Illi Nodu 1

"My boy" said the editor biting into his cigar and letting a puff of smoke envelope his person. He rocked a bit on his reclining chair and toyed with his suspendor straps and continued "we need something new here"

" First things first" I said in way of an ahem, "your 'my boy'ness is misplaced. You see, you aren't exactly the blow-hot blow-cold, talent managing rag runner. You are like a publishing consultant guy who will give me inputs. That is all"

"Grhmmph" he replied to my curtness, as his smog thickened.
"And could your dress be any more clichéd ? Next you'll want me describing your whiskers and liquor cabinet, so we are switching to dialogue mode rightaway",I sai..

Editor: Grhmmph..
Me: Well ?
Ed: There is so much about you that the literary public should know
Me: Maybe, but this is a family blog, not a tabloid
Ed: No no.., what I mean is you could say write a travelogue
Me: Pah..I can't even bring myself to read one. There isn't a more pompous literary genre. Been here, done this..I mean, who cares showboat !
Ed: Grhmmph
Me: Plus, They'll want insights. A trip to the Himalayas and all you can write about is snow ?? Mount Kailash's visual appeal should get you to post about "idolatry, structural immanence and the irrelevance of qualified monism". Else you might as well not write. Instead quote an Ogden Nash and get a laugh or two as comments.
Ed: If they want insights, I say give them
Me: Why, so they can comment "very true" ? I am going to break my rule for a moment
I drew close, mopped my brow and whispered to him
Me: The truth is, I have no insights... I can at best try to kid about a trip
Ed: No good. Travel is too weighty to kid about. And what will you kid about ? Funny driver, unaware locals, train delays, bungling hotels, 'you should've been there' unfunny family humour...you name it, it has been blogged about
Ed: How about a series ?
Me: Eh ?
Ed: Yeah, that's perfect. It's about time actually. Start off and have them hanging on "to be continued"...you have them drawn to the next. And - I know you worry about this - if you overpromise and underdeliver - you can always say: that is how life is
Me: I can do that ?
Ed: Of course you can. I understand you are unfamiliar with the French cinematic waves.
Me: Okay what do I serialize ?
Ed: Doesn't matter, as long as it will be continued.
Me: I will write a series about my recent travel to Mysore etc.
Ed: Be earnest though..no "funny by half" business
Me: You can't handle inextricably intertwined ?
Ed: Hah..Do your worst
Me: Rest assured, I will.

(To be continued)