My article in 'The Tribune, March 25' 2014' - Things are not always what they seem to be - For Macbeth and all:)

Sometimes, your 'Sense of observation' is enough to stir and rattle your outlook towards others. Things are not always what they seem to be - For Macbeth and all:)

Here's one of my articles that was published in the editorial section of a national daily called 'The Tribune on March 25, 2014'. Please pour-in some valuable feedback!!

  

Blimey! What on earth is wrong with them? Why do they act as an alarm put on incessant snooze every morning? I pounced on my Mother with a pile of questions as I reluctantly woke up on a lazy Sunday. Courtesy – The Nepalese Humming bird of our society: Car washer and his son.

Politely she revealed; He is our Thapa who patrols in night (as a Watchman) and turns up a Car Washer as the dawn breaks. Being illiterate and unskilled, this is the only means of earning bread for him. Off lately, his ten year old has also started accompanying him to work. She further narrated as to how the duo shampoos my car as if it was their prized possession only to wipe it dry with utmost prudence later. She shared as to how Thapa would ensure to sing songs to his son in an attempt to ward off their day-to-day worries and qualms. She also mentioned that the duo, at the cuckoo’s call, can be seen lifting buckets full of water and gearing up for their job of Car Washing at the .

Unstirred and Unmoved, I dragged myself to the balcony only to observe them in detail. Heads adorned with Nepalese Caps, multiple layers of woolies, Rain boots, bare hands and cilice belts clamped around their waists.

What added to my annoyance was the sight of Thapa’s son at my doorstep. I gave the robber of my Sunday sleep an apathetic look. As I was still figuring out the reason of his outbreak, I noticed him saying hesitatingly to me ‘Memshaab,gaadi  mein rakha tha ye. Buba ne bola ze aapko dina ka ’. He carefully handed me over a packet carrying my house’s electricity, water and Telephone bill along with Rs. 6500 as cash. 

Quizzically, I leaned to decipher his expressions. Nonchalance and listlessness. I stood there cemented with shock with a piercing urge to reward him for his act of honesty. I quickly grabbed some chocolates, a Soy milk carton and fruit buns and rushed after him in the society. As I neared him, pat came a reply from Thapa with an accent easy to place ‘Are nahi Madam, rehne do. Itni  ashaani  shey inaam dina na. Nahi to aage she galti ka garega!’ (Madam, please do not reward him. As I can’t provide treat him with all this, he might drift to dishonesty in future). The boy obeyed while wiping my car’s windshield. Utter silence. Contemplation.

Till this day, I detest helping my mother with the household chores. Unlike Shoma! (Thapa’s son). I often ask my domestic help to overstay to compensate for my disengagement in such mundane tasks. And here, I learnt a deeper meaning of life through a Ten-year old boy, who, despite of being entangled in rut of life, happily helps his father. How effortlessly a young boy discarded the bounties of the riches.

We often loathe doing our daily jobs and try to find shortcuts. Else, we proudly employ others who normally are emigrants. Hats off to the spirit of such emigrants who struggle with harsh living conditions while sporting an encouraging smile!