The Accidental Beneficiary of War
A short story on the consequences of world events on a commoner’s life
As I savored my mid-morning coffee on my balcony, my phone rang. Interrupted from my reverie of admiring the pink Bougainvillea, I picked it up. It was Sid, my investment guy cum friend. His affable voice boomed over the phone.
“The stock market crashed real bad after the attack on the nuclear plant, you should invest now to reap profits later, in the long term,” he said. He then proceeded to a detailed best and worst-case analysis of the impact on my portfolio.
I couldn’t help feeling a lump of alarm rise in my throat. Owing to an exceptionally busy morning with my toddler, I hadn’t read the news yet. So, this was new for me.
“ Are the people there going to be okay?” I asked Sid, my voice rose in panic. Images of destruction and horror flooded my mind. A part of me said, “don’t shoot the messenger”.
Sid sensed my anguish. “Yes, it won’t be as bad as Chernobyl. It’s mainly the fire but things would be under control soon” he soothed me. “So, shall we invest in crashed markets in the next month, with a two-year horizon then?”
I knew Sid had my best interest in mind but it felt all wrong. I feebly said “yes” to his offer, jumping on the bandwagon of long-term investors, feeling like an accidental beneficiary of the war.
