Date: Fri, 9 Dec 2011 04:13:24 +0530 From: Khan Khan Subject: Fast-Forward Chapter 1 - Inception This is a work of pure fiction and resemblance to any person living or dead may be pure co-incidental. This story contains sexual and emotional relationships between two and more men. If such content offends you in anyway, then you are free to leave this page. If it is illegal in your area to be reading such material, then please go back. Also, even though it may contain sexual content at some point, I would like to make it a point to inform the readers that it will not contain much sex, so if you're reading this story just for the sex then you might be disappointed. It attempts to explain the many complexities that underlie each other and how and what kind of a role they play in making men dependant on other men. Feedback is welcome at afanni.toofann@gmail.com Fast-Forward By Khan Chapter 1 -- Inception Tanveer is looking for a grocery store. He's in the middle of a huge market which is situated a distance behind his current residence. Even though he passes through a few grocery stores, he does not feel like going to them. They are either full of women trying to scream on top of their voices to the grocers or they just have a bad stench on them. He is not sure what he is looking for, but what he sees is definitely not what he wants. He knows for sure. Though, he's not a misogynist in any way, he feels an aversion to any place that has more than three or four women crowded together, especially ones that he doesn't know. He feels that they have this vibe when they are together in such groups that can be very unnerving for most men. He prefers to avoid such situations. As For the stench, he admits to himself that he's a bit of a snob and that he can't help it. Serendipity perhaps Tanveer thinks to himself. Yet, serendipity can never be sought, never be solicited. It would go against the existence of the concept itself. It has to take place without it's possibility known to the person. After all, that is the beauty of it, otherwise it would just land up being used as an excuse for something turning out to be, not the way it was originally planned to be. Tanveer is dwelling over these thoughts and before he knows it, he is standing in front of a grocery store. He has no idea how he got there. He tries trace his steps back, but he can't. He just can't remember walking towards and coming to a standstill in front of the shop he is at, staring at the glory of a 17 year old boy in front of him; who looks so deep in his thoughts that he doesn't notices that a customer has approached his store. He enters the store and the boy snaps out of his thoughts as Tanveer asks -- `Would you happen to have half a kilo of butter?' `Yes!' exclaims the boy, `Indeed I do.' `Oh thank God for small mercies. I've been looking for butter for the last half an hour in so many stores, but none of them seem to have it,' Tanveer lies to him and looks to his left at the other stores across the streets. `Don't you think that that's a bit odd?' Tanveer asks leaning over the counter, smiling at the boy at boy with a raised eyebrow. `Not at all,' the boy responds back with a smile, `in fact, there has been a shortage of supply for the last two weeks. It usually happens during the festive season, you know. The Demand goes up and the manufacturers try to hold back the stock for a few days with some or the other excuse and use it as a reason to increase the price. It happens every year.' The boy goes to the corner of the store and opens the fridge, perhaps looking for the butter. `Really?' Asks Tanveer. He is genuinely surprised at this bit of information. `I wouldn't really know about this shortage though. You see, I'm new to this part of town. I just recently shifted here.' `But,' begins the boy turning around with a slight sense of curiosity, `this problem happens very often, like I said, during the festive season. It's not just in Bombay, but all over India! I'm sure you must have noticed it at some point?' `Well, I didn't notice it before...' Tanveer replies a little uncomfortably with direction of the conversation. Having always been a paradox between a social and unsocial person, this wasn't the first time he had a conversation of this sort. He always would be the one to initiate conversations with people, giving them an illusion of him having no barriers, yet, the moment a person would feel comfortable enough to inquire about something that would be a notch higher on intimacy, he would get uncomfortable and do his best to divert the topic or to leave or something as unsociable as that. `Which world do you live in?' the boy asks rhetorically, reaching out for the butter in the fridge and handing Tanveer the butter he continues, `well, everyone knows it. The festive seasons generate so much demand that we have to order stock at least two months in advance. If we're under-stocked, the customers go over to the many grocery stores that are there in every nook and corner, and we really can't afford to lose any business!' he finishes in one breath. `By the by, which festival are people celebrating these days?' asks Tanveer curiously. `Some, I suppose. It's quite difficult to keep a track on all the festivity that goes on here in the latter half of the year. There are so many believers and so many gods even in today's day and age that it's maddening to keep up to date with all of them. If you're stuck in a situation where you have to wish someone without having to make a fool of yourself by saying that you don't know which festival it is; all you should say is Happy New Year! It's almost always somebody's or the others' New Year!' He finishes with a chuckle. Tanveer is amused. He smiles and looks at the price of the butter and pays the boy. `Hey!' squeaks the boy,' that's like a hundred bucks more than the price of the butter.' `Yeah, about that,' he begins with a little cough, `I also want a packet of cigarettes and a favour.' The boy looks at Tanveer suspiciously, taking notice of his attire for the first time from head to toe. Tanveer is wearing a red high-collared tee-shirt with beige shorts that are rolled up to his thighs and a pair of green sneakers with two different coloured socks -- green and beige. `What do you mean by favour?' the boy asks with a raised eye-brow. `My uncle might visit here from time to time, if you promise to not tell him about my smoking habits, then I promise to buy all my grocery from your store!' `But I don't know who your uncle is, or who you are!' the boy says a little hesitantly. `Well,' Tanveer says looking at the boy with an intent gaze, `I'll be around for quite some time, I'm sure we'll be seeing each other quite often!' `Don't worry! I've got your back.' Tanveer turns around, lights his cigarette and smiles. He isn't sure why, but he finds the boys last words very amusing.