“Why are you sitting on my shoulder and making a ‘tut, tut’
sound?” I questioned Lulu, my parrot angrily.
“Oh, chill man, don’t get upset. I was just curious about
what you were doing with your mobile.”
“What nonsense!”
“I think there are two categories of men. Those who watch
something on their mobile, like you were doing; and those who keep an eye on
such men.” Lulu replied laughing aloud.
“You are a peeping Tom, Lulu. You will do well to learn
manners and etiquettes.”
“Ok, Ok. I will. But you ought to know that peeping Tom is a
phrase used to refer to a man ‘who furtively observes women undressing.’ So
please correct yourself. I am not a man, I am a parrot, and I am not watching woman
undress.” Lulu shot back.
“But when you sit on shoulders of people, you must be
watching them do something.”
“Yes, I do sometimes. One cannot close his eyes and sit meditating
on peoples’ shoulders.” Lulu said as he jumped on my hand.
“Hmmmm.....We are constantly being watched. There are hidden
cameras everywhere. In shops and offices, they warn you that you are under
surveillance.”
“Yes, they have fitted cameras everywhere.”
“And on highways too there are cameras to check speed
violation.” I said with a tone of complaint.
“Haha...there are a few bird watchers, but I think men like
to watch themselves.”
“I envy parrots. They are not put under surveillance. And
there are no porno films in their world!”
“And there are no elected representatives among parrots who
spend their time watching porno stuff too.” Lulu took a dig again.
“Hah ha!”
“But why do you forget who is watching you all the time?”
“Who is that? Has USA put one more satellite for watching
people?”
“Oh, no! You have forgotten him obviously. HE is watching
you all the time, even if you are not an MLA or MP. Beware! HE matters more
than political parties and hidden cameras. HE also holds a mirror to us. Wrong
doers find it difficult to look into his
mirror.”
“You said it Lulu.”
“I think Galileo got it right when he said ‘I do not
feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense,
reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use.’ Will you tell this
to your elected representatives?” Lulu said as he once again perched on
my shoulder.
Vivek