A Lesson Prateik Learnt

Deeply engulfed in his pleasant thoughts, Prateik was rudely brought back into reality by a man who was clearly at the wrong place, hurling out expletives after expletives. Thankfully, they were not meant for him. He immediately became alert and readied himself for a fight or flight response if the man’s actions towards him seemed malignant. The man came near him, but wasn’t looking at him. Prateik stared at the dullness of the man’s eyes.  The man seemed to him as someone who was in search for life.

Usually amicable, Prateik was unable to convince himself for striking up a conversation with him. His expressions, the thinness of his body and the paleness of his skin, and his chant of expletives made Prateik feel he was someone in deep agony and agitation. Was he looking for a company? Was he only asking for someone to lend an ear? Prateik tried sensing if he was in a drunken state, but his senses gave up and he couldn’t stay there anymore. He realized that he was not the solution to everyone’s problems. Perhaps nobody in this world is, for everyone.