Delusions of a Newsoholic

Few days back I witnessed a tennis match. It was between 'The Mind' and 'The Universe'. The ball made up of 'God's Particle' was being used. 'The Mind' appeared agitated and frantic, 'The Universe', on the contrary, was very calm and composed. 'The Mind' served frenetically and 'The Universe' returned every move with a marked coolness.

While the match was in full swing, I collided with a man named Mr. Rue Mar. I apologised for the unintended collision. Mr. Rue Mar appeared to be in excessive haste. He barely noticed my apology and continued blurting out something.

"This is the end of the world! We all going to die. Apocalypse, Qayamat, Mahapralaya - take your pick." - uttered Mr. Rue Mar.

"Does it even matter?" - I retorted jokingly.

"Yes, it does, such a knowledge makes me robust and that's how I'll reach your living room too." Mr. Rue Mar voice grew portentous. "Hurry up! Take your pick. I have places to go, people to meet and money to make."

"Well, Mr. Rue Mar, come in whatever form you like to, it hardly matters" - I replied in an assuring manner.

"Alright, I need to go, Mr. Box is waiting for me for quite sometime." Mr. Rue Mar left in a hurry. Weird, that's what I thought about him.   

Meanwhile, in the match, 'The Mind' was having good control over the ball. Still, the ever expanding 'Universe' was unperturbed. 'The Mind' was visibly aggressive and was pushing its limits. It made 'The Mind' to acquire a degree of expansiveness. And, quite uncannily, it appeared to gain mass and size. After sometime the match resembled more of an elaborate size chase. 'The Universe' expanding unendingly, 'The Mind' pursuing it incessantly and the ball made up of 'God's Particle' shuttling uselessly.

'The Growing Mind' made me notice the grandeur and spread of 'The Tennis Court'. I grew concerned, more due to the fact that the present arrangement seemed inadequate for the containment of 'The Growing Mind'. Ruminating about this question seemed more interesting than the tennis match. In between I reached my pocket for something. There I found the ticket of the match. The price of which made me grudgingly sad. It was in millions. I started deriding myself. Last week only Mr. Beg Gar had come knocking at my doors. The guilt of prodigal spending created a vivid picture of that day. That feeble knock began to reverberate in my conscience. The conversation went something like this.

"Yes, who is this?" I asked sternly. I normally prefer a serious and to a degree harsh disposition at my gate. I have reasons for it. I live in a locality where mostly 'The Other 99%' of the population resides. So, it helps me to discourage them from coming to me for every kind of help. Kind of self-preservation technique. Still, I do get visits sometime.

"I need your help. Please open the door." - came a meek response.

On opening the door I found an emaciated man with a timid appearance. "My name is Beg Gar. I live nearby. I am in dire need of money. You are a man of wealth and honour. Please help me for God's sake!"

Such words hardly penetrate me. They have been so commonly uttered that meaning has vaporized from them. They are just words. I think they are just words for the speaker also. A kind of conversation starter between 'Mr. Beg Gar' and 'Mr. Rich Man'. Well, I thought so up to this point of time.

"What abomination caused you to deny your self-subsistence Mr. Beg Gar?" I usually talk in an ornate manner to these wretched people. It helps me to create an awe.

"I lost my job last week. Next month I have my daughter's wedding. I need some help to feed the guests" - Mr. Beg Gar said cravenly.

"Mr. Beg Gar, society, community gathering, feasts are all things of the past. It was invented at a time when concept of personal property was non-existent. Everything was shared. We have evolved much now. Individuality, self-gratification, self-fulfilment rule now. Why bother about feeding the guests? Get off the past, Mr. Beg Gar, earlier the better!" With these eloquent expressions I used to get the better of these people. Ironically, even I did not comprehend much of what was said. Nevertheless, these senseless preachings gave me an intellectual leverage over them. Mr. Beg Gar due to his financial obligations listened earnestly to my blathering. I too obliged him with some crumbs. Mr. Beg Gar quite reluctantly moved away from my doors. I still remembered that.

A million dollar ticket for this boring inconsequential match brought forth all the sufferings of  'Other 99%' before my eyes.

I was also reminded of the dreaded criminal Mr. Can Sir who has vowed to quench his blood thirst by killing thousands annually. Had I avoided this match and donated a part of it to Mr. Beg Gar and a part of it in eliminating Mr. Can Sir, I would have earned much admiration and could have been saved from this torture too. How does it matter whether 'The Mind' wins or 'The Universe'?

In the mean time, 'The Growing Mind' had grown into a behemoth. It was uncontainable. Still, 'The Universe' had set some new standards to meet. It seemed there was no end to it. Suddenly, 'the big bang' was heard. 'The Mind' had exploded. 'God's Particle' rained from everywhere. The spectators wallowed carelessly in them. It was hard to tell whether they were happy for the ending of the match or for the new beginning this 'big bang' may herald.

I, too got hit by the pellets of 'God's Particle'. It struck painfully on my head. I lowered my head to protect myself from the impinging particles. And, when I raised my head I found myself in front of my glaring computer screen. I adjusted my glasses. News related to Higgs Boson discovery, Nadal's Wimbledon upset, Occupy Wall Street were opened in different tabs. I was really dreaming or deluding or I just got lost in all these web surfing, I don't know...I really don't know...