WAITING FOR LETTERS

The postman never comes to Kalinganagar where I reside unless it’s a registered or speed post. I have been staying here for the last eight years and have not received a single ordinary post. I was in Cuttack for fourteen years in one house, my address remained unchanged, and I used to get letters, complimentary copies of the magazines which published my stories or features. The complimentary copies are sent through ordinary post and in Bhubaneswar, I do not receive complimentary copies since I settled here in August, 2012. Now I have to buy those magazines unless those are couriered or sent by registered post to me. I subscribed a few magazines annually which were sent to me by book post. The postman did not deliver, and I have to stop subscribing those magazines.

Internets, WhatsApp, cell phone along with courier services have made the postman redundant. The postman has realised it and also cooperates in his redundancy by not attending to ordinary letters/book posts. Now people do not write letters; they talk over phones or send messages. Before the use of internet/cell phone, I got a good number of letters when a magazine published my story; most of the letters were in post cards. (All the writers/poets got letters if the story or poem was good and appealed to the readers). I used to keep the post cards story wise bound with rubber bands. The writers give their addresses below the story with the hope that some may write to them. Now writers are giving their e mail IDs or phone numbers along with addresses. The reader now makes a phone call or sends a message or sometimes, e mails his views.

The charm in letters is missing in messages or phone calls. The letters on a story or a feature are records; you can read later, or even refer, what cannot be in phone calls. Messages are short; the readers’ feelings cannot be adequately reflected in messages. I have also received long letters, not in post card, but in several pages in envelopes. Not many readers use e mail.

The letters are not always appreciation; some letters contain constructive criticism of the story or suggestion to improve upon. If a reader (Don’t confuse with a fellow poet) does not like a poem, normally, he does not react, he thinks, perhaps he does not have that standard or intelligence to appreciate the poem or the philosophy behind the poem. He doubts his own competence to appreciate a poem. But he does not have that compunction with a story. He writes straight to the writer the wrong in the story as he perceives. The writer can assess himself, know what kind of story the readers like or dislike. On a few occasions, I have modified or revised a story before it found its place in a compilation on the basis of views received.

Sambad in its Sunday literary page had published my story, chenaey hasara sansar, perhaps in August 1994. I received a good number of letters from the readers appreciating the story. The letters were pleasing and encouraging. But I received a letter dated 5 September, 1994 from an anonymous person. He liked the story, but with a rider. The story was on a happily married couple, the husband is an officer, the wife a housewife. The husband never discusses office at home. One day his senior reprimands him. He is distraught and irritable. He has been rude to his wife in the morning. Of course, it is sorted out in the afternoon. In this story, after the husband leaves for office after uttering words those hurt her, the wife does all the household chores, washes the clothes, cleans the backyard, etc. I had written a sentence something like this, “She does not do all these to please her husband; she does physical work when she is angry, to mitigate her anger.” The above letter writer has objected to this sentence and said this sentence neutralises what the writer wants to speak in the story. This sentence should not be there. And he advises, before writing a sentence in a story or even in novel or play, the writer should first consider the effect and implications of the sentence.

                  (The letter from the reader)

On receipt of this letter I had rewritten the story and published it in another magazine under the caption poka (Worm).

He had not given his name or address. I do not know him, or never have thought of meeting him. But when I sit to write I keep him always in my mind. When my reader-friends say I do not write a single sentence which is not required for the story or a sentence less, and they like the story for this, I remember that unknown person and the letter he had written twenty-six years back.

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