Loafer and free

By Shubham Dayal

I am a loafer, and I am free!
I am not bound by societal judgments, peer pressure shenanigans, and whatnot. I lie down on the footpath grass, letting the sun kiss my forehead and the air play with my hair. Yes, I do menial work, and I love what I do, but this judgmental world only judges you by the megabucks earned, even if most choose the shortest, most devious path to reach the so-called “riches and success” of the Universe.
Walking down the bustling lane, I see angry people coming out of their swanky cars, ready to murder each other if one vehicle slightly hits the other. Looking from afar, I wonder if the cars got hit or did the owners' ego. People on the road, not following any rules of the law, openly littering away, spitting away to their heart’s delight without delving into the deadly diseases and outbreaks their choices may cause. The same decrepit society calls me a loafer!! Calls me by names and takes a dig at me for not being a big-money man. I present a bigger smile to these “civilized people,” so do my gaping shoe sole.
As I am laying bricks for a building my fellow mason tells me about the new state-of-the-art building that we were asked to build. I am told It’s an old age home infrastructure that will be equipped with the latest amenities. I become silent and say nothing; with a grin on my face, I keep working and wonder about the complexities of the riches; complexities in relationships, complexities in sustaining bonds with your loved ones. I am a loafer but all I know is never to do away with only two people who ever truly loved you right from when you were born.
I roam around and prance around as I am free from this show-off-ridden, pill-popping, overambitious rat race where every rat races to their grave and loses in the end.
I simply breathe and thank the Lord for this life. I work, chat with my buddies while sipping tea under a tapri, retire to my small heavenly abode where the paint peel is coming off, share a laugh with my lively parents, and sleep at night like there’s going to be no tomorrow.
I sleep and wake with a satisfied smile. Walking on the streets with my tattered shirt, people’s eyes pass a pitiful judgement on my life. But I pity them back as I know the life they are leading is far worse than mine. Dadagiri is all I have observed in every walk of life, but I am fine with my Loafergiri, and I wish this world produces more loafers like me so we can all be happy and free.


1 comment

  • Amazing composition…so realistic…keep it up…just a drop from your ocean

    Alka

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