the story behind the stories
twice or three times a week, i wake up ridiculously early and go for my class. on the way, i see a heart warming sight - all the newspaper delivery boys gather under the flyover with their sheaves of papers and settle down for a brisk round of work. as the hands fly, inserting advertisement pamphlets and notices into the bundles, there is much cheerful bantering.
most of them are rather young boys, so they look like many gnomes , squatting in the dim light, chattering and deftly working the mornings magic for us unappreciative late risers. the first time i saw these gnomes, it was a dark cloudy dawn, with a brisk wind blowing. each time there was a gust, the older boys would plonk a practised elbow on the bundles near them, while the younger ones went scampering after the newspapers that had swirled away. as they gave chase, the comfortably settled squatters would call out to tease a not-so-adept chaser, or shout excitedly about a bunch of papers that had managed to get quite far. there was so much simple merriment and enjoyment of such an ordinary task - it was a refreshingly cheerful sight!
isnt it nice to know theres such a buzzing happy world even behind our banal papers with their sordid headlines? Calvin was right - there is treasure everywhere!
most of them are rather young boys, so they look like many gnomes , squatting in the dim light, chattering and deftly working the mornings magic for us unappreciative late risers. the first time i saw these gnomes, it was a dark cloudy dawn, with a brisk wind blowing. each time there was a gust, the older boys would plonk a practised elbow on the bundles near them, while the younger ones went scampering after the newspapers that had swirled away. as they gave chase, the comfortably settled squatters would call out to tease a not-so-adept chaser, or shout excitedly about a bunch of papers that had managed to get quite far. there was so much simple merriment and enjoyment of such an ordinary task - it was a refreshingly cheerful sight!
isnt it nice to know theres such a buzzing happy world even behind our banal papers with their sordid headlines? Calvin was right - there is treasure everywhere!
Labels: brownskinspeak, faction
scribbled by m. at 12:54 am
10 Comments:
Ah. The advantages of walking. I've noticed these chaps when I sometimes return ridiculously late from work, but I always speed by on my bike, and never pay attention. VERY nicely written.
...you also reminded me of this:
LEISURE
What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.
No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.
No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.
No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.
No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.
A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
-William Henry Davies.
good, good....
you continue to blog
Very sensitive observations... things that keep LIFE from turning into a FILE. A friend once sent this poem... and I've come to appreciate it a great deal. (Dunno who's the poet)
Have you ever watched a kid on a merry-go-round?
Or listened to the rain slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?
You better slow down; don't dance so fast.
Time is short; the music won't last.
Do you run through each day on the fly?
When you ask "How are you?"; Do you hear the reply?
When the day is done, do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores running through your head?
You'd better slow down, don't dance so fast.
Time is short, the music won't last.
Ever told your child, "We'll do it tomorrow"
and in your haste not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch and let a good friendship die,
cause you never had time to call and say, "Hi?"
You'd better slow down, don't dance so fast.
Time is short, the music won't last.
When you run so fast to get somewhere,
You miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift...thrown away.
Life is not a race; do take it slower.
Hear the music, before the song is over.
@ senthil & sea and sky: thank you both so much for taking time to put up those poems! that was delightful :)
@ sridhar: for now, yes, i blog. that dilemma continues - havent figured it out yet :(
One shud observe the whole newspaper delivery cycle....its amazing...everything starts when we r sound asleep...around 3 am....and even earlier (for outstation supply)....
You shud observe the kids selling evening newspapers on roads by approachin cars during red lights....they r great sales people...and they manage to sell these evening papers successfully....
its great....
Nice capture. It really is wonderful to watch these things. Interestingly I captured a little girl playing while her parents were busy going about the monotonous task of plastering a wall... Will put it up on my blog soon. You should have seen the joy on the girl's face!
Suddenly, these things make me wonder whether we, with all our sense of importance and station, are really missing out on life! Hmmm... THanks for this wonderful post!
@ sriram - :)
@ gaurav - yes, its wonderful to see intelligence in everyday stuff!
@ poorna shashank - what dyou know... even this gloomy graham has chirpy days! :))
@ eroteme - looking fwd to the post! an' youre most welcome :)
theres, magic in the world, he says, to his tiger friend, it had snowed the previous night, like a clean sheet of paper, they get into a sled and cast of, searching for adventure.
that was the last ever calvin and hobbes strip. that strip is so full of poignancy and magic and nostalgia. sigh.
nice.
oh yes! thats a brilliant collection...
and thanks - put it down to fellow feeling!
T.W.
;)
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