The Netizen

Rabi does not know whether he is happy or not. After many years he found himself as a man who is not on the racing track. He was not only workaholic but an aspirant too. The company he was serving for years was the only place where he spent the maximum days of his life. From the foundation of the company up to the present recognition as one of the largest organization in the world, his contribution cannot be ignored.

Almost forty years went by in the company provided accommodation. 

From apartment to the gorgeous bungalow- he gradually scaled the ladder of success in life. He could not realize how stealthily became detach from his brothers, friends, and others. Success –more success which he achieved through his dedication to work and his sharp intelligence separated him from everyone.

Now time hangs heavy on him though he pretends to show himself a very happy man, now feels lonely.

In the morning he and his wife was having tea in the balcony of the apartment they purchased a few years ago.

–    Add one spoon sugar, please. Ravi requested his wife.

–    No, Doctor restricted. Sima his wife told in a firm voice.

Ravi is now under the supervision of the doctor as well as his wife. ‘Does she feel loneliness too!’ Ravi thought.  Sima had many activities when Ravi ruled on his empire. So Sima also got prominence and usually became chairperson of many activities conducted by the women forum of the company township. After many years he remembered the dearth of an offspring. They are unhappy as they have no issue but their business helped them greatly to keep the pain hidden of not having a child; now is becoming bare.

He for some time used to get phone calls off and on from his subordinates, sometimes a courtesy call or sometimes to get advice for the troubling situation of production or maintenance. As everyone knows that the ins and outs of the factory are in his fingertips. But day by day it became few, and now it has become a seldom experience.

Rabi has started a new habit of walking every day in the evening. He strolls for nearly an hour over the pavement of the four-lane high way. The city is very neat and clean. The cars rush at a high speed. Rabi notices that everyone in the city is busy. He gets none to speak with. He watches who are alone either waiting for some time for the car or public transport and others on the benches just get out to kill time, having mobile sets with them and are busy stooping over the mobile set. Rabi knows they are watching social media sites. He feels everyone tries to be busy someway or other as they are alone individually. Young couples or pairs of young girl and boys are slowly roaming over the pavement, talking to each other or entering any restaurants and leaving the place after some time. Business has covered everyone under its veil. Though he knows they are making themselves accustomed to keeping themselves busy. No one is interested to interact with others.

-Wasn’t I the same guy some months back! –Rabi brought himself under the scanner.

– I too was not interested to keep any contact with others outside the periphery of my necessity. He criticized himself.

He has now entered the world of web for which he had no interest or time to spare. The whole day, weeks, months used to pass out remaining busy with work and sometimes in office club & parties. But these parties were to a type of job to him to get in the good book of higher authority and also keep in close touch with rivals and subordinates. His goal was just with a firm determination to cross all the hurdles and to reach the center of success. He never had any time and interest also to keep any contact with others- not important to go through the way of success.

At first, Sima was not accustomed to this high society culture as she has come from a very mediocre family. She realized that it could not be a perfect life. She warned many times Ravi, that he should have maintained the relations with others but gradually she lost the energy as Ravi was obstinate and gradually was getting the taste of the wine of success in his life. The more success the more detachment from other relations became the nature of Sima too.

When it became evident that there is no chance of being a mother, Sima one day with much hesitation asked Ravi to think of adopting a child. Because depression was surrounding her. Ravi immediately discouraged the idea

 – Throw away the nonsense ideas. Are you not happy? We don’t require adoption. You see Mr.Roy’s only son is settled in Canada, Menon’s only daughter is in Bahrain. They are staying like us. Why are you invoking problems and troubles.?

 But today Ravi thinks he was wrong. He should have been at one with Sima. Now lonliness crawling up. Now every morning has become dreary. There is no charm, no thrill that he could relish in his recent past days.

Suddenly he heard the sound of the bell in his smartphone. He realized some new notification has entered so he unlocked the screen. He saw a friend of social media messaged and shared him a quotation on friendship.

He doesn’t know the guy personally. He is one of the friends of the unrealistic world. The man sends ‘God Morning’ message every day and often some quotations. Ravi understands well that these are mere words to all. Very few people believe in these words and there a very few who follow in their life at least one such a great saying of the great men. Theses sharing are only to show what cultured thinkings are being followed in the society-a mere pretension. But Ravi immediately put a comment and thanked the net-friend. After all the social media is a platform of self-satisfaction. The people can make comments and criticizes all. They can say anything even which are beyond their perceptions and knowledge. Some of them even keep everyone updated about each and every activity. They feel glad of sending their selfies.

Days went by. Ravi and Sima now both spend most of their time in the net world. They too now send quotations, selfies and keep every one of the net world updates about their activities. They are now not citizens of a country but citizens of an imaginary world they are now Netizens.