01st January 2023, Sunday
Ram Nagar, INDIA
Still the world was struggling against the receding shocks from third wave of Pandemic, whereas India was brilliantly overcoming all the plights with its all the mights.
Even though the key parameters were not still at par compared to pre-pandemic era, but recovery cycle was continuously speeding up for fool proof mitigation in the new normal environment in all walks of life and business.
And there in Ram Nagar, India, after last night virtual celebrations of New Year, majority of people were still sleeping in the late Sunday morning, whereas Jasmine was coolly preparing her favorite coffee in her smart kitchen.
(Jasmine was a middle aged professional woman, working as HR Head in ‘Fem Fashion’ Company. She was gorgeous, gracefully carrying her dignity very well while in public. Often bossy, sometimes tom-boyish while being with close buddies else whom she liked at the bottom of the heart. Generally talks less, but, talks a lot extrovertly with those whom she really likes.)
As soon as the bubbles gestured boiling, she poured the coffee into her signature cup, sipped and rejoiced smilingly “Wah! Sunday coffee!!”, turned around and moved towards the airy balcony of her 4th floor economy flat.
As she was about to sip the next ounce after comfortably stood by the railing, her mobile rang…
“Oh! Asha…”, she whispered and attended the call.
“Hi! Jasmine, Happy New Year….Whatsup”, Asha (Asha was her Meta friend).
“Ah! Happy New Year….Hmmm….Nothing special….Sunday morning….enjoying coffee…..good cloudy weather….seems drizzling in between…. Oh….Oh….no….no….no….(suddenly spewing noise)”, Jasmine was glibly on talking spree, but, suddenly she saw something creepy, which shook her eerily, her adrenal fluttered vaguely, blood pressure shoot-up. Her body shook a while, the coffee cup slipped out from her shaky hand, fell down on the floor with banging clinking sound, and broke off into pieces and the coffee also spilled over. Surprisingly her cell phone remained intact in her other hand, after all cell phones are integral part of human body nowadays. .
(Actually she saw a filthy stone faced old man, wearing long scattered hairs and long messy beard, walking towards the building, carrying two garbage bags, and, in between using his cloggy hands to adjust his unruly waving hairs….)
Asha shocked to hear the last fearful words with spewing voice and noises of cup hitting the floor, jumped in intermittently: What happened? Are you not ok? Feeling unwell? What is that breaking sound?
By that time the old man disappeared and Jasmine felt little bit better…
After a small pause, holding her breath comfortable, Jasmine whispered irritatingly: No yaar, I am ok. No health issue. Actually in this society of my new house, here is a weird neighbor, dirty old man. Whenever I see him, I feel spewing….
“Why?”, Asha asked surprisingly.
“See, it happened 3-4 occasions, when returned back from office, lift was out of order, I had to go up by staircase….and you know what I saw? This dirty old man was sitting at door steps, smelling and eating left out foods from garbage bins”.
Yack…those creepy scenes triggered spewing in me. Every time I spewed, but, surprisingly he never ever gestured as noticing me around and continued his dirty activities. Since then whenever he appears around, I immediately sense giddy and nausea… And I failed to understand how such poor beggar can afford a house in such colony, and more than that how society is allowing such messy foul fellow to stay here? Really pathetic….
Asha interrupted: Means selection of house went wrong!
“Aah! What to say, I don’t understand….This bloody COVID has spoiled our lives…You know, I lost my parents in this pandemic. And meanwhile my both the brothers lost their jobs, their financial condition worsened, and, were facing difficulty to survive…so, both were pressurizing me to sell off the parental house.
…..So under those pressures we sold off our parental house where I was living. And after legal division of that money in us siblings, I could afford buying this budget house. Everything happened so fast, couldn’t do proper inquiry about people in neighborhood…
…..And now this dirty old man is spoiling my life. I get anxiety attacks, whenever I see him”, Jasmine responded wholeheartedly.
Asha as advising: Then sell this one and purchase another house having decent neighborhood.
“Oh! What are you talking? It’s not that easy. With such tight budget, it’s difficult to get property cheaper like this one….(suddenly her mood changed)….Ok Asha! Can we talk later? I have to clean also all this mess…..bye….see you…”, Jasmine disconnected even without hearing bye from Asha.
Then she started grumbling as self-talking, thanks god today it was Sunday, else if would have seen this dirty fellow in the morning, the whole day in office would have been jinxed….
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Next day, late night, when Jasmine returned from office, again got upset like hell. After getting down from the Taxi, unfortunately came across the shady man, who at vicinity to the entrance of the building, was handling garbage bags in-and-out from a huge Garbage container.
She again gestured as spewed, but, the shady man remained unmoved and didn’t give any look at her.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
Same night, after couple of hours, somebody was knocking at the door of a flat…….
After some time, the door got opened…..
It was Jasmine, who opened the door.
And it was that shady man who was knocking at her door.
Jasmine got shocked, when saw the shady man at her door steps, immediately shut the door with whatever energy she had, grunting: Oh! My god!! Now this dirty old man has reached to my house…..Oh! My God!! Help me…What should I do….
And there the shady man continued knocking. After some time when she didn’t open the door, he started yelling: Hello Madam! Open the door…. ….need to talk you…. please open the door…please…
Jasmine shivered to hear that.
What the hell he wants to talk to me, in such late night hours, and why? She asked to herself.
But as at outside there the shady man kept on knocking and yelling, causing her blood pressure rising instantly. The frightening moments testing her patience, soon crossed the limits.
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She grunted as self-talking: Enough is enough…no more nonsense….if he won’t stop, then I will teach him a life-time lesson
And then opened the door with a jolt and shouted harshly over the shady man: What do you want? Why are you harassing me at mid night…?…Fuckoff else I…..
The emotionless shady man interrupted coolly: Actually I got this (he showed something in his hand) from the garbage bin, I felt to give it to you…
The whole rough weather changed all of a sudden, when Jasmine recognized that thing. It was her most favorite diamond bangle, which she thought lost in office somewhere. Suddenly annoyance went off, when she picked up the bangle from his hand, and gestured great relief with blissful happiness…Now no more spewing sensations bothering her…
First time ever confidently looked into his eyes, wearing divine smile Jasmine uttered with gratitude: Where from you find this?
“From your this garbage bin only”, the shady man responded pointing towards the garbage bin.
Only positive vibes started transmitting all around Jasmine, her thoughts about the shady man reversed quickly.
Couldn’t stop herself and gracefully expressed: What a coincidence…All the day I was thinking that it got lost somewhere in office. But, now I could guess that it might slipped from my hand while dumping waste and fell down into garbage bin. I was upset all the day for this diamond bangle….because it was sign of my mother.
Now I am feeling very nervy, failing to understand, in what words should I pay thanks to you…
Shady man (impulsively): Oh no no….that was my…
Overblown with gratitude at the selflessness of the shady man, Jasmine interrupted in sweet voice: Oh! No!! But really…nowadays nobody does what you did. If there was someone else, would have kept quite…And you know…..
Shady man, seemed as not interested in her sugar coated words, turned and said informally: Ok…let me leave….bye…
…..And without noticing her reactions, he turned back fully and left from there.
Jasmine couldn’t restrain her emotions and kept on uttering, ‘thank you’ ‘thank you’, until he disappeared from there…
But at the same time Jasmine felt very strange, as the shady man cut short the conversation so early. She thought that if some chance-catcher would have been there, could have milk the situation to spend much more time with her, while sensing that the lady is admiring him so much as impressed by his honesty. But, this weirdo never ever gestured that way while their whole conversations……
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
Next day morning….
Very pleasant morning, at 5:30 the ambient and horizon were appearing as having early sunrise
The shady man was walking down the society lane as his routine morning walking….few more people were also doing morning walk.
Few moments later, somebody patted him from behind….
Shady man turned back, and whispered passively: Oh! Its you….surprise…
It was Jasmine, who then giggled: Yes its me….I also do morning walking…
Shady man who was still expressionless: But, never saw you here in morning time?
Now Jasmine opened up glibly: Ya, earlier I was doing morning walk by 7:30-8, because my office timing was 11 AM. But, now things are getting back to normal. From New Year, office timing changed to 9 AM. Yesterday I didn’t do morning walk. But, from today I started again by 5:30-6
Now mild smile appeared over Shady man’s messy bearded face: Good….good…ok let’s go to South Garden…and then to North Garden.
They took a round in the South Garden, then came to North Garden and sat over benches for a while, doing some light exercises….
Jasmine was feeling suffocated, as the old man didn’t utter a single word while the whole round, so, she decided to break the silence: Hmmm….how strange it is? We are knowing each other, but, didn’t have formal introduction…Isn’t it?…
Shady man (raised eyebrows): Hmmm…
By that time, Jasmine sensed that the old man seemed as introvert, so she will have to take the lead for conversation.
So she smiled and playfully extended her hand towards the shady man: Hi, I am Jasmine.
Shady man responded: I am Rajat Verma.
Smiling Jasmine continued: I am HR Head in ‘Fem Fashion’. Recently bought this house and shifted few weeks back…
Rajat Verma responded: Ok…Well I am Ex-Banker, retired from RBI. I have two sons, both are settled in USA. Unfortunately I lost my wife in this pandemic, so since then I living a lonely life here…(grieving expressions over his face and in voice)…However I am spending time in some social work and few hobbies. And….
Jasmine also grieving and interrupted as whispering in sad tone: I too lost my parents in pandemic, and, since then life disturbed very badly…(her tears started rolling down over her face)…
For couple of moments they both remained silent under deep grief….
As Rajat Verma was still in deep grief with closed eyes and chin over folded hands, Jasmine broke the silence after few moments: Well what we can do? After all we will have to move ahead somehow Vermaji, isn’t it?…(Suddenly she got mood swing and tried to lighten the heavy sad moments)…Can I call you as Vermaji?
Vermaji who was listening her, opened his eyes and smiled slightly: Hmmm….why not?
Now Jasmine in a playful mood, remembered something and asked flirtatiously: Well, I remember from the word hobby…I saw you many times smelling and eating food from garbage bins, is that also is your hobby?
Now Vermaji perplexed and responded wittily: Hmmm….so that’s the point…ok let’s start walking….let me tell you about my hobby…
Well! Covid-19 taught us many things either we were unaware or never ever interested to learn…
But, it’s sadly unfortunate that we forgot those lessons pretty soon…Really public memory is very short…
Still we are wasting lot of eatable food and then dumping it in waste bins…
You will be surprised to know that since before pandemic and even currently, not only in our own Nation but even the entire world, approx… 30% population is still suffering from starvation, as per reported and unreported facts and figures. Whereas comparatively more amount of food is still being dumped mercilessly into waste bins and garbage bins…
I can’t remember exact data or figures, but you know that the amount of food is being wasted every year worldwide, could be more than sufficient to feed the starving populations of struggling poor nations. And unfortunately all developed and developing nations are responsible for this, including our own nation.
Then they took a pause for a moment…
Jasmine couldn’t stop herself and said: Really sad…I was knowing about food wastage, but such huge amount of wastage, I was not aware…
Vermaji responded immediately: Yes…this is the harsh fact. See, to address the food wastage issue, there are stringent ‘Food Safety’ Laws in many countries. And one can get severe punishment if not abide by the Laws. By the way, we also have ‘Food Safety’ Laws in our Nation, but you know here democracy is more than required…
Jasmine laughed and interrupted: Ya! Well said…There is too much democracy in India.
“Yes, exactly…”, Vermaji responded
Then again they continued walking…
Vermaji continued: You know even I said so many times in our society to stop undue wastage of food…even if wastage is happening, then to handover the left-over food to ‘Food Security’ agencies…
But no! Nobody bothers!! Everyone is having fully loaded belly and enjoying hangover of democracy…
So, at last I thought, if authorities not willing and people also not willing to do…But, I will do, for self-satisfaction or may be for my own stubbornness…For those poor people, who perhaps might be starving, if couldn’t even get the left-out eatable food convincingly dumped in wastage bin. Where….
Meanwhile there it seemed as Vermaji was on non-stop talking spree now, but impatient Jasmine couldn’t tolerate such monotonous dialogues and interrupted…
Jasmine: Really your thoughts are very good… (Humorously) By the way since when you are doing this?
Vermaji again started narrating: Hmmm…since 1-5/2 years…Started during Covid-19 pandemic period only.
You know why? You will be surprised to know that during first wave period of pandemic, ‘wastage of food’ surged multifold, not only in India, but almost in all the developed and developing nations…
Why? Because out of deadly panicking lock-down situations, people started excessive storage of raw food and processed food…Fearing scarcity of food items in future, if lockdowns will be kept on extended unpredictably…And, then dumped into wastage bins when couldn’t consume before the expiry dates…
On other hand, out of surviving in pandemic ridden life and death situations, for improving immunity, people cooked many more suggested food items in addition to the routine menu…That also in excessive quantities, consumed more, but wasted also excessively…And then dumped the excessive amount of wasted food into garbage bins.
Jasmine (again mood swing, now not feeling bored in such serious discussion, rather impressed by such noble thoughts): That is really serious matter of concern. Then what do you do after collecting the wasted food?
Vermaji (responding bit by bit): Yes exactly, its matter of serious concern. That’s why I started all this…
Well, I roam around the society, visiting each house, inspecting each wastage bin…Doing sorting for ‘eatable food’ for needy poor people, for stray animals, birds and wasted rotten food for compost…
Then I call ‘Howdy Foody’, a local Food Security Agency…They collect all sorted food and distribute accordingly…
Then suddenly Jasmine heard beep sound from her cell phone, she stopped there, and whispered when looked into it: Oh! Its alarm, my morning walk timing is over…I have to leave for office….(then little bit louder, eyes still on cell phone) Vermaji! Morning walking time is over for me…
Then she turned her head towards Vermaji, but, surprised when found that he was walking ahead slowly uttering something…
She ran towards him calling ‘Vermaji’, ‘Vermaji’…but, he didn’t notice and continued walking and talking in his own way….
Then Jasmine patted him from behind and jumped in front of him…(She heard Vermaji was speaking something, but, not heard clearly) with deep gasp she said: Vermaji! My time is over for today’s morning walk..
Vermaji could sense now and said ‘ok’.
But Jasmine continued: I have to go to office, so I am leaving now…We will talk further on this topic tomorrow morning….
Vermaji smiled and nodded his head gesturing bid adieu…
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Same day while late night hours….
As usual Vermaji was doing his social work of sorting and collecting dumped food, meanwhile he was patted from behind…He turned back, it was Jasmine…
“Oh! Its you…Here at this time…But, you said meeting tomorrow morning…”, uttered Vermaji
Jasmine responded smilingly: Ya…but you know I liked your words, your thoughts and this social work…so, thought to support you…
Vermaji (raised eye brows): But, your family members…any objection?
Jasmine (now in attitude): Hmmm…no tension. I am a free bird. I haven’t married yet. But, it’s nice…I can do, whatever I want to do. (Little pause) Vermaji! It seems all stuff is packed, can we move?
Vermaji (getting up): Yes, as you wish…
Then they moved out of the building and headed towards the Main Gate of the society…
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
While walking down towards the main gate, Vermaji suddenly remembered something and asked Jasmine: Jasmineji! Our discussion over Food Safety was incomplete today morning, would you like to know few more things about it?
Jasmine (smilingly showed interest): Yes Vermaji, please…
Vermaji (with full energy started in his own style): See, while COVID period many people lost their lives. We all lost our near and dear ones…and out of deadly panicking environment there were lot of confusions were mongering around…
The only and only important priority was how to stay safe? How to remain alive?…That’s why might be unintended cavalier attitude and approach being in practice towards the Food Safety…Not from only people, but, from Governments and authorities also across the whole world…
Somehow authorities managed supply of food items…Means Raw food, processed food and even cooked food also. But, couldn’t control due diligent handling of wastage food…
Which after few months shocked everybody when survey reports of world’s top international authorities highlighted that the global food wastage had surged manifold while the first wave of covid-19…
Most surprisingly that unfortunate trend of food wastage continued while second and third waves also…
Really public memory is very short.
We learn lessons to unlearn later on. Very sad status of important issues of life.
By the way there are lot of issues in our day to day life, needs to be resolved as soon as possible. And which needs great amount of attention from everybody, from common people to leaders and authorities.
Even if governments and authorities don’t bother, we people must combat in individual capacities, that’s what I think….
Suddenly Vermaji yelled delightfully: Oh! See there!! Howdy Foody also reached in time…Good…
Surprisingly this time Jasmine was listening to Vermaji with immense interest. She understood that he talks nonstop if the topic attracts him, else will remain introvertly silent. So, she continued listening without interrupting him.
The ‘Howdy Foody’ Van slowly stopped near the main gate. They handed over all the bags of sorted food to the ‘Howdy Foody’ team except one bag, which was containing food for stray animals.
Vermaji and Jasmine exchanged ‘bye’ ‘bye’ with them and then the Howdy Foody van left from there.
Then they both moved to the near vicinity, fed stray cows and dogs available there…
Few minutes later they were returning back to their houses….
While returning Vermaji was silent…seemed as tired at the end of the day.
But Jasmine was feeling uncomfortable, so broke the silence: Vermaji! Can you guess why I didn’t marry?
Vermaji with raised eyebrows gestured weird, didn’t utter anything, but his expressions were self-explanatory, as want to speak that all of a sudden what absurd she is talking about?
When didn’t hear any words from Vermaji, Jasmine jumped in again: Because I can’t tolerate anybody overpowering me.
Now Vermaji smiled and patted as moral boosting: Don’t worry, in the works of social service nobody will overpower you….Ok…Hmmm….So keep it up…
There was a broad smile over the delighted face of Jasmine as intrinsic gratitude….
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Both Vermaji and Jasmine continued their self-styled social works for Food Safety….
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In due course of time they became local legends……
…May Be Continued
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