Sojourns into pleasure

It began with The Monkey's Paw. The name reminded me of a drama from BTV's Bisshaw-Natok (বিশ্ব-নাটক) and having finished reading the story, I was sure this was that; yet the drama was no match for the writing. Then there was Split Cherry Tree, very distant in theme, sprinkled with patois; moving nonetheless. I read those two stories in a row without a moment's gap between them.

     Next day I read An Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge. Reading it, was like a free-fall; I started with ambivalence: will it live upto the other two - but in no time I was rushing headlong; my heartbeat rose; I was gasping almost; and the end left me with wondrous delight; I wanted to relish its afterglow and decided not to have another for some time.    

     To Build a Fire is a story about a man and his wolf-dog in the wilderness during a cold, gray day; it tells how nature can get lethal just being plain cold. It would have been a drab little piece of short-film had one cared to make it, because you would not have seen the eventful drama going on in the man's mind; yet as a narrative it was tense and gripping. 

     The Lottery reads uneventful; it's only after you have finished reading it, you start wondering; and revelation and amazement set in. The Death of Ivan Ilych is after all, a maxim, told in magnificient details.