On my way to office, I find a lot of pedestrians who stand on the roadside for their buses and autos. Since I go alone on my bike, it has become a routine for me to give lifts to these people. The majority number of times, its school kids who get on to my bike. Yesterday too I gave a lift to a school boy. He was about 15 years old I think. As soon as he got on to my bike, he started blabbering – a marked difference from all the other kids, who used to clamp up and not even utter their names properly when I used to ask them.
Arun, our hitch hiker’s name, was shooting questions after question, “Uncle, are you working?,Where are you working? Are you and engineer?” When I nodded my head,( didn’t want to complicate matters by explaining about my graduation), he just jumped with excitement. He said, “ Uncle my ambition is also to become an engineer. ! Uncle, where is you office” . “M G Road” I replied. “Uncle can you drop me at M G Road then? My school is near to M G Road” . Of course I didn’t mind. Now, it seems Arun was thinking for a long time and I to break the silence at a traffic signal asked him why he wanted to become an engineer.
I have personally never had an ambition to become anything other than an Army Officer. When that dream was shattered, I just moved along wherever life took me and never really dreamt of becoming anything. I know that when a kid says he wants to become something when he grows up, then its not his own thinking that says that, but its his parents and the family’s channel of thought. Of course Arun as expected by my said, “ I want to become an engineer because they get good jobs in good companies like Infosys, Wipro, HCL etc” . I shot back, “So you want a job and so you are becoming an engineer!?” Arun defended,” No, not just because of that. Also because … ummm…eeerrr” I again acted smart and asked, “ Who advised you to become an engineer? “ Arun said,” My mother wants me to become an engineer. Earlier I wanted to become a soldier. But amma said that she does not want me to go to the battle field and so asked me to become an engineer.” I tried to play the ace up my sleeve and very lovingly and in a gentle manner asked – “Arun, what do you like? Will you not become successful if you do what you like?” Arun decided to play his trump card at that moment, “ But I must fulfill my mother’s wishes also. I must listen to her too !”
At that moment I could see another Anup in that little boy Arun. I just smiled.
After that I told him about the life in the Army and how nice and honourable it is to be an army officer. Tried talking him into it. But then again to my chagrin and utter surprise he in between bouts of laughter said, “ Uncle, my mother and my grandmother want me to become an engineer because then I will be able to go abroad for higher studies or job. And if I go abroad to a developed country like US, Europe, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia,… then I will get a good girl to marry too !”
I was aghast at the kid talking of this point. Till then I knew it was the kid talking from his heart. But this was not the kid talking. Rather it was his family talking. I prodded him further because this is an issue that I have always felt strongly about. I asked, “ Arun, why are you thinking about marriage now itself? You are so young. And do you think you will get a good girl only if you study abroad and make good money? India is also fast growing Arun. That is old thinking. I do not think that is the right way to think Arun!”
To this he said, “ Uncle, I have an elder brother working for ICICI Bank. His girlfriend left him and married his friend. And when my brother asked for an explanation before her marriage, she didn’t reply to him. So my mother and brother went to the girl’s house two months before the marriage to convince her parents. At that time the girl’s parents insulted my mother and brother and made fun of him since he was working in an Indian company whereas the boy whom they had chosen had studied in a foreign country and was going to work there and also take the girl there. After coming back from that house, my mother cried, my brother cried and then she told my brother to go to foreign country. But he refused. So she wants me to go abroad, so that I can also get a good girl to marry and not be insulted. “
“ Arun, you stop has come. I think if you get down here, you will get a bus to your school. “ I informed.
“ Bye Uncle. Will you come tomorrow also at the same time ?” Arun asked
I sped off without replying , my head reeling under what a kid of 15 years had taught me. He had shown me the mirror and taught me reality !
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