The Yardley
- a Short Story
- by Roshith Chandran
The grey-hued Yardley powder bought from a “Gulf Shop” was my first real gift to her. Life amidst a pink curtained house, surrounded by mauve bougainvilleas, whispering the proverbial sweet nothings was the planned future.
Faith healers to quacks promised the earth to my parents. Once a queer, always a queer. Morphing into a boy was my be-all and end-all. Boys only wanted to feel me up.
My attempt at salvation was near death. Left for dead in the floor of a dilapidated house and reeking of my own filth. The fluttering pink curtain gave me strength. The botched attempt mutilated my genitals, relegating me to a lifetime of pain, but she wanted me “changed”.
The rusty Yardley tin was strewn carelessly amidst the Thetti flowers. The wedding photo occupied pride of place. Her groom is a man. His man mound seemed to be taunting me.
The Ixora flowering plant or shrub, is common in the southern Indian state of Kerala, and like in the story, is called “Thetti” in Malayalam.
Roshith Chandran
from Thiruvananthapuram, in Kerala, India, is a 40 something, pouch-bellied advertising professional, part-time biker and automobile junky.
4 thoughts on “The Yardley”
Roshith always gets my vote when he puts his thoughts in black and white, though it’s tough to fathom the wit and wisdom hidden in his words.
Not one bit surprised to see my multi talented brother reach heights. Hats off bro. Waiting for more!
Beautifully written.
Eloquently written!