While having lunch at work, we started to discuss hobbies… few other females joined in. Larger part of the group said they can go around spending spades of time in shopping. They said if left in the shopping mall from morning to evening, they can tirelessly choose and reject dresses, jewellery and et al. Other common hobby was cooking. They said they love to cook and experiment with dishes. Then came watching TV, particularly serials and reality show but no one to my dismay, said anything about reading or writing or any other supposedly time consuming and rhetorical activity…
I recalled my old days and thought how everybody would look at me when I told them that my favourite author is Salman Rushdie. Back in college, when everybody went gaga over the work of Chetan Bhagat, I hated his book. When asked I told them Bhagat is not an author but story teller and his story doesn’t amuse me. I was smirked at and looked at in disbelief. I realized few appreciate beauty of poetic, long-winded, beautiful and articulately written sentences. I also recognized there will be handful who will understand that Mr Rushdie doesn’t narrate stories, he writes and he writes adroitly. I was an exception in my group for not just liking but adoring his work.
I also realized that I never liked dresses which looked like fluffy puddings, whenever I went to select a dress for my Fresher’s, Farewell and et al parties. I could never like the piles of outfits, which were supposedly “in” and ended up wearing jeans and sweatshirts since I didn’t like the glossy and fluffy party wear. Same went with the high-heeled monstrous sandals, which I could never apparel myself with. I wore my usual flats, much to the dismay of fashion police. The only saving grace perhaps was that I was never, ever hideously dressed.
So after these contemplations, I realized that I am part of the minority group. I like reading and especially reading Rushdie’s work, I prefer talking to people than spending time in the malls looking for ‘God knows what’, I also feel the best phase of life is not ‘school/college days’ but my days with V post marriage. I also feel any road to peak of success is paved with sacrifices and regrets and I am up for none.
Hail minorities!
