The Wakeup Call

“Wake up.”

“mm..”

“Wake up.”

“Why now?”

“Because it is time to wake up”

“No, it isn’t!”

“Yes, it is. If you do not wake up now, you never will.”

“Why do you say that? What do you mean? You are driving me nuts! Do you understand how much tired I am? Do you know how much this tension is affecting my life, especially, my sleep?”

“Of course! Of course I know how much you are affecting your own life! I know how much you like to be in this slumber, forever! I know how much you hate yourself for that matter! I know how much you hate others for you find yourself less competent than a rival who never existed!”

“Who are you? How can you say all these things about me? Even I don’t know some of them! Anyways, thank you for pointing them out.”

“What?! Are you asking me who I am? Don’t you know me? Are you kidding?”

“Eh? No, am not kidding. Stop fooling around and tell me who you are.”

“Oh! Okay then. I want you to take a deep breath and think for a minute. Concentrate on yourself and think if you are forgetting something here! Am pretty sure you are going to come up with answers for your questions.”

“Including who you are?”

“Yeah, yeah! Including who I am.”

“Okay. I need you to be silent for me to think.”

“Of course! Why not?!!!”

“Hmm… Then let me think.”

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“What did you drink?”

“What?”

“What?!!!”

“What did you just ask me?”

“Me? No. I didn’t ask you anything.”

“You sure?”

“100%”

“I must be imagining things. I thought I heard someone asking me what I had for drink.”

“Is it? Well then, what did you have for drink?”

“I don’t remember. I think, just water.”

“Oh. Are you sure about that?!”

“No. Wait! I recognize this voice! Mom, is that you?”

“Tell me boy. What did you drink? Why are you sweating now?”

“Mom. It wasn’t me! All those guys were drinking and they urged me to take a sip. That’s it.”

“No, son. That’s what you told me. Now I want to hear the truth.”

“Oh. The truth, eh? What’s with the truth now? Somebody else told you a different story?”

“No. It was you who told me a story. I don’t know if it’s a different story from the one you are about to tell me now.”

“Well, I consumed alcohol, lots of it, with full knowledge and appreciation. Is that enough?”

“Yes, this is enough. But I want to know what prevented you from telling me the truth.”

“Mom! You know the reason!”

“Remind me.”

“I was asleep and you found out that I was intoxicated. I wanted to make sure you don’t tell dad about this.”

“Well, I didn’t tell your dad about this, did I?”

“No”

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“But, you just did!”

“Huh! Dad?! You were here? I didn’t know that you were here? For how long have you been listening to me?”

“What? Who else were you talking to?”

“I thought I was talking to mom! My mind must be somewhere else.”

“I think the alcohol is still doing its job. Now son, tell me from where you got money to buy it.”

“No. Am not drunk! What makes you think I am drunk?”

“Why else would you think you are in bed when we are in my car?”

“Your car? You have a car? Oh yes, we are in a car. But, is it YOUR CAR?”

“Why son? You don’t remember anything about it?”

“NO!”

“Well, leave it. We will go see some doctor before the meeting.”

“What meeting?”

“Now I have to remind you about the meeting? FYI we are going to the BOD meeting of our company in which you are the vice president and I am the MD.”

“Me? Vice president? Why can’t I be the president or MD?”

“Everything happens in an order for some reason. Now, tell me from where you got the money to buy alcohol for yourself?!”

“Back then? When I was in school? What do you think? You know I had no job or any such activities. I took the money from you, Dad, from your pocket!”

“I knew it! I knew it! What about girlfriends?  You stole money from my pocket to buy presents for them?”

“Haha!!! Yes, I did.”

“You were sincere in any of those relations?”

“Hmm.. No. I can’t say that I was sincere to anyone, including me.”

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“Then why did you tell me you will marry me?”

“You are here!”

“Where else I would be? You asked me to come here!”

“I did? Where are we?”

“We are in the restaurant. Why would you ask me something like that? Are you lost?”

“I don’t know. I thought I was talking to my dad.”

“No, you were not. We were talking about your dad and his question about you stealing money from him.”

“Oh! May be that’s it. May be I got lost in my memories. But I don’t remember my dad owning a car.”

“Me neither! Now, tell me. Were you lying when you said you will marry me?”

“Of course not! Why would you ask such a thing?”

“Because, you said so. You said you were never sincere to anyone! I don’t know why you said that in past tense, but you said so.”

“Oh! Am sorry, my dear. That must have been a slip of tongue. I am really sorry about that. I might have said so because I was lost in my mind and thoughts. I would never say something that idiotic with a right mind.”

“Do you know what I think?”

“Tell me.”

“I believe, what you said is the truth. I think you are not sincere towards me or any other living being around you, including yourself. I think you are not being logical or practical. I think you are not happy with yourself.”

“I am happy with myself. I am happy with you. I am happy in this world!”

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“What are you doing?!”

“What am I doing? Aren’t you asleep yet?”

“No, am not? Tell me, what are you doing?”

“Nothing. Go to sleep.”

“You are my brother. You can tell me everything.”

“Hey, I told you. There is nothing that I want to share with you. Go to sleep little one!”

“Okay. If you don’t want to share then what is the problem? Good night and don't do that in bed, idiot!”

“What did you call me?”

“Nothing.”

“What?”

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“I said ‘nothing’!”

“Who are you?”

“What? Now you are back with the first question?”

“Do I know you? Have we met? And what are you doing in my bed room?”

“Dude! Do you not remember me? How can you forget? I am your room mate.”

“Are you?”

“Yes, I am! Now, I want you to get up and be ready to face yourself.”

“Face myself?”

“Yes. I want you to get rid of the complexes you have and wake up to the all-vibrant -world.”

“How?”

“Look at my face!”

And I saw my own reflection.