The Matter Party (Short Story)
by – Dr. Qudsi Rizvi
June 2016, Issue XVII
Introduction to the Author:
Dr. Qudsi Rizvi is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Humanities and Natural Sciences at Shri Ramswaroop Memorial University Lucknow. He has been actively engaged in teaching, evaluation and content development for more than six years and enjoys the research experience of more than four years. He has attended and presented research papers in a number of national and international conferences/seminars and to his credit lies publication of research papers in four international refereed and four national journals. His area of interest lies in English Literature (Feminism, Ecocriticism, Psychoanalysis, Gender studies), Philosophy, English Language (Grammar, Language Lab, Soft Skills) and Human Values & Professional Ethics.
The pomp and show there was flashing the victory of something great. That was the party being given by materialism to many of its followers in thoughts and deeds. The wine of luxury was being served. The dishes of glamour peppered with Hedonistic ingredients were covered with the lids made of Utilitarian steel. An incense of Perfectionism was all around the hall. At the doorsteps was Deception and Selfishness, greeting the invited ones. The music of Empirical world was intoxicating the reservoir of passions. Greed was the cynosure of all eyes and Hypocrisy was wearing the perfume of Humanism. A light called Darkness was ‘illuminating’ the faces of many a learned people, benevolent men and saints. They were all gossiping and happy in befooling humanity at large and inflicting torture on the lonely Soul as it was their duty for the sake of duty.
In a far away corner was the lonely, frail and dejected Soul, washing the plates of arrogance and vanity. She was wearing a tattered material dress and was brooding over the thought that man’s ancestors, the apes, were not invited. But then she came out of her thought and saw the representatives of the apes, the Darwinists, were enjoying.
After the dinner, the coffee was served. It was the coffee made by the Historical Materialism Brewery and the cups were of communist bone china. Everyone drank it to lees. Then came the turn of Epicurean champagne and soon everyone blew up the engine of obscenity. The guests enjoyed themselves, thanking to Materialism for the haven it has provided to them and for the material tools and team one gets in fulfilling the desired aims.
The hungry soul has stopped receiving spiritual and humane food. She helplessly looked toward the loathsome leftovers and tears of anguish came in her eyes. Her nascent children were crying for food. She took the leftovers and came back to them. During the meal, one innocent and unblemished soul, sniffing the bone of discontent, said, “This food reeks of raw materialism.” The mother soul took a bite of the Marxist bread and laughed hysterically! That was the victory of Matter over Soul and the Phenomenal over Transcendental.