Bewildering Stories introduces and welcomes...

A. S. Mehta

A.S. is from central Ohio and is an emerging writer interested especially in creative non-fiction.

“An Encounter With a Life” is inspired, the author says, by a real event experienced by one of his parents. Readers may find it engaging to try to devine what real events are included in the story and which events might be fictional.

Two alternatives — a life of the flesh or a life of the spirit — are made clear early on when Dr. Meta visits two hospitalized invalids. One has an incapacitating brain injury of which he seems blissfully unaware. Another agonizes at the prospect of being unable to walk again. Which fate would Dr. Meta choose, if forced to?

Her next patient is crippled by both his health and his past. Does he live the life of the flesh and tacitly accept his fate? No, he asks Dr. Meta to return a painting he has stolen, one that is emblematic of his spirit and the life he would have preferred.

A. S. Mehta’s bio sketch can be found here.

Welcome to Bewildering Stories, A.S. We’re glad to have you with us.