Sameer completed his twenty lapses and sat down on the bench panting. As his breath calmed down, he thought about Reshma. Sameer and Reshma studied together. They were Architecture students and would complete their course in a year. “A year and I may never see her again” he thought sadly. He liked Reshma a lot but did not have the courage to propose to her. At twenty three, he was after all a boy. As far as he was concerned, his life revolved around his college, his friends, hanging out at M.G. Road and doing last minute studies to get through. He knew after a year, his college life would come to an end, friends will move away, but he didn’t want to let go of Reshma.
He leaned back on the bench and put his hands behind his head. He closed his eyes and thought of her. She was an intelligent, fun-loving girl. Everyone liked her and everyone wanted to be her friend. Sameer on the other hand was an average guy, the usual bloke on the road. He didn’t think he had anything special. He was not a great public speaker or a leader. He didn’t believe he could ever contribute in a great way to the world. After graduation, he hoped to get a job in one of the construction companies.
As he got up from his bench and walked towards the west gate, he noticed a gathering of people. There was a man talking to them and giving them pamphlets. He joined them to find out what the fuss was all about. “You can also make a difference. Do save our world and let us make sure that the place we leave for our children is better than the one we got” the man was saying.
“What is he talking about?” Sameer asked one of the men in the group.
“Global warming, He is explaining about how global warming has led to the increase in temperatures and claims it’s also the cause of floods and hurricanes that are happening. Can you believe that?!” He exclaimed
Sameer had heard about global warming. Lately it was a topic that was splashed all over the newspapers and magazines. He personally thought it was exaggerated. There had been a recent seminar in his college by a group of environmentalists from a non-profit organization. He had sat there in the seminar half listening to them and half thinking about Reshma. Undoubted, he only remembered Reshma.
As he left the gathering, the man with the pamphlets came up to him and said “Good morning sir would you like to sign up for our campaign. We need volunteers to help us plant native trees around Bangalore.” ‘Not on my life’ Sameer thought. He didn’t want to go round the city planting trees. That was the job of the Municipal! “Umm, no thanks, I don’t have time.” He said as he tried to dodge past him. “Please sir, do think about it. Here, have our pamphlet and in case you change your mind” he said handing him one of the pamphlets. “Ok yeah sure” Sameer replied. He hastily took the pamphlet and hurried on before the guy could say another word.
He had no intention to join. The first thing he would do is find a dust bin and throw it. He removed his bike keys and absently stuffed the pamphlet in his pocket. Once at home, he got ready fast and left for college. He tried to talk to Reshma but he had no confidence. He smiled and acted cool but he was troubled. Damn! He was afraid of rejection. He couldn’t bear rejection. He like many other boys his age would not do something when they knew they’d hear a no.
That night, after dinner he went out in the balcony and sat on the swing. He could hear the distant sounds of the traffic. Traffic! He had noticed how much the traffic had increased the past few years. Earlier it took him fifteen minutes to reach college and now, almost half an hour. He also didn’t like the pollution. When it used to rain, he would go out with his friends and enjoy the first showers of the monsoon. Now he would do anything but that. The rain that fell mixed with the carbon emissions. They would drop on his shirt like black dirty water!
He closed his eyes and let his mind wander. Soon he dozed off. That’s when he saw the dream. His dream took him into the late century. He saw his great great grand daughter. She looked sixteen resembled Reshma but she had his eyes and like magic, he began to feel as though he was her.
“Asha please close the windows. I see some rays coming in. Make sure you have worn your gloves!” a voice called out from the back ground. “Yes mom” Asha replied. She pulled out the draw and removed her gloves. She wore them and went to the window, closed it tightly and drew the curtains. The temperatures outside must be at least 70°C. She went back to her desk to attend school. The Government had closed all real schools. They had only virtual schools. No one could afford to risk going out of the house. In the news last night, ten people had died of skin cancer. The UV rays had reported gone up by 20%.
Their house had been sealed. They used a cooler but only sparingly. The electricity was on just for an hour a day. It was the same in the whole country. They couldn’t afford to use it more than that else the carbon emissions would rise and that would mean only hotter climate and more cancer.
After submitting her essay, she went to read the newspaper. It the history section, there was an article about a city called Kolkatta. It used to be located west of India. It was known for its literature, art and culture. Millions of people lived there and the sweet Rasagulla was first made in Kolkatta. Today many people take a submarine to go underwater and explore the remains of the city. Asha sighed and put the paper down. Asha’s mother had told her that their family had been from Kolkatta. It’s a pity she would never see Kolkatta.
Asha’s mother came in and asked her to get ready so that they could go and buy the months groceries. Asha went to her room and put on her anti-UV coat, face mask and gloves. She looked at herself in the mirror. At sixteen she should be wearing pretty dresses and look charming. However, in her case, she looked more like a fireman.
They went out of the room and hurried to the car. The car was covered with aluminum foil to reflect the sun rays. That didn’t help much though. When they sat in, the car was as hot as an oven. The shopping plaza was three kilometers away. As they drove past, they couldn’t see a soul on the streets.
They hurriedly did their shopping. Mother asked the shop keeper if they would deliver the next month’s grocery home. “Sorry Behenji, we already lost two delivery boys who died of heat stroke. From now onwards we don’t deliver” Mother was dismayed. Surely life was becoming tough.
When they came back home, they made a lunch of sandwiches. They made a lot of sandwiches lately because they didn’t need to use the gas then. Gas had become very expensive. The Government increased the prices so as to discourage people in using gas. It also rationed the electricity and water.
They sat down to watch the News. “Another tornado has hit the south of India. Tornado Anjali is expected to strike the Andamans and move towards Chennai. It is likely to proceed southwards to Kerala.” The reporter was saying. They showed the pictures of the tornado and the houses being washed away. According to the reporter, it was likely that Andaman and Nicobar Island would disappear. The camera shifted to Chennai to show how millions of people were rushing inland wearing their Anti-UV coats. Babies were wrapped in Anti-UV blankets as their mothers tried to protect them from the sun and rain.
Asha looked at the news indifferently. It wasn’t something new. These calamities had become part of life. Just the other day she had seen the last of Hong Kong. She hopped the scientist would succeed in making Mars habitable. Earth was soon running out of earth.
“Sameer, Sameer, wake up son.” Sameer got up with a jerk. His mother was shaking him. “You will catch a cold out here, why don’t you go in your room and relax” Sameer nodded his head and went to his room. As he closed the door, he stood with his back to it. He was perplexed by what he had just dreamt. The dream had been so real. He had felt Asha’s emotions as though it were his. ‘Oh-my-God, will the earth really become all that in the years to come?!’ he thought panicking.
Suddenly a completely new feeling came in his mind. No, it can’t be. He won’t let it be. He didn’t want his future generation to wear anti-UV coats and live life closed door. He wasn’t going to have his great great grand daughter never know her hometown. He wasn’t going to let Kolkatta or any city go underwater. He had the chance now. He could do something. Even though he was merely a boy and merely one person, but he would contribute to saving the earth.
He remembered the pamphlet he got in Lal bagh and hurriedly checked his jeans. “Oh God please, let me not have thrown it” he muttered as he searched in a frenzy. He found it at last and breathed a sight of relief. He immediately called the number listed and told them he was interested to join their campaign and learn more about what was global warming and how he could help. The volunteer was more than happy to give him the information. “Thank you sir, you don’t know how hard it is for us to get people to realize the seriousness of this.” Thanked the volunteer. Sameer thought to himself “Well neither did I until now”
The next day, Sameer went to the Organization and enrolled as one of their members. He joined them in planting trees around Bangalore and attended the various seminars they conducted. He read as much as he could about global warming and what was causing it. He even watched the documentary movie ‘Inconvenient Truth” by Al-Gore. Soon he joined the ‘Spread-the-awareness’ campaigns and after his morning jogs, he too would give pamphlets to the joggers and ask them to do something.
He couldn’t believe that a few simple steps could help reduce so much of electricity and fuel that was increasing the levels of CO2 and CH4. Both gases had increased to 31% and 149% respectively since 1750. 149%!! No wonder the temperatures had gone up.
He got his friends Akash and Swamy to join the cause too and soon there was a whole group in their college. They gave seminars and organized tree-planting expeditions. Sameer left his bike and started traveling by bus. He would make sure he would recycle papers and encouraged his mother to make a compost pit for their garden out of the vegetable peels. They used electricity modestly, and made meals that required minimum gas usage. Sameer felt a sense of achievement at the end of three months. He began to feel that he had done something worthwhile. While he had gone ahead and done his bit, he had also got people to do the same.
Another good thing that came out of his decision was: he learnt to accept a no. He learnt that people say no a thousand times and it didn’t mean anything personal. A no after all, was just a no. Sameer’s confidence levels rose and he found he was happier and more content. Earlier, he had resolved to the fact that he would join one of the construction companies after he graduated, but now, he knew what he wanted to do. He wanted to go into ‘Environmentally friendly and sustainable Architecture’. He had applied for his internship to a firm that practiced it and he made a promise, throughout his career, he would make buildings that would use the solar rays for light and energy. That would cut down both lights and air conditioning.
Now he had just one more thing to do. He was also ready to ask the one question he had dreaded. During the lunch break, Reshma and he went for lunch. It was there that he told her. He told her he liked her. Reshma was silent for a while. “I thought you would never tell me” she said as she smiled at him. Sameer was sure at that moment that he would have a great great grand daughter named Asha and this Asha will not wear anti-UV coats.
He leaned back on the bench and put his hands behind his head. He closed his eyes and thought of her. She was an intelligent, fun-loving girl. Everyone liked her and everyone wanted to be her friend. Sameer on the other hand was an average guy, the usual bloke on the road. He didn’t think he had anything special. He was not a great public speaker or a leader. He didn’t believe he could ever contribute in a great way to the world. After graduation, he hoped to get a job in one of the construction companies.
As he got up from his bench and walked towards the west gate, he noticed a gathering of people. There was a man talking to them and giving them pamphlets. He joined them to find out what the fuss was all about. “You can also make a difference. Do save our world and let us make sure that the place we leave for our children is better than the one we got” the man was saying.
“What is he talking about?” Sameer asked one of the men in the group.
“Global warming, He is explaining about how global warming has led to the increase in temperatures and claims it’s also the cause of floods and hurricanes that are happening. Can you believe that?!” He exclaimed
Sameer had heard about global warming. Lately it was a topic that was splashed all over the newspapers and magazines. He personally thought it was exaggerated. There had been a recent seminar in his college by a group of environmentalists from a non-profit organization. He had sat there in the seminar half listening to them and half thinking about Reshma. Undoubted, he only remembered Reshma.
As he left the gathering, the man with the pamphlets came up to him and said “Good morning sir would you like to sign up for our campaign. We need volunteers to help us plant native trees around Bangalore.” ‘Not on my life’ Sameer thought. He didn’t want to go round the city planting trees. That was the job of the Municipal! “Umm, no thanks, I don’t have time.” He said as he tried to dodge past him. “Please sir, do think about it. Here, have our pamphlet and in case you change your mind” he said handing him one of the pamphlets. “Ok yeah sure” Sameer replied. He hastily took the pamphlet and hurried on before the guy could say another word.
He had no intention to join. The first thing he would do is find a dust bin and throw it. He removed his bike keys and absently stuffed the pamphlet in his pocket. Once at home, he got ready fast and left for college. He tried to talk to Reshma but he had no confidence. He smiled and acted cool but he was troubled. Damn! He was afraid of rejection. He couldn’t bear rejection. He like many other boys his age would not do something when they knew they’d hear a no.
That night, after dinner he went out in the balcony and sat on the swing. He could hear the distant sounds of the traffic. Traffic! He had noticed how much the traffic had increased the past few years. Earlier it took him fifteen minutes to reach college and now, almost half an hour. He also didn’t like the pollution. When it used to rain, he would go out with his friends and enjoy the first showers of the monsoon. Now he would do anything but that. The rain that fell mixed with the carbon emissions. They would drop on his shirt like black dirty water!
He closed his eyes and let his mind wander. Soon he dozed off. That’s when he saw the dream. His dream took him into the late century. He saw his great great grand daughter. She looked sixteen resembled Reshma but she had his eyes and like magic, he began to feel as though he was her.
“Asha please close the windows. I see some rays coming in. Make sure you have worn your gloves!” a voice called out from the back ground. “Yes mom” Asha replied. She pulled out the draw and removed her gloves. She wore them and went to the window, closed it tightly and drew the curtains. The temperatures outside must be at least 70°C. She went back to her desk to attend school. The Government had closed all real schools. They had only virtual schools. No one could afford to risk going out of the house. In the news last night, ten people had died of skin cancer. The UV rays had reported gone up by 20%.
Their house had been sealed. They used a cooler but only sparingly. The electricity was on just for an hour a day. It was the same in the whole country. They couldn’t afford to use it more than that else the carbon emissions would rise and that would mean only hotter climate and more cancer.
After submitting her essay, she went to read the newspaper. It the history section, there was an article about a city called Kolkatta. It used to be located west of India. It was known for its literature, art and culture. Millions of people lived there and the sweet Rasagulla was first made in Kolkatta. Today many people take a submarine to go underwater and explore the remains of the city. Asha sighed and put the paper down. Asha’s mother had told her that their family had been from Kolkatta. It’s a pity she would never see Kolkatta.
Asha’s mother came in and asked her to get ready so that they could go and buy the months groceries. Asha went to her room and put on her anti-UV coat, face mask and gloves. She looked at herself in the mirror. At sixteen she should be wearing pretty dresses and look charming. However, in her case, she looked more like a fireman.
They went out of the room and hurried to the car. The car was covered with aluminum foil to reflect the sun rays. That didn’t help much though. When they sat in, the car was as hot as an oven. The shopping plaza was three kilometers away. As they drove past, they couldn’t see a soul on the streets.
They hurriedly did their shopping. Mother asked the shop keeper if they would deliver the next month’s grocery home. “Sorry Behenji, we already lost two delivery boys who died of heat stroke. From now onwards we don’t deliver” Mother was dismayed. Surely life was becoming tough.
When they came back home, they made a lunch of sandwiches. They made a lot of sandwiches lately because they didn’t need to use the gas then. Gas had become very expensive. The Government increased the prices so as to discourage people in using gas. It also rationed the electricity and water.
They sat down to watch the News. “Another tornado has hit the south of India. Tornado Anjali is expected to strike the Andamans and move towards Chennai. It is likely to proceed southwards to Kerala.” The reporter was saying. They showed the pictures of the tornado and the houses being washed away. According to the reporter, it was likely that Andaman and Nicobar Island would disappear. The camera shifted to Chennai to show how millions of people were rushing inland wearing their Anti-UV coats. Babies were wrapped in Anti-UV blankets as their mothers tried to protect them from the sun and rain.
Asha looked at the news indifferently. It wasn’t something new. These calamities had become part of life. Just the other day she had seen the last of Hong Kong. She hopped the scientist would succeed in making Mars habitable. Earth was soon running out of earth.
“Sameer, Sameer, wake up son.” Sameer got up with a jerk. His mother was shaking him. “You will catch a cold out here, why don’t you go in your room and relax” Sameer nodded his head and went to his room. As he closed the door, he stood with his back to it. He was perplexed by what he had just dreamt. The dream had been so real. He had felt Asha’s emotions as though it were his. ‘Oh-my-God, will the earth really become all that in the years to come?!’ he thought panicking.
Suddenly a completely new feeling came in his mind. No, it can’t be. He won’t let it be. He didn’t want his future generation to wear anti-UV coats and live life closed door. He wasn’t going to have his great great grand daughter never know her hometown. He wasn’t going to let Kolkatta or any city go underwater. He had the chance now. He could do something. Even though he was merely a boy and merely one person, but he would contribute to saving the earth.
He remembered the pamphlet he got in Lal bagh and hurriedly checked his jeans. “Oh God please, let me not have thrown it” he muttered as he searched in a frenzy. He found it at last and breathed a sight of relief. He immediately called the number listed and told them he was interested to join their campaign and learn more about what was global warming and how he could help. The volunteer was more than happy to give him the information. “Thank you sir, you don’t know how hard it is for us to get people to realize the seriousness of this.” Thanked the volunteer. Sameer thought to himself “Well neither did I until now”
The next day, Sameer went to the Organization and enrolled as one of their members. He joined them in planting trees around Bangalore and attended the various seminars they conducted. He read as much as he could about global warming and what was causing it. He even watched the documentary movie ‘Inconvenient Truth” by Al-Gore. Soon he joined the ‘Spread-the-awareness’ campaigns and after his morning jogs, he too would give pamphlets to the joggers and ask them to do something.
He couldn’t believe that a few simple steps could help reduce so much of electricity and fuel that was increasing the levels of CO2 and CH4. Both gases had increased to 31% and 149% respectively since 1750. 149%!! No wonder the temperatures had gone up.
He got his friends Akash and Swamy to join the cause too and soon there was a whole group in their college. They gave seminars and organized tree-planting expeditions. Sameer left his bike and started traveling by bus. He would make sure he would recycle papers and encouraged his mother to make a compost pit for their garden out of the vegetable peels. They used electricity modestly, and made meals that required minimum gas usage. Sameer felt a sense of achievement at the end of three months. He began to feel that he had done something worthwhile. While he had gone ahead and done his bit, he had also got people to do the same.
Another good thing that came out of his decision was: he learnt to accept a no. He learnt that people say no a thousand times and it didn’t mean anything personal. A no after all, was just a no. Sameer’s confidence levels rose and he found he was happier and more content. Earlier, he had resolved to the fact that he would join one of the construction companies after he graduated, but now, he knew what he wanted to do. He wanted to go into ‘Environmentally friendly and sustainable Architecture’. He had applied for his internship to a firm that practiced it and he made a promise, throughout his career, he would make buildings that would use the solar rays for light and energy. That would cut down both lights and air conditioning.
Now he had just one more thing to do. He was also ready to ask the one question he had dreaded. During the lunch break, Reshma and he went for lunch. It was there that he told her. He told her he liked her. Reshma was silent for a while. “I thought you would never tell me” she said as she smiled at him. Sameer was sure at that moment that he would have a great great grand daughter named Asha and this Asha will not wear anti-UV coats.
9 comments:
u know what?? I just love ur mind, its full of surprises and so cool stuff:)u put so many things in this story and still, its all about love. love for the place we live in, love for the other human beings and love to ourselfs, which reflect in changing ourselfs for better...excellent habibty, i love it so much :)
Leila- I love you! :-)
Thank you so much for your confidence in me... :)
Excellent story, once again. As Leila said, ur story is all about love. U've expressed ur concern towards the environmental problems faced by the world today. I wish everyone starts caring for the nature and contributing their bit towards the nature, just like u did.
Shahid- Thank you! Well my protagonist did.. I hope it motivates my readers :-)
salaam!
it motivated me! i thought this was going to be another soppy love story at first, but i love how you managed to get an important issue in at the same time, and you still managed to get the happy love story bit we all love in! i'm going to check out more stories!
Hema- Glad you liked it! :)
hey girl... pretty good stuff.. it really shows a quixotic turn of mind.. n it has those small subtleties that make it so interesting to read.. nice work
Hana- Thanks!! :) Glad you liked it.
Check this one out... http://www.storyofstuff.com/ Global warming is just the tip of the iceberg
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