WINDOW WITH A VIEW

My dining room window is a gateway to the panoramic view that unfolds of pulsating and vibrant  humanity, as it moves up and down the road. The window in question covers the whole of one wall of the room and overlooks the road beyond the front lawn and the boundary wall. Interestingly; it acts as conduit to the other, more gripping world. Even when I am alone, I never feel lonely because I remain more or less in touch with the happening world outside. Actually, each life has the seeds to whet the imagination for penning an original and entertaining story around it.

Ours being a corner house, provides me visual access to two roads and about five houses in the neighborhood. When having my meals, I take the chair which faces the window, so that I’ve a full view of the happenings on the road. I simply enjoy observing people when they don’t know they are being tracked and exhibit their natural styles.

It is, in fact, a lot stimulating to watch people and then make guesses and thread tales on the basis of their mannerisms which are distinguishable to the observant eye. There are those, like students, professionals and others who are daily travelers. Out of them there are always a few who draw your attention by their unusual behavior and become an inspiration for a write up.

I particularly notice a college going young man (I know his antecedents) with a bag (almost empty) slung over his shoulders. What strikes me about him is that he is always glued to his cell phone. Not even once have I spotted him without the gadget raised to his ears. The question arises who is the recipient on the other end, responding to his obsession, days on end and exactly at the same time daily. First I thought it must be a girl friend. But his expression belied that presumption. For a few days he became a subject of my intense speculation till I came to a mirthful conclusion, which makes me smile to myself while penning it down ( a la Sherlock Holmes). It occurred to me like a flash in the dark that may be there is not even a ghost at the other end; he is simply fooling himself by thinking that he is smart enough to delude others.

My keen observation and psychological insight hinted that presumably this is his way of warding off self consciousness, when alone on the road and the act provides false buoyancy to his stride. I’ve seen him closely in the process and never there is any sign of emotion on the face, his lips moving mechanically. George Orwell terms this type of speech as “duck speak’ (ref. his novel ‘Nineteen Eighty Four’) where only the vocal cords are in action and brain is closed. I’ve a hunch that he keeps on repeating a couple of sentences parrot like as they do in auto suggestion. I hold this view, right or wrong.

This led me to reflecting i.e. how much more despairing and troublesome life (probably very tragic also) would be if we come to know, for sure, what the other person is up to. The suspense and thrill will disappear leaving us shell shocked 24x7. God has made man to be such a unique entity that no body can fathom the complexities of the human psyche fully. God‘s handiwork can’t be measured in formulas. Not even theoretical formulations backed by years of extensive research have maintained their findings conclusively for ever.

However, the study of the human mind, is a fascinating arena with endless possibilities.

Friends, what do you think of my analysis?

 image courtesy: The internet.