"Miss, Dolly and Hulk"

We treat many of our 'firsts' specially. Here is the first of my writings to win a prize. It is a short story called,"Miss, Dolly and Hulk".

https://www.indiacurrents.com/articles/2015/07/29/August-2015-northern-california-edition

The magazine comes out in both print and e-versions. I have to find a way to get a hard copy in case the link stops working after a few years.

Writing is a lonely pursuit and not all writing goes on to win a prize. Yet, I am able to see now that the reward is in the process and its completion too.
I definitely want to take this pursuit further .
Dr. Kalam said, "Rest? Why do you need rest when you enjoy what you're doing?" in reply to an interviewer's query as to when Dr. Kalam rested from his numerous activities and what he did for relaxation.
I can see how true that is when I write.
I'm sure there are more gems recorded from this great man's life that will serve to inspire many Indians, young and old.

Half-hearted.

I saw a pair of shoes left outside for the garbage lady to clear away. They still have a few months or even years of life left in them.
Okay, the problem is this. The shoe laces have been removed by the miserly owner to be used at a later date with some other pair. How do you expect the person who picks up this pair to spend money on shoelace when they are foraging even food from garbage cans?
People with education can sometimes be as brainless as... brainless can be.
There are a few other highly 'intelligent' people who cut out hooks, zippers, drawstrings from their old clothes before giving the clothes to the needy. Where are the safety pins going to come from, to keep the clothes together, when the recipients are desperately trying to keep body and soul together everyday?
I don't want to nit pick, but these are the people who read and listen to Godly sermons and discourses with great devoutness. But are they really listening?
The shoelace, hooks, zippers and drawstrings cannot hold their aging lives together, prolong their life or be of any use in the next.
All I want to say to these smug beings is this: Look within and listen to your heart. You can fool the world with your sweet words and lies, but you will know how ungenerous you really are!