power failure
A shrill beep on my computer told me there was a power failure. Don’t know what happened suddenly.we hadn’t had this problem for months now.I looked at my watch.9 p.m.Damn, I knew my text was going to be auto-saved, but heck, it was a ‘power failure’ which meant I could neither work at my comp nor charge my cell phone nor battle with my sis for the remote. whats more, it was night time-and I was terrified at the thought of battling mosquitoes. Besides,I had a terrible headache.
I heaved myself out of my chair and stepped out of the room. mom appeared, carrying a candle in typical noorie style.man,it was hot in here. I was still in my pyjamas, nevertheless, stepped out of the house, a grumbling sis and restless bro in tow.my neighbours,just like me, were getting used to the darkness around, calling for candles. Within a few minutes, the whole colony was in their front yards.
Parents discussed stocks and shares, kids and routine problems for a while, soon gave up. I swatted imaginary flies, not knowing what else to do. It was like having withdrawal symptoms.gosh,I realized I was battling an addiction to technology!
The kiddos, not being the ones to sit still, soon got down to business. Away from the video games, they struggled to come up with games. Within a quarter of an hour, truth or dare, hide and seek, ring-a ring-a roses, donkey, antakshari….all began in different places.
Although we tried to keep a show of maturity, the youth brigade, including me couldn’t resist this gaiety for long. Soon I was skipping, hopping, screaming gleefully all around the place…a couple of guys brought tender coconuts from nowhere and the atmosphere was pretty much like a bonfire party.mimicry, singing,it was like a talent show! And many of us hardly knew each other before, we were neighbors in name only.now, one lady even found a far relative!
The night was alive with its special sounds, pure and unadulterated, rejoicing at the opportunity .the air, it seemed was cleansing itself of all the toxins. My headache had disappeared mysteriously. I lay down in granny’s lap in the moonlight, looking skyward. Breathing deeply, I thought, with a pang, how much fun I was having here. it was like I had time traveled to a decade back.hell,I hadn’t talked to my own parents properly for a long while now. The poem, leisure was in my head. After a long time, we were all feeling really, really happy.
A sudden noise told us power was restored. Blinking, we got up to get back within the four walls. Everyone was sighing in disappointment. It was sheer reluctance to go back to that artificial world. But it was inevitable.
As we walked back into the house at midnight, something in each of us wished for one more power cut the next day! It sure looked like a medicine we needed.
posted by xtremely_insane @ Sunday, February 26, 2006
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