Totally Mindless Chap

[Guest guest]

I

have read the newspaper all my life. The newspapers and the readers have both

undergone a change over time. Even the ‘news’ is no longer what it used to

be.

By the time newspapers print the news, sundry experts have already discussed it

on all TV channels. The likes of Arnab Goswami break the news down into inane

details. This is why they keep flashing ‘BREAKING NEWS†on our TV screens

the

whole day. Notwithstanding the broken down news, I still read my newspaper. It

is a habit. However, it is just a perfunctory routine now.

I

was reading the newspaper one day. To my utter surprise, a woman walked in

unannounced. She looked disheveled. Strands of hair fell over her face. She was

wearing a sari with a dirty green border. She had draped it around her

carelessly. I was horrified to see her in slippers. Her flared nostrils and

pinched mouth proved her internal agitation.

She

asked me pointedly which newspaper I was reading. Without waiting for a reply,

she

hissed: “Why do you read newspapers?†I had a mixed feeling of amusement and

irritation to see her shuffling on her feet restlessly while she talked to me.

She also needlessly pulled the ‘pallu’ of her sari tight across her shoulder

a

couple of times. Perhaps that was her way of showing her resolve. She

questioned next: “Are there any

cartoons in the newspaper?â€Â Then she

snatched the newspaper from me and screened it in a disorderly manner. Her

actions belied any sense of propriety.

I

did not know who she was, but her uncontrolled behavior was definitely

appalling. She appeared troubled by some unresolved mental turbulence. Finally,

I asked her to identify herself. In a hassled condition, she declared herself

the

new face of revolution. To impress me further, she said she could change

anything, even in Delhi, if she does not like it.  Abruptly, she turned around

and headed for the

door. Suddenly, the strap of one of her slippers snapped; she stumbled and fell

down. Embarrassed, she got up quickly and rushed out.

As I

picked up the newspaper strewn all over the floor, my attention fell on the

cartoon in it. The cartoon was captioned TMC and the character drawn was

described as Totally Mindless Chap.

Bharat