SYPS – Sell Your Positive Stuff

Anaya sells her own positive experiences, one by one.

Mira watches, helplessly, until she is forced to do the same.

“Amma(Mom), I need another dosa!” Mira shouted. She expected her mom Ananya, to come in smilingly, with piping hot dosa. Mira was recovering from an illness and was just beginning to eat well again. Her mouth was beginning to lose its bitterness, and she was slowly able to eat without throwing up. Ananya came in, her face expressionless, a plate bearing a hot dosa in her hand.

“ Sold?” Mira asked.

“ Yes, for 200 rupees!” said Ananya.

” God, when will you stop doing this and start enjoying small stuff? We don’t need that money anymore, don’t you understand?” She pushed away her plate and got up.” Go sell this too, that your convalescing daughter left her breakfast midway!”

She stomped out of the room, Ananya looking on helplessly , as she whispered to herself, “ I can’t break this habit, I don’t know what else to do with positive stuff!”

Ananya was just 26 when her husband decided to end his life. No reason, not an impulse either, that he chose to cut his vein. Mira was just 2 but she could remember all the blood, chaos, accusations and biting words thrown at her mother. Ananya stood firm, insisting that they don’t move in with either her parents or in-laws. It was a tough time, not just facing external factors but fighting her mind, along with a daughter who was highly traumatised.

It was one winter night, when she was 36, that things changed. That evening, she had coaxed Mira into singing a song and had rejoiced when she didn’t miss a beat. Abheri raga filled the house as lil Mira sang and her mother picked up the violin. After a long time, both of them were happy and later, when they both had eaten a frugal meal and Mira had gone to bed, Ananya sat alone in the living room. The phone rang and she picked it up with a smile. It was her childhood friend Brunda. “ I am sick of my husband” she sobbed as Ananya soothed her.” He hates music and today, there was big row at home.” “ Oh Brunda, I just had a marvellous music-filled evening, wish I could give it to you!” Ananya murmured. “ Give it then!” Brunda’s voice sounded harsh, “ I will pay you hundred rupees!”

Ananya laughed.

” Take it!”

She was shocked that within a few minutes, happiness evaporated and her digital wallet showed a credit of rupees hundred.

“ What?

“How?” she tried to scream but couldn’t.

“ I installed an app in your phone, virtually, from mine. You sold that experience to me!” Brunda hang up as Ananya sat shocked. Her home screen shown a new app, SYPS- sell your positive stuff. It was simple, as she learnt. You just auction your positive stuff, a child’s smile, a beautiful sunset, a kind word, an achievement, anything positive and people buy them, paying a money proportionately to the incident. And who bought them? Usually those who lacked them. The catch? Its not yours anymore. The minute it is sold, you lose it and can no longer feel happy about it.

Life changed for Ananya. She no longer thought about her husband’s death. Not about the ugly words and experiences. She started looking for positiveness everywhere and sold each one of them. But those didn’t excite or make her happy as she sold every single positive experience. Sometimes, smaller stuff sold for more. When she got rid of a stain on her carpet, she made enough to buy a week’s groceries. When she sold her child’s school day performance, she made enough for a month. The post of her friend’s mother-in-law’s death which freed her friend from constant mental torture fetched her a huge amount as many women bid for it.

She celebrated Mira’s first boyfriend too, that was sold to a teenager, whose father bought it as a present. As she became richer, her mind and life became poorer. Nothing of joy there, everything was sold.

As Mira understood what was happening, she was terribly angry.” This is putting more food on our plate, paying your college fees” Ananya pointed out. Mira seethed inside but realised that what her mother said was true. She was now 25 and Ananya was touching 50. But she looked much older, her frame drooped, her face sagged and she looked completely hollow.

“ I am turning 50 soon and my daughter is organising a party!” This sold for a big price, purchased by a 45-year-old man, who was diagnosed with a terminal illness. Unfortunately, on that very day, Ananya had a bad fall and broke many bones, needing surgery and a long spell of hospitalization. Mira was upset as bills piled up and cash dried up. One evening, back from work, she hesitantly opened her mother’s phone. There were no memories, no photos. She opened the app, more out of curiosity than anything else. It was an auction of sorts, people bid money when you put up something for sale, but Mira realised, they were asking for proof. She needed to provide photos and videos, tagged with time and location.

There were about 4-5 private messages, asking for positive stuff.” I am much better now” she typed hesitantly, as she heard her mother’s laboured breathing from the room. She uploaded a photo of her mother sipping hot soup. “ 400 rupees!” a message popped up.” I am bedridden, sell it to me. I will pay Rs 700,” said another. Mira was shocked. In this world where people were desperate for positivity and happy experiences, they were ready to pay any amount to experience it, albeit through others. Mira pressed Sell, she no longer felt relief that her mother was getting better. She felt her love drain away, realizing she had inherited not money, but her mother’s terrible emptiness.

Review: The author has written an insightful story of people’s attempt to buy happy moments from other people’s lives. The story portrays the contemporary struggles of people and the elusive happiness. The writing style of this story is succinct. The protagonist in this story sells the positive news and the happy incidents that happens in her life for monetary gains. In doing so she loses the right to treasure memorable moments of her life. We are all aware of the stark reality of the social media users and their quest for showing off their gilded lifestyle through photos. This story takes a different perspective of people craving for photos that capture happiness and are ready to shell out money for that. This is a well-crafted story that will connect to the readers.

Published – February 18, 2026 02:15 pm IST