Sunday, October 5, 2008

A little while ago:

Hello. It's been a while since my last post. To say that I have been busier than a bee would be an understatement. Studies, health, yes, it has been hectic. Yesterday though, I got some time free due to a power failure. It was a hot and sultry afternoon, and I had nothing better to do, so I sat in the sunlight, allowing the breeze to caress me gently, soothing me to into a trance. It was one of those absolutely average afternoons during which you tend to feel nostalgic.

Nostalgia is not one of those typical human emotions. In fact, it is an extremely powerful phenomenon in human lives. At times it can be deppressing, and at times an aphrodisiac. Memories, neither good nor bad can escape inclusion.

It was then that I remembered a particularly funny incident, that I remember vividly to date. I was in 6'Th standard, and had just transferred to the school, where I was to remain till completing 17 years of age (I didnot know it, then). I was alone at home because my mother had gone to visit Dad at Hyderabad. Those were the good old days, no power cuts and the global temperatures were lower by a good few degrees. The address bar of my internet explorer read : http://www.cartoonnetworkindia.com/. I had visited the site to play "DragonballZ : Trouble on Namek", and after saving the planet from total anhilation, I was particularly bored. As I browsed, I came across a link titled, "Ask dexter". Now, you see, I was a real geek, and my boyhood hero had been Dexter, "Boy genius", so I took the opportunity to read what all the other kids had written. Some asked whether his parents would find out about his lab, and some asked whether his sister really troubled him so much. I found these questions out of place for a boy who knew so much.

There was a dialougue box provided, where I could register and ask my questions. I registered with the enthusiasm of a child getting a reward after doing something in advance. Finally came the time to ask the question. I typed, slowly, careful not to make any spelling mistakes. This is what I had in my mind: "Dear Dexter, what makes the planets go around the sun? Will they ever stop revolving?" Having rechecked the question, I hit the enter button. After that day, I scoured the site twice a day, for two months. To my utter dismay, several rubbish questions were published, while mine was nowhere to be seen. I was shattered, I had expected a genius of an answer but none came.

I realised it was all a fake. I realised that the site was dedicated to popularising the program, and not really solving any queries. A lesson learnt I said to myself. In a way it kept me from clicking several "Congrats! You are our 1000000'Th visitor. To claim a special prize click here." links. Just another child learning the harsh realities behind his childhood hero.

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