Hats off, Sum_off

I read the latest story by sum_off on sajha today. It was a refreshing break for me, specially after 3 straight hours of classes in the morning. As I was reading through the story, I realized how much I really love reading this guy. I went through the whole long story in about 30 minutes and longed for more even after it ended. We all owe something to this guy for the satisfaction that he gives us with his stories.

It is somewhat difficult for a guy like me, a passive sajha reader, to appreciate what sum_off does. I have never really been big on Sajha postings. I have made a few posts here and there but not lately as sajha has been mediocre (at best) for the past year or so. The site has transformed from a witty portal for ideas to a raucous mess of political, racial and sexual slurs. I am sick of the usual "Another Song playing in my mind..", "31000Maoists but 3100 weapons.." ,"free phone to Nepal.." posts. The only occasional visit that I make to sajha now is to see if sum_off has come out with a new piece.

I like to read stuff that I can relate to, and may be that is why I like Sum_off's writings so much. He may not be the greatest writer of all time or the best story teller I have ever read, but his material is something that I can relate to the most. I think his descriptions are believable because he mostly uses his own experiences to tell his stories. The descriptions of the events in his story are sometimes so close to my experiences that I am simply amazed. This is probably because the background of most people who grow up in Nepal and come to the US to study is very similar. The only difference between him and the rest of us is that he is much better at narration than the rest of us.

The way he captures the lives and the thoughts of us Nepalis here in the US is simply superb. He not only understands our way of thinking but is skillful enough to put that into great writing. The best aspect of his writing I think is how he is able to exploit our subconscious dilemma. He understands how deep down we cannot let go of our roots yet how we still long to be americanized. Therefore he includes details from both of our worlds to tantalize our minds. His characters are mind boggling. Even though most of them live in the US they have that eastern perception and thinking. I could give several examples but since I am not writing this for a class, I won't bother to go back and look.

Another interesting thing about reading Sum_off is that you get to read his replies to the comments left on his stories by other sajhaites. I think that these comments are not just hilarious but they expose his insecurities. Somebody once commented that sum_off''s writing had holes in it, he stopped writing for a couple of months. I decided that he was another egoistic loser like the rest of us. He probably is, but believe it or not, his actions made me feel that I understand him better and know him at a more personal level. I guess you just like people who have something in common with you.

I wish I could narrate my blog the way sum_off narrates his stories. I wish I could make my descriptions so vivid that it is difficult to separate fiction from reality. I wish I had the skill to put a scene from a porno, and lord Ganesh's trunk in the same context and still make perfect sense. I wish I had holes in my writing.