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| PHOTO PROMPT © Sarah Potter |
Jamal lies on his bed his eyes dart towards the door willing
it to open. The room is sparse, stripped
of the valuables over the years but the TV still remains. Kabul hosts a soccer match tonight and his eyes
light up at the thought.
Jamal loved soccer. Every
holiday he would sneak out in the morning to the dust bowl near his home and
play. Until the day they played on
another ground and he stepped on the green butterfly.
Today Abba will take him to get a Jaipur leg fitted. The
doctors say soccer is a possibility.
I wrote this story on the way from from Brisbane to Sydney. Actually finished midway on the Pacific Highway while passing Kempsey. And not while driving for those who want to know. A father and his daughter are on this road trip and I trust my driver enough to take my eyes of the road (and speedometer) to write my blog.
Note: Edited to making the setting of the story more obvious.
**
Written for Friday Fictioneers Word Count : 100.
Afghanistan is one of the most mined countries in the world
with estimates of up to 640,000 land mines laid since 1979. More than three
decades of conflict have also left the country littered with unexploded
ordnance (UXO). As a result, over 23,500 casualties were recorded between 1979
and 2015.
The title of the story Golden boot is a soccer reference of the award given to the top goal scorer.
I wrote this story on the way from from Brisbane to Sydney. Actually finished midway on the Pacific Highway while passing Kempsey. And not while driving for those who want to know. A father and his daughter are on this road trip and I trust my driver enough to take my eyes of the road (and speedometer) to write my blog.
Note: Edited to making the setting of the story more obvious.
I still need support for my entry in the Indian Blogger Awards 2017 run by Indiblogger. This is the last week to get votes. Please vote for me by commenting on my entry page here.
To read the other stories with sole this week click here
I didn't realise this was set in Afghanistan until I read your note. That makes all the differene
ReplyDeleteI made a change to make that connection. Thanks for your comments Neil.
DeleteLand mines are a terrible blight many years after wars have ended. Such a shame, but I liked that you ended with a sense of hope for him. Good story and enjoy the road trip!
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting Iain. The mines are a blight indeed. The Jaipur Foot is a low cost method of giving the victims some improvement in the quality of life.
DeleteDear Subroto,
ReplyDeleteEducational and elegantly touching story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thank you Rochelle I am glad you liked it.
DeleteVery nicely painted a vivid image in so few words Subroto.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading and commenting Dahlia.
DeleteI agree, this is a touching personal tragedy but it's good to see how life will go on for him. Some people would refuse to go anywhere for fear of stepping on another mine.
ReplyDeleteThe country is heavily mined, they have no other option except to go on with their lives. Thanks for your comments Christine.
DeleteGreat story. Besides, this is a touching tribute to Dr P K Sethi inventor of the Jaipur foot. Brilliant write.
ReplyDeleteThanks YS. Dr Sethi was the co-inventor along with the Master craftsman Pandit Ram Chandra Sharma, who probably did not get the recognition he deserved.
DeleteGreat hope in the end, and thinking what can happen still... it seems to me that Afghanistan has been cursed with war for too many years.
ReplyDeleteIt has been too long. Thanks for your comments Björn.
DeleteThis is a very sad story that ends on a hopeful note because of the chance of a prosthetic leg. Landmines are such horrendous things, and I hate the thought of children picking them up because some of them are made to look like butterflies. I'm so pleased that Prince Harry (in the UK) has decided to continue his mother, Princess Diana's work to help landmine victims http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/04/04/prince-harry-follows-princess-dianas-footsteps-calls-landmine/
ReplyDeleteMines have caused too many casualties and continue doing so even after the conflict ends. Thanks for reading and commenting Sarah.
DeleteWell written, your story-on-the-move!
ReplyDeleteThanks Liz I am glad you liked it.
DeleteAn uplifting end to the story.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sandra, I guess it is important to have hope.
DeleteA daily reality there. Horror never really stops. Well told.
ReplyDeleteThanks Linda I am glad you liked the story.
Delete