Short Story: The Medal by Sumanya Anand Velamur

In this short story, Sumanya Anand Velamur tells a captivating tale of grit and determination, and its impact on one’s life.

Finally, it came to an end with SK fleeing down the hill from Fløyen to the Centre, his fingers wrapped tightly around the red satin ribbon that was streaming behind the medal like a comet’s tail. Who, these days, gave medals for a PhD? But there she was, pursuing SK, taking the longest strides she could muster after seven years of no exercise, her stomach jiggling, her breasts bouncing in gay abandon, her hands outstretched, her fingers reaching to enclose the gold disc, buoyed atop invisible cushions of air and just out of reach.

But he was faster. Faster and more clever. You know how one can either run stupidly, a slave to momentum, or one can run cleverly, jumping over rocks that are bound to trip you over? SK ran like the latter. Even in hurtling down the hill, each step was considered. She, on the other hand, just followed in hot pursuit. Midway, she passed Beena. Her Kalaripayattu teachers’ eyebrows were raised in surprise. On the rugged slope of the hill, Beena was practicing her kicks.  She breathlessly explained that her supervisor was running down the hill with her medal. Beena understood. She had done a PhD, after all.