Sunday, January 6, 2013

The Silent World


This post has been published by me as a part of the Blog-a-Ton 35; the thirty-fifth edition of the online marathon of Bloggers; where we decide and we write. To be part of the next edition, visit and start following Blog-a-Ton. The theme for the month is "...and the world was silent again"
 “How wonderful it would be if we could actually talk mind-to-mind. There would be none of this miscommunication”, I mused on my way back from office.
I had just discussed my annual performance review with my boss and I was unable to figure out whether his “Better than expected” translated to a higher incentive for me or no. Did he mean “I expected a lot from you and you have still out-done my expectations” or did he mean “Well! I expected you to make a perfect ass of yourself but you have not achieved perfection even in that”?
“You think the world will be better if you could hear what people thought of each other?” whispered a voice in my ear. “From now on you will be able to hear what the people close to you think of you”.
Uh! Last I checked I was all alone in my teeny car and hearing voices has not proved salubrious for people. Look at Joan of Arc. She too heard voices and now she is toast. Thankfully, the voice had stopped and the world was silent again.
By the time I reached home I had forgotten all about the voice. My wife had not yet come back from work. I made a couple of cups of coffee and, just as I was about to sit back and start on my cup, she arrived.
“Coffee is ready, honey”, I said.
“Thanks, Love”
Like he has done a huge favor to me. And, some day, I must figure out how he uses the same coffee powder and manages to create something that tastes as though it is filled from a sewer”
What was that? My wife’s thoughts? She smiled angelically at me and went to the kitchen to pick her cup of coffee.
Have to drink it, I suppose! The moment I tell him how awful his coffee is he’ll probably use that as an excuse to beg off all household work”
“Great Coffee, Varun”
I must be hallucinating. Shilpa could never be thinking this of me.
“Let me chop the vegetables for you, honey”
For me!! Like he is not going to have dinner. And how he manages to get all sizes from a micron to half a foot while chopping one piece of eggplant is another mystery I will never be able to solve”
This was getting decidedly messy. If this was what my wife thought of me, I really did not want to hear any more.
Thankfully, my son came in. Children were messengers of love after all. His thoughts would be a soothing balm to my soul.
“Shit! Dad is home! Just as I want to go out and play a game of cricket. I’ll have to talk to him. And, why does he have to put on that stupid school-kid voice while talking to me? Whoever talked of quality time with kids ought to be shot”
Ouch! This hearing thoughts business was decidedly a curse.
“Go out and play, son”
At last! Some signs of intelligence. Would have thought that an adult would take a hint. It has taken him years to understand that my idea of a good evening is not having a cosy chat with him  about what my maths teacher said at school!”
Ye Gods! I am done with hearing thoughts. Someone please take this curse off me. I really do not want to know what my boss and colleagues think of me as well.
“Done”, said the voice in my ear. And the world was silent again. Blessedly!

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104 comments:

  1. loved ur post!!! yea yea..i did say that ..u didnt hear just my mind talking....ahem..ahem..!! all the best for BAT!

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    1. Thanks! Even if it was only your mind talking :)

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  2. I loved it very much...i feel... if we were given a choice to hear only when we want to hear...that would have been great
    i mean to say i don't want to hear everything or what every person is thinking...but at some crucial situations if we couid hear what the person is actually saying would have been fruitful ......!!!

    what do you say?

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    1. I'd love to hear only praises - either verbal or thoughts! Life, unfortunately, does not offer you such choices :)

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    2. Yes i agree...but then...i would also like to get my genuine drawbacks...as such i can improve on that...!!!

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  3. And just what this bloke with a face upside down thinks he is? Jug Suraiya??

    Suresh, aren't we glad you can't read a whisper off your reader's mind! Great to see you back, alive and kicking. Too good!

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    1. Thanks Uma! And, hey, I use that line quite often - the upside down face - when babies keep staring at me with grave interest :)

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  4. Right!! ^_^ perfect example of "Ignorance is a bliss". Lol.

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  5. Haha, that was fun reading. In a film called "whistle" in Tamil, Vivek gets this type of power and struggles a lot. This is more hilarious than that because you have included the reaction of a person who stuns at unexpected thoughts from his family members where as Vivek in that film gets stunned by the common people thoughts... Excellent imagination... Loved the way the son's thoughts coming out...

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    1. I had completely forgotten abt that movie - wasn't it where he first hears women and then hears animals etc.? :)

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    2. Yeah the same one! :D No matter how many times you have watched it, it will make you laugh :D

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    3. haha that was a fun comedy strip! where he listens to MIL and DIL converse! :D

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  6. hahaha, that was a fun read!! i don't want to hear what people think about me or they discuss about me when i am not around (if at all they do) because i know it's definitely not going to put a smile on my face.

    loved those witty lines you came up with! all the best for the contest!

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    1. Thanks Debs! I know by now that humor does not do well in contests :) If what I write is humor :)

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  7. Brilliant Suresh!!and to think of this a a last minute write up - mannnn! you just make us delirious! ;)

    Kappu - The deafening Silence

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  8. wow sir .. all the best for the contest


    Bikram's

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    1. Thanks Bikram! Humor never wins contests - as I ought to know by now :)

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  9. Ah.. I think these kind of thoughts will be aplenty in my life too :P Not that I hear it, but I expect so. I'll just keep them silent and move on thinking all is fine. :D

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  10. Hahaha! Not knowing what others think of us is a blessing :D
    First time at your blog, enjoyed reading your post :)

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  11. Good one Suresh... There has to be a switch which give you option which thought to hear, that would be great I guess :)
    How's your hand and how's your trip to Chennai Fest. U must have thoroughly enjoyed :)

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    1. I'm fine without hearing a thing from other's minds, Amit! :)

      The hand is getting better; spoiled a fest a bit for me since I could not go out in the rains, taking autos every day proved expensive, could not sample the Sabha canteen fare given that I had only the left hand to use! Enjoyed whatever I could.

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  12. Your posts make my day :) They make us smile and that itself makes you a winner :)

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    1. That is all the winning I aim for, Prasanna! Thanks for making me a winner!

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  13. Good one! Ignorance is bliss, maybe.

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  14. Grand! Loved this hurried left hand 'effortless' gift:)
    You ARE the winner Suresh:)
    Take care..

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    1. Thanks Amit! Always a winner since I have won friends like you.

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    2. Hey Suresh!
      Here's an humble gift for you bro: http//amitaag.blogspot.in/2012/12/blog-post_30.html

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    3. This is a priceless gift, Amit - to have a poem dedicated to me! Thanks!

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  15. Hi CS,

    Eeks, that was scary. Getting to listen to what people really think about us is a scary proposition, to say the least. In the comforts of their minds, people paint the actual picture of themselves.
    That was a refreshing take on the prompt. Loved it.

    Regards

    Jay
    My Blog | My FB Page

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  16. Why can't I write like this with such economy of words and expression? Here, Suresh manages to write crisp posts, while mine ramble. Hmpfh

    Good to see you back, Suresh, and hope to have your post notifications come in regularly now. :-) As always a great post with a lesson ingrained — be careful as to what you wish far.

    And a Happy New Year to you :-)

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    1. Now those are thoughts anyone would love to overhear :)

      A very Happy New Year to you and your family, Sudha!

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  17. As Thomas Gray once wrote ' Ignorance is Bliss'. No one wants to bite this apple of knowledge...too dangerous!!!

    very well written! Best of luck for BAT.

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    1. Thanks Meenakshi! I hv always preferred ignorance :)

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  18. Cool one, Suresh. When I see posts like this, I am almost tempted to get back to blogger contests.

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    1. You should when you feel like it TF! Thanks!

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  19. LOL CS - THIS WAS FAB STUFF :)
    ATB FOR BAT

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  20. Hahaa loved it. Sometime I too wish if I can hear the thoughts in people' mind about me. It surely helps.

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  21. Its always been a pleasure to read your post ..perfect entry all d bst Suresh !
    And wish u a v happy new year !

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    1. Thanks Alka! Wish you and your family a very happy new year!

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  22. haha ha ... too good ...but i am just wondering what would be going on in my husbands mind when is actually nice to me !

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    1. Probably worrying about how you are reacting to it :)

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  23. The humor was refreshing. But the underlying thought, very beautifully executed. I enjoyed the narration- the thought process- a lot too. Good luck for BAT.

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  24. Fantastic!God has been very kind-not enabling thought hearing.

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  25. Fun Read Suresh....Reminded me of 'What Women Want'....If family could get this destructive, imagine outsiders ha ha :)

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    1. Thanks, Jaish! Btw, What do women want? :)

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    2. Suresh, I don't know if Jaish is going to read your reply but that was a reference to a hollywood movie with a similar concept.

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    3. I guessed that it was something like that TF!

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  26. Amusing read, gave me a deja vu of 'what women want' in a good way. That's why I never let my husband make coffee or cut veggies- neither of us have a problem with that as it works out for both of us!

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    1. Mmm! Now I will have to see "What Women want" :)

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  27. lovely lovely post....very funny... i was laughing at the wife's comment as i do think that sometimes when my hubby is cutting veggies for "me" not for the size but the amount of time he takes.. oops did i say it out loud... any ways all the best for BAT.

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    1. Cutting veg.s for next week's meals? I hv heard that too from my sis :)

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    2. I keep taunting him in that way :)...

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    3. Ah! Very brave of you. Confident that your hubby will not abandon all household work stating incompetence :)

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  28. just few words..this post probably beats everyone..stupendous work..

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  29. Another masterpiece after the Angels will fall. I would have loved it were the conversation of a couple in love, instead of a married one. Must have been much more fun :)

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    1. Thanks Diwa! I am an upbeat guy and would not write the story of the death of a love :)

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  30. long time,
    and would have loved to read it further, if people knew what I am thinking about them in reality they would confine me to a mental hospital.

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    1. I will give you the bloggers' answer, Ratika! Why don't you read my older posts if you want to read further? :):)

      They may end up getting confined in a mental hospital, maybe :) Don't let me hear your thoughts abt me :)

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  31. This is scary! I don't want to be blessed like that, it's a curse. I am happy in my own world which btw is full of lies...:)

    Very interesting take on the prompt. Reading it was fun :)

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    1. It is the white lies that keeps us all happy, Saru! Thanks!

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  32. Hahaha! Suresh...I don't ever want to find out what my readers think of me!

    Just loved it!

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  33. Superb idea for the theme! And so very well executed! And Congrats on the big Sunsilk win CS!

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    1. Thanks DS! That Sunsilk win is a high - but did not seem very big :)

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  34. Ah the weight of these voices!! More than doing good, perhaps hearing voices would do much damage. Good one! :)

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  35. The hardest thing one can give is the truth. cos truth is awkward and very often it hurts.. but still people think they prefer the truth. but do they really?

    My first time here.. and i thoroughly enjoyed your story. it was a fun read. sometimes i wish secretly that i can listen to whats going on in other's mind, like a mutant X. but i realize its only a curse rather than a blessing.. even if it is a blessing, i guess i wont prefer that.. now, what if others have the same blessing too? lol. All the best, sir.

    www.ratnibbles.blogspot.com

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    1. Thanks and welcome to your first nibble at my blog :)

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  36. HaHa! Glad that Varun is saved from the voices. There was a Marathi movie on the similar concept - there the man listens women's thoughts! It was hilarious.

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  37. अदभुत रचना सर जी मजा आ गया

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    1. Dhanyavad, Saini sahab, aho bhagya bade din baad aap padare! :)

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  38. wow! Such a simple, nice, effective, and pleasant post. A very good choice for BAT winner. Sorry I could not make it here before the voting cutoff.. would have definitely voted for this one. Count a +1 to your votes please.

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  39. Congrats :) You are on a winning streak this year, Sir :)

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  40. very well written...no wonder you bagged the prize...congratulations!

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  41. superb! so ignorance is bliss...proved! :)

    Akila

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  42. its always a delight to go thru yr posts...

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  43. Hah! I think I will just die if I heard everyone's thoughts about me. Because I don't want any confirmation of what I already suspect!
    What a lovely read :)

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  44. Super hilarious. Reminded me of the movie, "What Women Want" which was a laugh riot. A point well made. You are right. I wouldn't ever want to know what me loved ones or even my readers think. I would like to live in my illusory world :).

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    1. Thanks Rachna! If you can hear every passing negative thought you would soon have no relationships left :)

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  45. Yeah, when I used to read about telepathy and complete and utter sharing of minds and the bliss this brought about--I used to scratch my head in confusion and had kind of made up mind that those authors were dotty and barmy to a capital DB.

    I have always believed that the hallmark of a talented writer, especially of the humor genre, is the ability to make his readers smile and chuckle--I think that this is the second time I am reading this and I am still grinning away. Thank you.

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