Manuscript of Perplexing Stories

 

The stage was set

The year is 1964, a man walks in a café. He is wearing corduroy pants and a check shirt. He took a table besides the window to glimpse at the morning hustle whilst reading his newspaper. He is in his mid-20s and do not have a significant job, he works as a driver to an influential actor which gave him enough money and exposure to the life he wanted. He wanted to act, be famous, significant. That never happened. He did not have connections or the ability to make connections to be one of the glistening stars. Anyways the café is usually filled with people like him grabbing their breakfasts and rushing off to do the jobs they don’t like.

He can be late today as his boss had partied all night with his influential friends and hence won’t be leaving for his work commitments before at least early evening. He would never do that, make his work wait. But then who knows how we might behave once we get something we really want.

He ordered his regular, a steaming cup of tea and a sandwich, talking to the waiter he said

“Why is it so quiet today? It is 11 AM after all, fewer people are in, what’s the matter any special event I am missing?”

To which the waiter replied, “Its Sunday, not many people work today... You should keep track of the days”.

Ahh Sunday, he thought to himself, of course that’s why it is quieter than usual, most people are at home on Sundays with their families. Not his boss, of course, he is not a family man. He once told him that he does not have any time for a wife or children. He had time for partying though. Anyways, he himself wasn’t a family person, he wanted to be significant and famous. He wanted to be remembered as someone who changed the course of the world. Somebody who influenced thousands to come after him, but how? How shall he achieve his dream?

He went on to have his tea and continued reading his paper to catch up with the current events when..

Suddenly the café door sprung open making a loud noise. Everyone looked at the entrance. A girl looking really frustrated walked in. Everyone stared at her almost terrified; the horror came from the fact that it was a girl unaccompanied by a man to eat by herself had just walked in or from what she was wearing, was hard to tell. She was dressed in the most bizarre graphic print T-shirt with jeans that were so loose it could fit a man and on top of that was jacket which covered only her breasts falling from one of her shoulders making her look out of this world. She crossed the string of tables and came to the table besides the window and sat with the man of the story and yelled; “Waiter”

The waiter jumped up, came to his senses and rushed towards their table, “yes”

“Can I get an iced vanilla soy latte?”

The waiter and man looked at her perplexed, it was a combination of words they hadn’t heard before. “Wha.. What is that?”, asked the waiter.

Getting even more frustrated she said, “Just bring me some coffee”. The waiter nodded and left, looking at the man she said, “Hey, ssup?”.

The man was now convinced that she was insane and had run away from the supervised medical facility for insane people that was hyped about in many mystery stories. People talked about this facility that was just outside the town and was rumored to house many dangerous prisoners, people with horrifying mental illnesses like depression and anxiety...

She talked breaking his chain of thoughts, “Look dude I know this is weird and kinda insane, but I know you and you know me because we have met before.”  

“I don’t think so, I remember all the people I meet. Are you one of the crazy fans of my boss, Mr..”

“Look just hear me out, what I am about to say is hard to believe but it’s the truth, we met in 2025” she said. “You traveled to the future, and we met at this very café which had turned to a restro-bar with live music and stand-up gigs; we saw that stand up comedy show, remember? It was funny, but you didn’t laugh much because you couldn't get some of the references, makes me wonder how comedy is subjective and relative just like any other art form I guess..”

“Shut up” He said loudly, “You think I am crazy to believe what you are saying? Look miss I am a respected man, and I don’t want to be with you in any capacity and I think you should try this on someone else”

“haaa, who do you think you are, Chris Evans, you are a 7 at best and I don’t want to be with you in any capacity. I am on a dating detox anyways” she said...

“I don’t understand what you say, so I will ask you this once and just tell me the truth, have you run away from the insane asylum located just outside the city?” he asked

“I am not insane, my therapist says that we shouldn’t generalize mental illnesses.. so yes I might have anxieties and childhood trauma, daddy issues maybe but that doesn’t make me insane; how can you be so insensitive?”

“Okay so you can have this table, I am done with my food, Thank you have a good day” he said as he got up about to leave when she said,

“I know what you do, I know your secret”

“What secret?”

“That you drug your boss, dress up like him and act in his movies” she said...

It almost felt like his soul had just left his body, he turned purple. 

One day while driving his boss to the shoot he realized that his boss was high as hell and was in no position to act. By the time they reached the venue he was completely unconscious. Disgusted by his boss’s indifference to the job he would value so much if it was his own, he decided to go rogue. There was an uncanny similarity between his boss and him, just a mustache and glasses made him look exactly like his boss. He donned the fake mustache and his boss’s glasses and went inside. Everyone looked at him with complete silence, busted he thought, sweat trickled through his hair to his neck... the silence was broken as the director spoke “Sir, shall we begin?”

Relief. Ecstasy. Excitement. Nervousness. He felt all the emotions at once. Then he took the center stage, all lights on him, all eyes on him… he acted his heart out, everyone clapped as he did the entire scene in one take.. He was so happy and fulfilled..

Later at home he told his boss that you were brilliant, and the job was done nicely. The boss believed him, he was too self-centered to doubt the statement that he was brilliant.

But eventually this became his drug, acting, being on the stage, being heard and appreciated for the talents he had… It became frequent and the boss or his employers never doubted that they were being conned…

“What? How? What are you talking about?” He said nervously, words barely coming out of his mouth..

“Relax just sit” she said. “You act in place of your boss for no money that’s far from a crime its stupid actually. Most people in 2025 don’t even want to work for money. They just want to chill and scroll Instagram all day. I know this because you told me in the future.”

Now he was horrified why is this girl here? What is she talking about? What is Instagram?

He was about to pass out when she said, “Lets go out in a safe place and I will tell you everything. Its very important, what you do next will change the course of the world.”

She called the waiter and said “Can you get the bill please and also I will need a scanner, UPI payment, you see.”

The waiter looked at her with puzzled eyes and the man just handed him the money and signaled her to leave. They got out of the café and onto the street. It was slightly sunny but not hot. He took her to a secluded street and asked her, “Tell me now, if you are trying to fool me or blackmail me, just understand I will not be threatened.. tell me what do you want..”

She cut him off and began speaking rather loudly, “Listen I am not here to threaten you or blackmail you and I am not lying. This is insane and unbelievable but it is true.. okay

You have no idea what happened in the future and only you can stop it.. you are destined to stop it… its like you have manifested this all your life... to be significant and change the course of the world; and you are going to do it.. You know that is what my manifestation coach says, that if you manifest realistic and achievable goals you will be able to manifest it to reality. But how did you successfully manage to manifest all this? This is crazy..”

“Lady what are you saying? Can you speak in a terminology I understand?” he said almost annoyed..

“huuuhhhh ok listen.. I came from the future because…

Just as she was about to complete her sentence an arrow pierced through heart.. Shocked he looked at the arrow showing form her breast, blood beginning to gush out as she stood with her mouth open entering a state of shock… He tried to help her but she fell on her back and died….

Horrified he looked everywhere... who shot her with an arrow? He ran as fast as he could..

 

And Scene

Please don't wait for Part 2 👻