Many in One: A Collection of Short Stories

By Saligrama K. Aithal

The short stories in the collection "Many in One" seek to build bridges across countries and cultures. A product of globalization, they have literary ancestry in both the eastern and the western hemispheres. While giving the final touches to the preparations for his own prospective death and cremation, Madhav, the common protagonist of the stories, receives a call from his daughter in the United States telling him that she has obtained all the necessary documents for his emigration from India to the US and that he must join the family in the US at the earliest. Down goes the drain all his plans and preparations, and, on his relocation, his preoccupation with death gives way to the pursuit of happiness, not only for himself but for the world. The stories in the volume describe the numerous roles he assumes fitting the title "Many in One" to promote peace and understanding among people. Madhav appropriates even the role of the writer and claims he is the true author of the stories in the collection. With the single mission of removing walls and giving the right of choice of salvation for all and a free pass to all to heaven in a democratic spirit, Madhav talks about religion, literature, music and business. Assuming one role after another, Madhav waltzes the reader through the chaos of the world, building bridges across cultures and between nations. Simultaneously serious, lighthearted and witty, the stories should appeal to a wide spectrum of audience-- from the general reader to students and teachers of literature.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Sep 19, 2013
• ISBN: 9781491803875

Saligrama K. Aithal

Saligrama K. Aithal has taught English language and literature to diverse groups of students at numerous places in India and the US for over half a century. He lives in a suburb of Washington, DC, and works sporadically as an adjunct professor in local colleges and universities. Currently, he teaches ESL at American National University. One in Many is his second collection of short stories. Besides creative writing, he has published articles on a wide range of authors and books—Indian, British, and American-- in scholarly international journals. He has co-edited Access through English I, II, and III (a set of three college English textbooks). Forthcoming are The Importance of Northrop Frye (a reprint of a collection of essays edited by him on Frye written by different authors) and Toni Morrison, Novelist.

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© 2013 by Saligrama K. Aithal. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 08/12/2013

ISBN: 978-1-4918-0388-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4918-0387-5 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013913981

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

Preface

Acknowledgments

1     A Welcome Idea!

2     The Final Journey

3     A Peace Treaty

4     Love Wins Out

5     A Click Away

6     An Impossible Wish

7     The Mightier Pen

8     A Dialogue on Emptiness

9     A La Love Affair

10   Samudramanthana, the Churning of the Ocean

11   Hide and Seek

12   Happy Birthday!

13   Inside the Rabbit Hole

14   The Gun, the One True God

15   A Family Saga

16   Enter, Search, Select, Click

Endnotes

For my little granddaughter Riyana

PREFACE

D eparting from custom to let the writer’s work do all the talking, I would like to say a few words by way of a short preface.

I approve my protagonist Madhav Balgudi’s message appearing under A Welcome Idea! with one small correction/ clarification. As an author, I do retain some control over my work, contrary to the impression a reader is likely to carry on reading the story. The decision to publish this collection under the title Many in One as against the title Equable Man proposed by Madhav should be sufficient evidence to prove the point.

Talking of talking, I am reminded of Aristotle’s precept think as wise men do, but speak as the common people do. Only a poet like Robert Frost could say in so simple a language so profound a truth—Something there is that doesn’t love a wall, . . .

This unloving something which downs a wall is not only true of the wall separating Frost’s apple orchard and his neighbor’s pine trees, but also of other similar walls, fences, and barriers between nations and cultures, both natural and man-made, visible and invisible—deserts, oceans, mountains, yawning gulfs, rough terrain, and long distances; prejudices based on class, gender, ethnicity, religion and hundred other trivial differences including a person’s accent. Boulders fall and gaps and holes appear in the walls in the natural course of events. Besides these gaps and holes, people also find many other ways and means to get across to the other side such as ropes, ladders, rocky boats, and all sorts of daredevilry. It is harder to talk about the definite shape and form of the invisible walls, but we know they are there, and all around.

Writers use the wings of words to reach the other side of the wall, visible and invisible, without trespassing and the foreign accent coming in the way. Like the rivers that know no boundaries, words make their way through barriers of all kinds and rough, rugged terrains. With words for the piers, towers, cables, anchorage, and deck, writers also build their own suspension bridges to make the passage between nations and cultures, easier and safer, thoroughly enjoyable, and perfectly legal. Without unleashing wrath and fury, words in fiction quietly conspire to make passage, with that something in the wall that doesn’t love it.

Bring a sympathetic heart to read the words in the stories in Many in One. All your other needs will be provided during the journey.

Come aboard the magic carpet of words and enjoy the journey, and, in the process, gain from kanthasamhita, edification as from a lover to her beloved, whatever other benefits come with it! Bon voyage!

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

E ven before they reached the final stage of composition, I shared my short stories appearing in the volume Many in One with several of my colleagues and friends. They all liked the stories in progress and encouraged me to continue writing. To all of you, especially to Ralph Batie and Prajapati Sah, I would like to express my gratitude.

Many in One includes short stories A Peace Treaty, which originally appeared under the title Squaring the Rushdie Circle, in Critical Quarterly, 33 (1991): 48-53; Love Wins Out and A Family Saga in Contemporary Literary Review India, May 2012 and July 2013, respectively; An Impossible Wish and Happy Birthday! in Indian Literature, 237 (2007): 81-90, and 54 (4), July/ August 2010, respectively; "Samudramanthana, the Churning of the Ocean" in Journal of Postcolonial Cultures and Societies, 3 (2), 2012, 113-131; and Enter, Search, Select, Click as the Story of the Month in Long Story Short, February 2012. Needless to say, the appearance of my stories in these journals gave me further incentive to pursue my writing career. I thank the editors/ guest editors of these journals for permission to reprint the stories in the volume.

1

A Welcome Idea!

T hank you for choosing us as your publisher, said the editor, turning the pages of Madhav’s manuscript The Equable Man. The assistant business manager sitting next to him also joined in appreciation of Madhav’s choice. We have decided to recommend your book for publication. This is the best work of fiction we’ve received in a long time. It would certainly make a good addition to the list of our publications.

I feel honored to join the impressive list of your authors, Madhav responded. Aware of the standard procedure on such occasions, he braced himself for an inquisition following the initial compliments.

If I may isolate one special quality of your fiction, the editor continued, it is the pervasive sense of humor. I also notice that humor doesn’t cloud the serious import behind the narrative, although it is sometimes difficult to tell the meaning beneath the surface.

You know the popular saying, ‘Many a true word is said in jest,’ Madhav interjected.

That sums it all up, the editor said, and took up an important point for questioning. "In this context, we want a few clarifications, if you don’t mind. Is your book supposed to be read as a collection of short stories or a novel?"

Madhav moved uneasily in his chair. The question made him uncomfortable. He was not sure at this stage how it was to be read, whether as a collection of short stories or a novel.

Probably, you want to leave it to the readers to decide, the editor answered his own question to Madhav’s relief.

Exactly! Madhav said, complimenting the editor’s acumen by the tone of his voice.

It is not clear to us why you use the Third Person narrative, though, the editor wondered. Wouldn’t it have been more logical to use I, the First Person, while you speak about your own experiences,—more direct, when the protagonist is your own namesake, Madhav?

Madhav knew that this question would arise in his readers’ mind and he didn’t want to worry about it until the readers had had an opportunity to read the book and express their views and opinions about it.

A good question, Madahv said, groping for a convincing answer. To be honest, he finally said, revealing an important secret of his art, The experiences described there are not actually mine. They are really those of my colleagues, friends, and acquaintances. In a manner of speaking, Madhav, the protagonist, bats for different teams, which is what makes him versatile, as the title of the book says.

You mean none of the exploits and adventures you describe is yours? the editor asked, surprised.

Precisely, Madhav said. They are really not mine, so I couldn’t narrate the events in the First Person. Nor could I narrate them, giving the actual names of persons, who told their stories to me in the strictest confidence for one reason or another—perhaps, for fear of losing their jobs, or making enemies, or hurting the feelings of members of their families, or simply to avoid ridicule for their stupidity, ignorance and foolishness. The only way I could wriggle out of the tight situation is by giving the use of my name to the originals without getting too much involved in their personal problems, by setting up a sort of Limited Partnership with the actual sufferers so that my readers don’t come after me, if they felt cheated or offended. Everything to the last word is recorded in these pages according to my guidance, and I am also in complete charge of its publication, including the negotiation of royalty.

Where does all this leave Saligrama K. Aithal, whose name appears on the title page? the editor asked out of curiosity. At some point, we may have to explain this dark matter, you know. If you can enlighten us on the subject, we would be greatly obliged.

Well, I will be glad to tell you what I know about him, Madhav said. It is a long story,—I must warn you.

Go, ahead! the editor said. Tell us all you know about him. I bet it is going to be an interesting story by itself. Our next customer has canceled her appointment so we have time.

First thing, first, Madhav said. "Let me start with his name. He first came to the US in 1968 with the name S. Krishnamoorthy Aithal. The initial letter ‘S’ is a kind of a gentle salaam to his birthplace Saligrama. His first name is Krishnamoorthy, although it takes a humble second place in the order of business. As you know, the first thing one needs in America to become operational is the social security number. He applied to the Department of Immigration & Naturalization Services for one, as soon as he arrived in the country. Promptly, within a week he received a little card with a number printed on it with his name. First, he did not notice anything out of order. After a few days and some unwelcome events, he noticed that his name had undergone without his permission a transformation: The letter ‘S’ had been moved unceremoniously to the middle position.

"His persistent efforts to secure the rightful place to the letter S in his name, largely unheeded or ignored, had finally one result. His name appears in official records as Saligrama K. Aithal, but the original name appears in all other places.

"Which may be as well, I tell him. Don’t they connect two continents to which he belongs? I have told him that if anyone sees a problem with this, he should quote Walt Whitman—

Lo, soul, seest thou not God’s purpose from the first?

The earth to be spann’d, connected by network,

The races, neighbors, to marry and be given in marriage,

The oceans to be cross’d, the distant brought near,

The lands to be welded together.

. . . .

O my brave soul!

O farther farther sail!

O daring joy, but safe! are they not all the seas of God?

O farther, farther, farther sail!

A good soul, Madhav concluded the first part of his narrative. He is all soul, no strand of a salesman in his DNA.

Madhav waited for permission to unravel the remaining genetic code of his subject, but saw no encouraging response.

The editor had all the necessary information by now and felt that the entire biography deserved a separate session, perhaps a book.

The business manager waited for a signal to take over the conversation, but the editor was not done yet.

Very interesting, really very interesting, the editor said, and quickly changed the subject. Your stories are a fine product of globalization. They tell that you have literary ancestry in both the eastern and western hemispheres, and also friends and relatives. I don’t know if I am reading too much into it, but I get a feeling that there is more than meets the eye in the multiple roles the protagonist your namesake Madhav assumes in several of the stories. Is my intuition correct?

Much pleased by the editor’s insightful observation, Madhav went on to explicate philosophical underpinnings of his thought. Yes, he said. "The protagonist is many in one—neti neti, neither this nor that, purnamidam, puranamadah—this is complete, that is complete."

Madhav quickly realized that he was out of his depth in metaphysics so he switched over to the more precise language of literary criticism. "As I mentioned, Madhav represents his confidants—Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians, with skin colors of a rainbow, violet to red. His mission is simple: to tear down the walls separating one group from another without blowing the trumpet of war and going into the battlefield. You may call it his obsession. With walls in between, he finds it impossible to function normally as a human being,—read, write, or even pray. Walled in, how is any true prayer for salvation possible, while knowing those walled out are left with no choice but hell and damnation? With this single mission of removing walls and giving the right of choice of salvation for all and a free pass to heaven, Madhav talks religion, literature, music and business; talks in many languages; talks with his