On the Fly

By Ananta Narayan Nanda

Stories endure because they carry meanings larger than their plots. Whether they illuminate a philosophy, expose the exploitation of the weak by the powerful, reveal a quiet art of survival, or simply offer the joy of irony and everyday humour, they all serve a purpose. The tales of kings and queens, of demons and their celestial rivals, once helped ordinary people imagine worlds beyond their reach and reflect upon the nature of power, morality, and possibility. In the same way, the stories in this collection revisit the familiar landscapes of our lives-labour colonies and school verandas, village chaupals and forest trails, cramped hostels and bustling city corners-to reveal the subtler truths hidden beneath routine living.
On the Fly brings together a variety of such stories, each written with deliberate intent yet gentle in its approach-never sermonising, always companionable. Whether it is a seven-year-old girl forming a quiet bond with a goat, an elderly woman negotiating dignity in a patriarchal settlement, a child discovering patriotism in its most innocent form, or a bachelor navigating life with nothing but resilience and a fishing hook, each tale offers a spark: a reflection, a question, or a path. These stories do not promise solutions; instead, they hold a lantern over possibilities-what to embrace, what to resist, and how to remain human in a swiftly changing world.
Other stories in the collection deepen this tapestry of meanings. In Trinket Case, Vimal's long-delayed gift to his mother affirms that good intentions, patiently upheld, become their own success story. Bhima: The Bandit with Arithmetic reveals how even a thief may emerge as a poor man's unexpected ally, rescuing him from the predatory grip of a moneylender. Matriculation Miracles shows how an astrologer's flawed prediction can still lift a troubled heart by simply restoring hope. The Lookalikes reminds us that coincidences scattered across continents and centuries point to a deeper unity of human fate. The Slate of Sin turns death into an act of grace, where forgiveness beautifies the final exit. And in Gauri's Answer, resilience emerges not as a gentle virtue but as a battle of repeated assertions-of a woman insisting on her right to dignity and independence. Together, these tales reveal the many ways ordinary lives hold extraordinary wisdom.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0GJD1Q85G
• ISBN13: 9798245160092
• Release Date: January 2026
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.63 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.0"