The New Comrade

THIS COLLECTION OF SIX SHORT STORIES EXPLORES THE COMPLEXITIES OF HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS WITH IRONY, POIGNANCY, AND EMOTIONAL NUANCE.

A ROAD MAP FOR A DIVORCE LAWSUIT CAPTURES THE INNOCENCE AND CUNNING OF CHILDHOOD, ULTIMATELY EXPOSING ADULT BETRAYAL AND FRAGILE TRUST. IN MAKING HER FILTHY, A HOUSEWIFE'S DESCENT INTO POVERTY FORCES HER TO BE A SANITARY CLEANER, WHERE SHE RESISTS SEXUAL ADVANCES, ONLY TO BE MADE FILTHY BY HER OWN HUSBAND'S BETRAYAL. THE STORY HAPPINESS TRACES A TENDER BOND FORMED THROUGH SHARED HARDSHIP, PROSTHETIC LIMBS, AND BORROWED DIGNITY,

CELEBRATING RESILIENCE THROUGH HUMOUR AND QUIET LONGING. TAMED YET BEASTS, LIKE THE FOLKS, REFLECTS ON HOW CONTROL OVER PEOPLE OR ANIMALS OFFERS NO GUARANTEE OF LOYALTY OR SAFETY, EXPOSING THE LATENT THREAT IN DEPENDENCY. IN A FADING POLITICAL LANDSCAPE, THE NEW COMRADE DEPICTS THE DISILLUSIONMENT OF VETERAN IDEALISTS FACING SHIFTING LOYALTIES TO MERE ELEMENTS WITH ERODING VALUES. FINALLY, ALL TOO LATE, A MOTHER REALISED THAT HER DEVOTION TO HER SELFISH DAUGHTER HAD MADE HER NEGLECT THE DUES SHE OWED TO HER LATE HUSBAND —WHAT SHE OWED HIM.