Real And Reel

This was not a new thing to all the residents of the colony, like every day Ravi was quarreling with his mother to go to the cinema to watch his favorite actor’s latest movie “Taxi Driver”. This was the 18th time he was going to watch it. In the fight with his mother, he pushed her and took the money from her purse and went away.

After the movie, he was looking for a taxi to go back home. It was very late in the night so no taxi was available at that point of time. After 18 minutes, a taxi driver agreed to go on the condition of double fare. Ravi nodded his head in agreement and jumped into the taxi.

 Ravi lost in his thoughts as soon as the Taxi driver started the engine and it started running on the road.

Taxi Driver: Sir, if you are uncomfortable back there, you can come in the front seat.

Ravi: Just shut up, and can’t you drive any faster?

Taxi Driver: This is as fast as it goes.

Ravi put his hand into his pocket, took out his asthma inhaler and pumped it in his mouth two times.

Taxi driver (while looking at Ravi through the car mirror) : Sir, Are you suffering from asthma?

Ravi: I’ am suffering from telling the truth.

Taxi driver: oh sir, your sense of Humor is still active at this hour of night. How can one suffer by telling the truth?

Ravi: It’s a sin to tell the truth, these days.

Taxi driver (in a sarcastic tone): So sir, you have never lied in your life?

Ravi (took a long pause and then replied with a question) : Have you heard of “Bhaskaran- the killer”?

Taxi Driver: Of course, I have. But I have never seen him.

Ravi looked outside the window and said in a very deep voice: well now you have.

Taxi driver: please stop joking Sir, you don’t look like a killer to me.

Ravi: That’s why I have never been caught. No matter how hard I try to convince them otherwise.

Taxi Driver (now the smile on his face gradually disappeared): So why do you kill people.

Ravi (with straight face): To safeguard the truth.

Suddenly Ravi took out the knife from his pocket and grabbed the taxi driver from behind and put the knife on his neck. Taxi driver applied the brakes of the car.

Taxi driver: I haven’t done anything sir, please leave me.

 Ravi: Relax!! I will not kill you without a reason. All killers follow a procedure. Got it?

Taxi driver: Yes sir.

Ravi: I just want Truth from you. I will ask one question to you and you just have to answer truthfully. If you answer it truthfully, I will pay you an extra five hundred over and above the fare. Ok?

Taxi driver: Yes.

Ravi: So, my question to you is…………………

Are you an actor? You surely seem to look like one to me. Don’t you dare lie to me. I can sniff a lie from a distance, got it?

Taxi driver: Yes….. Yes…. I am an actor. In-fact , I started talking to you because I was looking for inspiration for my next role, I am going to play in my next drama.

Ravi loosened his grip from Taxi driver’s shoulder and removed the knife from his neck, put it inside his pocket and got out of the taxi.

Taxi driver kept his head on the steering, took deep breaths. Suddenly Ravi came back into the taxi and slit his throat with the knife.

                                   THE END

Moral of the story: Like both Ravi and Taxi driver who were living virtual lives of in the real world, many people nowadays are breathing virtuality in this reality

THE GAP BETWEEN REAL AND REEL LIFE IS GETTING Narrower and narrower these days.