Achar Ke Vichar – The Telepathy of the past

Achar Ke Vichar – The Telepathy of the past

Me and my wife got some WE time last weekend and in one of those conversations, I just commented to my wife - smart phones were not part of our married life for a good 20 years.

Wife - Oh yes. But every morning at 5.55 am as I tip toed into the bedroom with a cup of coffee, you would wake up automatically as if you were waiting for it to arrive.

Me - We have been married 30 + years - but I haven’t figured out whether I wake up at 5.55 am and hence you would bring the coffee, or because you brought the coffee, I would wake up.

Wife - Yes. Another thing I remember is that we both contracted diabetes after 2002. Until then I would make your favorite Seviyan Kheer and that evening you would come and say that only this afternoon I felt like eating Seviyan Kheer

Me - Oh yes. Absolutely. Whatever I thought about when leaving for home from the office would become a reality upon reaching home.

Wife - And do you remember? During my first delivery I had gone to my mother's place and as labor pain set in I thought to myself that you should have been here by my side. In about an hour after that you appeared in person and were by my side as Samyukta came into this world.

Me - Yes. Two days before that, it occurred to me that I should be with you and so I took a flight out from Lucknow and reached Goa via Mumbai.

Wife - I also remember you singing my favorite song as you looked into my eyes a few minutes before childbirth.

Me - Yes and your expressions would tell me if you really liked my rendition of the song.

Wife - One day, in the afternoon, when I was preparing tea, I burnt my wrist and the same evening you walked in with a tube of Burnol and gave it to me saying, the old tube has expired. Here is a new one.

Me - Yes, I had seen the tube's expiry date the previous evening and decided to bring a new one not knowing when it would be needed.

Wife - I also remember you saying on many occasions to come to the multiplex near the office to watch a movie with a dinner date after that.

Me - And you would come to the theater in the exact same Saree that I thought you would come in that evening. For a long time in our life we did not have smart phones - but we were fully present.

Wife - Today our kids are on WhatsApp for discussions. We get to know their locations via FB check ins. Their daily stories are on Instagram. Emojis reflect their moods. Status and state of mind are inferred basis posts. Affection is in the form of tagging. Chemistry is missing but comments are plenty. No love, only likes. Unfriending is a pastime; so is candy crush, temple run and subway surfing.

Me – Enough said. Let's move on. Where are you off to?

Wife - To make coffee

Me - I was just about to ask for it.

Wife - I know. I am still within your coverage area and I continue to get the telepathy waves.

We both started laughing and said - it was a boon to not have smart phones then.

Truly till now, a lot has happened and a lot more is in waiting to happen. In all probability our generation may be the last generation where love, affection, friendship, respect and courtesy would have been seen live. The future generations - what will their interests and motives be – what’s in store - only time will tell.

#acharkevichar