What it takes to piss someone off

For the longest time, I've been a crusader for the political, judicial, social and defence systems of India. Whenever somebody has called the police 'rishvatkhor', I have pointed out the likes of Hemant Karkare, the ex-ATS chief who died in the line of duty, and others. I am even okay with corrupt politicians, so long as they are doing good work – work that they are meant to do. What is the government doing about the city's infrastructure? I point to the various skywalks which people conveniently forget to use; the bridges that, while they were being built, earned several brickbats for the Shiv Sena (who propagated and pushed for their construction), but which today are a boon for the city.

So when someone who has always backed the country's lawmakers and keepers gets pissed at them, it has to really be the result of absolute frustration – frustration that comes at the end of a feeling of helplessness. Yes, I am pissed off. At the fact that a little girl gets asked to get off the local bus for not having change. At the fact that there is no place to walk on the city's streets. At the fact that people do not follow traffic rules. At the fact that roads are constantly under construction and nothing ever seems to get built. I am complaining for the first time in the 22 years of my existence on Earth. I would like, as a non-complaining individual, to have my issues redressed, by people who genuinely give a damn about the country; enough to drag it back from the hell that it is fast hurtling towards.

The common man complains only when something directly affects him – the same is the case with me. I tried to put up with it – but for how long? I'm not an unreasonable person, one who would knock on the President's door because someone ran a red light. But when every day I have to wait indefinitely to cross the main road because the light at the Saifee Ambulance junction of E. R. Road doesn't mean squat and people have to take a chance and cross on a whim, yes, it pisses me off. I get scared to say ‘no’ to run an errand for my mother. Why? Because if she has to do it herself, she will have to go through that same shit to get to the other side of the road to finish it. But she’s arthritic and can't do the ridiculous dance expected of her to get across a street where there are black and white stripes on the road (as if mocking everyone) and a traffic light just above her head as she waits to cross. At such times, yes, I do get pissed off.

So here’s the deal. What is going to be done about it? Probably nothing. What am I doing about it besides venting my frustration through words? Nothing. But maybe I can appeal to pedestrains to follow signals. Maybe then the vehicle drivers will be shamed into stopping when the light turns red. Maybe I will send this letter to a newspaper’s editor. Maybe I will do something about it. What are you going to do?