Health O Mania

Lakshmi Menon posted under Flash Fiction QuinTale-37 on 2022-01-14



The door opened, and a colorful crowd waltzed in. It was that time of the month when we saw a lot of visitors. They always came in a heterogeneous group of different shapes and sizes. Some dressed vibrantly, while some others preferred simple but see-through attires. Their goals were similar. Their sizes shrank considerably by the end of the month, and a new group replaced them. I stood with a smile plastered on my face to welcome them all. After all, I was the only one who lasted here for a good three months. Usually, by the end of the first day, one could see a clear groupism. Similar ones flocked and stayed together until it was time to leave. I tried to be friendly with them all. Madam decided how much time I had to spend with each of them. When we mingled, I always brought out the best in them. Hence I was sought after and considered irreplaceable.  We lived in harmony, but I often felt lonely since I was one of a kind. For the first time in months, I saw some hope. I saw a stranger, a newbie, who had waltzed in with the others. She was dressed elegantly in green and looked extremely fragile. She was one of my own, so I tried to make some conversation. "Hello there! Do you need any help?" "Hello! I am fine. Thanks for asking." "Never seen you around here." "My first time. People who are health conscious like having me around." "In that case, you are in the right place." "I am Olive, by the way." "Olive! What a pretty name! Nice to meet you. Finally, there is someone like me here." "Oh no! We are different. I am special because I am a virgin." I turned red in embarrassment; she not only dared to put me down but also used the 'V’-word very casually. "You shouldn't be discussing this so openly. What if someone else hears this?' "I don't care; I flaunt my virginity. That's why you and I are a class apart. It's time you made way for me. Unlike you, I help people burn calories. I am loved when I am both smoking hot and icy cold." I couldn't take it anymore; I left quietly.  The newbie was haughty and arrogant. While I was affable, she was tetchy. She would know her place when Madam preferred me over her.  That evening I overheard Madam telling the cook, "Please use only olive oil for all the dishes from today. A little sunflower oil remains in this 10-liter can. You may take it with you when you leave. We won't be needing it anymore." "Madam, oil is oil. Use me in the right quantity, and I am better than her. You can't use her for frying your favorite food," I yelled, but my pleas fell on deaf ears. My days in this kitchen pantry are over. Madam's health mania and a newbie made me redundant.

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