The aftermath of the World War II gave birth to a different kind of war- the cold war. The wind of the war was ready to flow from the East to West or vice versa. Stockpiling of nuclear war heads and space race tried to seize control of the world population. In a nuclear warfare, the spectators were guaranteed to suffer more than the initiators.
Menacing rhetoric and aggressive posturing kept the world body - the UN, under tension and on its collective toes. That was not definitely as easy as scurrying for muffler, when a cold wave front funded by a low pressure trough or bucket whatever, chills the atmosphere.
In day today life, a set of perceived notions or transgressions are only needed to trigger this cold war. This war germinates in the mind and ends up consuming the peace of mind. This war can come with a bang like a tsunami or whimper now and then like a benign volcano.
The compartment Type
A heightened sense of urgency is visible on the platform, as the train pulls in. Waiting passengers pick up their way to the coaches, glancing at the reservation chart. Agile porters, hefting heavy luggage pieces, jostle their way through the crowd and the push-cart men playing ‘shall-I-run–a-wheel- over- your- foot- game’ bulldoze their way to the luggage van. The public address system discharging a non-stop stream of incomprehensible sentences, from the roof top - a train journey is about to begin.
A tall man, aged about 65, entered the compartment with some pieces of luggage, madam and two grand children in tow. Another family of a husband and wife completed the seating order, one of the grand children getting the window seat leaving the couple with the middle and aisle seats. The grandchildren, still remaining the cynosure in eyes of the elderly people and using this trump card, earnestly resumed their remnant fight in the compartment – this time to occupy a particular window seat.
The senior citizen started stowing the luggage under the seat recess. He diligently completed the task and to his dismay found that still some more bags were waiting for attention. He slightly turned and started pushing them one by one under the opposite seat recess. In between, he had to find a hooking space for carry bags. All through these activities- the grandchildren were busy raising a ruckus for the particular window seat, each vying to beat the other to claim it. Oblivious to all these happenings, the grandma was busy rummaging for her reading glass and cell phone.
The husband and wife, found to their dismay that all the available luggage space had been already been commandeered. The wife nudged the husband silently, cursing him for not showing the needed agility to beat the senior citizen in the game of filling the available spaces with luggage. The husband sensed that a cold war has started brewing and it will keep on showing him in a poor light unless he settles the dispute then and there.
Overcoming his hesitation, the husband pointed it out to the senior citizen that he has taken up all the available luggage spaces and would he be kind enough to leave some space for other’s luggage? Through his sliding bifocals, the senior citizen stared at the talker. Then to no one in particular he said, “Where else I can keep them?” The tone suggested that the request itself was unwelcome.
From this point onwards till one of them got down on reaching the intended destination, any small inconvenience will be put under a microscope and magnified. Sometime later, it might lead to a verbal duel graduating up to a shouting match. Co-passengers might intervene and diffuse it from escalating in to an untoward incident. Outwardly, calm and peace prevails, in the compartment, but a few individuals will be left fuming and fretting for a long time – their agitated minds rivalling the huffs and puffs of the engine hauling the train.
The genesis for this cold war is the senior citizen syndrome – feeling, by and large, others have to respect the age and try to make his travel comfortable; he is proud that his ticket and the name in the reservation chart carries ‘senior citizen’ tag and all the co-passengers should remember it to avoid any ungentle manly or aggressive conduct.
The Apartment Type
A bustling crowd has gathered for house warming ceremonies, trucks waiting with house hold articles, the hammer and drill routine happily marching in to the brick walls and echoing down the stairwell – the sign of new flat owners moving in .Warm hand shakes and smiles do not last long.
Some one else occupying your parking space or the difference of opinion about the usage of common area, common services and the likely feeling that a tribunal would be needed to ration water usage are the potential seeds for a cold war to sprout. Growing children or grown up children, add to the maladjustment quotient, giving opportunities for accusing fingers to be raised.
Co-operation, among apartment dwellers, is left to the choice of the others by every one of the resident. Some feel that they have only shelled out hard earned money and act with aggressive body language. A few residents might have seen a little of life and difficulties to show a certain amount of tolerance. Even among these tolerant families, one or two disciplined individuals do not digest the aggressive body language and start to see the inside. Their anger wells up like a geyser and waits to shower and scald.
Unfortunately, a retiree and his family, become the eye of the storm- start advising the kids to keep the gate closed or not to practice graffiti writing on the newly painted walls or hint to the vehicle users to park them in allotted spaces or to use the common area lights as and when required and so on. What a way to stir the hornet’s nest and fuel a cold war!
The perked up father and mother, of the graffiti artist, storm in and deny the allegation and vent their anger, alleging that they are casting aspersions on an innocent and docile boy. Corroboration by the neighbourly witnesses does not help the situation any, as already the witnesses have already had a round of their own disagreements with the graffiti boy’s parents.
Another gentleman is annoyed as the neighbours are constantly complaining about the junk materials he had chosen to dump in the common area. Thinking that his currency notes are more valuable than the others, he exhibit unwarranted haughtiness. After voicing their objections, the neighbours went to the extent of advising him, “Keep them inside your flat, if it is a souvenir from your failed enterprise.” This adds another dimension to the saga of apartment war.
The cold war in the apartment is the manifestation of Flat owner’s syndrome – to see that no one got a free hold on anything for which everybody had paid equally; common utilities like water, electricity must be equitably shared; common space such as stairwell and terrace is to be kept out of bounds from gentlemanly or aggressive encroachment; car or no car, the parking lot space remains inviolable!
The Departmental Type
In any office/department there is a melee of people ready to contribute - to this cold war . It is fought on two fronts, namely, between backroom boys and field army. The backroom boys feel that their efforts in running the department, from behind the scenes, are not recognized on par with the field army. The foot soldiers feel that the limelight always falls on the captains, colonels and the generals.
In this internecine war, the chosen target will be a keen and sincere colleague, who in their opinion is trying to create avenues for his/her own promotions. The trigger for this war of nerves could be, as simple as, an appreciation of good efforts or coming out with a solution in a crisis or alerting the top brass on likely difficulties in executing a work or assuming unasked for responsibilities.
A chance moment where a superior officer is seen talking to the target and as a coincidence if the target gets mentioned in some dispatches – the grapevine starts whining away, in earnest. The backroom boys, handling official papers, never fail to stoke the fire. The war front opens up with minor verbal duels, over insignificant matters or conceited actions initiated by colleagues. The passed-by-the hierarchy bosses also lend a helping hand to get even with a captain, a colonel or a general.
Multi-pronged strategies are worked out, colluding with the backroom boys to make use of their axes kept ready for a grind. Age has no consideration in this type of cold war waged to capture a few wooden seats, in the department. The target individual should happen to be five years shy of a half century by age or a fresh recruit in the twenties. This orchestrated disruption blows hot or cold to push the targeted individual towards a mid life identity crisis or in to the realms of self-doubt.
A seat warmer’s syndrome – feels the middle aged man or the young entrant are trying to diminish their importance and snatch away the standing seniority in the department. He expects such active colleagues will soon become a bench mark for loyalty, usefulness and responsibility- if allowed to go unhindered.
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