Someday.. I would be myself

When I was a kid I thought the people in the TV are more fun to hang out with. I also wanted to jump inside and shake hands with Mickey Mouse and Mowgli. How much fun it would be to live with those characters and spend a happy life, no home works or mugging lessons. Someday, I would find a job in TV so I can have all the fun and no work, I told myself.

Few months later I got to travel by Auto-rickshaw for the first time. I enjoyed sitting in the iron bar holding my mom. It seemed so convenient, for I don’t have to walk to the bus stop and don’t have to worry about forgetting slippers in the bus. Dad must have liked it to, no pain of carrying me, when I pretend to have leg pain (sometimes I really do) or doze off while coming back. I can travel just anywhere through small and big roads with ease. No more hot sun, no leg pain, no waiting for bus, no longing for seat. Wow! Someday, I would become an auto driver so I can drive around easily, I told myself

Few years later I realised riding auto wasn’t that much fun. By then I had my first bike ride and car ride. I also learnt, auto drivers don’t make much money. I loved wearing new clothes then. But I was allowed only two a year, one for my birthday and one for Deepavali. I vividly remember rolling on the floor, butt naked and crying all day long on my birthday because, my parents did not buy my favourite Kurta. I was told they couldn’t get one according to my size, and kurtas tear off soon. I believed it! Only few days later Raja from next door wore a beautiful kurta and told me it comes in all sizes and lasted long. “All we have to do is pay good money” he said tossing his thumb and forefinger. I found out Raja's father was engineer and earned well. Someday I would become engineer, and then I can buy my favourite kurtas every year, I told myself.

A decade later I had to choose my higher studies. My tuition teacher, who is also my god send sister from next door, said engineering offers good future but my family can’t afford the college fee. She advised, the best option is to choose a science degree, and do computer studies which are new in market and have a promising future. So I took Mathematics and a part time computer course. They called the professionals Computer Engineers! Someday, I can become computer engineer and earn well, I told myself.

Another decade passed, and I learnt Computer Engineer’s job did pay well. I don’t know how much Raja's father earned then, but I am pretty sure I earned better. I also learnt it can give all the kurtas I want, even the designer brands. It can also give me comfortable rides in auto, car and even in aeroplanes. Job seemed boring and monotonous like mugging lessons. However the fringe benefits it offered were too good to say no to. I settled in abroad and had loads of free time. I thought I would do some learning, and mass communication seemed so interesting. So I took the 10 month diploma course and learned about media functions such as production, content creation and advertisement etc. I started seeing TV programs and advertisement in different light, and could easily decipher things happening behind the camera. Someday I would find a job in TV, so I can have all the fun and no work, I told myself.