Oh, I had a hell of a shock today! It was the first time in my life, I helped someone cheat in the examination! Oh god, when I realized what I had done ......it was already DONE! ....and the first thought that came to my mind was "Oh, let me take a bath & clean off the horrific thing, I've just done , from the slate of my memory!"
Well, it happened this way! As I was at the peak of my morning chores, the mobile rang. I took my own time to pick it up. I enquiringly said "Hello?" A voice asked,"Madam, can you give me a list of the names of Low Vision(LV) Devices?" I recognized the voice. There was a kind of urgency in that voice which I didn't realize then. I casually answered "Oh, you'll find the list of devices in such a such a file kept in the Low Vision Rehabilitation Center...............!" "No Madam, I have no time. Please tell me the names of the LV Devices", the voice said. I completely trusted the voice. It was the voice of someone I knew very well and met every time I visited the Center. I started reciting from my memory the names of LV devices. The voice interupted me "Madam, slowly please.....and softly!" I was surprised & asked "Why Softly? Is there a LV patient sitting with you? In that case, I'll come to the Center & Assess the patient." The voice did not bother to answer that, but seemed to be busy scribbling the list, I assumed! After a long while , I heard a hurried "Thank You!" I insisted to know what was going on......and the voice calmly but firmly answered as if to pacify a child,"Madam, I'm writing my Examination Paper....Thanks for your help!"..........and the mobile was silent..........leaving me open-mouthed...........and to say the least,"I WAS SIMPLY LEFT AGHAST!"
I thought of the times when cheating in exams was a Crime! That was in the 1960s.....Gosh , how long ago was that? More than 40 years............was it really that long ago? Oh.....Those Golden Days.......when cheating was considered a crime, when being truthful & honest was the trend of the day. Intigrity & loyalty were popular values in those days!
THOSE DAYS...? Arrey, What do I mean by Those Days? I remember my father telling me,"We used to buy a kilo of rice in one anna in Those Days......now a days you have naya paisa and that too has become extinct. Oh, how simple was our life and how happy I was in Those days!" And I used to think how old my father has become.......he is still living in his Those days.......the day he will try to live in These present days, he will start feeling young again, I thought! And today, I remembered his words that Yes, I was very happy during Those simple days! Now, does that mean I've started feeling my age?.....I wonder!
Well, I've tried my best to live with the present generation. I'm completely comfortable, or rather proud of the inventions & innovations that are taking place all around me. In my lifetime, I've witnessed the Wireless Age, the Digital Age, the TV Age and now the Computer Age.......and I wonder at the speed man has progressed. But sometimes I worry a lot.......about where exactly is Mankind going? In spite of such a great technological progress, why are we stoopng so low in the dark ocean of corruption?
Whenever I experience incidents like the one mentioned above......I feel completely Shattered! And the fact that this is the accepted way of life of today's children.......Shatter me more! And then I start thinking of my "Those Days".........and a tear rolls down my cheek......and I sadly wonder to myself.......am I really too old for TODAY?