The silent spectator

The objective of the silent spectator is not to enjoy the excitement without active participation or to remain passive when events of impact unfold before the eyes. Remaining silent might be an automated self defence mechanism with the sole intent and purpose of avoiding an escalation, though soldiers armed to the teeth would be absent in this conflict zone. This is not about a cat on the wall but about a dog in the bag.

The unwanted noise that assails the ear drums gets no protest,even from its owners. Be it the festivals that let loose noise touching intolerable levels or the honking horns of motorists or screeching jet liners or the personal audio devices – the list is long and hurting. Though the ear drums want to shout, it succumbs to the doubt whether its protest will be heard among the dins of modern life. Getting tired of the insults, the ear drums play their trump card – become partially deaf as if to extract a small revenge on the users. Even at this state the ear drums have to remain a silent spectator while the white coated gentleman conducts sound tests and squarely blames the defective hearing system for a fee. With lesser noise to disturb, the ear drums wonder, “Which is fashionable – hearing aid or head phone?”

People like to read updates on cell phones, laptops and notepads on the go. In their hurry they tend to ignore reading glasses or lighting conditions or the vibrations making the eyes literally weep over the updates. They act as if their very existence depends on this act.  Back home, the strained eyes have to entertain the tired mind by staying focused on the T V screen. They would like to ask “this might be relaxation for you but why subject us to such sufferings? Is there any other option except to close their eyes on this unanswered question? The maximum the eyes can do is to let out tear drops or become bloodshot.

There are people who like to be in touch with others at any time of the day, unmindful of the inconveniences to the other person spoken to or the silent spectator present within earshot. They rival the social networks in passing on gossips or prying in to a third person’s life at will. Though these are earfuls , the spectator, who remains silent to preserve a fragile peace at home, might be pleading for a little peace of mind.

Morning walk and newspaper introduces another kind of a silent spectator. If lucky the spectator gets to meet with a motorist driving through a one-way street or jumping a red signal. Otherwise silently completes reading news items regarding chilling acts of terrorism, murky public life and global shenanigans. Not even in a position to tackle stray dog menace in the locality, the reader silently acts and reacts and forgets as soon as breakfast time passes. In the extreme cases, the silent spectator meets with ‘feathers from the flock of hawks of the same kind’ - only to listen to their lofty opinions and forget the whole thing by lunch time.

More often than not, logical discussions are avoided even though the points being readied are valid. Issues larger than logical arguments force this spectator - not to speak. Such a person can only wish to be out of ear shot and out of sight, which may or may not be possible always! Similar is the case when the urge rises to say ‘volunteer help only if requested’ and the spectator backs down in to silence for fear of being branded non-compassionate. This stamping becomes vehement if the silent spectator shows blue cross sympathy on animals rather than on neighbours.

There is a special type of silent spectator – suffering on account of other silent spectators. Unfortunately, this forced silent spectator’s roll comes packaged as functions and obligations scripted by harmonic laws, whatever it means! All the elements of music – tune, pitch, amplitude, frequency and composition fail to sync with each other. The ordinary variety of the breed might feel fortunate in comparison with this special type.

Silent spectators- ordinary or special do not feel that you are alone in this world. There are others in the queue.  A good example is the surveillance camera which tries its best by nodding its head up and down, twisting the neck right and left and straining its eye capture sharp images on 24 X 7 routine. For all the hard work, is it being called by any other elegant name? Will a silent spectator be satisfied with another name - a jaw cruncher perhaps! There are giant brothers in the same league – the celestial objects watching all of us from astronomical distances!

Enough of a solace or want some more!