Every morning I engage in a fight and everyday I lose.. a fight against 'Sleep'. Not something very different for a whole lot of us. All kinds of promises made to ourselves as we hit the bed, come to naught when we wake up and look at the clock. Almost never ever have I been able to get up at the time I planned to.
And I must acknowledge us, sleep-loving human beings. Inspite of all kinds of innovations that mankind has come up with, we have always been a step ahead.
First they found the alarm bell. Poor folks.. they also had to add a button to shut it down.... we did exactly that and went back to sleep. Then they came up with the Snooze. We still used the earlier button to shut it down. Then came the funny, crazy alarms (the one that sprinkles water onto you, etc) If ever I get hold of one, I would love to use them... to play pranks on others. All said and done.. my quest for a victory went on...
So one day, when I had to travel, I sensed opportunity.. for my long desired win. That one, very rare moment when I could show a thumbs down to 'Sleep'. I booked myself an early morning train for Pune. Offcourse I wasn't gonna miss my train just for sleep. Finally, came the day and I indeed won. Unfortunately, there are repercussions to anything and everything rite. My joy was short-lived...
I somehow got to my seat on the train and as I was about to doze off, a voice, calm and sweet, seemed to re-transition me from the world of sleep to those of the conscious. I turned to see an old man, dressed very simply, enquiring for his seat no. He had this huge posture, indeed very fit and healthy for his age. He wore thick glasses, so thick that I couldn't even see through into his eyes. His movement was slow indicating his elderly age. A mobile phone hung from his neck, tied around with a strap just to ensure that no one could slip it off. Supposedly so, his seat was the one rite next to me.
I helped set up his luggage and once again prepared to fall asleep. But before I could, the old man started talking to me. This time, he was trying to strike a conversation... enquiring about me, telling a bit about him, so on and so forth. These long train journeys with nothing to do, at times can get quite boring and so to cut through time, quite often, people would get into a conversation with those around. I immediately sensed, the old man was trying to do just the same. Warning bells!!! I told myself... Beware... Sleep is first priority. I kept my answers terse, if required at all else gently nod and give a smile.
But this man wouldn't give up. It seemed he could talk endlessly not even requiring any response from me. He would keep intruding every once in a while, waking me up from my half-asleep state which was now becoming irritating. However, thinking of his age, I felt it would be a tad too brash and arrogant to tell him to shut up and let me sleep. So I listened.
This sequence of events continued for a while. By then, I was feeling desperately sleepy. The overnight lack of sleep had started showing up. I thought.. maybe if I pretend to keep my eyes closed... maybe he will see and understand.. maybe he will stop. Unfortunately the adjacent seat that he was sitting on, didn't help. He would keep looking straight rather than at me, and talk assuming that .... offcourse I am listening. And the huge thick glasses - I doubt if he could see me crystal clear. To add to my agony, he had this peculiar habit - everytime he began speaking, he just wouldn't start.. he would first tap you around the shoulder... which was more like tickling than a gentle tap... one that would wake you up in a manner more reactive than if someone was to throw a bucket full of water onto you. I somehow held my patience.
Over time, his topics became more intense. The train happened to pass a bridge across a river... almost dried up but with some industrial effluents flowing through. He made me notice that and spoke of industrialization and the environment. He spoke of the extreme poverty that people were going through in different parts of the country and which over time, if not controlled, would lead to acute shortage of food and water, followed by a sky-rocketing inflation. For a man of his age, this level of knowledge was definitely more than impressive. While my eyes still getting shut, I now atleast made an effort, to listen. Somewhere, a lot of frustration was getting a vent out.
Finally he spoke of his times, when one human being would care for another. When love and affection were the highest in the hierarchy. Today, he said, all that has changed. The evils of money and self-interests have taken over the warmth of relationships. Families are fighting for property and what not. Everybody is thinking of benefitting ones ownself at the expense of others. The love is all but gone...
The conversation had become extremely pessimistic. I said to myself, maybe he is just resigned about the world, maybe he has gone through a bad phase in life. maybe he just needs a vent out.. someone to listen.
But no ... as if he had read my thoughts and to falsify them, he suddenly turned the conversation upside down and as if getting things to a climax like in a rollercoaster, he now embarked upon his real hidden agenda...
He said, I say all this to you not because of any problems in my life... but becoz....
You youngsters are the Next Generation...
You are the ones who can make a difference...
You are the ones whom we can depend on ....
You are the ones this Country can depend on...
You are 'The Future'
A sudden silence fell upon the atmosphere, a lull, like the one before a storm.....
After a while, he apologized to have disturbed me, if at all, and thanked me for listening to him. He then went off to sleep. I couldn't get any, anymore....
