The Other Face of Life

The rickshaw bell tinkled and the 'rickshaw-wala' cried out in his boorish tone 'eh side e side e'. It distracted me from my on-the-way mobile music tracks that am habitually engrossed in and made me stare out. My eyes caught sight of a haggard build on the roadside strolling away with an insubstantial murmur. As the rickshaw passed by I couldn't avoid a glance at his old rugged face which had a stroke of warmth on it as he leered at the steaming small container of tea in his frail hands. The glow on his face was asserting his delight on being able to grab some hot tea from one of the local chai-wala. I smiled on my own in awe as well as pleasure as I headed towards the bus stand with the thought that a small container of tea still has the ability to do such wonders when today's scenario of so called socio-economical progress and technological advancement has made wi-fi one of the basic need of mankind.

As we common inhabitants really cant do anything to change any situation except only staring at them blankly or move ahead by giving the whole event some sympathetic thought, my mind also got filled up with the thought of the commotion that I need to face on the way to my office with a stung of irritation as my eyes caught the sight of my wrist watch, making me realize that another day am late for my workplace. However the human sub-conscious mind always finds room for thoughts which our conscious minds prioritize.

The following morning asserted the said rationale as off guardedly my eyes started looking for the same rugged figure that I noted the previous day. This time too my eyes caught sight of him but was deprived of a pleasant smile, given to the site I perceived. His dirt spattered white long hairs were covered with a junked away partially distorted helmet and he was asleep with a quiet serenity on his face. The subtle glow and the frame of his visage was endorsing his belonging to a decent household - then what was it that made the streets to be his abode. The question reflected in me as the rickshaw passed him. May be his old age or his insanity has made his own people abandon him, as I guessed. Instantaneously it also made me feel the significance of each and everybody's presence in my life - my family, my friends, my colleagues, my well wishers and all others. Many a times we complain about our life being monotonous or desolated by others -  one cold word from mom and we feel that no one in this world loves us or understands us, one small misunderstanding with a friend and we conclude that everyone around us are conformists............

Have we ever realized the fact that we at least have people around us to argue or fight with? Have we ever imagined a place bustled with hordes of people but no one even bothering to have a single glance at the solitary figure sitting somewhere among them? Doesn't that thought even no less than an ordeal? Yes, it is.

In the rush of our speedy lives of 21st century we are on the verge of losing our sensitivity and are sensing ourselves to be successful in becoming a robotic being.

But I think it'll just cost us a minute to give it a thought and feel the actual essence of our living - our parents, friends, home places and all our nears and dear ones - to live through them and  most essentially for them.

Sometimes you just need to Let Go

Phone ringing..........

Sam : Hello!

Mags : He--e--llo Sam (sobs) why aren't you answering my calls? I called you a thousand time yesterday, didn't you check your cell? I was so tensed, why r u doing this?

Sam : I was busy Mags and its also the fact that I don't want you to bother me, I have told u this before.

Mags : I can understand your feelings but what about our friendship Sam. More than anything else I have always regarded you as one of my best friends, a person with whom I can be truly me and share my every thoughts and feelings. How can I let that friend go?

Sam : I don't want to converse any further Mags. I have decided not to be in any contact with you.

Mags : B--b--u--t hello please listen!

Call Disconnected.......

Maggie put down the cellphone beside her and stared out of the window with tears still rolling down from her deep black eyes. Thoughts flashed through her mind of the weekend recitation classes where she met Sam few months back. 

It was Saturday and Maggie hurried up the stairs of Canterbury School of  Liberal Art & Culture. Though she was late for the first day of her recitation class, she could not be blamed for this as her profession of journalism held her back in an urgent news coverage of an incident of social agitation that was to be the news headline for a next day morning daily.

Maggie : Please may I come in Sir?

Entraineur : Sure Madame but I guess you are late for the class?

Maggie : "Am sorry!"was Maggie's fidgeted reply.

Entraineur : Please do take a seat.

Maggie looked through the class and her eyes caught the sight of an empty chair towards the end with a bag as it occupant. A combined expression of embarrassment blended with traces of agitation shimmered through her eyes as she walked towards the vacant seat.

Maggie : Excuse me! Can I take this seat beside you?

A student : Surely! (and he freed the chair off its occupant)

Maggie settled herself on the chair and tried to concentrate on the class. It was a bit difficult for her to form a vinculum as she missed the first half. The hour hand of the wall clock dragged itself towards eight and the entraineur  called off the session for the day. Maggie took the opportunity to start conversation with her class neighbor as she was intended to know the missed portion of the class.

Samuel is the name with which the student introduced himself, a PhD student of comparative literature who is also an ardent patron of recitation which vindicates his presence in the recitation session. Thus the seeding of the accord  between Mags and Sam began.

 It was strenuous for Maggie to accept the curt end of their analogy that began with an Utopian gleam. She remembered the after-class reciprocation of their thoughts and ideas in a nearby cafe and those swirls of laughter woven with the steam of the hot cafe lattes. On her way back home it had always brought an unknown smile to her rosy lips stretched across her white skinned visage. She can never forget the afternoons in between their classes which they spent in patronization of their favourite poems and the authors. There were also times when hours had passed by grooving on the nature around and its creation. Their semblance of reflection intensified the chord with the  passing days and their friendship took an 'unusual' turn.  It was difficult for her to exemplify her relationship with Sam and thus the 'unusual' friendship that once both glorified, calmly took the shape of  an innate conflict of sensitivity as on the other hand Maggie was profoundly affectionate about her husband - an IT professional.

There are times when human race cannot administer a stern control over their emotions. Hence the emotional quotient sometimes becomes the most dangerous facet to be dealt with. It was her husband's lack of respect  and appreciation for literary culture that off guardedly created a void in her inspiriting Sam's gradual entry to her life as adding hues to the white patches in a canvas. 

"Can Sam actually be blamed for his impertinent behaviour?" "Can she ever forget the love and care that she had received from her husband in that one whole year of her marriage?"- were the distraught questions those entangled her mind as she rose up and faced the decorative long mirror of her apartment's bedroom. The appearance of her reflection on the mirror answered her interrogations with a prompt 'no'. She made a sudden realization that all the voids in life cannot be filled and one must learn to find peace from within oneself rather than seeking the same in some others' self. There are questions which do depletes a justified answer and goes beyond the power of rationalization and sometimes makes one learn to just 'Let Go' in life.