Are SMS’s the right way of quoting friendship?

In this present world of high tech facilities and modern equipments personal connections are dwindling swiftly in place of which digital relations are now gaining control. If you want to wish your friend a good morning, then instead of going over to his/ her place and catching up you send a cheery SMS with a GM - that stand for Good Morning - at the end.
There are cases where you have not met your school friend for ages but rather than setting up a plan to meet, you would most probably just keep in contact by sending one SMS each day. Is it because your busy schedule does not allow just one extra hour to spend with your old friend or is it because you want the easy or the lazy way out to keep in contact?
Yes it is acceptable that people need to move on with their lives and that it is not always possible to keep in touch personally with ‘n’ number of people in a single day and at times like these messaging comes in handy. But what about those teenagers who are sitting right next to each other with cell phones in their hands, who rather than chatting directly instead use SMS’s to communicate. Don’t you think that it is quite silly, leave alone the added expenses involved in this practice?
Well for a moment let’s forget about the ease or laziness involved in sending SMS’s because these characteristics are not half bad. Let us now consider the times these messaging functions are used as a cover for cowardly purposes. Like take for example you forgot to stick to a promise you made to your friend and instead of saying sorry to his/ her face you instead sent a message that reads ‘sry’ with a drooping face smiley that supposedly depicts your emotion.
Even though we believe that these digital contacts help in maintaining relationships we are in reality becoming more impersonal as time passes. If we let our machines do all our talking then how do you suppose you can judge real emotions that can only be analyzed through face to face interactions?
On account of the many socially interactive websites that have come up we have hundreds of friends with whom we have never met but chat on a daily basis. How would we find out whether or not these “friends” are trustworthy? Are all the facts that they are dishing out to us true? No, we can never be sure but we do keep on sending one word greetings to them and continue to call them our “friend”.

Too Helpful

How often do you come across people who would go beyond their way to help you? They don't need anything in return or even expect a simple thank you. When their work is done, they pat themselves on the back and move on to someone else's rescue. I met one such person on a day that could have been termed horrid if you ignore the humour in it.
The day had dawned cloudy and gloomy but I had to leave the sanctuary of my home to attend an important lecture in college. Though not enthusiastic, I spent most of the day in my college where it continued to drizzle. Going back home was again a tedious job as I had drenched my shoes while walking through the cascading rains. Half wet under the unaccommodating umbrella I waited for about half an hour for the train to arrive and then decided to get an auto-rickshaw.
After five minutes of waving wildly in the rain I finally heaved a sigh of relief as an auto screeched to a halt in front of me. The driver was not wearing a uniform and he started the rickshaw without bothering to ask me my destination. I yelled over the noise of the pelting rains and gave him my address. He nodded once and then turned the meter on. On our way he stopped the rick once to chat with a man he recognized on the road.
The guy hitched a ride, sharing the driver’s seat in the front. I was thoroughly irritated but remained silent of course. The guy was dropped off at a short distance ahead where the rickshaw driver happily bid him a goodbye. The next stop was completely unexpected. A car had broken down and was parked at the side of the road. The rickshaw driver stopped to help the car driver restart his car. Fed up, I had no option but to wait. After giving a hearty push at the back of the car, it started with a vroom and off went the driver, profusely thanking my rickshaw driver.
He came back to the rick with a big grin on his face while I glared at him, which he did not seem to notice. 5 minutes from home, our second last stop was to buy some sweets at a sweet shop. He came out of the shop with that same irritating grin and unnecessarily told me that the sweets were for his kid who had come first in his class. He offered me one but I politely (At least I tried to be) refused. Shrugging, he sat on his seat and we at last reached home.
I paid him and without another backward glance, I walked away. The next day was Sunday so when the doorbell rang I lazily got up and sleepily made my way to the door. My watchman was standing there holding up my golden Titan watch for me. He said that a rickshaw driver had come early in the morning to drop it off.
Hmm... Though guilty of the way I had treated him the day before, I silently sent up a prayer to God to bless him with happiness and me with patience.

Life's Like That

Let me share with you an incident that perhaps you will relate to in this present era.
As it goes, I was walking down my street with nothing particular on my mind (as always), just looking around, observing people. My destination, the general stores, was approximately a 5 minutes’ walk from my home. But wandering about taking my time, it took me nearly 20 minutes to get all the necessary items from the shop. Waving my bags I was slowly making my way back home when I suddenly crashed into a person walking in the opposite direction. After taking one look at the long hair and dangling earrings I immediately said “Oh! I am sorry didi!" turns out that I had badly offended the guy I had crashed into! Have you ever pondered upon the transformation that is taking place on the grounds of gender? I am actually seriously troubled by the exchange of roles between men and women. What with girls arm wrestling with boys - and winning! Oh yeah, winning fair and square. Noticed the appearances! Men applying nail polishes on nails that look manicured, wearing accessories that are not chunky anymore but delicate and flimsy! Guys with shiny and sleek hair which makes girls look at them with growing envy. The advertisement marketing fairness cream for men crossed the limit.
Nowadays you cannot even expect gentlemanly behaviour from men. Take for example the etiquette of holding the door open for a girl to pass through. As a matter of fact girls would be lucky if they do not get the doors banged on their faces. In buses despite the reservation system, I have seen young men rushing to sit on empty seats while old ladies are standing quivering with a determined look. This is again where girls have to stand up and give up their seats to show the guys what chivalry is.
Earlier women were portrayed as the more sensitive gender in soap operas where not one episode went by without their tears but now even that is changing. Guys’ crying has become a customary practice. For them the tough look is out and the soft look is in. so girls toughen up as it is again you who has to take up the responsibilities.
Well I am not criticizing anyone obviously. These are changing times with changing tastes. All I am afraid of is the future. Would it be a lady in armour saving the dude in distress?!

Brain Drain

There are some days you remember for a very long time. I am going to recount one such day to you. The day started with a feeling of freshness and energy unlike the times when I have to jab the snooze button at least twice. Preparing to leave for my college I quickly downed my breakfast and waved a goodbye to my still sleepy mother. Unexpectedly I immediately get a bus, an empty one at that, which would take me to the station. The conductor comes to me to give my ticket and I pay him, belatedly realizing that I had a pass. Round one: 7 bucks down the drain.
At the station I climb into my regular 10.10 train and come across my old school friend. Chatting away I didn’t pay attention to her new flashy clothes, accessories, and the big tikka on her forehead and rattled on about day to day stuff. Getting down at my stop I turn around and wave a see you later sign, noticing the ‘there is something more I want to tell you’ look on her face. Shrugging this thought away I’m continuing on my way when I get a message on my cell phone. It was from the school friend. It read – “by the way, it is my bday 2day.” Round two: Oooh! I was so embarrassed. I used to wish her on her birthday every year. This encounter left me with a very self deprecating feeling. I immediately called her up and apologized for my useless memory but she laughed it away and graciously accepted my wishes. Hmmm… this made me feel much better. It’s a good thing my friends put up with my forgetfulness.
Thinking about friends, I hurried on my way to college. Walking never inspired me so I stood in the queue for share rickshaws. Climbing a rick with two other girls headed towards the college I went through the usual ritual of putting on my ID, taking out the change for the share and switching my phone into silent mode. When I look up I realize that the rickshaw is headed in some other direction. Panicking I almost yell at the driver and ask him to take me to the college. He does not respond and makes another quick turn. I look at the other two girls sitting next to me for help but they are staring at me as if I had lost my mind. Bewildered I looked out of the rickshaw and recognized a few familiar settings and shortly the rickshaw screeched to a halt in front of my college. Round three: Thoroughly abashed I realized that he had taken a different route to the college instead of the common one.
Sighing, I enter my classroom where I take my seat at the front of the class with my friends. This was the time of the year when we had to deal with our project work. One of our teachers had assigned us groups so that we could mix with the rest of the class. I turn round on my seat and look back at the girl supposed to be working with me. “Neeyati, Neeyati…” I called her a couple of times but she did not respond so I called louder. Still she did not look up from her desk. Frowning at this, I caught the stare of her neighbor who looked at me and spoke loudly and slowly as if talking to a child “this is Neeyati.” She said pointing to her right and the she pointed at the girl I was calling and said, “And this is Sheetal.” Understanding this I turn around to find my friends laughing at this little misunderstanding. Well I was to blame this time. Two years in the same class and I still got confused with the names. Round four: I had crossed the limit that day.
All in all my day was full of dumb contradictions that made me think that my friends are not so wrong by nicknaming me ‘Dhakkan’ or ‘Tube light’!