You took the bait. You always do. Can you tell me when I am being genuine, and when I am not? I'm sure you can figure it out, but neither you'll speak of it, nor will I. You know of my decietful pretenses, the bait, yet you take it. You're a smart bait taker!
Sometime ago, looking out of my balcony on a fine Sunday evening, I noticed the kids in the neighborhood playing. Two kids from the neighborhood were playing together. Anil and Bhaskar. The parents of these two kids seldom passed a day without some kind of altercation. It was a ritual they seem to take pride in.
After all, they earned their rights by buying their respective houses, and any kind of intrusion (be it in the form of sound waves, however insignificant they may be) was not encouraged. In this setup, tolerance was considered extremism. You could get an entirely different perspective of the joys of having such a neighbour if you get to speak to them. Quite unique. Lucid!
The two kids, on the other hand, used to play together at any opportunity of their Argus-eyed parents' absence, and they seemed to really enjoy it. Anil was (or seemed to be) an introvert, while Bhaskar was a guy of infinite energy. It was usually Bhaskar, who would devise quick solutions when they were about to be caught red handed, for a quick escape from their parents. But as kids they were, the grown-ups managed to catch them quite often, either playing cricket, or Ludo, and once, I-Spy. The punishments (as far as I am aware of it) was that his dad would not speak to him for days in a stretch, and would mostly attack his psyche in a subtle form. It was indirect, but was extremely powerful.
So it went that way. For sometime. But Bhaskar, as he was, adapted, and conjured an excellent solution to his situation. What he used to do was, that at the moment he was about to be caught playing with Anil, he would quickly start a fight. Usually by pinching Anil on his arm, and used to stand for him to react. Anil, usually shocked to see such a sudden behaviour from Bhaskar, would hesitate for a moment, then would vent out his frustration by hitting Bhaskar on his arm and run away. Sometimes, they would enter some major physical assault, till their parents came to their rescue. Keeping their parents busy later was an easy task. Anil was smart, and quickly understood what is going on. I'm sure, Bhaskar's quest did not end just there, but right there, I beheld ommon sense knitting together the common cause.
We grown-ups behave just as Anil and Bhaskar and their parents did. Very often, we go out of our ways to just keep everyone around us, around us - Just like what Bhaskar did. That's an outcome of adaptation. We devise strange ways to keep someone close to us, and sometimes to keep someone else at bay. In the case of Bhaskar and Anil, their parents took the bait and not Anil, while Anil was the one abused. A cleverly crafted way to keep their parents at bay, yet the kids close to each other. The key was the mutual trust between the two kids. Had Anil taken the bait, their lives would have turned around to perhaps, different directions.
The despair comes when the bait is taken by the one it is thrown towards but unintended - Being Bhaskar, hoping you to be the Anil. You'd know the reasons if you think like Anil did - Just for a moment. Unless you wear Anil's glasses, you will take the bait, you'll still know that you did, and you'll have your doubts about me.
I'm sure you've played Bhaskar too at some point of time in your life. Think how you felt when that 'Anil' didn't turn up the next day thinking you're a moron.
I think you've taken the bait, and you always do, though I still am inclined to hope that you have not. Or have I taken the bait? Did you throw something at me
hoping I'd not take it? I'm looking around for signs. The signs if you are hiding something from me, yet hoping I'd see it.
Are you looking out for my reasons too my friend?
Sometime ago, looking out of my balcony on a fine Sunday evening, I noticed the kids in the neighborhood playing. Two kids from the neighborhood were playing together. Anil and Bhaskar. The parents of these two kids seldom passed a day without some kind of altercation. It was a ritual they seem to take pride in.
After all, they earned their rights by buying their respective houses, and any kind of intrusion (be it in the form of sound waves, however insignificant they may be) was not encouraged. In this setup, tolerance was considered extremism. You could get an entirely different perspective of the joys of having such a neighbour if you get to speak to them. Quite unique. Lucid!
The two kids, on the other hand, used to play together at any opportunity of their Argus-eyed parents' absence, and they seemed to really enjoy it. Anil was (or seemed to be) an introvert, while Bhaskar was a guy of infinite energy. It was usually Bhaskar, who would devise quick solutions when they were about to be caught red handed, for a quick escape from their parents. But as kids they were, the grown-ups managed to catch them quite often, either playing cricket, or Ludo, and once, I-Spy. The punishments (as far as I am aware of it) was that his dad would not speak to him for days in a stretch, and would mostly attack his psyche in a subtle form. It was indirect, but was extremely powerful.
So it went that way. For sometime. But Bhaskar, as he was, adapted, and conjured an excellent solution to his situation. What he used to do was, that at the moment he was about to be caught playing with Anil, he would quickly start a fight. Usually by pinching Anil on his arm, and used to stand for him to react. Anil, usually shocked to see such a sudden behaviour from Bhaskar, would hesitate for a moment, then would vent out his frustration by hitting Bhaskar on his arm and run away. Sometimes, they would enter some major physical assault, till their parents came to their rescue. Keeping their parents busy later was an easy task. Anil was smart, and quickly understood what is going on. I'm sure, Bhaskar's quest did not end just there, but right there, I beheld ommon sense knitting together the common cause.
We grown-ups behave just as Anil and Bhaskar and their parents did. Very often, we go out of our ways to just keep everyone around us, around us - Just like what Bhaskar did. That's an outcome of adaptation. We devise strange ways to keep someone close to us, and sometimes to keep someone else at bay. In the case of Bhaskar and Anil, their parents took the bait and not Anil, while Anil was the one abused. A cleverly crafted way to keep their parents at bay, yet the kids close to each other. The key was the mutual trust between the two kids. Had Anil taken the bait, their lives would have turned around to perhaps, different directions.
The despair comes when the bait is taken by the one it is thrown towards but unintended - Being Bhaskar, hoping you to be the Anil. You'd know the reasons if you think like Anil did - Just for a moment. Unless you wear Anil's glasses, you will take the bait, you'll still know that you did, and you'll have your doubts about me.I'm sure you've played Bhaskar too at some point of time in your life. Think how you felt when that 'Anil' didn't turn up the next day thinking you're a moron.
I think you've taken the bait, and you always do, though I still am inclined to hope that you have not. Or have I taken the bait? Did you throw something at me
hoping I'd not take it? I'm looking around for signs. The signs if you are hiding something from me, yet hoping I'd see it.
Are you looking out for my reasons too my friend?
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment