“Hello Mr. Walkman, years since we met, how are you?” the Digicam asked as a walkman was deposited next to him.

“I’m alright, a little tired you know,” Mr Walkman wheezed out.

“Same corner of the drawer, eh?” Digicam asked.

“Yeah, can’t move along like I used to.”

They smiled at each other, remembering their youth. Both in their prime, playing music and clicking photographs. James never went on vacation without them.

“Oww! That hurts!” another voice cried out.

“Hey isn’t that Flashlight?” Digicam asked.

A flashlight joined Mr Walkman and Digicam on the table.

“Hello sirs, how are you doing?” she said.

“Not as good as we used to,” Mr Walkman sniffed.

“I can’t believe James is finally cleaning the drawer,” Flashlight said.

The table around them was full of loose papers and old notebooks that sat chattering with each other about how good it felt when a pen scratched them.

“Oh how many times have I shined on those notebooks when James used to study at night,” Flashlight said.

“Old times girl, old times,” Digicam consoled her.

They sensed someone listening in on their conversation.

“Hey Novel!” Mr Walkman said, “You still here? I thought they sold you off.”

“Nah I’m here, James didn’t want to give up on me,” ‘The Hound of The Baskervilles’ replied.

Suddenly ‘It’s my life’ started playing out of nowhere. Mr Walkman, Flashlight and Digicam looked around to find the source and saw a sleek iPhone 6 singing out its ringtone.

“He is the reason we are junk now,” Digicam said, as James ran to the phone and put it to his ear.

“What do you mean? What is that thing?” Mr Walkman asked.

“That’s a mobile phone sir,” Flashlight said, “It has a music player, that’s why you are jobless now.”

“Only a music player? That thing has a camera, a flashlight and everything you need in it! He has cost me my job. James doesn’t even look at me because of him,” Digicam said.

“You hate him too, don’t you man?” Flashlight asked Novel, “James reads novels in that sleek thing too.”

“Yeah well..” Novel began.

“Yeah,” Digicam cut him off, “You see that battered thing in the corner?”

“Landline isn’t he?” Mr Walkman asked.

“Yeah, but nobody cares for him anymore poor guy,” Flashlight said.

“Yeah I know, even I feel bad for him,” Novel said.

“That stupid thing has ruined our lives,” Digicam said.

“He isn’t that bad you know,” the novel spoke up, “We had talked when James was reading me recently, he says he feels tired really soon and has to get charged up frequently.”

“Such a fake,” Flashlight cried.

James placed the iPhone back on the table.

“I’m feeling hot,” The phone said with a smirk. All the loose papers and notebooks tittered at his joke, admiring his handsomeness.

“Stupid thing,” Digicam said, “how can you not hate him Novel?”

“He is a friend, and he isn’t a bad guy,” Novel said, “Anyway, James would never replace any of the novels he has at home.”

“That’s what you think dude,” Flashlight warned, “You’ll understand pretty soon when James will start ignoring you.”

Just then, James came up to the table and picked up Novel in his hands.

“Aah it’s been so long since I read anything,” he mused, and he opened the book and breathed into its pages deeply.

Digicam, Mr Walkman and Flashlight sat staring as James walked off with Novel and his mobile phone and settled on the sofa like a cat.

The novel was wanted even after the mobile phone came home. Why? Because the novel had something that no one could give James- The smell of an old story.

So if you want to live in this world, give it something that no one else can. Be irreplaceable. Omit out jealousy. You will be happier than anybody else.

Posted by Maithri Warrier