I Met Myself at Sixty

This day was the same as usual days - trite and hectic. I got down from the auto and saw the beaming faces of the senior citizens, who were walking and sitting around the apartments. Some of them crack same joke daily, sometimes, it would be boring, though I have to laugh aloud abiding by them. Few will try to stop me asking about well-being. Sometimes being selfish, I try to escape as I have to complete the household chores. I did same that day, I waved and promptly answered to bypass the conversation. I rushed in to the lift and suspired. Suddenly I got a smile thinking that these people are enjoying their time. As it was Friday, I was super-excited especially the thought of hitting the bed late and getting up late next day.
Wow! Saturday morning, I was idle and thought to meet one aunt, who lives nearby and keep asking us to visit her place. She lives alone, and I try to meet her whenever I can. Mostly, she calls us if her digital tv service, fridge, or mobile is not working. I have observed, she is hesitant sometimes and tries to solve these issues on her own. But when it doesn't work, she calls us.
This time I sat with her for around two-three hours discussing on day-to-day problems and work, and I met myself at Sixty. It is actually frightening when you come to know about the loneliness and isolation they are dealing with. Casually I asked, has she cooked breakfast? She laughed and replied, "You are asking about breakfast, I have prepared dinner also." and at the same time, she dispiritingly replied, "What to do, I have to cook only for myself, however less I try to cook, I couldn't. I end up making for two or three people. My usual habit, beta". I tried to change the topic, thinking she will be sad, and asked if the television is working properly and she was happy again, "Yeah, it is my best friend. Few channels are not coming, but still better than nothing. I will go mad if it is not there. Difficult to pass my time without it". She added, "You know, it has been more than 23 years  since your uncle (he died at early age) has passed away and I feel how I have lived so long without him". I saw her eyes were welled up with tears, she threw her head back and managed to stop dropping it from the eyes. I just replied, "Yeah Aunty, time passes quickly". She interrupted, "No days pass quickly, but nights are longer. I will be awake till 2 am to 3 am and sometime till 5 am, and still I won't feel drowsy. Surprised, how I managed to accomplish responsibilities".
I nodded and asked about her children. She replied, "They are fine and asking me to stay with them". I replied, that's nice, why are you thinking so much. She replied, "Yeah (a sigh), but I want to stay here. I like this place". She has few friends with whom she chit-chat and goes for evening walk.
Then she replied, "Not for the whole day, but atleast few hours in evening are refreshing. I can go there, but I don't have friends there, the place is new and children are busy on weekdays, so I get bored all those 5 days".
I realized, she is right. We are busy for five days, and on weekends we try to complete the pending tasks.  It is not only with her, it is same with my mother too. When we ask her to take VRS (Voluntarily Retirement Scheme). She says, " It is difficult to pass time. I am happy and busy with my job". At least from the time my niece is born, she is ready to take VRS as she loves playing with her and enjoys. Grand-parents have stronger relationship with their grand-children. But sometime I feel, soon these kids will start going to school and will be busy in their activities, they won't be able to enjoy the same time.
It is not about love and care. Ofcourse, we all are giving that to our parents. It is only about the loneliness that a person has to deal even after having their children and grand children around them at that age. Everybody has to face this time. We often hear about loneliness of old people,but always forget that one day we will be at the same juncture. We don't give a single thought that what we will be doing after getting retired or old. It is not about the pension and retirement plans. It is all about spending time or I should rather say "passing our time" at that age.
At young age,working from 9 am to 6 pm and keeping oneself busy is so easy. My daily routine is very hectic, but I enjoy this busy life and felt satisfied after completing my mundane job. But there will be a time when we will face this loneliness. However, we try, we will be lonely, because there will be a generation gap, yes a time of three decades.

Bitter Truth

A sigh! no matter,  where you had been? Whoever you met? Home is the only place that tranquillizes you. After reaching home, I kept the keys and the heavy bag aside and plummeted on sofa. After that tiring journey, the sofa, which has crossed the warranty period, and not in a condition to outlast more, was the coziest. This comfort doesn't last for long as soon as I looked towards the kitchen. Within a second, I was energized to cook and complete the household chores.

In the hope of passing few hours, I picked up the television remote. I was surfing the channels and had found nothing sensible on those entertainment channels. Finally, I stopped at a movie channel and preferred to watch a flop movie over a pathetic daily soap. All of a sudden, the commercial break appeared, after all it provides a good portion of revenue to the channels. Sometimes I feel, these advertisements also do not promote a product or service in a sensible way. Among all such advertisements, one is of fairness cream.

Media should be responsible for educating the audience, but not like the way they are doing now-a-days. From high melodrama serials to fairness cream advertisement, all are taking us some twenty years back. And guess! who are glued to these serials and who are influenced by these advertisement - all of us.

Most of us think, No! not me, I am an educated person. I do not believe these things. The bitter truth is - we know what is correct, but still can't express dissent if things are going wrong in front of us. And this include - you and me. You must be thinking, why suddenly the topic deviated from the everyday activities to the virtues.

(To be continued ...)

Number of Targets to Achieve ;)

Oh! it is 6:15 pm, time to pack the belongings and rush to home. I quickly swapped my card at the gate and moved towards the main gate. Knowingly, I pushed the gate instead of pulling. I do it often even after knowing. I don't know whether it has become a habit or it happens with others too. The guy on the other side of the gate smiled and pushed the gate back. He must be thinking, what a nerd?
Hope, I was not too late today. This worry was not for the bus, but it was for the seat. Alas, before that I have a target to achieve - "Crossing the road". Who will take that  subway or wait for the zebra crossing? I want to reach early, I can cross from anywhere whether I have to jump across the fences or run between the fast moving vehicles. Adjacent to that, I was thinking, I am not a good citizen. But for now, rather than following traffic rules, it is more important to reach at the bus stop on time.
After scaring all the drivers, I managed to cross the street. Within few minutes, I was on the other side of the lane. I proceeded fast, and finally, I was at the bus stop. Even after so much of struggle, I was not lucky enough to get a seat. People were hanging on the doors and some were standing on the toes. Even, I managed to stand in that bus.
Strange, how this conductor manages to move from one end to the other to sell the tickets. It is a difficult job, giving tickets, checking passes, moreover, remembering faces and returning change. Also, shouting at people and asking for change. Now, it was my turn. " Which stop madam"? I replied, "Electronic City sir", yeshtu ? Ipattu, he answered. I asked again, How much? 20 rupees maa.
 I always try to speak Kannada and on getting reply in Kannada, I have to come back to Hindi or English again. Atleast, I was lucky that the ticket is of 20 rupees and I don't have to fight for change.

And the next target - "get a seat." It is the toughest of all. Why? Minimum three person on each seat. Everybody's eye was on the seat. Even a slow movement of the seated person, alerts the passengers, who  are standing in the hope of getting seat, including me. If you are looking for a seat in a crowded bus, you should watch the seated person and consider the actions such as, unplugging the earphones, lifting the bag or purse, seeing the mobile screen, unfolding arms and so on. If you are unlucky, these can be merely actions which a person took to relax or make himself/herself comfortable and not for getting up.

(To be continue ...)

And the Journey Begins ...

As the clock struck 9, I rushed out of the house speeding hard to reach on time.Today again, the day was same and as usual the bus was crawling at every signal. People were looking tired and their eyes staring the light to turn green. Except the passengers, only two persons were relaxed, the driver and the conductor. Both seemed to be less restrained and were having a nice chat. I can feel their ease which was the same as I feel when a manager gets a call in a meeting. At last, the signal opened and the driver accelerated, chasing the bikers. Poor bikers, they don't know this bus can drive over them if ever the driver gets a chance.

Now what is that? Oh ! The signal again. I looked up and found a long queue. Sorry , I used a wrong word; it was a zig zag crowd which we can see anywhere in our country. And as somebody has said "Everybody is in hurry, but no one reaches on time.", everybody was trying to overtake the other and cross the signal before it turned red again. Like others, I was also puzzled and turned up to my mobile to check the time.It was 10 a.m. and I realized, I will be as usual late and reach at the same time.

All of a sudden, the driver was full of energy and the bus was moving fast, why not the driver got an empty road after an hour. As it was nearing to my stop, I got up, but the driver doesn't want me to take an effort of stepping forward, so he put on the sudden brake. I swayed and within a few seconds I was near the bus door. Like always, I stared him and didn't dare to speak.

It was social networking time now. Although, I was rushing towards my tech park, but as a tech savvy employee I can manage responding to the messages while walking.

(To be continued...)