Mollycoddled Beelzebubs

I hate it when kids come visiting at our place and fiddle with everything and anything they can lay their hands on. Yesterday this pugnacious Lucifer incarnate came home accompanied by his lousy parents. Went straight for my precious mobile (seriously its a costly set!) and started twiddling with its delicate buttons, navigated to games section and starting punching the buttons with the alacrity of a boxing champ at his punch bag. All the while the parents were giving out the most nonchalant, insouciant reprimands, "Beta don't fiddle with bhaiyya's phone", "Don't drop the cellphone" etc. at the rate of one instruction per 15 mins. And to add injury to insult this kid had the audacity to fill his pockets with Swiss Chocs (gift from a friend back from a trip to France) which my Dad innocently offered. The parents obviously turned a blind eye to their kids excesses. I am sure they secretly approved of the kid's vile behavior. For the entire 1 hour they were there munching at our biscuits and chips, I had my heart in my mouth.

I remember my parents glaring at me if I even touched something that was not supposed to be disturbed at a guests place. Even the act of taking one extra biscuit required a coded nod of approval from Mom. And in case I ever broke the golden rule of discipline, I was sure to learn my lesson once we reached home. The concept of right and wrong and the eternal fire of hell has been so thoroughly indoctrinated in me that even today my conscience pricks me if I do something that I feel is wrong. I guess that's the reason why I am such a big loser.

Kids like the one I mentioned above grow to be the brash but suave self centered adults without scruples. And they are the ones who rule the roost. They are the bosses who call the shots. They are the politicians and the bureaucrats. They are the policemen and the dons. Others are just citizens, common man as portrayed by R.K. Laxman.

The meek shall NEVER inherit the earth. Its total socialist bullshit.