There are some who talk a lot, and then there are those who brag more than they talk. Well, there is a third kind too : those who have a strong dislike for talking and ultimate fondness for 'bragging untill death(of the listeners)' instead.
Here's another story from a train journey, New Delhi to Lucknow(again!)Indian trains are a treasure chest of stories, a heaven for writers looking for ideas. You'll find many things on a train, like people, people who generally have got nothing constructive to do rather than talking; stories, as an obvious outcome of the above mentioned condition; and most of all characters, characters which are hard to find and even harder to forget.
So, coming back to this story, we were all sitting in the train(Gomti Express) which was on its way to Lucknow. It would have been around one hour into the journey when the loud,sharp and shrieky voice emerged in the compartment. This voice was of a girl who , apparently, had called up her brother to find out her ISC board's final results.
Here are the few of the words that tore my nerves and that of other co-passengers too: 'What?', 'I'm dead'; 'Really'; 'Don't kid' . These are just few of them. I was trying hard not to concentrate on her but she was adamant on letting the whole compartment( the whole train rather) know of her 'achievement' . So, her voice kept on blaring louder and louder each minute. Yes, minute, she talked on the phone for around 10-15 minutes(i'm not exaggerating) and that too just for knowing her marks. Wonder how? Well, it's easy, just keep on repeating whatever the person on the other side of phone says untill everyone has heard it loud and clear. She made her brother repeat the marks of every subject at least twice or thrice, not to mention the recap and then the revision at the end of it all!(which too was not the last time everyone heard her marks).
English-88
Political science- 97
History-98
Hindi-90
Economics- 74
Don't laud my strong memory, laud the perseverance of the girl instead,in making me memorise all her marks by heart.
Though, you might feel it is a biased account of what actually happened, coming from an academically-challenged person like me, well, you might be just right :D. But still, it was not just me, but everyone present there felt the same as I did. She was going way too overboard with all this. happiness and excitement is one thing, rejoicing at the top of one's voice over an unexpected success is another and shouting and boasting is quite another. She continuously kept rambling her marks, 'Political mein 97, wow!' and then the real drama began.It was a gruesome two-some, she and her mother, who was as excited and as boastful as her daughter. She told her co-passengers that her daughter also gave the Law entrance exam CLAT and made it through, that too in the very first attempt(mind it!). Then on further 'investigative' conversation it came that 'clear',here, stood for getting a rank, which was in some hundreds and she expected to make it to the third best law school in India-NLS,Pune. Third best...and this was re-iterated time and again for those who missed out. I understand that it is very hard to contain the excitement, but for how long? Even by the most meanest of estimates, it easily lasted for close to 2 hours(the main drama that is, otherwise, the ordeal was on throughout the journey). At first, the co-passengers congratulated the girl and seemed pleased to know her results. But after a while, the same people were discussing how arrogant and showy the girl was. I just don't know what else to say here except that I really dislike such people.There's nothing wrong in sharing your happiness with others, but try not to disturb anyone in the process. The most successful person in the world,be it any field, are all humble. Mohammed Ali, Sachin Tendulkar, Roger Federer, Vishwanathan Anand. Not just Sports but also Politics, Business and everywhere! And it is because thay have already achieved so much that they don't care to show it to the world, it is another thing that they don't need to show, it is anyway noticed by everyone. But still, they have risen above this all and this is probably the reason that they could manage to be on top for so long. Just recall what happened to Mike Tyson, he was the best of his time, and also very arrogant of himself, so he dug his own grave and is in a pitiable condition these days....working hard to meet even his basic necessities. There's something to ponder over in this story. Those who get it will be wise enough to value the trait of humility, while for the rest, this story might be pure sarcasm. :D
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Encounter! with an Arrogant and Abusive Policeman
This is what happened just today, while i was on a train journey from New Delhi to Lucknow.
I was waitlisted and so didn't have a reserved seat in the train. I stood at the entrance of one of the coaches for a while, and then reluctantly went to sit on an upper berth,which is usually vacant during the daytime. I was busy reading a book untill I heard some noise from below.....it seemed tht a policeman(not in his uniform) had come in and rudely asked one of the younger guys to slide in and make room for him to sit. He asked an elderly man to show his ticket(who actually had it) so disrespectfully, I was amused at his actions of indecency in full public glare.....he was talking so loud, as if he was the master and everyone else his servants.
He kept on speaking rudely to that old man saying "I'll throw you off from the train, what'll you do then? Varanasi is still 600 kms away." Ihat crazy man was really in need of tasting his own medicine, and I wanted to deliver it myself.....I said that the person has a genuine reserved ticked and the middle berth belongs to him. To this, he said that he should sit on the middle berth then, it is illegal to sit on someone else's berth. I felt like hitting him when he said this. That stupid fellow was sitting ticketless at other's seat and preaching lessons to others. But instead I replied to him that during daytime, one can sit on the lower berth whenever one wants. And he safely chose to ignore my comment. I too gave up and went on to read my book. And then the real story began........
He struck up a conversation with another ticketless traveller.......he was more bragging than talking. He started by saying my daughter is drawing a package of 12 lacs and I ask her to travel only by air or in A/C coaches when travelling by train but i still like travelling in the regular coaches...and this, when no one asked him anything in the first place.
Then another traveller also came into the act my son is a pilot...he earns 10 lacs a year.
The policeman said "so what? my daughter just got a 10 lakh-car for me and spent 3 lacs of her bonus on her brother's wedding. "
I could not believe i was listening to two adults talking like two proudy brats.
Then came the real part, someone mentioned that these days the guys in private sector are earning much better and earning their money legally too, unlike corrupt govt. officials.....and the policeman joined him saying yes, the postal system is the most corrupted one(targeting the old man who had during the conversation mentioned that his son was working as a post master).
Then a man who was quiet all this time spoke and said that police are the most corrupt, giving various accounts and narrating a few incidents......which infuriated the policeman, he went on to blankly say that, yes policeman take bribes, but they take it only after solving the cases n tht too from the criminals(what a reason!, who else wud pay them?) and did not trouble the general public. he then asked the guy about his background......he was mr. some malik and worked in the irrigation department. Then mr. policeman started saying that the iriagtion department people loot the public, thay sell crops n wood illegally and make huge amounts on black money by robbing the general public. Mr. Malik was obviously hurt by this and objected by stating that he was honest and all the allegations made on irrigation department officials were false. the policeman got irked at this and started using abusive words(the usual mother n sister stuff) in front of women co-passengers. He even went to the extent of saying that the punjabis (mr. malik was apparently a punjabi) came hungry and poor ("bhookhe nange") and we fed them and now they are taking away all the money of India...they're stacking huge amounts of illegally earned money. He said punjabis are all cheats and frauds and repeatedly mentioned that 'poor,hungry,fed' thing. I was raging from inside at this, I felt like asking are they not a part of India? and did you feed them? but since I didn't want to get into all this mud-slingling I chose to mind my own business...which was very difficult with all that going on. he used such ugly words for the man, the ugliest possible in hindi.....and there were small children and ladies too in the compartment. the man seemed to enjoy his 'bravery' of publicly abusing another man(who remained quiet through all this). I really wished someone to getup and thrash that man like anything.
Finally after 30-minutes or so, the policeman's station came and he got off....abusing again while leaving. Though I try very hard not to use any bad words for anyone, "Ass hole" is what came out of my mouth when he passed by my seat. He didn't hear that though. :D
I have always hated the policemen in India.....I am yet to come across a policeman with values and respect for the general public. I guess everyone changes when they get into police. Don't understand why do they think so high of themselves. Why do they forget that their prime duty is to serve people and help them? I often admire watching the police of other countries on TV.....on how they behave with the citizens and how respectfully they talk to people
...sometimes even with the suspects. And come to think of India, u'll get more troubles rather than any help from these policemen.
I sincerely hope that the Police reforms take place soon and in the right sense too and may better civic and moral sense prevail in the people of our country! I also hope that the fake sense of pride at their kids earning six figure salaries diminishes and the narrow minds open enough to understand that casteism is like a plague to a country and people should respect each other's feelings.
I am still dejected when I think of such people who care for none but self and would go to any extent to downgrade a person for cheap self-satisfaction. What right do they have to hurt someone else?.....emotional torcher is as bad as a physical abuse...sometimes even more painful!
I was waitlisted and so didn't have a reserved seat in the train. I stood at the entrance of one of the coaches for a while, and then reluctantly went to sit on an upper berth,which is usually vacant during the daytime. I was busy reading a book untill I heard some noise from below.....it seemed tht a policeman(not in his uniform) had come in and rudely asked one of the younger guys to slide in and make room for him to sit. He asked an elderly man to show his ticket(who actually had it) so disrespectfully, I was amused at his actions of indecency in full public glare.....he was talking so loud, as if he was the master and everyone else his servants.
He kept on speaking rudely to that old man saying "I'll throw you off from the train, what'll you do then? Varanasi is still 600 kms away." Ihat crazy man was really in need of tasting his own medicine, and I wanted to deliver it myself.....I said that the person has a genuine reserved ticked and the middle berth belongs to him. To this, he said that he should sit on the middle berth then, it is illegal to sit on someone else's berth. I felt like hitting him when he said this. That stupid fellow was sitting ticketless at other's seat and preaching lessons to others. But instead I replied to him that during daytime, one can sit on the lower berth whenever one wants. And he safely chose to ignore my comment. I too gave up and went on to read my book. And then the real story began........
He struck up a conversation with another ticketless traveller.......he was more bragging than talking. He started by saying my daughter is drawing a package of 12 lacs and I ask her to travel only by air or in A/C coaches when travelling by train but i still like travelling in the regular coaches...and this, when no one asked him anything in the first place.
Then another traveller also came into the act my son is a pilot...he earns 10 lacs a year.
The policeman said "so what? my daughter just got a 10 lakh-car for me and spent 3 lacs of her bonus on her brother's wedding. "
I could not believe i was listening to two adults talking like two proudy brats.
Then came the real part, someone mentioned that these days the guys in private sector are earning much better and earning their money legally too, unlike corrupt govt. officials.....and the policeman joined him saying yes, the postal system is the most corrupted one(targeting the old man who had during the conversation mentioned that his son was working as a post master).
Then a man who was quiet all this time spoke and said that police are the most corrupt, giving various accounts and narrating a few incidents......which infuriated the policeman, he went on to blankly say that, yes policeman take bribes, but they take it only after solving the cases n tht too from the criminals(what a reason!, who else wud pay them?) and did not trouble the general public. he then asked the guy about his background......he was mr. some malik and worked in the irrigation department. Then mr. policeman started saying that the iriagtion department people loot the public, thay sell crops n wood illegally and make huge amounts on black money by robbing the general public. Mr. Malik was obviously hurt by this and objected by stating that he was honest and all the allegations made on irrigation department officials were false. the policeman got irked at this and started using abusive words(the usual mother n sister stuff) in front of women co-passengers. He even went to the extent of saying that the punjabis (mr. malik was apparently a punjabi) came hungry and poor ("bhookhe nange") and we fed them and now they are taking away all the money of India...they're stacking huge amounts of illegally earned money. He said punjabis are all cheats and frauds and repeatedly mentioned that 'poor,hungry,fed' thing. I was raging from inside at this, I felt like asking are they not a part of India? and did you feed them? but since I didn't want to get into all this mud-slingling I chose to mind my own business...which was very difficult with all that going on. he used such ugly words for the man, the ugliest possible in hindi.....and there were small children and ladies too in the compartment. the man seemed to enjoy his 'bravery' of publicly abusing another man(who remained quiet through all this). I really wished someone to getup and thrash that man like anything.
Finally after 30-minutes or so, the policeman's station came and he got off....abusing again while leaving. Though I try very hard not to use any bad words for anyone, "Ass hole" is what came out of my mouth when he passed by my seat. He didn't hear that though. :D
I have always hated the policemen in India.....I am yet to come across a policeman with values and respect for the general public. I guess everyone changes when they get into police. Don't understand why do they think so high of themselves. Why do they forget that their prime duty is to serve people and help them? I often admire watching the police of other countries on TV.....on how they behave with the citizens and how respectfully they talk to people
...sometimes even with the suspects. And come to think of India, u'll get more troubles rather than any help from these policemen.
I sincerely hope that the Police reforms take place soon and in the right sense too and may better civic and moral sense prevail in the people of our country! I also hope that the fake sense of pride at their kids earning six figure salaries diminishes and the narrow minds open enough to understand that casteism is like a plague to a country and people should respect each other's feelings.
I am still dejected when I think of such people who care for none but self and would go to any extent to downgrade a person for cheap self-satisfaction. What right do they have to hurt someone else?.....emotional torcher is as bad as a physical abuse...sometimes even more painful!
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