Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Famous or Not?

Yet another day has gone by, and my effort to stir an interest in concerning about recycling was met with blank stares. Again. Looks like my friend was true, really hardly anyone cares about it. Oh well.

Having a sleepless week due to exams and the increasing hostility from others towards my actions (including my own family) had really put me in a foul mood. And above that I had to visit a patient in a hospital, because even though hospitals depresses me, she needed my motivation and cheering up spirit, so how can I say no, and who would I run across there? But, of course, a famous celebrity who receives such a preferential treatment above all, it really irks me to the core. I wouldn’t mind if they would do more for our world than just gaining publicity, but then no one wants to meet the fate like Aamir did aka Narmada fiasco (though I know and believe there is no such thing as bad publicity)

Yeah, I know what you all will say, that I am envious of them being famous. And I will reply that it's partly true, I am envious of the position they are in, the power they have and the effect they can have and can create with a single statement. I sincerely wish I could have that power (but I doubt my family will listen to my naggings even then, but whatever). All of the celebs are not same I know; I even talk to a few of them regularly when we bump into each other, but it's not like I am in their groupie or anything like that. I am included under the Hello, how are you and end of story, move on group. Next second they won’t remember who I was until I run into them again probably in the same place (hospital) because the ghajini effect is more common than you think.

However, when I was brooding over this, I happened to come across some people whom I met during my hospital admission those whom I knew well, which included doctors, nurses, some patients, security and even the cleaning staff. Except maybe the doctors and a few nurses, I never expected anyone to remember me (also I look totally different as I have lost 65+ kilos since I was admitted). But I was very, very much surprised when everyone called me to meet them and talk to them.

To a doctor, a patient is just a bed number. It's totally true; I have seen it with my own eyes. Any doctor in a major hospital will vouch for it. But for me, even the doctors who used to visit my neighbor’s bed knew me by my name even though we hadn’t met since a long time called me up today and asked if I still hadn’t given up my concern for the disposal of bio-medical waste (no I haven’t). The other resident doctors, nurses, security also called me up and chatted with me. Some other people’s relatives also came up and talked to me, saying they were really thankful to me for giving THEM courage during their trying times, even though I was the one who was in the hospital bed and I would probably need encouraging, not the other way round. I was totally touched. I really never expected anyone to remember me, or say thank you for what I may have done by my force of habit and nature.

Today, summoning up some courage I asked them all, how come they remembered me till now? I am not a celebrity, how come they know me and my words I spoke over a year ago? Their answers were so surprising I couldn’t believe it.

In the words of them all I have summed it up, and here is the reason: “you were in hospital, seriously ill. A normal person in your place would rather lose hope and count the minutes until they die, but you never lost hope. You used to argue and wittingly win the debate with us on all topics and even challenge our theories and opinions (general topics, as I do not know anything about the medical surgery topics). You regularly read the newspapers with your morning breakfast and kept abreast of the latest happenings and solved the Su-Do-Ku and crosswords religiously and kept the quotes in papers neatly tucked under your pillow. You swallowed books by the dozens and even marked any errors or words you didn’t know and said you will look up the dictionary once anyone brings you one. You never forgot to love your life and live it fully and when you got the chance (while I was in general ward) you used to give hope and talk to all other people who needed hope. There is no way we can ever forget you.”

Because I know how perfectly heinous it feels when everyone ignores you, it's my habit to encourage people a lot and talk to them if they need my help. For topics you need ice-breakers like the latest happenings, and I just love for some reason finding new words and errors in a book and making a neat file for quotes and proverbs. I never realized, people actually noticed it and thought it was unusual. I always felt that people thought I am retarded for being so anxious about what is happening in the world even though I was in hospital. Why would a patient care about anything else, except getting better? I simply knew I would get better and hence concentrated on bigger topics like endangered species and disposal of medical waste.

Which just contradicts my previous thinking; people do know me and I can help and influence many people. Maybe people know me not for the reason other popular faces are famous for, but maybe for something entirely else. And maybe, people do get influenced by what I say, but not for what I am concerned and nag people to do it, but for something far more important than that. I guess I am not as un-famous as I thought I was.

Welcome to La-La Land!

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