“Trannn ! Trann Trainnn!”
Upon hearing such a hig-pitched sound through my earphones, I felt as if my soul had momentarily escaped my body. I angrily removed my Air Pods, and completed the rest of my run without listening to anything. Why does everyone have a podcast these days ? I thought. But again, people could say the same thing about hosting a Substack- my inner voice critics without missing a beat. Thanks, I reply to that voice sarcastically.
Reading Corner
Received this recommendation from The New Yorker, “The Peacock and the Sparrow: A Novel”, a fast paced spy thriller. Set in Bahrain, it talks about the life of an old American spy who is in the midst in the Arab Spring season. Its back Cover blurb reads as following -
During the Arab Spring, an American spy’s final mission goes dangerously awry in this explosive and “remarkable debut” (Joseph Kanon, New York Times bestselling author) from a former CIA officer that is perfect for fans of John LeCarre, Viet Thanh Nguyen, and Alan Furst.
Shane Collins, a world-weary CIA spy, is ready to come in from the cold. Stationed in Bahrain off the coast of Saudi Arabia for his final tour, he’s anxious to dispense with his mission—uncovering Iranian support for the insurgency against the monarchy. But then he meets Almaisa, a beautiful and enigmatic artist, and his eyes are opened to a side of Bahrain most expats never experience, to questions he never thought to ask.
When his trusted informant becomes embroiled in a murder, Collins finds himself drawn deep into the conflict and his growing romance with Almaisa upended. In an instant, he’s caught in the crosshairs of a revolution. Drawing on all his skills as a spymaster, he must navigate a bloody uprising, win Almaisa’s love, and uncover the murky border where Bahrain’s secrets end and America’s begin.
“A breathless tour-de-force, the perfect spy tale” (Ian Caldwell, author of The Fifth Gospel) and dripping with authenticity, The Peacock and the Sparrow is a timely story of the elusiveness of truth, the power of love and belief, and the universal desire to be part of a cause greater than oneself.
Writing Corner
Target Run- Episode 1
Get Milk and Eggs - The message was curt.
I was returning home from work when my wife sent this text. I was tired and in no mood to run errands but I didn’t want to return home empty-handed. I also picked up a Cigarette Pack, and a pack of Altoids - a mild pick me up for myself. I was not a regular smoker by any measure and wasn’t sure why I did it, but I had picked it up. Obviously my wife knew nothing of my smoking habit. There were a lot of things she didn’t know about me. I don’t know why people think its a good idea to share everything with their partner. A few days ago, I was scrolling through my Instagram when I came across a video where the influencer was saying that she and her partner were each other’s best friends. I had barfed audibly, much to the chagrin of my wife.
I had reached the fag end of a long-winding Self-Checkout counter, cradling all the items in my arms because I had not grabbed a shopping cart when I entered Target. I noticed a bush of hair making its way in between the aisles of the next Checkout counter. I saw it talk to someone at the end of the line and make its way back. It went back and forth a couple of times. It kept me entertained. It wasn’t until that head changed lanes did I notice some familiarity.
Did I know her from somewhere ?
Where had I seen this before ? Did she always have hair like this ?
Neelambari ?
Her piercing blue eyes suddenly turned to meet mine, and I felt a jab in my chest.
Neelambari !
Lounge Corner
Highly highly recommend watching Aachar&Co, now streaming on Amazon Prime!
Best,
Pratiksha