I have very few friends and no enemies. Maybe because I do not take Rahul Gandhi or his speeches, Rajinikanth or his films, and Ramdev or his products seriously. Don’t they say Russian newspapers are all about truths, half-truths and lies? Truth being sports news, half-truths being the weather reports and the rest all fiction.
Someone said in a lighter vein that our politicians can be heard, our films watched and our other celebrities listened to, even from the middle or from the end, as it makes no difference or sense when done from the beginning also.
I learnt to switch off my mind in the middle of a conversation or a road. The other day, a young motorist yelled at me while I was on my favourite before-Christ era scooter, ‘Yov! (this is no Russian word. That is how you are addressed in Tamil by one who assumes you irritated him), Perisu! (elderly ones addressed when, off respect line). Instead of blocking my way like a pumpkin, can you not make way for me to zoom past you?’ I pretended I was deaf to boot.
The maximum speed my scooter can gain even when constantly prodded is 25 km an hour and it hauls 19 km a litre. Still it works out cheaper and faster for me. That is all about its horsepower and fuel efficiency. Take it or leave it. I have no issues with overtakers when they call me names. I am at peace with myself. I cannot change my vehicle or its owner, for others’ sake.
I am 66 and never take my age seriously, except while availing senior citizen concessions. I watch TV at night only to get sleep, but I lose sleep when Trump or Kim appears. My better-half can watch the 10,000th episode of any soap opera even when the TV set is switched off.
I don’t rush to medicines, be they English, Unani, Ayurvedic, Siddha or naturopathic, when unwell. I trust Dr. B.M. Hegde. Body heals itself. If it doesn’t, nothing else can. I have no BP, sugar or jaggery. I have not spent a fortune on executive check-ups yet. My late dad strictly advised me to keep away from the police station, the court and the hospital, if I can help it. I follow his counsel.
I have no bluetooth (broken and yellow ones I have, one or two), blog, WhatsApp, Twitter handle, Facebook or Instagram accounts and other such bother. They have no use to me. I am content with plain SMS. I never attend marketing calls on the mobile, and delete them as well when received on email. Of course, I chat on FaceTime selectively well past sunset (because that is when my very few overseas contacts are awake).
I listen to music. Old Hindi film songs appeal to me, and then the old Telugu and Tamil ones, in that order. Kishore- da , Ghantasala and TMS are my favourites. I watch cricket. I admire Sehwag more than his Bharat Ratna playmate. Now, I fall for Dhawan, Dhoni, Pant and Pandya, not necessarily in that order, not to miss that latest sensation, Prithvi Shaw. I also like IPL. They are like MGR films when the hero does everything to impress, except acting.
Kamal, a good actor, is wasting his talents elsewhere, I feel. I enjoy comedy, in real life and reel life. I still remember, with fun, my cousin, when not even a school- going kid, asking his mom to wake him up also early morning the next day when she would wake up his other senior siblings who had examinations to take.
I do a bit of real social service when summoned. I feed crows every day whether they feed on it or not. I water weeds also along with the flowering plants. I go easy with neighbours. I have no border disputes. I am friendly with the postman, the milkman and the washerman. I entertain them on festival days. I like our Modi but not his demonetisation or GST.
I visit the temple opposite my house every day when in town. I do not pray for anything in particular. I meditate on life. I never found answers to many things of life. I do not know why there is black money, corruption and character assassination. A little give-and-take is all about life. I do not know why people fret over everything that they cannot handle.
Some things are beyond our reach — like for instance, God. Why contest when you cannot win? Live life the simplest way. Other things will fall in place. Be a Bhogi (a go-getter). It helps life’s cause better, I believe.
pushpasaran@yahoo.co.in
