mornings for me are mostly a whir. get up just in time to catch the 7:35 local, without breakfast, and then lean on the train compartment and catch a few winks.
this time though i had a movie to watch. a guy got in the handicapped compartment. he looked pretty normal to be getting in there. it was when he started using sign language that i realized he was mute. his hands were moving fast to explain the happenings of probably the previous day to his companion. i tried hard comprehending his signs. to me it felt like he was explaining that he had gotten into a compartment by mistake and was fined. the narration involved, four women, one policewala and him i guess. the reason why i call it a movie was because the wall separating the ladies and the handicapped compartment had small windows across it at shoulder level. and the guy fit perfectly into one such frame. it was like watching a silent movie.
i was amazed at how fast he was communicating, and how expressive he was. that communicatng to someone for him was no big deal as long as someone had the patience to understand it. while i was wondering a thought came by. how must he answer his cell-phone? and i immediately laughed at my foolishness, for why would a mute man carry a cellphone? Just as I was getting back to deciphering his signs, he removed a black case from his pocket and pulled out a cell-phone! Of course! text messaging! how rude and stupid of me to think that cellphones were of no use to mute persons. Apologies!
something just got emphasized for me that morning ... whatever happens to make you powerless, 10 more things happen to make you powerful...or rather..you can create 10 more things to make you powerful. howzzat?
