'No Mob' Mentality

 

The sound from the huge horn loudspeakers was travelling through the lanes of Dholakpur, making it impossible to hear the next person speaking. The sounds of clapping, singing, and high-pitched voices from the nearby religious place irritated and annoyed the people around.

Prathap left home after breakfast, in a hurry to escape his father's shouting at him for having no job. That’s what he actually does every day, never misses a meal at home and never stays home. Interestingly, he finds something or the other each day to spend time with. Sometimes a friend needs a house shifting, which can sometimes be a political campaign too. It can be a party with no invitation, or a birthday celebration of an unknown person. The world tries secretly to keep him busy.

Even today, the universe had planned something for him. It has to do something with the sound from the huge speakers. As Prathap reached the lane filled with reverberating noise, a person inside him made a war cry to do something against it. And he respects his inner voice.
He quickly grabs his phone and calls a contact named “brother from another mother”, but that brother did not answer the call. By the way that brother's name is Jay.

And Jay's story is very interesting. Eight months ago, Jay was a sixth finger to Prathap­, I mean, very handy to Prathap, you get it right? But all of a sudden, everything changed after his father expired of a heart stroke. Till then, Jay had a theory of not working under somebody. No, it was not Entrepreneurship; it was EGO.

Jay had to struggle for a job and got it somehow. He became the sole earner for the family. Prathap lost his sixth finger. Good for Jay. Previously, Jay or Prathap never even thought they could miss each other's calls. They followed the bro code called “No second ring.”

But today, Jay had to take his mother to a hospital on the insurance card provided by his company. Not just the second ring, but Jay will miss the 10^th ring too.  

Prathap quickly scrolled up the contact list to find another. This time, contact says, “bruhhhh….”
Now this bruhhhh, got an altogether different story. He is kind of manager to Prathap. All Prathap had to do was call bruhhh and say I want 10 people here, or the order & number changes each time. “I want 12 people with bats and wickets” “I want 20 people who can scare.” Like these.

But, bruhhh, I mean, Raj was occupied. Raj was the only one who had a job. No, not as a manager to Prathap, but he was a loan recovery at a local bank. But he never took that seriously; he never felt like a purpose to do the job seriously. A couple of things changed him. One, he got married. Two, he saw his father’s name on the loan recovery list. And today he has decided to work extra time to pay the third EMI of the loan. So, Raj did not answer the call. Raj could have gathered at least ten people for Prathap.

Actually got many other options, but these first three people were his priority. And talking of three, Prathap called the third dignitary on his contact list. Jeeva.
Prathap was happy that Jeeva answered his call.

“I don’t know where you are, I want 20 people right here at this corner religious place, bring some sticks and ladders with you. I want to show them what my religion can do,” Prathap gave a lengthy speech to Jeeva without listening to what Jeeva had to say.

“Why Prathap?” Jeeva questioned, but he had something else to add, “I forgot to mention, I got a job last week and came to Bangalore to collect the Laptop. I had to take this job, I couldn’t see my Mom crying.”

 
“No, listen, do you have somebody else in the town here, who can bring men and sticks for me?” But Prathap wanted what he wanted.

“I am not sure right now, Prathap, hey! I am being called, I got to go, talk to you later,” Jeeva hung up the call.

Prathap had to sit alone in the smoke shop for three hours in the loud sound and head back home for lunch. After lunch, he had a good nap, though the sound was still going on and surprisingly didn’t bother him anymore.

A huge clash and fight was cancelled, involving 30-40 people, which creates more irritation than the noise from speakers. And leaves injuries that last for months.

Employment is not just about the economy, but also about the purpose.