Wednesday, June 18, 2008

The Rat Race



It was a sea of people! Worn out and hungry. There were no smiles , no signs of laughter. Curved brows, eyes intent on a distant goal, hazy but a certain goal. It was a sea of people on the field. All rushing towards a distant somewhere.
Women held their infants in their arms as they rushed , seemed worried what if they did not make it to the end. Men ran in coats and ties, in cassocks and gowns, in khakis and blacks in battered clothes. They ran in the sunshine, they ran in the rain they ran in the swamps pulled and tugged at each other but they ran. Children afraid of getting tramped on ran with the toy in one arm, the other arm rushed to seek for the nearest thing they could pull down to walk on.
People rushed with a frightening frenzy towards the goal they didn't know how it looked like but were sure it must have looked good because everybody else was running. Some people never wanted to run, but were trapped within the running mass. Held on their balance even as they were pushed along the trial of zillions of people.
Some were strong and they pushed down the people in front of them and walked on them till they found stronger people in front of them doing the same. Some were tired and old, with hair greying in the sides and balding, lost their teeth but ran. Some smoked cigars as they ran and they felt good about all the running. Some ran with the doctor's coat, some ran with knives guns and spades shouting slogans of a unique kind.
The eyes were narrow and looked sinister. The lips curled into a thin straight line, they ran in chaos, never paused for a breath but ran. They didn't have the time to wait for anybody. Mothers, brothers and lovers were all left behind as they tried to run to the finish line. A line they never knew how it looked.
Some died while they were running and others just trotted on them to continue. Some time later they ran so fast that , when they looked for a while at their neighbours they found their vision hazy. Their limbs had claws and their face had whiskers.
They had all turned into rats.
---The bad thing about the Rat Race is that even if you win, you are still a Rat----

4 comments:

Unknown said...

It reminds me of the people today who keep running behind money, position and fame.

Everyone wants to get noticed and recognised and in the process they forget their loved ones who are left behind at home, waiting for the return of the ambitious member. They wish to spend a few happy moments with them, which they do not unfortunately get.

Maybe these people will one day realise that its afterall a rat race and when you seem to have won something that you wanted, you would also have lost something that you used to possess.

Welcome to blogging after a long break!!!!!

Panduranga said...

I ran because people are running. I don’t know why they are running. I stopped for a moment still people are running ! . I overtook many, still there was nothing, I saw as if everyone is chasing the mirage. It’s illusion some one told from the distance. I questioned few of them … no body knows the answers, every one has their own, I read all maps, all showing the path nothing about the goal.
People are running , I found a shortcut !!! . But journey is infinite.

Ok let me think, I thought for a while : Found something that made me to run … no that making me to stop. I started running again as I am left behind in the race.
I was searching for a guide, he too preaches to run. But he is standstill!

Enough is enough, I don’t want to run anymore, my legs are paining and my laptop is too heavy. I took a flight and reached my home. (I am lucky enough to have the ticket.)

Hari said...

It is true many are in race towards false aim Some time we forced to.But I feel stop a while and think evacuate then continue or stop if possible.

Unknown said...

Probably its not possible to stop running. So the best alternative is to enjoy running.

Its not about the destination. Its all about the journey.