NOTE - THIS STORY IS PART
REAL, PART FICTIONAL.
Mani Square Mall, Kolkata:
Actually, it would be both right and wrong to say that this incident
took place at the Mall. Legally speaking, it would be right as it
occurred inside the premises of the Mani Square. But, technically
speaking, it would be wrong as it did not have its place of happening
inside the air-conditioned shopping complex. Rather, it was a
restaurant located in the basement of the Mall, near the parking
place, which witnessed the incident. Why, if at all, is this analysis
important is left to you, the reader!
Gautam’s, the restaurant in question, was an open one, just like a
dhaba. It had been gaining a lot of word of mouth publicity recently,
and that was the reason, may be, why two groups of youngsters had
chosen it as their adda. One group was of girls, and the other a boys
one. There was even a couple in the restaurant, completely engrossed
in each other.
The two groups were, to use a proper word, the life of the restaurant.
It was only they who could be heard, even from a distance. Anyone who
was near the eating place at that time would support that, except the
young couple. While it is true that a person goes to a restaurant for
food and enjoyment, it seemed that the couple had found themselves
contented listening to the tunes of the solo guitarist playing in the
far corner of the room.
The boys group had no inkling of the fact that someone was playing
some beautiful music in the same basement. What transpired from their
conversation was this. One of the boys was giving a birthday treat.
They were discussing about the quality, or lack thereof, in the food.
A couple of boys wanted to go for a movie after lunch. Another wanted
to go bowling. The birthday boy was in a dilemma. So, tasteless food
and lack of consensus, forced them to ignore the lovely music.
Coming to the girls group, they were talking animatedly about the
movie which they had just seen. They were all 'ooh aah' about the cute
newcomer, actor. One of the girls even recognized a neighbor from the
boys’ group, but didn’t want to approach him first. But the important
thing to note here is that even they had not paid any attention to the
guitarist.
You must be thinking if no one was listening to the musician, apart
from a couple, why did he keep on playing his instrument. The young
boy of the couple asked the same thing to his girlfriend. She looked
towards the guitarist and smiled. The guitarist nodded. The couple
nodded back, and the guitarist went back into his playing mode. What
was evident here, was that he loved his job so much that it didn’t
matter to him whether a lot of people were listening to him or only a
few. It’s true that an artist’s real salary is the appreciation he
receives, but here, it was also proved true that if you love what you
do, then even that appreciation factor goes out.
As time passed by, the restaurant began emptying. At last, only the
guitarist alone remained. He still kept playing until the time the
manager came and asked him to stop and paid him his dues and said that
there was no need for him to come back the next day as not many people
there seemed to even notice him. The artist left.
Now, as the incident comes to a close, few questions emerge. Would the
reactions of both the groups be the same if the guitarist was playing
at an air-conditioned restaurant or even in a food court but within
the shopping complex? What was it that enabled the couple to notice
something but not the young boys and girls? Was it love which had
revealed to them that enjoyment didn’t come only from good food or
movies? If the venue was inside a costly restaurant, then would we
have heard one of the boys say, “See, that’s what I call music” or one
of the girls say, “oh! The music’s too romantic!”? It’s purely a
subjective question, varying from person to person. But the general
lesson from the guitarist is that, Love what you do and Do what you
love!!!!
Mani Square Mall, Kolkata:
Actually, it would be both right and wrong to say that this incident
took place at the Mall. Legally speaking, it would be right as it
occurred inside the premises of the Mani Square. But, technically
speaking, it would be wrong as it did not have its place of happening
inside the air-conditioned shopping complex. Rather, it was a
restaurant located in the basement of the Mall, near the parking
place, which witnessed the incident. Why, if at all, is this analysis
important is left to you, the reader!
Gautam’s, the restaurant in question, was an open one, just like a
dhaba. It had been gaining a lot of word of mouth publicity recently,
and that was the reason, may be, why two groups of youngsters had
chosen it as their adda. One group was of girls, and the other a boys
one. There was even a couple in the restaurant, completely engrossed
in each other.
The two groups were, to use a proper word, the life of the restaurant.
It was only they who could be heard, even from a distance. Anyone who
was near the eating place at that time would support that, except the
young couple. While it is true that a person goes to a restaurant for
food and enjoyment, it seemed that the couple had found themselves
contented listening to the tunes of the solo guitarist playing in the
far corner of the room.
The boys group had no inkling of the fact that someone was playing
some beautiful music in the same basement. What transpired from their
conversation was this. One of the boys was giving a birthday treat.
They were discussing about the quality, or lack thereof, in the food.
A couple of boys wanted to go for a movie after lunch. Another wanted
to go bowling. The birthday boy was in a dilemma. So, tasteless food
and lack of consensus, forced them to ignore the lovely music.
Coming to the girls group, they were talking animatedly about the
movie which they had just seen. They were all 'ooh aah' about the cute
newcomer, actor. One of the girls even recognized a neighbor from the
boys’ group, but didn’t want to approach him first. But the important
thing to note here is that even they had not paid any attention to the
guitarist.
You must be thinking if no one was listening to the musician, apart
from a couple, why did he keep on playing his instrument. The young
boy of the couple asked the same thing to his girlfriend. She looked
towards the guitarist and smiled. The guitarist nodded. The couple
nodded back, and the guitarist went back into his playing mode. What
was evident here, was that he loved his job so much that it didn’t
matter to him whether a lot of people were listening to him or only a
few. It’s true that an artist’s real salary is the appreciation he
receives, but here, it was also proved true that if you love what you
do, then even that appreciation factor goes out.
As time passed by, the restaurant began emptying. At last, only the
guitarist alone remained. He still kept playing until the time the
manager came and asked him to stop and paid him his dues and said that
there was no need for him to come back the next day as not many people
there seemed to even notice him. The artist left.
Now, as the incident comes to a close, few questions emerge. Would the
reactions of both the groups be the same if the guitarist was playing
at an air-conditioned restaurant or even in a food court but within
the shopping complex? What was it that enabled the couple to notice
something but not the young boys and girls? Was it love which had
revealed to them that enjoyment didn’t come only from good food or
movies? If the venue was inside a costly restaurant, then would we
have heard one of the boys say, “See, that’s what I call music” or one
of the girls say, “oh! The music’s too romantic!”? It’s purely a
subjective question, varying from person to person. But the general
lesson from the guitarist is that, Love what you do and Do what you
love!!!!
