But the problem is that I am not content! My friends have left me far behind in the rat race of life. In fact, every other person I see around me is busy running. Just like a 100 metres sprint race. You keep running. Then you overtake the person just ahead of you. But there is no room for complacency. You are yet to overtake the guy still ahead. Also, you need to ensure a good speed, lest the one you left behind overtakes you! The only difference between 100 meter race and this race is, in life there is no finish line. There is no winner. And no loser! Yet, we keep running. Yes, we keep running like shit.
Coming back to the strange situation I find myself in. You see, I have an average middle class salary. And I have all the material comforts that I seek right now. I go inside this bubble, this comfort zone. Which says, All is Well! Then, one look at some of my friends, and this bubble of mine, bursts! They are getting paid around thrice my salary, or more! Climbing up the ranks. Rising, rising and rising. There seems to be no upper limit to their salaries. I am sometimes bewildered as to how can a company ever stay in profit after paying such obscene salaries! Anyways, so coming back to my feelings - I get motivated. Motivated to start running faster. Or at least prepare myself for another huge race. To get a better position. A better salary.
It is in such thoughts, that sometimes another kind of feeling strikes me. To demonstrate this feeling, let me narrate an incident. I was in my junior college (plus 2, as they call it), when I had to go to this cobbler, to get a sandal mended. Without any second thoughts, he took the dirty, filthy sandal (after all, it was my sandal :P), and immediately started working on it. I was standing there appreciating his skill, his dedication. To be honest, at such moments, a little bit of pity does crop up into my heart, although it shouldn't. As I was concentrating on observing his concentration, suddenly a school kid came running. One look at the cobbler's wide smile, and the twinkle in his eyes, and I realized that this was his son. The cute chhotu wanted some chocolates. The cobbler immediately took out a 10 rupee note and handed him. I loved that moment. The exact same moment, when after a bit of pestering my father used to give me money. The boy snatched the note, and ran away jumping up and down, the way kids usually run. After a few moments, it was time for me to leave. But not before paying the cobbler for his services. It was with a very odd expression, that I handed over his fee of rupees two!! And as I walked back, I could not help compare his 5 minutes of hard work for 2 rupees, and the instant in which he gave his son a 10 rupee note, just so his kid could enjoy!!!
It is not just this cobbler. Sometimes, I look at the local dhobi. There was this old man, in his sixties, who would keep ironing clothes. Always soaked in prespiration, dressed in a vest (baniyan), he would always look to me a picture of sympathy. I appreciate his hard work. His determination. His prespiration. There are so many like him. Look at the sweepers! The petty salesmen. The hawkers.Why go far? Look at your house maid, who wakes up daily at 5 am, works hard the whole day, only to spend the night getting abused by her drunk husband(a rare scenario, just an example). You look all around you, and you find hard working people. People whose each and every rupee earned is dipped in their sweat. You must have seen people working in lime factories, or in welding shops. I am talking about the blue collared workers here. What never ceases to amaze me is their hard work. Their struggle. But, it is their earnings that disappoint me. Sitting in an AC room, I have seen people idling away their time, and yet getting paid handsomely. And I am not even talking about our government servants here! I can give you hundreds of examples, of people doing nothing more than sitting on their arses, and getting paid filthily. On the other hand, one look at the street, and I see so many hard working guys, getting paid a pittance, at least comparatively.
As I am engrossed in these leftist-sounding thoughts, suddenly I get the news that a dear friend of mine, fresh out of B School, has started out with a package of 10.5 (lakh rupees). And I jump up. All the pity, all the scruples disappear. Greed takes over. Greed for money, greed for power. And I jump back into the cauldron of moh maaya and started running after Goddess Lakshmi.
Of course, even when blinded with the rat race, I make a silent promise to myself. I will do SOMETHING for these supposedly unfortunate many around me. I just hope that I keep my promise. :)
Get, Set, Go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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