Eight letter word with third letter 'a', sixth letter 'n' and ending with 'o'. 'Flamenco' - the answer has to be flamenco. He feels like yelling out loud that he has cracked it. But he looks at the younger one's frenzied efforts to better him, something he has had to do since his kindergarten. He restrains himself and then calmly suggests, "The answer is on page 56. Should we take a look?"
“Yes, I have it, Flamenco Flamenco”, the older one wanted to scream, like Archimedes out of the bathtub. But of course he couldn’t. That would spoil everything. After all catching a mouse is hardly the ultimate in cool. Any idiot can do it. But how many of them know to enjoy their kill, get the most out of it. Cain and Abel, yes, that’s what we’re like, he mused. Look at him, the duffer, screwing up his face, trying so hard to get this simple word. The focal men shifted, moving around the bird. He can’t even get that. 3 minutes and 56 seconds, let me give him another four before I go in for the kill. He doesn’t have a job, his car is a laugh on wheels, and I know no girl is ever going to marry him. But at least he wasn’t foolish enough to get infected and become HIV positive.
The older one shouted, “Flamenco, you idiot, flamenco. However long you live, you are never going to be half as smart as me!”
(Also on my blog)
'Around the same time as a quick tale 158'
Two brothers are trying to solve a puzzle. The answer to which is 'flamenco'. But they don't know it yet and they have been staring at the page for a few minutes now. ‘M-O-C-N-E-L-A-F, Fanmeloc, Flamecon’ muttered the older brother under his breath, rapidly trying to unscramble the jumble. “Wish I could just write it down in capital letters in a circle so that it would be easier to solve. If only we had not challenged each other to do it mentally. Please God, let me get this one first. He seems to think I am too good at it. He doesn’t know I solve most of the Hindu Crossword & Indian Express Jumble using the crossword solver & the jumble solver on the internet.” By now, it has been close to 4 minutes that the brothers have been focussed on the clue with no sign of cracking it. I can hear Ramya coming. Let’s annoy her by solving it before her. Quick, the answer is on page 56, suggests the older brother, should we take a look? If you insist, says the younger brother. Shrugging his shoulder as if he didn't care.
Wah ! Brilliant ! Some of these responses. I had one half written up as well. But it's hard to finish it now after being spoilt by some of these answers !
Rivalry
Two brothers are trying to solve a puzzle. The answer to which is 'flamenco'. But they don't know it yet and they have been staring at the page for a few minutes now.
It has been close to 4 minutes that the brothers have been focussed on the clue with no sign of cracking it.
The elder brother could not solve it and thought if i am not able to crack this, my younger brother who is a big loser cannot even dream of solving it.
The answer is on page 56, suggests the older brother, should we take a look?
Wow, loved a couple of the responses. But my first idea was totally different. Interesting how different people think of different things.
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Two brothers are trying to solve a puzzle. The answer to which is 'flamenco'. But they don't know it yet and they have been staring at the page for a few minutes now.
Please God, pleads the elder of the two silently, give me the answer. My brother gets everything easy in life. Heck, even when I find a free voucher to a rock concert, it looks I'll be out of town. So guess who gets to go?! With me, everything's a struggle. I have daily fights with my wife, but can't get out my marriage. He's got a different girl every week, and they seem to be getting younger and hotter. I have to work 70 hour weeks just to pay the mortgage, he casually switches careers like his girlfriends. He's got no worries, he can just borrow everything from me--car, money, clothes. It's all going wrong for me. Just let me solve this puzzle before he does.
By now, it has been close to 4 minutes that the brothers have been focussed on the clue with no sign of cracking it.
Maybe I'll ask him if we can look at the answer. There he goes again, shrugging it off without a care in the world.
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-pr
Like I said, a lot of these have been good.
But...The last one by Pr takes the cake ! Awesome ! :)
Around the same time as a quick tale 158
Two brothers are trying to solve a puzzle. The answer to which is 'flamenco'. But they don't know it yet and they have been staring at the page for a few minutes now. The elder brother sneaks a look at his watch and thinks, "Hmm, its almost 4 minutes since we started this. I am hungry - I can hear my wife setting the table. I just can't think with all the rumbling in my stomach.". Glances at his brother and wonders, "My stubborn brother - can't he just give up? The answer could be Timbuktoo for all I care. Why is he looking as though his whole life depends on this? God, I am really hungry now". Turns to brother and says "Dude, the answer is on page 56, can we take a look?"
Two brothers are trying to solve a puzzle. The answer to which is 'flamenco'. But one of them doesn't know it yet, and they have been staring at the page for a few minutes now. 'I wonder if he knows I know the answer already?', thinks the elder brother. 'After all, I have done this puzzle already. Twice, in fact' 'Poor kid, let me make it easy for him'
"The answer is on page 56", suggests the older brother, "should we take a look?"
"If you insist", says the younger brother. Shrugging his shoulder as if he didn't care. But the older one knows he cares. He could see the little thank you in his eyes.
The elder brother thinks "Whats the point? Why are we solving crossword puzzles now? Is it going to change the world? Stop global warming? Life is pointless and these crossword puzzles make it worse. Look at this silly brother of mine. Everything excites him. I got a free voucher last week and he got excited. Who needs these stupid free vouchers? A voucher that takes you nowhere in life. Is it me or is something wrong with people these days? People like my brother are everywhere. People who get excited by the silliest of things and think I am lucky to have gotten some of these silly things. God! I need to go to work tomorrow morning. My stupid boss would need some report anyway and he'd demand it while saying Good Morning. Are mornings good anymore? Seriously. I need to sleep. And why are we still on the same crosword page? Let me ask my silly brother who is actually thinking about the answer to turn to page 56. These intellectual idiots...."
Thanks everyone for your fantastic responses. Loved all of them.
"Around the same time as a quick tale 158"
Here are my thought process when I sat to solve puzzle with my younger brother to make him happy
- our company's customer was waiting for my response. I have to word it perfectly.
- Divya (my wife) was feeling little low, I should take her out this weekend
- Kids will love going to that new disney movie. I should fit it in somehow.
Oops! it is 4 minutes already and I did not even try..hmm.."Answer is in page 56, should we take a look?"
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