The Story Writer

I just finished writing, and put my pen down. Phew! It always exhausted me writing a story - I lived and re-lived my characters. Played with them, turned them upside down in my mind, and did what I had to do with them - I was in control, it was my world! Entirely my very own.

I suddenly realized that I was late for my dentist appointment. It was noon already, and I hadn't had anything to eat or drink since I had woken up. Writing was a passion for me, and I felt obsessed when I was in the middle of writing one of my stories.I forgot all about food and sleep in the process :)

Looking at the clock, I had a full two hours before I got to the dentist. So, I quickly showered, dressed and ate a light lunch of a salad and a piece of brown bread with it. I washed it down with a glass of lemonade. I decided to stop at the local grocer to pick up the ingredients for my dinner this evening - I was having my best friend Pam over this evening. It was her birthday after all, and I wanted to do something special for her.

I stopped at the store in five minutes, and went straight to the produce section, and picked up asparagus, sweet potatoes and beets. I was grilling all the vegetables just like she liked. Then came Caramel Custard for desert! Yum I loved it too, just like Pam did :) Vanilla beans, whole milk and eggs is all I needed. It was while I was picking up the eggs, I felt a sense of 'deja vu' about the whole thing. I heard a kid run past me vrooming like an airplane, and almost bumped into me! I quickly stepped out of his way, and he was followed by his mom dressed in a pair of jeans and a white shirt. Gosh! their was something so very familiar about this whole scene.

Silly, I thought and brushed aside the whole thing. I landed up at the dentist. While I waited, my mind went back to the same scene,over and over again and the funny feeling I had was that I had seen the whole thing somewhere! It was too familiar. While I looked out of the window, and my mind ticked away - it came to me! Ah! that's it! the mom running after the boy was none other the heroine of my latest novel - Maya! But, why was Maya here? She was busy at a tech conference happening in New York - and that too in my novel. I hadn't written beyond that. How could she be here, and without my permission?

I was called inside the dentist's office. The wisdom tooth hurt. The pain was almost unbearable.I said the same to the doctor.He nodded and gave me something to ease the pain away- at least for sometime.The doctor's assistant casually conversed, and said "so, what are you doing this summer?" I immediately heard myself say "whatever my kids want to - maybe go away to a summer house on the beach". She nodded and left the room. I was shocked! What did I just say? Whatever the kids liked? I never had any kids - so which kids was I talking about? But this was exactly what Maya had said to her friend two chapters ago - in my novel!

I left the dentist's office and almost ran to my car. I was confused. I just decided I needed to take it easy now. The pressure was getting to me. Not worth it. I was just about to pass the mall. Instead, I thought it would do me good to stop by, have fun shopping and in the mean time pick up something for Pam for her birthday.

As I did some window shopping, I became aware that there was a little boy smiling and staring at me.Then I saw his grandmother trying to take him away from me and in a rush to go into the jacket store. I entered the store too, and thought I should buy a light jacket for myself. I liked a red jacket, and trying it on, I looked into the mirror. I looked stunning! The assistant helping around asked "for what occasion do you need a jacket for?" I quickly without missing a beat, replied "for a conference in New York". I walked out of the store with a daze - conference? what conference? I was a school teacher - just a plain school teacher surviving the summer vacation!
Lonely and bored - with no family and friends to share it with.

I sat there in my car parked under the tree .It had begun to rain- a mid summer shower. I sat there thinking, watching the rain. Wondering what was happening with me, and what had gone wrong. I just sat there for maybe hours and thought that somewhere along the way I had begun to live my characters - they had taken me over. I was not in control anymore - they controlled me now!

After what seemed like ages, I made peace - with myself. I had a smile on my face. I decided to quit writing - I would get my life back. I would not let my characters rule me - never.

I felt happy and light and relieved. I did not have to worry about anything now. No characters, no publishers and no more stories. I had my life back, and I would live it to the fullest, the right way!

The lights on the skyline twinkled...