'Hello, who is on the line?' RJ screams out on the radio, at 11'o clock in the night.
A shrill voice in the middle of the night 'Its me Rekha (Name for the narration)'. RJ: 'Yes, Rekha please tell me where are you and how are you doing?'
Rekha: 'I'm doing my second year engineering and I am not feeling very good about myself'
RJ: 'I'm sorry Rekha, please tell what happened and why are you down on your mood?'
Rekha: 'I want to tell you something, which i have never told anyone else till now....'
RJ: ' Yes, Rekha please go ahead.....'
Rekha: 'This is what happened with me and .....................(she sobbs)..... it was actually that i had attempted a suicide and happened to survive..., it was an incident that has killed me, since then.'
RJ: 'Rekha, as we keep you on hold...'
RJ: 'Now we have a set of 2 songs played out to you, please be back as we hear to Rekha'
After a gap of ten minutes and 2 songs......
RJ: 'Rekha, are you still with us.'
Rekha: 'Yes, it was that i fel in love with this guy, who was my friend's cousin and we happened to get along well and then later when I told him that my parents are knowing things about us and will you marry me?..... he told that he never had feelings and to not torture him that way'....
'Then later we split and i still feel bad for it ...
This is a popular scene on radio these days. This reminds me of the kannada movie 'America America' which depicted the effect of westernisation. We need to remind ourselves that, 'Everything that is western, is not fashion....'. Today we see so many calls that doesn't mean there are more love failures today, love has existed from time immemorial and failure of love too. Love failure is not the last thing in life that can happen to a person, its a reminder to realise that the person selected was not appropriate.
' Why tell things to a stranger?' is a strong question that strikes my mind till this moment. Few might argue, telling that it helps you come out of the grief. I would like to add to it, please come out of your grief, but not being a topic to talk for the next day for the rest of the city and at the cost of someone trying to make money of your emotions. If it was a thing not be told. to your dear ones, then why tell it on national radio, is the question?
Coming to the RJ's advice that follows the call; its merely his duty and he just adds some compassionate words and tries to talk you through. He might not even be able to relate to your grief. Its a fact that they are even trained to do it. The advice, is very generic and makes little sense, when you realise that he has told hearing to one side of the story from you and might tell exactly opposite if your ex-boy friend calls. Also, to add to the misery, he doesn't even know you.
There are better ways to find your way out:
You can always speak to your siblings or your parents or the closest friend whom you trust to help you out. There are many such incidents in life, where we find ourselves in misery and one of them can easily help you come out.
Second when none of these people can help you, and the mistake can never be told out, please do not publish on national radio.; you can always keep a piece of paper and write out everything and burn it. This is just more secretive and helps realise a way out; answers coming from the inner soul, is always more true than an jockey. Please do not expect symathy from others, it will kill your strength, lika a slow poison. Wrong things happen to all, is one thing that needs to be remembered.
Third and the best way, is to start thinking of the remedy and measures to let it not happen again. Prayers here help you grow stronger, prayers do not mean hyms and slokas, it can even be something like telling GOD what you feel at the moment.
When your depressed, its for the moment and each problem has something to teach in life and life is always better after that phase and you are better equipped to face things head on the next time. As the saying goes, ' Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.'
There is an even worse problem, that's being used to make money, by the media. Please come back for ' Why A Stranger?' Part 2........
