The shrieking sound of the bell woke her up from her slumber.The students were waiting for the bell like the parched earth waiting for the skies to open.The sonicwaves emerging from the brass plate stirred up a commotion in the class.
“Happy Birthday Nisha......Happy Birthday Nisha.......”
However,Nisha was not payng much attention the the dissonant song,ostensiably sung in chorus.
“Hey Nisha,You are leaving??We won't let you go.Where are you going to take us to?McDonalds?Pizza Hut?Dominos?”
“or our canteen??”
“Sorry!I'll give treat on someother day.Now I have got to go.”
“Come on man.Its your birthday.Everyday you are like this.On hearing the last bell you rush to your home.Why?So obsessed with studying??”
“No way!you know,I'm not at all studious”Nisha giggled.
“Your scoresheets say that.Then what?You dont like spending time with us?”
“Er..not that..Today I've got to go..”Nisha groped for excuses”Somebody is waiting for me in my house”
“Ooh..somebody!!You naughty bitch!!Somebody waiting for nisha in her house.That too when her parents are out.Now the cat is out of bag.Spmebody!!”
Nisha could see everyone chuckling.
“Hey..There is nothing like that”
“Like what?..Ooh..look at her blush.Ok.Carry On.We dont want to be spoilsports.”
Nisha got out of the fortressof her classmates with a sigh.She cursed herself for telling that excuse.
'Why can't these people mind teir own business.I hate people trying to be overpally with me'
She opened the door of the house.
'Thank God!There isnt anyone here..I enjoy this solitude.'
She rushed towards her computer.Waited impatiently for everything to get loaded.
Orkut Login.
MSN Login.
Yahoo Login.
Gmail Login.
You are connected to 235657889 people through 568 friends.-displayed the orkut home page.
Suddenly a window popped up
“asl please”
Another-”Hi!!wassup!!”
She checked her scrap book entries.Lots of birthday wishes.Lots of ove flowing in from different parts of the world.Her online pals are scattered all over the globe.Sending their regards.Caring for her.Thinking about her.Admiring her.
She felt pride in her gregarious nature.
'How popular and lovable am I '
She was busy chatting with her Mongolian frined.The conversation,whihc was flowing very freely without any viscousity was interrupted by the ringing of the calling bell.
“Oh Fuck!.My mom is early hoem today”
'Ok..bye..I hv gtg..c u..tc..'.She ended the conversation by adhering to the online etiquette.
“Happy birthday dear.”Her mother hugged her.
“Thanks Mom”
“Meet my colleague Sarita.And her daughter Rita”
“Hi”
“Hi”
Her mother immediately set the table.Kept the cake and candles.Nisha was watchin all the proceedings like a bystander.
'Jennifer must be online now..By the time all the birthday banalities are over she might have signed out.'
She hurried through all the formalities.Blowing our candles,cutting cake,passing the cake pieces.
'How mundane?'she thought.She prayed that the guests would go back soon.She will have to stay back like a statue with a plastic smile.
“You girls go and have chat.We have got some importan matters to discuss.”
“Hi.We will go to your room.”Rita said with a wide smile.
“Come”
Many chat boxes had sprouted all over the desktop.She entered into her virtual world ,oblivious of the prescence of Rita.
“You seem to be very techno savvy”Rita commented.
“Ha.A Bit”
“Is chatting your favourite pastime?”
“Its not exactly my pastime.Its my life.”
Nisha was getting irritated by her pestering.
“Oh great!!.None of yor friends came for the party.Didnt you invite them?”
“My friends cannot come here”her eyes were still glued at the screen.
“Why?”she was puzzled.
“They are online frinends.”
“Online friends!!Ok.but dont you have any normal....I mean...human friends”
***********************
Hours fell into days.Days made months.Months amalgamated to form years.Years passed by to make Nisha a woman.Her online community also grew with her.She shifted to a city and took a flat.She secured a job also.To be specific an online job.
It was actually a dream come true for her.Every morning she need not rush to the office.She need not drink the insipid office grapevine.No need to succumb to anyones bossing.Jut sit in her room with her soulmates-her computer and solitude.She need to chat with the onlin clients of the company.And she has to do some online drafting and accounting works.She will be paid online also.She need not get out of her room/Just make the online order for the household things.Service at doorstep.
She never felt her online life monotonous.Orkutting was opium for her.Messengers her marijuana.The heroin of chatting got into her veins and nerves.
Miseries and sorrows in her virtual world were like snakes in Iceland.Totally absent.No burdens of the mundane world life there.Only the excitement of meeting new people and making new relationships.She had online love affairs.Online dating.And even online breakups.As her online global community was inflating her social circle was shrinking.
***********************
The chirpings of the birds woke her up form her deep sleep.AS she gradually opened her eyelids,sunlight seeped into her eyes.She instantaneously closed her eyelids tightly.She has not seen sunlight for ages.It will take time for her pupils to get adjusted with the bright sunlight.The sound of the bird chirpings were getting on her nerves.She sprang out of her bed and screamed ”Shut up...worthless creature..”
Then a lady clad in white dress came near her.
“Easy.Relax.Just lie down.I was waiting for you to wake up.I will call the doctor and come”.She walked away.
Even in her dizzy mood she coul make out that she was lying on a hospital bed.
'But why??'
Doctor came in accompaniedby the nurse.Her pulse rate and BP were checked.She was administered some medicines.
“What am I doing here doctor?”Nisha asked.
“You are suffering from acute viral fever.Yesterday night you were admitted here.Before that you were lying unconscious in your room for two days.Some representative of your company came to your flat,since you were not responding to them.He found you lying unconscious and brought you here.And the interesting thing is that your neighbouring flat mates never knew that their next door was occuppied.Ok.Take rest”
The doctor and his convoy walked away.
The bright sunlight illuminated the whole room.She found it irritating.She got up from her bed to draw the curtains of the window.She could see the hospital garden through the window.A well maintained garden with wide variety of flowers.She found the flowers in the garden hoary when compared to the resplendent flowres which decorated her computer desktop.
Some scrreching noise diturbed her thoughts.It was a baby crying.She was getting really annoyed.It was like somebody piercing her eardrums with a needle.She got out of the room.A lady was sitting on a chair with her baby.
“Shut up..you fucking son of a bitch!!”
The lady was startled.
“How dare you yell at my child.?Mind your words...”
“What if I dont...You bloody whore...”
Nisha slapped that lady.It led to a commotion.The timely intervention of the hospital staff prevented it from snowballing inot a major issue.
Nisha was brought to the doctor's room.
“Doctor,I want to know why I am imprisoned here.Please let me go.I am perfectly ok.”
“You are not,Nisha.If you were,would you have scuffled with that poor lady.??”
“Please doctor.This place is weird.I am in desperate need of a computer,I want to get in touch with my online community.This is driving me nuts.”
“Come On,Nisha.The problem is with you.Your problem is that you were totally involved in your online chatting and online business.You were not concerned about the world outside your room.I think you have got addicted to internet.So you had oppurtunity to socialize with people.That is why you are finding everything weird.Actually you are weird.”
“Doctor,dont try to teach me what socializing is.I have got infinite number of friends scattered all over the globe.My friend circle is not like yours,which is confined to some persons living in the vicinity of your house.”
“Oh Nisha.Try to undersand the reality.Step out of your online world.Try to live in the real world.That is why I asked you to spend some time here.Try to interact with more people.Get to know more of them.Enjoy the nature.Enjoy the music of birds;the fragrance of flowers.;the enticing beauty of the garden”
“Doctor,I dont want to listen to your lecture.I want to leave.Finish of the hospital formalities and let me leave.”
“If you are adamant,then I dont have anything more to say.But we had informed your mother.She will be reaching here by tomorrow evening.We will let you go only after her arrival.Otherwise,it will lead to legal comlications.You have to stay back here till tomorrow evening.Please co-operate.”
She had to retreat to her room.The solitariness of the room was horrifying.Time had become stagnant for her.The room was filled with the air of ennui.
'I must get out of this place.I must get back to my room.To my computer.To my online community.This world is weird.It is unfit for living.I must leave at the earliest.But it is not possible to leave through the main door'
She noticed large windows of her room which had no bars.Emotions superseded prudence.She jumped from the fourth floor of the building.She signed out of this world to log in to some other world.
MANU SEBASTIAN
“Happy Birthday Nisha......Happy Birthday Nisha.......”
However,Nisha was not payng much attention the the dissonant song,ostensiably sung in chorus.
“Hey Nisha,You are leaving??We won't let you go.Where are you going to take us to?McDonalds?Pizza Hut?Dominos?”
“or our canteen??”
“Sorry!I'll give treat on someother day.Now I have got to go.”
“Come on man.Its your birthday.Everyday you are like this.On hearing the last bell you rush to your home.Why?So obsessed with studying??”
“No way!you know,I'm not at all studious”Nisha giggled.
“Your scoresheets say that.Then what?You dont like spending time with us?”
“Er..not that..Today I've got to go..”Nisha groped for excuses”Somebody is waiting for me in my house”
“Ooh..somebody!!You naughty bitch!!Somebody waiting for nisha in her house.That too when her parents are out.Now the cat is out of bag.Spmebody!!”
Nisha could see everyone chuckling.
“Hey..There is nothing like that”
“Like what?..Ooh..look at her blush.Ok.Carry On.We dont want to be spoilsports.”
Nisha got out of the fortressof her classmates with a sigh.She cursed herself for telling that excuse.
'Why can't these people mind teir own business.I hate people trying to be overpally with me'
She opened the door of the house.
'Thank God!There isnt anyone here..I enjoy this solitude.'
She rushed towards her computer.Waited impatiently for everything to get loaded.
Orkut Login.
MSN Login.
Yahoo Login.
Gmail Login.
You are connected to 235657889 people through 568 friends.-displayed the orkut home page.
Suddenly a window popped up
“asl please”
Another-”Hi!!wassup!!”
She checked her scrap book entries.Lots of birthday wishes.Lots of ove flowing in from different parts of the world.Her online pals are scattered all over the globe.Sending their regards.Caring for her.Thinking about her.Admiring her.
She felt pride in her gregarious nature.
'How popular and lovable am I '
She was busy chatting with her Mongolian frined.The conversation,whihc was flowing very freely without any viscousity was interrupted by the ringing of the calling bell.
“Oh Fuck!.My mom is early hoem today”
'Ok..bye..I hv gtg..c u..tc..'.She ended the conversation by adhering to the online etiquette.
“Happy birthday dear.”Her mother hugged her.
“Thanks Mom”
“Meet my colleague Sarita.And her daughter Rita”
“Hi”
“Hi”
Her mother immediately set the table.Kept the cake and candles.Nisha was watchin all the proceedings like a bystander.
'Jennifer must be online now..By the time all the birthday banalities are over she might have signed out.'
She hurried through all the formalities.Blowing our candles,cutting cake,passing the cake pieces.
'How mundane?'she thought.She prayed that the guests would go back soon.She will have to stay back like a statue with a plastic smile.
“You girls go and have chat.We have got some importan matters to discuss.”
“Hi.We will go to your room.”Rita said with a wide smile.
“Come”
Many chat boxes had sprouted all over the desktop.She entered into her virtual world ,oblivious of the prescence of Rita.
“You seem to be very techno savvy”Rita commented.
“Ha.A Bit”
“Is chatting your favourite pastime?”
“Its not exactly my pastime.Its my life.”
Nisha was getting irritated by her pestering.
“Oh great!!.None of yor friends came for the party.Didnt you invite them?”
“My friends cannot come here”her eyes were still glued at the screen.
“Why?”she was puzzled.
“They are online frinends.”
“Online friends!!Ok.but dont you have any normal....I mean...human friends”
***********************
Hours fell into days.Days made months.Months amalgamated to form years.Years passed by to make Nisha a woman.Her online community also grew with her.She shifted to a city and took a flat.She secured a job also.To be specific an online job.
It was actually a dream come true for her.Every morning she need not rush to the office.She need not drink the insipid office grapevine.No need to succumb to anyones bossing.Jut sit in her room with her soulmates-her computer and solitude.She need to chat with the onlin clients of the company.And she has to do some online drafting and accounting works.She will be paid online also.She need not get out of her room/Just make the online order for the household things.Service at doorstep.
She never felt her online life monotonous.Orkutting was opium for her.Messengers her marijuana.The heroin of chatting got into her veins and nerves.
Miseries and sorrows in her virtual world were like snakes in Iceland.Totally absent.No burdens of the mundane world life there.Only the excitement of meeting new people and making new relationships.She had online love affairs.Online dating.And even online breakups.As her online global community was inflating her social circle was shrinking.
***********************
The chirpings of the birds woke her up form her deep sleep.AS she gradually opened her eyelids,sunlight seeped into her eyes.She instantaneously closed her eyelids tightly.She has not seen sunlight for ages.It will take time for her pupils to get adjusted with the bright sunlight.The sound of the bird chirpings were getting on her nerves.She sprang out of her bed and screamed ”Shut up...worthless creature..”
Then a lady clad in white dress came near her.
“Easy.Relax.Just lie down.I was waiting for you to wake up.I will call the doctor and come”.She walked away.
Even in her dizzy mood she coul make out that she was lying on a hospital bed.
'But why??'
Doctor came in accompaniedby the nurse.Her pulse rate and BP were checked.She was administered some medicines.
“What am I doing here doctor?”Nisha asked.
“You are suffering from acute viral fever.Yesterday night you were admitted here.Before that you were lying unconscious in your room for two days.Some representative of your company came to your flat,since you were not responding to them.He found you lying unconscious and brought you here.And the interesting thing is that your neighbouring flat mates never knew that their next door was occuppied.Ok.Take rest”
The doctor and his convoy walked away.
The bright sunlight illuminated the whole room.She found it irritating.She got up from her bed to draw the curtains of the window.She could see the hospital garden through the window.A well maintained garden with wide variety of flowers.She found the flowers in the garden hoary when compared to the resplendent flowres which decorated her computer desktop.
Some scrreching noise diturbed her thoughts.It was a baby crying.She was getting really annoyed.It was like somebody piercing her eardrums with a needle.She got out of the room.A lady was sitting on a chair with her baby.
“Shut up..you fucking son of a bitch!!”
The lady was startled.
“How dare you yell at my child.?Mind your words...”
“What if I dont...You bloody whore...”
Nisha slapped that lady.It led to a commotion.The timely intervention of the hospital staff prevented it from snowballing inot a major issue.
Nisha was brought to the doctor's room.
“Doctor,I want to know why I am imprisoned here.Please let me go.I am perfectly ok.”
“You are not,Nisha.If you were,would you have scuffled with that poor lady.??”
“Please doctor.This place is weird.I am in desperate need of a computer,I want to get in touch with my online community.This is driving me nuts.”
“Come On,Nisha.The problem is with you.Your problem is that you were totally involved in your online chatting and online business.You were not concerned about the world outside your room.I think you have got addicted to internet.So you had oppurtunity to socialize with people.That is why you are finding everything weird.Actually you are weird.”
“Doctor,dont try to teach me what socializing is.I have got infinite number of friends scattered all over the globe.My friend circle is not like yours,which is confined to some persons living in the vicinity of your house.”
“Oh Nisha.Try to undersand the reality.Step out of your online world.Try to live in the real world.That is why I asked you to spend some time here.Try to interact with more people.Get to know more of them.Enjoy the nature.Enjoy the music of birds;the fragrance of flowers.;the enticing beauty of the garden”
“Doctor,I dont want to listen to your lecture.I want to leave.Finish of the hospital formalities and let me leave.”
“If you are adamant,then I dont have anything more to say.But we had informed your mother.She will be reaching here by tomorrow evening.We will let you go only after her arrival.Otherwise,it will lead to legal comlications.You have to stay back here till tomorrow evening.Please co-operate.”
She had to retreat to her room.The solitariness of the room was horrifying.Time had become stagnant for her.The room was filled with the air of ennui.
'I must get out of this place.I must get back to my room.To my computer.To my online community.This world is weird.It is unfit for living.I must leave at the earliest.But it is not possible to leave through the main door'
She noticed large windows of her room which had no bars.Emotions superseded prudence.She jumped from the fourth floor of the building.She signed out of this world to log in to some other world.
MANU SEBASTIAN
1 comment:
interesting...
really very interesting n thought provoking...yeah dis online world is taking over people n gradually they r finding it hard to 'live' in d real world, in d world of face-to-face communication.........
i sply liked d last line, "She signed out of this world to log in to some other world."
PS:ur style of writing is too good..waiting eagerly for more stories ;) :)
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