20210811 : Two Worlds

Some days back, a friend of mine, from my pre-university days, messaged me on whatsapp. We chatted about old times, the lecturers, how much we had fun ragging them, etc. We also chatted about mutual friends, what they are doing now, etc. We chatted about the families, kids, school, etc. It was a bit asynchronous also, so it was all throughout the day.

It was all fine, but by night, I could sense a growing impatience, a mild irritation in me, for not once did he enquire about how I was coping after the stroke. He obviously had contacted me after almost a decade as he must have found out I am whatsapp-ing now. He was not addressing the white elephant but was beating around the bush.

Later he said he was coming to Bangalore and suggested that we catch up for coffee and reminisce old times. That's when the penny dropped for us both. He really didn't know. He was not not avoiding the conversation. 

I told him about the stroke blah blah blah and he apologized blah blah blah, all good...

But it revealed 3 things for me...

1. I was living in two worlds. One real and other virtual. Because of my ability to chat, I can carry on a online conversation like nothing is the matter with me and folks on the other end won't know the difference. When I switch to the real world, I realise how stark the difference is for me. It's very tiring switching between the worlds often...

2. It is so easy to have an online persona, an avatar of our choice completely unrelated to who we are if we want. Its very scary indeed. Mostly, folks have do this to con someone, to take someone for a ride, to live out a fantasy, etc. But they have to pretend. And they have to practice, like a professional. I don't think novices will stand a chance with professionals! We have to be very scared for the kids indeed.

3. I have had the same phone number for too long....