There Is Still Hope!

For all the annoyance and disappointment I feel about the stupidity and pathetic quality of the present and previous generations, I have immense hopes about the potential of the young children I meet every day. The kids that wield snazzy gadgets with ease, indulge at will in science and arts as if they are, all of them, blessed prodigies, are the ones who will walk this earth soon as sensible adults.

One thing I love about the kids is their civic sense. A few months ago, I saw and wrote about how a little girl picked up the empty paper cup thrown on the ground by her irresponsible grandmother and put it in a trash can nearby.

Something similar happened today. In the train now, the TTE arrived to verify the tickets of those who had boarded after the main station. Being late night most of the lights in the compartment were turned off. The TTE turned on the lights, verified the tickets and moved on without turning off the lights.

Just as he did the same in my part of the compartment, the little boy, who must have been around 7-8 years and was lying in middle berth, called the TTE yelling, "Uncle, where are you going without turning off the lights? Turn it off and go."

The TTE was a little taken aback and gave a boy a quizzical look. Then, realizing his mistake, said "I will come, darling. Wait."

Meanwhile somebody else turned off the lights and the kid turned away and started sleeping. I was left wondering. In a nation where a vast majority doesn't bother about letting water go waste in public washrooms, doesn't switch off lights and fans when not in use, doesn't feel ashamed about spitting, littering and urinating in public, there is a bright new generation which appears to have been blessed with as much civic sense as they are gifted with smart brains. Would be happy to see such kids grow up with as much civic sense and social responsibility as they have now, without getting negatively influenced by the kind of morons that their parents are. Hopefully!