today while on the way to my college i realised that in life making new acquaintances isn’t a big deal…. welll i actually missed my train n so was walking back home and saw so many unknown faces… some of them looking at me as if i m a murderer while sum r looking @ me with a big grin o ntheir face.. with such cold weather in mumbai anyone wud like walking lonely with music onn… i took the longer route to my home n it felt good… not much crowd on the road in fact almost lonely roads with some ladies standing with their children n waiting for the school bus..
i was about to cross the road just wen a small girl came to me asked me whether i cud help her cross the road. at that moment i thought that this was the same thing i used 2 do while was a kid and my mom used 2 send me 2 bring sumthng. i used 2 go to uncles and aunties n ask them 2 help me cross.. i helped the girl crossing and she waved back at me with a nice refreshing smile. Her smile was too cute n i must admit that a person’s heart is known by the eyes and smile. i took the lane that wud lead to my frnd’s house, although he dsnt live there anymore but thr r some roads u just cant frget…
while walking there i saw this old couple who had come fr da morning walk. they were arguing with each other bt wen the old woman was abt 2 fall the old man caught her hand tightly… it was a sweet thng indeed!!! i just stopped by the juice centre to have sumthng n the old couple joined me there. the lady gave me a look as if i m her lost long enemy while da old man greeted me as if i was his grand daughter. obviously they reminded me of my grandparents who always keep on fighting but love each other the most. while waiting fr my juice, the old man asked me abt my college and career… i replied back by asking him a few questions abt his work and family… i was amazed to know that even in his 70’s he works. not literally, but he does the ‘data entry’ kinda home based jobs and his wife makes tiffins. he said, “v dont work for earning bread butter, cuz i get my pension and so does my wife and we can spend the entire life by living on it. but indeed we do this to keep ourselves busy so that v dnt miss our son who no longer is staying with us”.
and bamm!!! it was like anyother old person’s story in india…. i asked him whr is his son and he said proudly that,”he is in the US, with his wife and children”. their son, i mean the old couple’s son doesnot call them except for new year’s. it is sad bt its good to see that they r not crying over it n goin into depression cuz of dis. rather they’r facing it gracefullly. well i later on came to know that they r bengali’s(bongs, as i call them, i mean us) and wen i told him that i am a bong too he was so happpy, well its a typical reaction wen a bong meets another bong,,,
well then our roads parted and i continued my journey to my home with 2 thoughts at that time. firstly about the child who is so dependent in the beginning, secondly the old couple who live their life gracefully fighting, loving, working and without their only son!!! i actually saw 2 generations today…
The Chaotic Soul 