Exchanging humorous real-life incidents with friends from school or college or the workplace is a great joy. Such gatherings make one feel light and jovial entailing plenty of laughter and leg pulling, rendering the friends’ circle an invaluable part of life. The 16 short stories in “My Friend Beepu”, written and self-published by M.D. Kumar, are a collection of such incidents bound to make the readers laugh or at least smile, bringing back some old memories. The protagonist of the stories is Kumar’s friend Beepu, Bishnu Prasad Upadhyaya, and having heard several amusing incidents involving him from his wife, the author decided to pen them down. “Beepu is a humorous and jovial person and after listening to the stories I decided these should not be lost and therefore this book.” While penning the tales, Kumar became aware amusing occurrences in other people’s lives including friends, relations, business associates and many others. “I incorporated those too but kept Beepu as the central character to ensure a common thread,” he adds.
“The core of all the stories is real. To build the situation, make it interesting and enable the reader to reach the core of the story, I have added fiction. It is a mix of both,” says Kumar. The narrative reveals his observation power evident from the description of Beepu when followed by a street dog. “I keep observing the mannerisms, dress and behaviour of people and have incorporated them in the stories.”
Kumar has kept the stories simple with the objective making readers laugh and relate to one or more of them in a light-hearted way. Covering Beepu’s student, professional and family life, reading them is bound one to recollect similar happenings in their life. For example purchase of naphthalene instead of camphor, trying to impress girls, mistaking vinegar for drinking water, getting duped while buying a product, hiding liquor in wardrobe or putting them in water bottles during train journeys mentioned in book are typical of all of us.
The stories have received positive reactions from readers. “A retired college professor reminisced about his childhood incidents and wanted me to pen them. A friend suggested that his name should be used instead of Beepu’s as he found that the incidents had transpired in his life,” reveals Kumar.
Beepu, liked and loved by all, well settled having superannuated on December 31, is gifted with a rare attribute of laughing at himself — evident from the fact that he did not mind being the central figure of the stories. More tales about him can be expected. “I am collecting material and will write in the course of time.” So until then let us enjoy his adventures (or mis-adventures).
