Saturday, October 20, 2007

Enough of this ! -1

Ok ..Enough of this!..Everytime I set out to be a ‘good samaritan’; someone takes a fine crap on my plan of action .Believe me it happens to me every single time. This time around, I tried to be tutor for the needy. (hmmm.. you could, actually, call them economically pinched but they seemed more like emotionally ‘deficient’! Kids who actually need love (read affection) in their lives. Even a sprinkle of affection might have a very positive effect on their lives.)
So I set out for community service on the weekend. It was a fine Saturday morning. (Boston is seldom blessed with such mornings.) I was asked to reach bus station at 8.15 a.m . Despite being a chronic late comer, I made it a point that I reach the bus stop as per American time. I waited there till 9.00 am. I was surprised rather appalled to learn that nobody turned up. As I knew the route (thanks to their email), I boarded a certain 23 for Ashmount. I knew that I had to get down at Warren St. but had no clue so as to where it was. The driver was of African ethnicity (brother!). He seemed laconic yet seemed friendly so I thought of breaking the ice as there was not a single soul in the bus other than the driver. As we passed a mosque, I shot a very silly question at him

I : Is that a mosque? (like I had never seen a mosque before)

His reply was equally stupid.

He: Are you a Muslim?

He gave me a very cold look. And I am sure that my ‘look’ asked him a question in return -‘Duffer, if I were Muslim would I ask you that question which I asked….? – because he was quick to reply.

He : I am sorry, Sir. I don’t know. Where are you from, Sir?

I : I am from India. And you?

He: I am from around. So what are you?

I : I am Indian.

He: No, I mean. What religion do you follow?

I was literally taken aback. Six years back, he wouldn’t have cared to ask this question.

I : I am Hindu.

He: Is it part of Islam?

I : It is different.Its a separate religion.

He (with more respect ) : Sir,......Do you like muslims?

I : Well..to be frank I dont hate them but I dont love them either.

He: Sir...you are very diplomatic.Are there many 'hinjoos' in India?

I: I am sorry but its Hindu and not hinjoo. (ending that with a quick smile)

He: hmm..

I : Well there are around 0.8 billion of them in India alone.

He: Never heard of them.

I felt like saying ...come out of the pond..there is whole world out there.

He : But your religion has nothing to do with Islam?

I felt like saying...Actually back in 1993 in retalliation, we killed a lot of Muslims...How do you like
that?Then I heard myself saying
No actually in India everybody is quite tolerant and I smiled again.

He: I think all muslims are bad.

I : And I think there are bad people in every religion.Infact I believe being bad has nothing to do with religion (phew!I could feel the sermonizer in me coming out)

to be contd...