Love Diagnosis

In Jaspal Singh's "Love Diagnosis," a childhood rivalry explodes when the narrator confronts her younger sister over a doll. The narrator, convinced of her own superiority despite her sister being a year older and born prematurely, demands the doll, handcrafted by their mother. The younger sister, described as clumsy and tiny, clings to the toy, determined not to relinquish it. Their struggle escalates, culminating in the doll's button eye breaking off. Amidst the cacophony of their fight, the narrator hears music from the wireless about the devil in disguise, an image she projects onto her sister. The sister’s subsequent tears, which the narrator warns against, threaten to get her into trouble, a familiar pattern. The narrator perceives her sister as the favored child, possessing all the qualities she resents: strawberry blonde curls and a pale, sickly appearance. The narrator's possessive nature and deep-seated animosity towards her sibling are evident as she asserts that what belongs to her sister is rightfully hers.