Doesn't she really care?

“The water situation in my village is terrible”, began my maid, before launching into details of how her village was literally drying up, and of how they were being forced to sell their lifestock.

I was only half listening, but that didn’t stop her. When she exited the kitchen, after washing the dishes, she left the tap leaking.

“Why didn’t you close the tap properly”, I asked, shutting it off.

“It doesn’t close properly”, she replied promptly.

Doesn’t she realize that water saved in the city means more water for the people in her village. Or doesn’t she really care?

______
A Drabble is a story told in exactly 100 words.

When will we get real?

Two days back, we celebrated Earth Day by turning off lights and burning a candle for an hour. That candles were adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, we conveniently forgot. And after doing our bit for the planet, we went off to sleep in our air conditioned rooms.

In two days, we will be celebrating the Festival of Colours by pouring buckets full of coloured water on each other. Less than a hundred miles away, the villages are reeling under one of the worst periods of drought in recent years.

When will the disconnect end? When will be get real?

______
A Drabble is a story told in exactly 100 words.

Things jar, sometimes

It was a home-nursery. The owner spent time showing me all the herbs I was interested in, and a few more besides. He was everything a owner-salesman should be- courteous, knowledgeable, patient. I ended up buying one plant more than I had originally intended to.

But right after I paid up, and while I was still putting the plants in a carry bag, he walked away. Just like that. He didn’t have to stay till I was gone, but considering I was the only customer around, it jarred that he didn’t.

I’m not sure if I would be going back.

______  
A Drabble is a story told in exactly 100 words.

I choose ugliness

Serena Williams is an athlete. Her legs are strong, her muscles well defined. Her legs are toned- not an inch of fat anywhere- but they are not thin. And without those legs she would not be the world-famous athlete she is.

Why then the need to photoshop those legs to the point where they resemble those of a Barbie doll? Why take a body that has been perfected by hours and hours of hard work, and replace it with something that looks like it will topple over if you shove it?

If that is beauty, I will choose ugliness anyday.

______  
A Drabble is a story told in exactly 100 words.

Nations as bullies

Mistaking them for pirates, the Italian marines opened fire on two Indian fisherman and killed them- in Indian territorial waters. They were arrested, charged of murder and released when the Italian Ambassador stood guarantor on their bail. They were allowed to go back home for Christmas, and then again to vote in the General Elections. But now the Italian Government refuses to send them back, despite a written assurance from the Ambassador that they would return to face trial in Indian courts. Should the Ambassador now be arrested and tried for contempt of court?

When will nations stop acting as bullies?

______  
A Drabble is a story told in exactly 100 words.