No Love Lost

Last week, I witnessed an incident which made me decide that I am NOT going to live in our (apparently) wonderful city for the rest of my life.

I was driving to work when the car in front of me - a Honda City - suddenly hit a young delivery boy on a bicycle crossing the road at a junction. Now, from what I saw, it was partially the boy's fault, but fortunately there was no harm done. That is when things got worse. The owner stepped out of his car to see if the boy had been hurt (or so I thought), and of course, a few people who were hanging around with nothing to do joined the party - a road accident in Mumbai is, after all, incomplete without the presence of passers-by just looking for an outlet to vent their frustration. The owner walked up to the boy, and then - Slap! Slap! Yes, he slapped the boy twice. Hard. Very hard. The boy could not have been more than 10 years old, and so obviously could not provide a fitting response. All he did was wheel his bicycle somehow across the road, and pick up a stone, threatening to pelt the car with it. The car owner gave him a murderous look, and began advancing towards the boy again, when the boy dropped the stone and held his hand to his cheek. He was obviously hurt. And humiliated.

I was repulsed by what I saw, and ashamed of myself. All this while I was thinking I should get out and help the boy, but I was late for work (as if that's a valid excuse) and I did not want to get involved in the whole affair. I drove on, cursing the car owner and our city administration for the next half an hour, and promising to get out as soon as possible.

Now, my description is detailed, but the point I want to put across is that in our city, or our country for that matter, there is a severe lack of respect for a fellow human being. There is no consideration of factors (in this case the age of the boy) other than one's anger, frustration, or obsession with having to show everyone who really is the biggest bully in the playground.

Whatever the reasons, a lot of people in our country seem to enjoy causing others harm, whether consciously or otherwise. The thing is, we are such a deprived society, and there is so much frustration inside everyone, that we are living in a proverbial tinderbox - one spark, and Boom!, someone (usually someone weak or vulnerable) pays the price. It's just wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong.

Road rage is just one example, there are many others - incidents in Godhra, Kashmir and countless other places provide enough evidence. Truck drivers in our capital are known for carrying guns with them. There is just a complete and utter lack of caring and respect for other human beings - and this applies to the educated class too. If a mistake is made, the price has to be paid! There is no concept of a second chance. Someone could just be having a bad day, or make an honest mistake. Who the **** cares?!! You scratch my back, I scratch yours - and I make bloody sure I do it a million times over. That's the attitude. It's pathetic.

Look familiar??

The worst thing is that there seems to be no end in sight. People will continue to be frustrated and angry, and other people will continue to be their favourite targets, whether on the road or anywhere else. The only time we have and will continue to come together is when disaster strikes us all collectively, and fortunately (or, in this case, unfortunately?), that doesn't happen too often.

It is sad that the country which gave birth to Gandhi has to look beyond its boundaries to understand the concept of treating a fellow human being - or worse, a fellow countryman - with dignity, at least whenever possible.

....and Hatred.

P.S. On a completely unrelated note, I found this brilliant picture online while searching for images pertaining to "road rage india"(!!), so I though I'd share it.