The Backpackers
santhosh kumar
Chief Editor
Metro Times
Trust me, I hate kids carrying backpacks to school! I love kids: kids of 'all ages'! But I hate backpacks. We are already born in this planet with our own invisible "backpacks" that hold our taboos, beliefs, notions, attitudes, interpersonal skills and a huge number of things we seldom could define ourselves. Our backpacks can be compared to the 'vanity bag' the women carry around. You might have not missed one which has a lot of complex pockets that can hide more stupid stuff the women need in day-to-day life!
Our inherited 'backpacks' is there with us till we die. Knowingly or unknowingly we open them and spread out what is inside it, shamelessly. Each human being has each backpack that is unique to him or her. Our society approves the stuff inside them. Believe me we just cannot see our backpacks that are ingrained into our own back!
The other day I happened to travel by bus after a long hiatus, as my two wheeler was under repair. To avoid the usual rush and crowd in the bus I boarded an early bus to Ernakulam from Edappally. Though the busstop was not crowded, there was a crowd inside the bus already. It was full of "backpackers" who go to schools and colleges. Even some adult backpackers were also inside it. Imagine how it is when a backpacker is in front of you. Throughout the journey, the backpack of the man standing in front of you caresses your nose! He is not at all "bothered" about you. He seldom has the basic civic sense to lift the shoulder belts of the backpack and put it on the floor when inside a bus or lift or in a small crowded room.
Out of the irritation the backpack gave me I turned around to see whether anyone else has seen my agony with the one who stands in front me with his backpack. I felt ashamed of myself, as I was the only one with no backpacks in that bus. For a moment I thought has it become mandatory to travel in a bus with a backpack in Kochi?
At times I see even women, college girls and school girls carry their own backpacks not only inside a bus but also to cinema theater or to the loo as well. Please don't misunderstand me. I hate backpacks; backpacks of every kind and sort. Be it a brand new one you get when you buy a laptop or the one that is invisible on your shoulders when you are born.
One can understand how an erect man carry the backpack. Can you imagine how it looks when a woman who carries it? Women are seldom erect like a man! They have stooping that is natural to them. You know why? By carrying a backpack they spoil their womanish look! They should remember that they have a backpack already with them by birth.
"Whether it's the best of times or the worst of times, it's the only time we've got."
