Scintillating Stories- Book-1. ('A Tale of Two Friends' and Other Stories.)

This is a collection of stories; so I am giving a brief idea of each story.
Time warp: One’s experiences are one’s ‘Past’; one’s expectations and ambitions are one’s ‘Future’. A successful advocate Murthy was due to be elevated to the bench; he was also a member of the city municipal council and tasted political power. There was a chance of his being sponsored to stand for election to the Legislative Assembly. To decide his preference he went to Anand Lodge and ordered a glass of fresh ‘Lime Juice’. In this story ‘Past’ and ‘Possible future’ were personified and brought to the same plane as the present to advice Murthy.
Another World: On Venkat’s tenth birthday, he went to Ramnagar all alone. He attended a Yagna and went to the Ram temple. In those days persons of his caste were prohibited from temple entry; he was soon discovered and chased out.
Humiliated and intending to end his life, he walked into the sea which parted and gave him way which lead to the palace of a kind Queen who gave him shelter; along with others like him… Fiction drifts into a fairy tale.
Crime and punishment: Marthandam’s torture crossed the limit of tolerance of his wife Chidrupi. With the help of her friend Jalaja, she faked a report that Marthandam was HIV positive; he became docile and submissive. She used the lie for four years, obtained a degree and a Bank Officer’s job. Then she revealed the truth and asked him whether she should accept the job.
A.I.I.E. : Murthy promised to take his wife Saraswathy to the All India Industrial Exhibition on the Republic Day but went to meet a prospective actress for his drama; she failed to turn up. So he and his friends decided to go to the A.I.I.E.
That actress was Saraswathy’s friend and went to visit her the same evening; the friends decided to go to A.I.I.E.
Murthy and friends were bewitched on seeing a young lady in yellow saree, from behind. They longed to see her from the front and kept missing. Finally they see her step out of a shop just as they approached it; she was none other than Saraswathy!
So was it written: A construction worker, Bhadradri, found an inscribed copper plate; he got it read out which lured him to find the treasure. He struggled for days and found the spot. With the help of Narasayya, he succeeded but as he returned with the treasure, he stepped on a serpent which bit him; he died but could not enjoy the find!
Divine justice: A greedy claimant Kiran, tried to grab Kalyani’s share of property by disputing her parentage and demanded a DNA test which nailed her lie in the open court.
Scorpion’s sting: Lachchi who came in search of her husband Ramigadu, was staying in a choultry of a spoiled manager. At night he gave a distress call of a scorpion sting; Lachchi rushed to him to help. He laughed and revealed his desire; she became furious and returned to her room. Later she had a scorpion sting and screamed; the manager went to her hopefully and found a suffering Lachchi; he had a change of heart and took her to the hospital but could not save her. He gave the choultry to Ramigadu and became an ascetic.
A husband’s folly:. Induced by Sarat, Narayana began to doubt his wife and made an elaborate plan to catch her red-handed. The plan revealed the truth.
Extraction of truth: Professional etiquette is more essential for physicians. Dr.Satyamurthy used IVF method for Kamala through which Pandu was born. The doctor used the second egg that was fertilized, without donor’s knowledge or consent. When the fraud was discovered, Kamala’s husband filed a suit and extracted the truth.
A tale of two ‘Friends’: Vagesa, Gireesha and Madhurima were college friends. Gireesh was more savvy and more wealthy and he was sure that she would select him but she married Vagesa. Gireesh continued to behave like a friend but he was jealous and vengeful. He felt that if Vagesa did not exist, she would have married him. He plotted to eliminate Vagesa. She saw through his plan and got him arrested.
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