The Far Field

by Madhuri Vijay

“When something big happens,” he repeated firmly, ignoring me, “whatever it is, I understand that a person’s first tendency is to freeze, to go numb and wait for something else, equally big, to come along and cancel out the first thing. Believe me, I understand. And I know that’s what you’re doing. But that’s the mistake, don’t you see? It’s faulty, wishful logic. There is no second thing. At least, not externally. There is, however, action. Action is the second thing. Without action, there is only waiting for death.”

“Do you understand what I’m saying, Shalini? You cannot stand around waiting for things to change, because chances are they won’t. You must do something. You must act.”

And, because I’m trying to evade nothing here, I don’t think I ever loved him more than I did at that at that moment, when I pitied him most.