Tryst with livelihood

Tryst with livelihood

Today, the ‘hands that swung the cradle and taught me to walk’ put a sack full of miseries on my back; leading me to a modernized gaol, called ‘School’. I cried as they walked away and tears kept rolling down incessantly, till the bell rang.  The paradigm continued as days kept passing. I found there were several other inmates, known as schoolmates, who were subjected to the same atrocities for ‘Juvenile delinquency’. The over-fed, bespectacled teacher scowled at us, while the pretty dimpled one pampered.

I won’t reveal, once I peed in my shorts and in penance, was subjected to stand on the roofless veranda drying the wet part and wetting the dry. The sorbent Sun looked bemused, as if inquiring, “What was meant to be sucked?”

Amidst, the ‘Bedlam’, I spent my days in reveries and painted them with smorgasbord of colors- I dreamt of being a pirate, a policeman, a superhero, a bus driver, movie star and so on; owning palatial homes and chain of luxurious vehicles, airplanes and ships.

That too, when my paper boat always sank and paper plane never took a flight.

 To my astonishment, coupled with Mom’s and Dad’s, I stood first in my class that year; elated Dad bought me a remote controlled toy car. (It was a replica of my condition that succeeded). But this joy was momentary, as in the subsequent year I came- 2^{nd   ,} degrading to 3^rd in the next and finally disintegrating from the rat race. The car giving ceremony was replaced my chant-like cacophonous scolding, followed by legato of chastises.  My report cards were ‘national shame’ and I became a traitor to my ‘Home Sweet Home’. All of a sudden, my begetters turned anomalies and ‘Lampooning’ and ‘juxtaposing’ became ceremonial. I often wept, hiding behind my pillow, trying to hold a brave public image. Though, my parents always made up with cuddles and largesse, they never understood each passing day, was an enervating experience. I started to hide away from the streetlights and public gathering gave acute bouts of paranoia. The nocturnal darkness prevailed over my debilitating life and the color palette of the dream canvas, got emptier by the day. My moribund soul fought for survival but ultimately succumbed and my individuality was wiped away. 

continued from part 2
1st part