Encounter!

I was travelling on a train, a few months ago, and having pleasant conversation with this hefty gentleman sitting opposite me, who was perhaps short of hearing, going by the earphone he was wearing on his ear. It was a comfort, being in the almost empty AC compartment, a respite from the heat outside. After a few minutes, we ran out of subjects, and I started looking outside the window, admiring the green fields, the birds and the bees. :P Then on one sudden fine moment, this gent says hello, and burst into loud yelling at me. He turned crimson red and started abusing me using the choicest of gaalis. Wild with rage as he was, he started clenching his fists and waving his hands, accusing me of owing him considerable sum of money and that I should cough up at least 6 lakhs by this weekend. I was terrified at this tirade, and was sinking deeper into my seat with every passing moment. With the train running so fast, it was unlikely I could move and jump out of it. Terrified at the thought of what I should do next, I closed my eyes counting from 1 to 10, and started preparing myself for a fight, if things boiled down to that. But fortunately, within the next few moments, he stopped shouting and subsided into a more subtle stance.

I was aghast, and wet with sweat. I removed my kerchief and wiped the sweat off my brow. I looked at this man, wondering if he was another fellow mentally deranged ITzen ;) But looking at me, a smile broke out on his face. Then he apologized and said, that it was his customer online, who was demanding more goods, and had not paid his earlier looong overdue dues. “”But where is your phone?” I asked him. “Oh, it is safely tucked into my jacket pocket” , he says. He removed the earpiece, and thrusting it into my hand, said “Welcome to modern technology, the bluetooth.” I peered at him carefully. He was grinning, but all his teeth appreared to be white, extra white. Perhaps, he was a greater avid toothbrusher than sebia :P

He went on to explain the technology, and then a few instances dawned upon me. The solitary girl, who walks along the solitary lane strewn with leaves, apparently talking to herself (and blushing and smiling all by herself). The salesman, I used to accompany on his pillion seat, suddenly breaking into conversation, and stopping as abruptly. A businessman, standing on the footpath, gesticulating and blabbering on, all by himself. It seems they were all victims of this Bluetooth.

Have you encountered such people of late, or earlier? And what was your impression when you first came across such incidences? (Just checking if it is a pandemic ;) )


talldarkman