Goodbye Blue Sky

“Goodbye Blue Sky” is definitely not the song by Pink Floyd. It is a short story by Nour Sharif though its subliminal theme is almost the same—as I see it—as that of the song. The full story, for the simple pleasure of reading, can be accessed here. 

“Goodbye Blue Sky” is a fictional account with a tinge of reality in the form of Lebanon civil war which afflicted Lebanon for more than 15 years. Most of the story is set in “a little town, far from the coast, and close to the mountains” named Zahleh and a very insignificant part in Canada—the specific town or place is not mentioned. I consider it obligatory not to reveal the specifics of the plot as that would unnecessarily smother the zeal of the reader. “Goodbye Blue Sky” is a bid adieu to peace inviting clouds of war, a goodbye to the warmth of clear sky for Gabriel, Zaynab and Michael—central characters in the story. It is a story of contrast where we are at one hand appalled by the civil war involving Muslims and Christians and on the other fascinated by the brief intimacy of Zaynab ( a Muslim) and Gabriel( a Christian). But ultimately they too have to say goodbye to their blue sky. The writer also drew a contrast between the turbulent land of Lebanon which is marred by religious violence and peaceful Canada where at some point in the story Gabriel and his father Michael migrate to reclaim their blue sky. The story brings to the fore, in the midst of peace and war, the humanly relations, though strained, between a father and a son, a husband and a wife, a boy and a girl—vacillating, sometimes due to external pressures and sometimes due to internal conflicts.

I have always felt that aesthetic sense of English Literature is mainly due to the ability of the writer and his/her sense for circumlocution. And I can say without a doubt that in this endeavour the writer wonderfully describes the situations to fulfill the aesthetic demand that every story should have. Vividness in description is clearly visible. At times I felt that the story is too short to accommodate the full web of emotions that it seems to conquer. But then I remember that the writer must have been bound to the limitations of the competition that she was taking part in. By the way if I haven’t mentioned till now, make note of it immediately. She, that is Nour Sharif, has won third prize for this story in Malik’s Short Story Competition 2012.

There is nothing that can stop me from revealing more about the story and its theme but that would be doing injustice to the writer. In a way, injustice to the reader too! What purpose the story serve to the reader if it is already accomplished through the review of the story? I, therefore, cease my hand and give a chance to your complex wiring of eye and brain. In short, I am urging you to read this story in order to enjoy every bit in its entirety.

In the end I would like to thank Nour Sharif, whom I know only by the means of Facebook, for providing me the soft copy of this story and thereby giving me the chance to read, most importantly, free of cost.