Beedi, Bus stop and Blade

 

 

I am not sure whether these items have become obsolete, but they are surely on the verge of getting extinct.

Beedi

This one can raise a few eye brows. I also admit that there is definitely a gender bias in this.

Beedi was a symbol of manhood during those days. As you enter the fag end of your teens, it is a glowing beedi on your lips which normally define your courageous youth. On top of that it was cost effective, easy to get, handle and hide. At college, we might not have a pen of our own, but would definitely have a couple of beedis in our pocket. I might not have exchanged my text book with my friend but would have easily exchanged a beedi with him. Taking a few puffs, without coughing, shows that you are ready to enter the world of men. Two beedis and a black tea injected enough courage before appearing for any exam Glaring at the infinity through the rings of the smoke also gave you the status of an intellect. Today, thanks to the vigorous health awareness campaigns, smoking as such has reduced. I am also aware of its health hazards and am not recommending it. However, for me those beedis were transformative. Somewhere it changed me from the confused school boy to a more determined young man. Other factors also must have helped, but beedi is definitely one of them. I have quit smoking many years back. But there is no denying the fact that beedi had helped me in defining my masculinity, and at times, when i lose my daring and moral courage to respond to many vices and atrocities around, i miss those beedi days badly.

Bus stop

I know no one will agree if i say bus stops have become obsolete. But i am talking about a different kind of bus stop. Those bus stops were a place with different purposes. They were not a place where you waited for the bus. That is where you met your friends and classmates. The bus stop witnessed the secret rendezvous; the quick glances and deft and sudden exchange of love letters. We spent hours together there, smoking beedis and talking about everything under the sun, but nothing in particular or important. The bus stop was a huge umbrella when it rained. When our beloved councilor died suddenly, we unanimously named the bus stop after him, in spite of the religious and political differences. At the bus stop we waited, without being in a hurry; took life lightly, allowing buses to come and go. We took the bus as we pleased and enjoyed our journey. The bus stop was not just that physical structure, rather it was a threshold between the world we lived and the world we dreamt. It was shelter for us in many ways. I agree we still have bus stops. But today, before we reach the bus stop, the bus arrives and we all are in a hurry to board the bus. Now a days when I see a bus stop, it looks like a skeleton, devoid of flesh, blood, energy and vibrancy of that old shelter.

Blade

The other day dad asked for razor blades and i gave him the use- and- throw one. He was not satisfied. When i tried to get those blades i realized that they are slowly disappearing from our lives. For young men, buying blades heralded their entry into manhood. That does not mean the blade had just one use. It became handy as a nail cutter. For girls, it was a protective weapon against the perverts who were aplenty in buses and crowded places. For political party workers, its deft use can leave a few opponents bleeding. Magicians surprised us by swallowing them. At certain point it slowly started waning out from our lives. New technology ensured its further decline. Even the word blade started getting new meanings. The financial companies which mushroomed were called BLADE companies, since they charged cut-throat interest rates. A guy who is too talkative and distressing is called a Blade as his garrulousness can be extremely injurious. After covid even the saloons are not using blades.Looking back I still have that nostalgic feeling of holding the razor with the blade in it and having the first shave. That was my entry into my youth. Physically I can’t remain as a youth, but youthfulness of those memories can be preserved. Probably i should buy one pack, before it disappears completely, for old times’ sake.

Autograph

While we, me and my son, were rummaging the old cupboard, out tumbled my autograph book. The blue color on the cover had faded, but the golden imprint at the center still had some glimmer, like those old memories. Inside, the multi colored pages have faded a bit. However, the words inscribed are still clear and inviting.

My son was more eager to go through it. During our days, autograph was inevitable. Months before, we start searching for the right autograph book. We never had many choices and cost was a huge factor. The book stores near the school would have stacks of autograph books. Eventually, though we wished to have a special autograph, we ended up buying the same kind of book.

I faintly remember that i had two autograph books. One general and the other exclusively for close friends.

What makes an autograph special is not the external look, but rather its content. Looking back, even the content is predictable. The majority were happy by scribbling those stock phrases which were popular at those times. " Forget me not " was the most popular. " East or west, you are the best" is another. Few wrote something of their own. They were not profound insights but were genuine. Those who were still carrying childish grudges displayed their anger by refusing to write anything. However, in the exclusive book the real friends poured out their heart with ever loving words.

When i held my autograph book a gush of memories rushed through my mind. I went through each page in great earnest. I felt a fresh flow of energy filling me. Generally autograph is an opportunity to forgive and forget. As we reach the end of the school days, we suddenly seem to have gained some maturity. We try to become friends even with the biggest foe.

Those days, as we were stepping into a new life, the words in the autograph gave a lot of courage and energy. Still i should admit that the charm was soon worn out and i had misplaced my book for so long. Autograph was not a part of my luggage when i started a new journey of life.

I asked my son whether he has an autograph book and to my surprise he does not have one What i understood is autograph books have almost become obsolete. That was a painful information.

 This made me think that suddenly rediscovering this autograph book after so many years can't be a mere coincidence.

Why can't we revive the autograph book? Not the way we had that, years back. Instead use it in a different way. For eg, after going for a trip together i have heard people talking or writing about that trip. In such cases why can’t I carry a book with me and ask them to write something in that book from that spot itself? Or, after spending a few days at my home some send a” thank you “message or share their good memories.  Why can't i have a book at home and ask, whoever is interested, to scribble their experiences before leaving? It sounds interesting. Let me give it a try.

Meanwhile let us make this interactive. Please share the experiences you had with your autograph book and also some of the interesting lines which you remember from that book.