​If I Were You!!

So when does this battle begin? It happens every day, in every little instance. In all likelihood, they always stand to differ.

He accompanies me while on my way to work and back home generally. Fortunately, he is free all the time and I on the other side simply occupied with my routines and other stuff. It’s usually the same journey we follow every day until one fine day it changed forever. Here’s how our journey began as we stepped out from my house that day –

Episode 1: We arrive at the auto-stand to reach the railway station. While waiting for an auto to arrive, he points out the guy waiting behind me in the queue, looking at his watch every second impatiently, might be late for some really important assignment. He asks me to move up front to help the poor guy skip the queue in order to save him some time. But somehow I fail to gather enough courage to ask and I quietly slide into the auto as it arrives.

Episode 2: We rush to the railway platform since I’m a bit late today. He distracts my sight towards this penurious lady sitting with her infant in her lap near the walls of the platform, might be in need of some food to feed her child. He gives me a look as if I probably know what he might say but I disgracefully look down and make my way with the crowd as soon as the train enters the platform.

Episode 3: We catch our bus en route, today it’s quite crowded and I’m fortunate enough to enjoy this window seat. And suddenly he turns my head towards this stranger who is profusely sweating and exhausted as if he just ran a marathon to catch this bus, looks like he might need my seat more than me for now. But I simply turn my head back again to the window pane.

Episode 4: We get down at our bus stop and start walking towards our office premises along the footpath. He calls my attention towards a skinny guy struggling to pull the loaded cart behind him on the road. I carry this sympathetic look and simply enter the gates of my office.

Episode 5: After a hectic day, our friends enjoy ice-creams along the roadside. He asks me to notice the poor kid walking away disappointed, looks like he just fell short of a few more coins to buy ice cream for himself. I just stand and act like a spectator there.

Episode 6: While walking towards our building stairs, I usually avoid looking at this particular balcony. I know I will find this old little man sitting on his chair carrying that same old impassive look for years since I remember. I always struggle to make a comfortable gesture to him. Pretty well acquainted with this shortcoming he still provokes me purposely. I accept my defeat and walk straight towards the stairs.

Disturbed with all the incidences that he tried to involve me in today, I make him stand in front of me and question his intent behind this play. His witty smile further annoyed and furious. He softly utters “If I were you, it wouldn’t have been the same for you as well as for few others today, dear friend”. I just collapse on my knees in tears because he was none other than myself in front of me. I was equally petrified with the one residing within me the whole time. And there I finally discovered these two identities confronting each other.

“Sometimes you need to lose some mind to win some heart.”