Short Stories – Fools did not rush in (where Angels fear to tread)

Scene 1

Sharfu walks to the phoolwalla’s shop where he sells flowers to people visiting Abdullah Shah Ghazi Shrine.

“Where have you been all day?”, asked the phoolwalla from Sharfu

“Making profit”, smiled Sharfu

“Acha, after all, who in his right mind would pay you to work”, taunted the phoolwalla

“Make as much fun as you want but I have 3,000 rupees in my pocket right now”, sharfu’s smile widened

“Really, how come”, the phoolwalla was shocked

“You know all these people standing in line to get subscription copy for this building”, sharfu started explaining looking at the under construction tower which already dwarfs rest of the buildings including the shrine.

“People start lining up early in the morning, I also joined them without any cluee first day”, sharfu continued

“But you don’t have any money, do you?”, the phoolwalla asked

“I know, but I stood just to see what happens and there comes a babu asking me to move out of the queue so that he could get the form quickly”, sharfu enjoyed narrating the story

“And he paid me 1000 rupees for my spot”, sharfu continued

“Now I stand in the queue every morning, sell my spot and rejoin the queue at the end. Occasionally I will find someone who will pay me to stand all the way till the end and I charge them more for it.” Sharfu concluded

“And you are already making more money than me”, said the phoolwalla.

Scene 2

Ajmal walks to Saahil’s desk in a posh office in Harbor Front.

“I just sold two of my subscription form for 2 lakhs each”, Ajmal told Saahil proudly

“Wow, believe it was for 15,000 rupees only; 5000 non-refundable and rest of it refundable after six month”, Saahil replied

“Yes, and does not that make you look idiot”, Ajmal mocked Saahil

“I know but who could stand in that long queue for whole day to get a form”, explained Saahil

“Oh ho, you have no clue man, who had to stand when you have people around the darbar standing in the queue for you. I paid a guy 1000 rupees to sell his spot and there you go, I got done within two hours”, said Ajmal proudly

“and who did you sell?”, asked saahil

“Some random person, A buyer-seller market has popped up right in front of the booking office”, said Ajmal

Scene 3

A man walks to a table in a restaurant.

“Assalam-o-alaikum bhaijan”, said the first man

“Walaikum-Salam, your smile tells me that you have got hold of remaining five forms”, asked the second man

“Indeed. Although I need to pay dearly for remaining two. 200k for each”, said the first man

“Oh, its alright. It could be that one lucky form which will pay you in tens of millions”, said the second man referring to the draw at the end of subscription

“Inshallah. God is Great.” said the first man

Scene 4

A man in Italian suits looks out of the window while talking on the phone. A report lies on his desk which shows that three of his new projects have been oversubscribed thirty three times already.