Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Playing ball and Gandhigiri


At 6.45 am yesterday, I was minding my own business, in my own complex with huge park and running track etc, and dribbling my ball. Earlier, after enthusiastically buying it, I had kept it aside till it automatically deflated (out of disuse). But determined to recapture my youth, I refilled it -- after trying the car tyre fellow (who said he could not) and then the bicycle fellow who charged just Rs 2 (the lady at the sports shop said she would charge me Rs 5:) So feeling pleased with this bargain and my intention, I did two laps around the huge complex and feeling very proud of my disciple and started dribbling. After I completed a few rounds, the security guard from a building opposite the park gently comes and says playing ball is not allowed. I said who says? He says a resident is complaining of the noise I was creating!!
I mean, during Diwali, in my own complex I have myself several times gone down to chide people for bursting crackers post the deadline. These Charlies who are now picking on me (the fat husband and his fatter wife can see me clearly where I am happily playing ball in the complex) and feeling threatened at their own lack of discipline immediately try to puncture mine!!
I called the family and asked what was distressing them so much?
The noise the lady says... I can only play after 10 am, when the summer sun has peaked and her darling children have woken up. I suggested that if she was a good mother she should wake up her kids. In fact, she should send them down to where I was playing so they could join in such sattvic activity. She calmly said she did not need any lessons from me. But that I should go walking instead of playing ball??!!!
Intolerance can have such sad hues.. Humanity is sad. Instead of seeing that this city is rotting primarily because there are no sports activities, no physical discipline which can channelise our children's energies more positively, there are people who will try to subvert any attempt in that direction.
This city will have no hope unless there are more places for our kids to play, where adults do kids' things with comfort and where parents can play with their kids. The only entertainment in this Maximum city is Mall, Movies and Masala food!!
I am going to dribble post-noon. That is my idea of Gandhigiri. And I genuinely feel sorry for those people and their weighty souls...

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

LOL. The poor lady was just jealous of your active life style and maybe your figure. :)))