The Bus Junction

 The buzz and the chatter was just starting to recede. As one by one the buses came and went exchanging commuters. The bus junction was overflowing with all kinds of sounds. The crowd mostly consisted of those tired from the day’s hard work, wanting to return home and have a refreshing cup of their daily beverage.

               Hurrying through the rush, I made my way to the railing under the platform. The railing, it was the best place in the bus junction, especially for a keen observer like me. Each and everyone on the junction were visible from the railing. The road from where the buses rolled in was also in the horizon of vision. Besides me stood a young man, neatly dressed, smooth combed hair, probably just another person waiting for the bus. But there was something which I didn’t notice in the first sight.

               As a bus rolled into the junction, the crowd rushed on to get their share of the public transport system. Those successful in getting in had that winner`s smile while those who couldn’t bore the loser`s frustration. I was silently observing all this fun, waiting for my own bus no. 1-1-0 to go home.

               I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder. It was the person sitting next to me. “Is this bus no. 2-0-2?” he asked. “No it is 1-6-8” I replied rudely, thinking that probably the person could not read. I gave the person a second observation. Fiddling with his cellphone in one hand, his other hand carried his identity. He held a folded white and red cane. He was blind.

               A bit startled, I began to observe him very curiously. Everything was normal about this guy except his eyesight. Right from the pair of woodland shoes that he wore, a formal shirt and trouser made him look like any other regular IT professional. He was busy humming & whistling some tune, curiously trying to grasp every bit of sound falling on his ears.

               â€œTell me when bus no. 2-0-2 comes” he requested to me in a humble tone. “Oh! Yes, sure. ” I assured him. “Which bus are you waiting for?” he inquired. “1-0-1” I answered. There was no rudeness in my voice this time. He had a very cheerful smile. I couldn’t stand anymore and asked, “Why do you travel alone? You may get hurt and there is a possibility that you might lose your way round the city.”

               He smiled at me and answered, “I never get lost, coz anywhere that I go, I have a friend like you, who sees to it that I don`t lose my way around.” I was a bit startled by his answer. He further continued, “I don`t understand what`s wrong with you young people. You people are always depressed and lonely.” “How do you know that I am young? And what makes you feel that we are depressed and alone?” I demanded an answer.

               Politely he answers, “The sound of your shoes tapping and the scent of your deo, are enough for me to configure that you are a young person. You exert a positive vibe around you, I feel that energy and from it I can tell that you are a young man my friend.”

               He further continues, “About your 2nd question, I have a more generalized view, you people these days have hundreds of friends on this thing called Facebook. You haven`t seen most of them, pretty similar to my case” (He has a hearty laugh.) “But at least I can feel my friends, can you? Among those hundreds, how many are such to whom you can confide to? With how many can you share what you feel? You have a whole list of so-called FB friends. You chat with them day in day out. But with whom do you actually talk?”

               His question were hitting me like bullets, I was speechless trying hard to put forth at least some words of resistance. But, I couldn`t answer. Finally just to show some resilience I said, “So you mean to say that we should stop using Facebook.” With a smile he preaches further, “No my friend. I didn`t mean so, but what I really want to tell you is that, see the real world outside. Make real friends, talk to real people. In this whole Virtual Era of yours, you have forgotten the real solid world. I can`t see that world, but by whatever I feel, I can say that God has made this world a beautiful place. Feel it, live it, enjoy it, my friend!”

               A silence followed. “Oh! There is your bus no 2-0-2” I told him taking a bit of pause after he finished. He climbed down the railing, opened up his cane, making way through the crowd he got into the bus. As the bus moved away, he waved his hand outside the window. He didn`t know where to see but knew that I was surely looking at him.

               Within a few moments of our conversation, he (Gosh! I still don`t know his name….) made one real friend, and I lost a hundred virtual ones.