Disclaimer: One of my friends wanted me to write something about the government. I tried explaining that it's hopeless but she wanted me to anyway. So here are my thoughts. You might find them out of sync with my previous posts. So if you want to skip this one, please feel free to do so. Comments as usual are welcome.
I have a pet on my desk. His name is Dopey. He looks dead to me. He probably was when I got him. But he symbolises to me the way we lead out our lives. One look at him and it's enough to remind me that whatever I'm doing is totally unnecessary and if it takes too much effort on my part, it probably is just that....too much effort. But don't blame me because I'm not the only one guilty here. Everybody to one extent or the other, follows the Dopey principle. See no evil, and keep it that way.
I mean well, I'm not totally unresponsive. I see a terrorist planting a bomb in a car, I don't just stand and watch. I do something. I back away a bit lest I get hurt by the shrapnel. But that's about the extent of my efforts. Because I am a law abiding citizen. I do just what the government would have done in the same situation. And anybody who thinks otherwise, I dare him to prove me wrong.
Potholes on the road and people swerving at high speeds to avoid them increasing the probability of squashing the old lady trying to cross!! Who does anything? Where is the highways department? You think something's gonna be done don't you, yep, optimistic race that we are. I know otherwise. They're like Dopey. I just avoid the potholes like everyone. I swerve all the same and hope that somebody's already squashed the old lady before I get there. The government's facing a population crisis anyway. And don't worry about the mess on the road once she's run over. The Muncipality is probably going to clean it up in a week or so, or it'll rot and disappear anyway. Much like everything else does around here.
There is a line outside the electricity office. People are queing up to pay the bill. Why should they queue up? I thought it was computerised now. Seems the operators were faster doing it manually than on a computer. But you can't fire them can you? Or else the people will get enraged. The old man with the tiffin box in hand doesn't mind standing in line. He's probably part of a government office too. It doesn't matter to him whether he's late to work or not. As long as the people struggling with PC's at the counter have their jobs, he's going to have his. He's safe till the next elections. He can stand in line. He's helping create one someplace else where he probably does the same thing. Why do I care? I don't have to stand in line. I try and scan the place for a guy who looks like Dopey. He'll be there. I know that as much as every one of us does. He's there everywhere. You just have to keep your eyes open. I find him near the gate. 20 bucks extra ensures my Bill is paid before the others. I am free to go. No queues here. I walk past the line. The queue is longer. The old man is still there, sweating it out now. The tiffin has gone above his head trying to block out the sun. I smile at him when I walk past. Thank you Dopey.
The railways, the ministries, the police, the roads, the ration shops, the bureaucracy, everybody. And his Royal Highness just sleeps on. On my desk. And I stop working and think. Well, why not? It's working for him isn't it? Look how peaceful he is. He's been sleeping for an eternity. And he probably always will.