aaj kal ke....

Back in my somaiya days i.e.11th-12th,when we used to daily travel in local trains(vidyavihar to thane) it used to get quite monotonous a few times(i didnt hav any portable music player back then). so while we used to discuss anything but sense,i occassionally let go of my sanity and would simply play nuts like waving out to strangers on the platform from inside the train when it just left the platform or running from one first-class coach to the next one ahead on kanjur-marg or simply staring some poor soul from time to time and pretending to make notes about him. but this one afternoon,we were accompanied by a joyous(read over-excited-to-be-in-college) group of boys and gals.they wer at the door making all sortsa noise..wt with the guys cracking silly jokes about the gals...and the gals hitting the guys..how innovative!
i then noticed that they were getting on the nerves of an elderly uncle sitting in front of me.so anyone could have guessed wt he wud hav had to say,the same old.."aaj kal ke bacche..."and so on.but then as this phrase hit me,i just turned to my friend and said loud enuff for the uncle to hear it,"kya aaj kal ke bacche bhi....humare zamaane mein hum kheti-baadi kiya karte thhey...kadakti dhoop mein khoon pasina ek karke majdoori karte thhey...aur aaj kal ke bacche...kisi bhi cheez ki keemat hi nahi...chchey..". my friend had the same confused look as that of the uncle. but the uncle probably had a thought my friend didnt for sure,"aaj kal ke bacche bhi.."

shamie,
25th jan,2007