I remember reading a novel by R.K.Narayan - The vendor of Sweets. The protogonist is a typical R.K.Narayan novel hero - one who is content with his life and does not like change. A simple person who is often bewildered by the smallest of changes. A person who loves his routine. A person whose conscience tortures him every time he utters a small lie and whose face automatically detects his mind's consternation and contorts itself into an expression that gives him away.
My mother grew up among such people. She had a simple childhood. She went to school too. She attended college. She had an ambition too - No, she did not want to be a happily married woman at home. She works to this day and has no intention to retire soon.
Where are such people? Where have those days gone?
So many things from my childhood seem so far off now. Playing games out in the open. Paper boats in the puddles on the front yard on rainy days. Playing paandi during lazy afternoons. Pallaankuzhi matches with grandmothers. My favorite game was spreading out all my "soppu saamaan" (play toys) from a big basket and playing with them. Being the only child, I made up my own world and characters.
I remember my mother cultivating the reading habit in me. She used to pick up a book and read at a particular time of the day, everyday. My mother was my only playmate and my heroine. So I started mimicking her. Eventually, even if she did not read, I started reading at that time of the day. I wonder, will there be hard copies of books, say 30 years down the lane? Or will they have become archaic like the gramophone? Will there be simple pleasures like opening a new book and savoring the smell and its feel?
I remember going to Meenakshi amman temple on Sunday mornings with my dad on his cycle. We used to watch ducks in the Vaigai river(Recently, I have, sadly, not been able to see even a slight trickle of water in the location where the "river" once flowed). I wonder whether dads will have time to see their children, what with their multiple tuition classes and coaching classes.
I had never seen a mobile phone in close quarters until my dad got one during my 11th standard. I got mine during my second year at college. Now, my friend's daughter unlocked my touch phone by herself and placed a call to another friend from it. She is in playschool.
My mother often says that her generation got to be children during their childhood and had innocence while growing up. Even a few years ago, we had the luxury of being children atleast until our 10th standard. But now? I am not sure. Maybe, sometime in the future my friend's touch phone-savvy daughter will write a blog about the simple joy of buying her first Macbook pro.
Disclaimer and warning:
1. Please note, I am not old. Also, please note, serious posts like these might follow, in the future. I am a serious management student now :P.
2. If you had thought this post is about Joey or F.R.I.E.N.D.S, I am not sorry I tricked you. That was the intent. Don't be a child, now.
