A day without earphones

Ever since I have been using the Samsung SGH F270, (to be precise, 8 months) I do not remember a single day without the earphones. (I do not enjoy music on the phone's loudspeaker, as I cannot feel the finer nuances of the compositions, unless I have my ear phones on, or I listen in a 5.1 sound system.)

Except during working hours, the rest of my day seemed like a motion picture, with the perfect re-recording. Be it FM radio or the numerous playlists - thanks to the 2GB memory card, I had background music during my commuting, solitary walks, my evening drink and even during late night sms sessions with certain cronies.

Yesterday, I left behind my earphones at my good friend Bharath's residence. It was on my way back that I realised I had almost forgotten the ambient music of Bengaluru city. The honking of vehicles, the yells and frustrations of the traffic stuck behind L-Boards, hawkers shouting at the top of their voices, shrill whistles of the traffic cops, the synchronised starting of the engines a few seconds before the traffic lights turned green, the mobile phone conversation of co-passengers which are loud enough for the conversation to have happened without a phone...I heard all these with the amazement of a 13th century citizen who had had a time-slip.

This morning I went for my usual jog, but not the usual way. I jogged sans any recorded music. It had been ages (8 months, to be precise) since I had heard the chirping of birds, the laughter of the child I have been seeing since you know when, as it plays by, while her grandfather does his exercises, the conversations of women waiting to fill their buckets with water, the sounds of running - well-regulated and protected by running shoes, the chattering of over-weight housewives who talk more than they walk...and yes, for the first time since, you know when, I heard my own heart beat after 8 rounds of jogging and 2 rounds of sprinting. After ages, I heard my breath which was in sync with me wiping the sweat off my brow. I found back ground music again.

Much as I love music, it is this love which has made me decide to do away with earphones for a while. Let me add some ambient audio in the re-recording of my life. I at least feel natural, not like an actor waiting for someone to say cut.

Life is but a dream....

"What makes you think I'll give up?" he asked in a slightly louder tone than he intended, which led to several heads turning towards them in the upmarket bistro. This sudden attention did not seem to distract her as she retorted in an equally loud tone, "But Sid, you are aware that the odds are completely against you. There is tension brewing in the family, there is nothing but empty promises which people have made, and most importantly, there is no money coming in."

"Mithu, in this field, when it rains, it pours. My intuition tells me that it's going to pour soon, very soon. This project which is scheduled to begin next week is sure to be my breakthrough."

"I am amazed Sid. You've become just like a million dreamers in this country, who think they are the next Shah Rukh Khan...."

"So you mean to say, I have no talent, no potential, and I am just-another-struggler?, then all those words of praise which you showered after my plays, were a hoax...? Mithu, there is no need to be hypocritical with me. And what do you know about cinema, about theatre and acting? Though by qualification, I am a Software Engineer, and a better programmer than you, do I comment on your programming....?"

"Excuse me sir?....Can you please lower your tone? thank you sir.." The stern interruption brought Siddharth and Mithila back to the bistro, and they finished their coffee in silence.

The silence continued as they walked from the bistro to his bike. As Mithila waited by his bike, Siddharth went across the road to get himself a cigarette.

"I am sorry, really sorry" he said, as he stubbed out the cigarette. "You know, I really did'nt mean...."

"It's okay Sid..its been five years now, I am so used to you. Lets not talk about it. We've met after a whole week, lets just have a good time and not spoil it with another fight...and hey, hurry up! the movie begins in 45 minutes, today being a weekend, tickets might be difficult to get..."

"errr...Mithu, I am sorry again, but you know, I am totally broke, with great difficulty I could get 50 bucks for petrol from mom...."

"Who's asking you to pay? come on lets go..."

She clung to him tightly as he kick-started the 15 year old, 2-stroke engine.

As they rode, this time too, the world around them ceased to exist.