Part 1
What's happening around us? What's happening around you? How many of us care about this? Well, my purpose is not give a big lecture. So, don't run away.
In my India trip, after I visited my school friends in Bangalore, I was supposed to go to Hyderabad directly. Somehow the plan changed as my uncle wanted me to stop in Kurnool for a day as he didn't spend much time with me. So, I went to Shanti Nagar bus stop to pick up the immediate bus around 4:00 PM. However, I was not aware of the fact that it's a bit long journey and it would be around 1:00 AM by the time I reach Kurnool.
I got into a bus and picked the 2nd seat. The bus wasn't completely full. Another girl in her mid twenties got into the bus and occupied the seat in front of me. Let us name her Anamika for the time being as I don't know her name. Overall, I think there would be 3-4 females in all in the entire bus, which made me feel, "Okay. Not bad. I am safe".
I was awake till we crossed the outskirts and the day light faded. I was not sure exactly when I fell asleep. The bus stopped around 9:00 PM at a check post with a small dhaba sort of diner. People were getting down one by one. Some for food, some for a smoke, some for restrooms each on their own mission.
After stretching my body for a few seconds, I was ready for the break. I noticed that Anamika also got down just before me and was looking around. I clearly understood that she was looking for the bathrooms. I very well knew that she was hesitating to go alone. Unspoken passengers we are!! I led the way to the bathrooms which were to the side of the hotel. We had to walk around 10-15 meters to reach there. As a fellow passenger and a girl travelling alone at night, I was watching behind me for every few seconds if she was okay till we reached the toilets. Each of us entered separate booths and I was the one to come out first. I waited for Anamika to come out so that she would not be alone (rather we would not be alone) to get back to the bus. Surprisingly, as soon as she came out, she just started to walk off without even noticing me.
I felt a pang of...., I really don't know what word to use here!! Was it my mistake to have empathy towards a fellow human being? Why are people so self absorbed? Forget being friends, we have not even seen each other's face properly. Yet, I was trying to be considerately courteous as a fellow human being and had been ignored right on my face. Anyway, I didn't wait for her expecting respect or anything in return for that matter. So, no regrets about it.
Will continue my rest of the journey in part 2. Until then, stay tuned...:)
What's happening around us? What's happening around you? How many of us care about this? Well, my purpose is not give a big lecture. So, don't run away.
In my India trip, after I visited my school friends in Bangalore, I was supposed to go to Hyderabad directly. Somehow the plan changed as my uncle wanted me to stop in Kurnool for a day as he didn't spend much time with me. So, I went to Shanti Nagar bus stop to pick up the immediate bus around 4:00 PM. However, I was not aware of the fact that it's a bit long journey and it would be around 1:00 AM by the time I reach Kurnool.
I got into a bus and picked the 2nd seat. The bus wasn't completely full. Another girl in her mid twenties got into the bus and occupied the seat in front of me. Let us name her Anamika for the time being as I don't know her name. Overall, I think there would be 3-4 females in all in the entire bus, which made me feel, "Okay. Not bad. I am safe".
I was awake till we crossed the outskirts and the day light faded. I was not sure exactly when I fell asleep. The bus stopped around 9:00 PM at a check post with a small dhaba sort of diner. People were getting down one by one. Some for food, some for a smoke, some for restrooms each on their own mission.
After stretching my body for a few seconds, I was ready for the break. I noticed that Anamika also got down just before me and was looking around. I clearly understood that she was looking for the bathrooms. I very well knew that she was hesitating to go alone. Unspoken passengers we are!! I led the way to the bathrooms which were to the side of the hotel. We had to walk around 10-15 meters to reach there. As a fellow passenger and a girl travelling alone at night, I was watching behind me for every few seconds if she was okay till we reached the toilets. Each of us entered separate booths and I was the one to come out first. I waited for Anamika to come out so that she would not be alone (rather we would not be alone) to get back to the bus. Surprisingly, as soon as she came out, she just started to walk off without even noticing me.
I felt a pang of...., I really don't know what word to use here!! Was it my mistake to have empathy towards a fellow human being? Why are people so self absorbed? Forget being friends, we have not even seen each other's face properly. Yet, I was trying to be considerately courteous as a fellow human being and had been ignored right on my face. Anyway, I didn't wait for her expecting respect or anything in return for that matter. So, no regrets about it.
Will continue my rest of the journey in part 2. Until then, stay tuned...:)
Posts
well, we come across such people on a regular basis.
ReplyDeletesounds like an interesting trip in the making. will stay tuned.
Debajyoti, true...I think most of us are like that. Sure, I will post it shortly. Thank u for stopping by and giving your comment...:)
ReplyDeleteIts shocking, but not uncommon as Debajyoti says. I don't want to break out into a cynical tirade but apparently, the average Indian human has slipped few notches below insects! Have you ever watched ants on move? I have noticed how if one of them strays out of the group the others get madly restless and start scampering around trying to find him.
ReplyDeleteUma Shankar, you are absolutely right. It's not an exaggeration. It's a pitiful situation that people around us no longer bother to mind what's happening around them. Btw, I didn't understand how the ants theory relates here? My brain is a tube light ...so pls explain....sorry...:)
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