Diversity in Unity

Every morning I see loads of children standing for their school buses, chatting or laughing. One such school bus stop is near my bus stop and I was waiting for the bus as usual. I noticed two girls standing next to me. They belonged to a very prestigious school in the city.Their uniforms were 'Cool' as the kids of today call, with a short tie and short skirts exposing almost one-third of their legs. They were chatting with each other in their best English. At the same time, another bunch of kids came to the same bus stop, but for the regular bus. They must have belonged to some sort of a Government school which has a sky blue shirt and navy blue skirt as a uniform. It consisted of two elder girls, maybe high school and five to six younger children of middle or primary school.

The girls started passing comments on the faded and extra long uniforms of these children and started laughing at them, called them names. I gather one of the girls knew them, she was asking them whether the uniform belonged to their mother while she was going to school and such things. By that time, they got their school bus and took leave. I too got my bus.

In the bus I remembered a lesson I had read in my school regarding the purpose of uniforms in school. It was required so that the children get a sense of uniformity and do not poison their minds with the feeling of high or low with respect to caste, economic status etc. But, nowadays it is not the case. The schools itself are causing this divide. The students of a high society school are always treated better than students of a low society school. Does that require a name called 'Uniform' even now?

I just hope in the future, there should also be a uniformity in the uniforms of different schools too. Only then will the children learn the real purpose of a 'Uniform'.

Valentine's day (???)

It is my first ever Valentine's day today. After spending more than 2 months with my husband Varun, I keep thinking why didn’t I ever meet him before. When I had met him on the first day, we hardly spoke for 2-3 minutes. He is a man of not just few but much lesser words. On that day itself I found a strange sort of love in his silence. We both agreed and got to know each other very well in the past few months. I am sure I would have not found anyone better than him for myself. Every morning, I find it very difficult to part with him to go to work. He has to literally push me out of home. Even in the bus, I constantly message [We don’t want to talk as it hurts our privacy] him till we both get to our seats at work. I also like his “Oota aaytha?” message around 2 or 2:30 every afternoon. In the evening, the messages continue.

I was a bit late today and had to get in a crowded bus. I found a seat finally next to a man of around 35-40. He was dressed well, though not a hero in looks. He was on phone, talking loudly in a sort of fake American accent. At first, I thought I will let go of the seat but thinking of the 2 hour journey, chose to sit. I was about to start messaging Varun, but realized my phone was out of currency. I had not noticed in the morning that it was one-rupee-a-message day and had shared some joke with some of my friends in the morning which ate up all my currency. I had no choice but to sit through the journey. With the man next to me talking like a crier on the streets, I could not help listening to his one-sided speech.

I gathered he must be talking to some woman over the phone as he was addressing her as “Jaan”. He was sharing a lot of things with her so it had to be his wife. 

“Jaan, Bangalore is getting hotter nowadays. I wonder how it is in Delhi. Are you uncomfortable in the weather dear?”

I thought she must be living in Delhi and he is missing her a lot.

“Arre.. Nahi Jaan. How can I ever do that to you? I love you more than anything else in life. Do you think I booked the tickets next week to Delhi just like that? It is my Valentine’s day gift to you.”

“Agra? I don’t think that will be possible as I have taken just 3 day’s leave.”

“Arre.. You are still caught up with the same thing? What should I do to convince you that I love you?”

“Gaana?? Yahaan? Is bus mein?”

“No Jaan. I can’t sing in a bus.”

“Arre.. Fine.. Kaunsa?”

“Ha ha.. Koi kannad ka gaana baj raha hai. How should I know what it is?”

“Ok. Hrudayave bayasithu ninne.. Oh God.. This is difficult.”

I was controlling my laughter a lot. I was surprised how his wife was making him dance to her tunes even from a distance of 3000 kms. I was thinking of Varun’s reaction if I had asked him to do that. He would have simply told “Why only sing dear? I would dance too, but only in front of you. I don’t like Public Display of Affections.” 

The man continues..

“Kaunsi? Saath Khoon Maaf? Theek hai. Kya baat hai? Pati ka khoon toh karne ki nahi soch rahi ho na? Ha ha..”

“I was just kidding Jaan. Come on. Tum toh meri sweetheart ho na.”

“I sent you the photos of my new flat in the morning. Did you check?”

“Ofcourse. I can occupy it by 15^th March. When are you planning to come to Bangalore?”

“Haan. You can stay till May 23^rd Jaan. After that my wife and children will be back from her mother’s place.”

I was shocked when I heard it. I was used to the fresh and innocent love of Varun and could not get myself to believe that few men are like this man too. How could anyone do that to his wife who had given up her family to make his family happy? I was praying to God I find another seat and get away from this devil next to me. I usually imagine myself in their place when someone is suffering and decide. But I did not even want to imagine myself in her place as I would be insulting my husband. I finally got a seat three rows ahead of mine and I just went and sat there. I did not want to start my first Valentine’s day on a sad note but I sure did.