Desert Dreams
His body lay in the mortuary. The Company, the Indian Government and the UAE Government argued over repatriating the body.
Suman had arrived in Dubai to build one of the skyscrapers that rose from nothing. The company laid off the workers when the building boom went bust. His simple dream of providing a decent life back home in Kerala for his family evaporated. Beholden to the moneylender and desperate, he threw himself off the unfinished ninetieth floor. His dreams splattered on the sand with his lifeless body.
He remained an untouchable in birth and death.
* * *
Leela Soma, born in Madras, now Chennai, lives in Glasgow, Scotland. Her first novel, 'Twice Born', was published in December 2008. A short story, 'Ayah', has been published in SQA’s ‘Write Times’. Articles and poems have been published in the magazine, ‘New Voices’, the literary magazine of the Federation of Writers Scotland, and a poem in 'Gutter' magazine's 05 issue. Her second novel, 'Bombay Baby', is with the publishers and will be launched in the autumn of this year.
Her work reflects her experiences as a first generation Indo-Scot.
Wow, this story is powerful, poignant and topical. Not a week goes by without a mention in the newspapers of some unfortunate construction worker in the Gulf who either died in an accident or was desperate enough to take his own life. I was deeply moved by this story and its thought-provoking last line! Thank you Leela Soma.
ReplyDeleteStrangely familiar and poignant, every word at its place.
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