Yesterday , on a trip to the city, I witnessed a strange sight.
A large car, gleaming in its opulence ( in Punjab, everything and everyone gleams with opulence - trust me ) sat idling by the road -side.The driver, a fair-skinned, goatee-sporting , spike-headed youngster was busy, you have guessed it right, talking on the phone.
You may say, what is strange in that? No, the strangeness did not end there.
By the roadside, squatted a turbaned seller of pink and cream colored candyfloss, one hand steadying the pole with the candy-packets tied to it like so many garish balloons,the other ,you are right, holding the mobile to the ear for a hushed discussion, face furrowed with concentration, right next to raucous traffic.
A little ahead lay the sprawling bungalows of the richie-rich.At the wrought iron gates of one abode, stood a lady, smiling at other , who was astride a scooter ( idling) with a child on pillion, impatiently pulling apart the upholstery on the scooter seat. Cute guy. My guess is the same as all sane human beings. One was visiting the other, only talking to each other; on their respective phones. I swear, on every single thread of ripped upholstery, they were talking to each other.
It was as if I had entered a gray-zone of the future world , in a sci-fi movie. In fact, I half -expected Keanu Reeves to come tearing out of the bill-board in his metallic outfit, with a gas mask on, spraying bullets .
I hastily hurried on, and repeated an oft said prayer, nay, lots of oft-repeated prayers, to various gods, spanning three religions, and four decades of fearful existence.(hanuman chalisa, mool-mantra, and our father-to be precise)Followed by a general plea for forgiveness (Lest I offend someone's ego).
As if in answer, I spied a fruit-seller, his cart laden with unsold papayas, picking his nose, with gay abandon.
I sighed with relief, and thanked the Lord(s) , for having saved us from possible alien invasion by mobile wielding automatons. Jai Shri Ram!Sat Sri Akal!Hallelujah!!
A large car, gleaming in its opulence ( in Punjab, everything and everyone gleams with opulence - trust me ) sat idling by the road -side.The driver, a fair-skinned, goatee-sporting , spike-headed youngster was busy, you have guessed it right, talking on the phone.
You may say, what is strange in that? No, the strangeness did not end there.
By the roadside, squatted a turbaned seller of pink and cream colored candyfloss, one hand steadying the pole with the candy-packets tied to it like so many garish balloons,the other ,you are right, holding the mobile to the ear for a hushed discussion, face furrowed with concentration, right next to raucous traffic.
A little ahead lay the sprawling bungalows of the richie-rich.At the wrought iron gates of one abode, stood a lady, smiling at other , who was astride a scooter ( idling) with a child on pillion, impatiently pulling apart the upholstery on the scooter seat. Cute guy. My guess is the same as all sane human beings. One was visiting the other, only talking to each other; on their respective phones. I swear, on every single thread of ripped upholstery, they were talking to each other.
It was as if I had entered a gray-zone of the future world , in a sci-fi movie. In fact, I half -expected Keanu Reeves to come tearing out of the bill-board in his metallic outfit, with a gas mask on, spraying bullets .
I hastily hurried on, and repeated an oft said prayer, nay, lots of oft-repeated prayers, to various gods, spanning three religions, and four decades of fearful existence.(hanuman chalisa, mool-mantra, and our father-to be precise)Followed by a general plea for forgiveness (Lest I offend someone's ego).
As if in answer, I spied a fruit-seller, his cart laden with unsold papayas, picking his nose, with gay abandon.
I sighed with relief, and thanked the Lord(s) , for having saved us from possible alien invasion by mobile wielding automatons. Jai Shri Ram!Sat Sri Akal!Hallelujah!!
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