Shukdeb Sen
The stories highlighted the chronic social condition of the elderly in America and, perhaps, in all developed countries, where much of the population lives in a condition of neglect. Their own families push them into a society of elderly care, where care may be inadequate.Artificial Intelligence (AI) created a humanoid that might be a more effective helper or caregiver for elderly people compared to human caregivers, particularly to eliminate loneliness and boredom.'Broken Flute' is a story about the cultural influence of arranged marriages in India and some of their inherent pitfalls.'Beatrice' is a poignant tale of a woman’s desire to be a mother, which is much more powerful than the physical, sexual, and spiritual bonding between two women partners.In the story 'Shikar,' Kanchan, a man with developmental disabilities, reveals true love and its essence to his wife, Kajol, and everyone searching for it.In 'Secrets of Pontorson,' Shukanta Roy discovered a secret that helped the Allied Army launch a D-Day attack on the German Army.The story 'Tentacles of PTSD' opened the impact of post-traumatic stress disorder on the minds and spirits of American servicemen who were wounded during the Iraq War.In the story 'Coincident,' the author experiences a dream while staying at Pontorson, France.In the story 'Quest for a Simple Life,' the arranged marriage between Saurav and Laxmi becomes strained even though both want to live a simple life. However, the meaning of simple life differed by almost 180 degrees.'A Tale of a Married Life' is a love story between Pankaj and Kabita. Addiction to alcohol and drugs pushed Pankaj to near death, but Kabita’s unconditional love pulled him out of the inferno of death for many years. Then the inevitable struck him down; Pankaj left physically, but his soul was inside the Alpha-X1 to lean on and protect Kabita from boredom and loneliness.
