Staring

Imagine you travel in a subway in Warsaw or any other European city. Suddenly, you spot someone who looks different. Maybe they have a different skin color, maybe they are dressed up in a weird way, maybe have a funny hairstyle. You can’t not have a look, you want to see more details… While you are enjoying your view, the person promptly looks back. What do you do? Whistle? Quickly start staring at your shoes? Search for something in your bag? Take out your mobile? Basically, you pretend you haven’t been watching this entire time and you are just normally busy with your life. I am sure all of us have done it several times in our lives.

Let’s analyze now how the same process looks like in India, assuming I am the one looking different. (I don’t know why someone would think I am different because I am a Mumbaiker ONLY :P) but let’s assume it for a second. I am getting into the bus, sitting on one of the available seats and of course I can feel hundreds of eyes looking in my direction. In most of the cases I ignore it, have been here for 7 months now so got used to this all. It was actually fun at the beginning because wherever I went I felt like pop star ;) But I got over it now :P However, sometimes, just for fun, I would look back to check the reaction… and you know what? People keep staring! No one even tries to pretend they haven’t been watching, they actually stare more because now they can see my face as well!! In some cases, when I am in a good mood I will start fooling them, making stupid faces, giving some of my biggest and brightest smiles or saying hi. This makes a staring person most excited and from then on I can be sure they joined my fans’ circle and I can enjoy their stares till the end of the journey!! :D Good fun!!