A Day on the Pale Blue Dot - 17

Tuesday, 16th May 2023

The Different Humans!

Note: I wanted this post to be gender neutral. Hence, I will be referring to the protagonist in this post as Bloopy (derived by combining Blue and Pink).

Close your eyes and just try to think about the most different person who you have come across. Not a differently abled person; just a person who is very different from the usual lot. And someone whom you have possibly met. Go ahead.

While the person whom I met today may not be the most different person I have met, it is they who prompted me to write this and keep wondering how different human lives can be, yet how similar.

We had a function sponsored by our office today, to celebrate employees who have completed a tenure of 5, 10 or 15 years with the Company. It was at a resort in the outskirts of the city. We were returning to office after the party in a Company arranged bus. The bus itself was pretty good - a Volvo model. Bloopy was sitting on the row behind me. A few minutes after the bus started moving from the resort Bloopy asked the people sitting nearby whether the seats recline. People around replied in affirmative and instructed Bloopy on how to push back the seat. Bloopy was unable to figure it out and somebody had to point at the know to press and show what needs to be done. I did not think much of it since many people have difficulty reclining seats or it could just be the mechanism wasn't working too well.

The route to offices passes through villages in the outskirts of Bengaluru. Though the roads aren't that great, the route does have some nice scenic views. The bus was now going through one such village, some trees along the road - pretty good scene, I would say.

All of the sudden Bloopy asks in an alarmed voice, "Where are we?"

People: In some village area.

Bloopy: Is it safe here? I have not seen such places in Bangalore.

People looked at each other and informed Bloopy that there is nothing to worry about. This route was unsafe may be 5-10 years ago, and it was not recommended to travel alone at night in the route. I told that currently that is not the case. We have travelled in this route even at 2 in the night. It is pretty fine, and there will be good enough cars around even at that time.

Bloopy: Not that. Will we get attacked by some lion or bear?

People: 😨😳

We assured Bloopy that nothing of that sort will happen.

This incident was the 1st clue I got that Bloopy might have had a very different life than the rest of us.

Now the bus almost nearing office, Bloopy asks us whether the bus will go through a particular address to which we replied in negative. Bloopy told us that Bloopy would get down at the next signal which is close to Bloopy's house. We told Bloopy to walk to the front of the bus and inform the driver to stop. Bloopy tried to stand up to walk to the driver, and soon sat down.

Bloopy: I can't. I can't stand up and walk.

We thought Bloopy was injured or something on that lines.

Bloopy: I have never travelled in a bus before. It is too shaky to walk while the bus is moving!

At this point I got the confirmation that Bloopy lived a very different life than most of us, and it explains all the things happened in the bus.

What I want you to take away from this incident and post is that, if somebody is acting differently, it is not a fault at all. We cannot blame a person for being different. The reason that a person is different could be anything - from how they were brought up to something that might have happened in their life. We should not be judgmental, rather we should be inclusive and extend our support wherever possible. My colleagues took time to realize that Bloopy was different and supported whenever possible - from helping Bloopy with the seat reclining, to assuring that it was safe, to informing the driver that a person has to get down.

Humans are different, and they need to live in the same world as ours. Be inclusive and supportive. 

PS: Be inclusive and supportive, if they are not criminals of course.