A slap on my face!

I am staying in a typical Bachelor’s room situated on the second floor of a house, a single room with an attached bath, having a separate stairs to go from the ground floor. People who stay in the ground and first floor will come to the second floor terrace for two reasons

1. To keep Prasadam for the crows in the morning .I think sometime why I am not a crow, even crows will get sympathy; bachelors are untouchables even now especially when they stay alone!

2.To hang their wash for drying.

All these times somebody will accompany the other as both the above duties are performed mostly by the Ladies (Guys don’t get angry as many of us do these works to pacify our ladies).

Those are the times when I use to see somebody on the terrace I felt like living in a Country Side …all other times felt being lonely in a Jungle.

But that little happiness of seeing people too eroded from my mind, as no one was interested to talk or smile at me. Now a day I am not Bothered and not even Interested to know who is coming and going, it is not going to be any different.

There are no expectations for me from my Neighbors. I understand that they too not going to anticipate anything from me. No trust, No expectations, No basic respect and Anticipation, No Ray of Hope for any kind of relationship further. I amuse at, whether something called a Society exist only in Clubs, Temples, Churches, Masque and Guruthwaras. Here lanes and streets are made up of buildings not peoples. Only drainage system connects each house Neither Trust Nor Hope and Brotherhood. A strange thing for a person like me from a mini town with people of caring, loving and courteous. Adoptability is our strength as a bird from a rural flock. Lonely roaring is not going to be difficult at all. Alright let the lament stop here…

It was a Sunday morning, my biological clock was two hours behind the Indian standard time, and there is always one hour difference between my waking up from sleep and getting up from cot…..

I should get ready fast so that I can attend the church for Sunday service at 10 am….

After finishing the crow bath, got ready in no time…

As I was sitting on the chair to put my socks and shoes…somebody approached my room door and was looking inside…..

I looked up and she was there, a Smiling Beauty.

I asked her what is your name. She said Ananthra…with a smile in her face like a sunflower….

I said my name is Arther Paul, like a Parading Army Officer with a Ginger Face…

She Exclaimed! Woh! Beautiful name!

I asked her what is the meaning for her name as I am hearing a name like this for the first time….. It means Sweet she said…..

Then she asked for the meaning of my name…I was named after a Saint Paul according to the Holy Bible I replied……

I asked her what standard are you in and is it holiday nowadays….

She said that she is in Third Standard and it is Thasara holidays…Now my face started brighten up…..and asked her how many are there in her home ,what is her father and all….the conversation went on like that…

As the conversation progressed further, like a conventional person as she was looking like a north Indian, I asked this question “Are you a north Indian?

Ananthra replied, “I don’t know I am an Indian” that’s what I know…..

I shocked and surprised by the answer ….then suddenly she said she is going and ran fast with an innocent smile …

I do not know whether Ananthra answered knowingly or unknowingly ….A typical, conventional Indian like me...It was like A Slap On My Face…what realization we all should have for beyond being south ,north this and that identities is INDIAN !

Discrimination and favoritism on the basis of regional and linguistic basis is condemnable and disgustful …..In knowledge based society…..

I have consciously made a decision that when I meet somebody next time I should not ask questions something like this… and whenever I see somebody I wish to see through the wisdom and eyes of Ananthra…..what about you my friend…..

Arther.C