"Hey bro, wanna come watch my back while I kick some dude’s ass?”
Sugriva read the text from his older brother Vali and sighed. He had better things to do than be engaging in another one of his brother’s fights, but being younger he often got dragged into his brother’s problems anyway. He begrudgingly throws on a hoodie and meets his brother outside in the quickly darkening twilight.
Sugriva is stationed outside a drugstore by the place where Vali planned the confrontation, to be a lookout and emergency backup. He yawns and pulls out his phone to check SnapChat while waiting for his brother to take care of business. He idly clicks through SnapChat stories, only really paying attention when Vali’s girlfriend’s pictures popped up…he thought she was really hot, but obviously his brother had pounced first…as usual. He grumbles to himself as a text from his brother pops up on his phone.
“Lil bro, I chased this jackass into a dark alley. Come stand guard at the mouth of it until I come back.”
Why did Vali have to be so bossy? Sugriva drags his feet but, unable to say no to his big brother, shuffles to the alley and waits. He expected Vali to come swaggering out, wiping sweat off his face in twenty, maybe thirty minutes tops. But Vali doesn’t come. Sugriva waits an hour, then another, then another, until the sun starts to rise and early morning runners begin to give him suspicious looks as they jog by. He decides to text his brother…what was taking so long?
“Dude, where are you?”
No answer.
“It’s literally already morning, people are looking at me like I’M gonna drag them into the alley and beat them up. You done yet?”
Still no answer.
Sugriva decides maybe a phone call will make the matter seem more urgent. He dials Vali but the phone rings and goes to voicemail.
Tuesday. 9:30 a.m. “Dude, It’s been a whole day. I’ve gotta go home…I mean, I assume you’re okay? If you are you should pick up my freakin’ calls.”
Wednesday. 8 p.m. “Vali this isn’t funny anymore. Come home, your girlfriend’s worried…and, um, I guess I kinda am too. Never thought I’d miss your annoying ass.”
Friday. 12:45 p.m. “Dude I don’t know what the hell kinda stunt you’re pulling, but your girlfriend’s really upset. I’ve been spending a ton of time with her…comforting her…um, anyway, sorry I dipped when I was supposed to be guarding your back. I kinda figured you’d come back later…”
Monday. 9:25 p.m. “Vali…you’re not coming back, are you. PLEASE answer me. Tell me I’m wrong.”
Thursday. 10 a.m. “I don’t know why I’m still calling your voicemail…I guess it kinda makes me feel better, since I know I’ll never REALLY talk to you again. I, uh, started dating your girlfriend. She was really upset and missed you and I kinda stepped in to comfort her…so she’s mine now. Hope you’re doing okay wherever you are big bro…rest in peace.”
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| Missed Messages (Stephen Krow, link) |
Author’s Note: This was an adaptation of the story of Sugriva and Vali, where Vali went into a hole to fight an enemy; after a year Sugriva assumed he was dead and went home to take over his brother’s kingdom (represented here by Vali’s girlfriend.) Vali returns eventually and exiles Sugriva. It's set in a modern context emphasizing modern technology, which probably should have improved their communication skills (but did not.)
Source: Ramayana, The Epic of Rama, Prince of India by Romesh Dutt (link)
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