India is entering 70s. and why I am still feeling that many a thing amiss. 3 incidences I myself went through. 2 recently and 1 way back in the 90s.
After hectic monsoon schedule, I and my son both doctors went for a movie at multiplex nearby our home to relax. Late late-night show at 10.45 PM. Jason Bourne. The movie is an extremely fast-paced crime thriller, not allowing you to have any distraction least you miss some dialogues. And there was this girl, from a group of say 4 or 5 youngsters in their early or mid-twenties started using her mobile to send some message. Her seat was diagonally opposite to mine, so in that dark, the glare of her screen started bothering me. It was directly hitting my left eye and I then was unable to concentrate on the screen. I was about to say something but my son prevented me, saying, ' Better sense will prevail on her, wait'. She was not bothered about what was going on screen and was totally engrossed in using her mobile. But no, better sense did not prevail, she went on and on. I had to interject, so I asked her to put her handset off as the glare was bothering me Without really meaning she said 'Sorry' and put her phone off. Within minutes it was interval and she started giving me, explanation, that was not asked for. It was some urgent message she had to pass on. I really don't understand this stand. If you are that busy just don't come for a movie and bother others. I said sarcastically, 'Was the message that important that somebody was asking your yes to bomb Pakistan? In that situation or for that matter in any situation, no matter is that important, otherwise, you weren't in the cinema hall in the first place!' And as if the hell broke loose. Her partners in crime rushed to her help almost pouncing on me. 'But she has said sorry'. I retorted,' Really? I feel it was only lip service !' The fracas went on till one them asked me to shut up. I had to say' I am your father's age and this language ?' Arrogance, nothing but arrogance! The 'Sorry' was so fake that had it been real, the verbal skirmish that followed, would not have occurred in the first place! He said something but by that time I had realised it was waste to put sense into their heads. So stopped from my side.
My complex has a beautiful gym with attached spa and swimming pool. Though in my mid-sixties I regularly visit the gym to stretch my legs and have few laps in a turquoise blue pool. Another day I found a lad from the same age group, maybe even younger. playing football, in the GYM! The gym has mirrors on all the walls. And he was toying with the ball [ meant as a handover ball for stretching the waist ] just next to a mirror. I had to shout at him. 'Uncle do you want the ball, have it ' was his answer! Nowhere the tone of remorse but the sense of being caught! I said This is Gym and not Football Stadium. If you really want to play, go outside and play.' Another shocker. 'But everybody plays' I started losing my temper, this lad without being sorry about playing football in the Gym was shamelessly arguing about it. I said, 'You should be sorry to play and say such things to me !'
'Who are you and why should I say sorry to you?'
I really lost my cool and shouted at him' I am a responsible member of this society and I have every right to stop you from doing mischief here.'
What he was made of, I really don't know, but he simply said, ' I am not bothered'
I had to call the manager and expunge him. Later he asked me' If simply saying the sorry was going to end the matter why did you stretch it so much, I say sorry'
I was really aghast! Again shameless lip service. Defeatedly I said, 'If you are the youth of today's India, I don't see any future for her.'
It reminded me of an incidence when we were travelling on Eu rail from Rome to Nice as backpackers way back in the early 90s. The train served as Dombivali slow for the day today travellers after it entered France. The name of the station I still remember 'Ventimiglia'. A group of students in the same age group as abovementioned lads and lasses had boarded the train to reach early morning session of school in Ventimiglia. All were typical teenagers. Bubbling, talking incessantly, and pulling pranks like any other teenagers.
The railway line was meter gauge and the platforms of the station were not higher than the knee height. Anybody could have jumped the lines easily and reached the main entrance /exit that was 3 platforms away. Our train came on platform number 3. So only two platforms to the main exit. And sparsely crowded station with no train in next an hour or half. But none of those weird-looking kids crossed the lines from above. In the neat disciplined manner, each one of them climbed down the underpass to reach the main gate still kidding around with bubbly effervescence of teens!
And we cry why India does not get any medal in the Olympics ?
My complex has a beautiful gym with attached spa and swimming pool. Though in my mid-sixties I regularly visit the gym to stretch my legs and have few laps in a turquoise blue pool. Another day I found a lad from the same age group, maybe even younger. playing football, in the GYM! The gym has mirrors on all the walls. And he was toying with the ball [ meant as a handover ball for stretching the waist ] just next to a mirror. I had to shout at him. 'Uncle do you want the ball, have it ' was his answer! Nowhere the tone of remorse but the sense of being caught! I said This is Gym and not Football Stadium. If you really want to play, go outside and play.' Another shocker. 'But everybody plays' I started losing my temper, this lad without being sorry about playing football in the Gym was shamelessly arguing about it. I said, 'You should be sorry to play and say such things to me !'
'Who are you and why should I say sorry to you?'
I really lost my cool and shouted at him' I am a responsible member of this society and I have every right to stop you from doing mischief here.'
What he was made of, I really don't know, but he simply said, ' I am not bothered'
I had to call the manager and expunge him. Later he asked me' If simply saying the sorry was going to end the matter why did you stretch it so much, I say sorry'
I was really aghast! Again shameless lip service. Defeatedly I said, 'If you are the youth of today's India, I don't see any future for her.'
It reminded me of an incidence when we were travelling on Eu rail from Rome to Nice as backpackers way back in the early 90s. The train served as Dombivali slow for the day today travellers after it entered France. The name of the station I still remember 'Ventimiglia'. A group of students in the same age group as abovementioned lads and lasses had boarded the train to reach early morning session of school in Ventimiglia. All were typical teenagers. Bubbling, talking incessantly, and pulling pranks like any other teenagers.
The railway line was meter gauge and the platforms of the station were not higher than the knee height. Anybody could have jumped the lines easily and reached the main entrance /exit that was 3 platforms away. Our train came on platform number 3. So only two platforms to the main exit. And sparsely crowded station with no train in next an hour or half. But none of those weird-looking kids crossed the lines from above. In the neat disciplined manner, each one of them climbed down the underpass to reach the main gate still kidding around with bubbly effervescence of teens!
And we cry why India does not get any medal in the Olympics ?
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