LOST

‘Inside the envelope was a single page write up; it was really simple, no hidden meaning could be derived from it.

He was fired. Now, he was a single father, with no job and no money. He kept staring at the sheet of paper like it was some kind of a sacred scroll, the words etched on the page did not make sense to him, yet there was nothing on it that was difficult to understand. The company had gone bankrupt, they couldn’t afford to pay him anymore. In such a case this was the most logical thing for them to do.

He clutched the paper tightly almost afraid to let it go. He walked down the road bustling with people on their phones, wearing their Armani suits power walking with a burger or donut in their hands. He had hated them once, he always felt that they were arrogant people who only pretended to be busy to look important to others who did the very same thing. He always found it funny, how people tried to look powerful to people by wearing or doing certain kinds of things, yet people couldn’t care less and yet those same people who did not look at others believed that others would look at them, so they acted the same way. It was like a cycle of delusions. However, today all he wanted to be like them. He looked at his watch, it was almost time for his Namaz, but today he didn’t want to. He did not feel the presence of God today.

He kept walking aimlessly, trying to make sense of what was happening. He tried to come up with a plan, but he knew even the wisest couldn’t come up with one. He looked at his watch again, it was time to pick up his children from their school. School. He wondered if he could afford to send them to school anymore. He had break it to them………’

“Ah! Say George” came a voice, the script writer looked up from the page, put his pen down and looked directly at the balding man. His soulful blue eyes looked straight through the man, urging him to continue.

“Well, did you finish writing it yet? Remember, we have to release this film by this year.”

“Don’t worry director. I will be done in a day or two”

“Good make sure you tick all the boxes. You do have the list right?”

“Let’s see, I have a man middle aged, who is a brown Muslim and also a Pakistani immigrant living in America, and he is a single father with no job and is now poor”

“Excellent. George I can already is it. I can see the Oscar in my hand. I mean our hands not just mine obviously. You certainly have ticked all the boxes. Now get back to work”

George picked up his pen again ‘He went to pick his kids up. He looked at his two sole purposes to live and said, “Listen, Dad has a little surprise for you…”

“Oh and George, make it based on a true story. Come to think of it, you already have. Good that you made our protagonist a Muslim and not a Black, these days it apparently sells more, also it’s closer to reality now. Yes, now no one can keep us away from that coveted golden statue”