WP18: Breaking News

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Conflict

Roger asked his father, “Dad! Are we all going to die”?

Father – “Why did you asked”?

Roger– “Everywhere they are talking about a big conflict!! Last time when there were similar kind of conflicts many people suffered and eventually died. Dad are we also going to die soon”.

(Angry Father)

Father – “What are you talking about? Are you gone out of your mind? What kind of stupid questions are these? I told you earlier do not stay with those crazy guys, they are filling your mind with nonsense”.

Roger – “Dad! It’s not only them, everyone is talking about this breaking news. In the television all the news anchors keep speaking about it; newspapers are filled with this news, extra additions are being distributed; networking sites are getting flooded by this topic; in schools and colleges they are giving this topic to write an essay on or to debate; in offices this is the main talk in the tea rooms; stock exchange rates are getting affected; transportation and communication are being affected; International summits are affected; leaders are flying from one place to another to negotiate; even the olympic committee’s decision to choose the place for the next game is being affected; in buses, trains, posters, tv channels, radios, road sides, everywhere you name it all are talking about it nonstop; every bit of news is being repeated through out the day and……!!”.

(Father interuppted)

Father – “Calm down! First of all nothing is going to happen and secondly if something will really happen we will not get effected. We are nowhere near Big Power A or Big Power R or problematic corner S. We are far away!! We are safe! We donot have to worry about all that”.

Roger– “Father! I have read prophesies related to the next big world conflict in a very old library book. It was also a part of our class assignment, that time we all were laughing about it but now I think we could see how the world is getting divided between two big powers, history is going to repeat itself. Someone, has to do something about it”.

Father – “Son! You are thinking too much or perhaps you are reading, hearing and discussing bit too much. Let me explain you in brief, problematic corner S has broken International rules, it has used chemical weapons, that’s the reason all other big and small powers are angry. They want to take an action just to make its leaders understand that’s what has been done in that corner is not acceptable by the world. But nothing to worry about, after all it’s a very small corner. It will not have much effect on the world. Big power A with support of other powers will teach them a good lesson. This all will be over soon, and breaking news change every single minute, don’t you worry my boy. We are safe”.

Roger – “Are you sure Dad! Corner S did something terrible, but no one was able to stop it earlier. Power A along with few more powers are planning to strike its problematic zones. May be the bad guys and their tools will disappear in a blow but what if some other power will be reborn or what if some hidden powers are supporting them. Power A and Power R are not on same page we all know about it. What will be the next move of Power R, if Power A will strike on corner S? Even if Power R will be quiet what will be the reaction of the extremists and other local and neighbouring groups? Where will the civilians go, the refugees camps around the world are already over loaded? What will happen to the small powers, if two major powers will strike against each other. Whether they agree or not, sooner or later they will have to choose a side and the faint separation line which is getting more and more visible everyday will completely destroy this wonderful planet and its inhabitants. People will suffer and the world will disappear. What if……….!!!!”

Father – “Stop!!!!! What are you talking about? Oh!! now I know what your mother was trying to explain to me since last few days. You are watching too much television, specially those news channels. Yesterday, you were sitting in front of the television for hours. Listening to the debates going on in Power A, those discussions has affected you a lot. Your mother told me, you have even dreamt about it and you even skipped your classes because of the fear of getting shot or burned. In the morning, I told your mother, its simple teenage stuff, but now I think it’s getting too big in your head. Let’s go for a drive, let’s clear stuff from your head.”

(Roger didn’t argued and they both went for a drive)

(After half an hour of drive in the city)

Father – “Son, how are you feeling now. Do you still think we all are going to die. See how peaceful everything is, there are no government warnings on the signals or on the car radio, people are walking freely, everyone is following their normal routine. Do you think anyone could behave normally if there would be a probability of a big conflict or if there would be a possibility to die soon”.

(Son looked around from the car’s window seat)

Roger – “Dad! All these people are pretending to be normal but they all know about their and their families future. They are simply ignoring the facts. The facts are being repeatedly announced by the media, by the World leaders, by all the important people in the world. What else do we need to hear? End is coming closer and we can do simply nothing about it”.

Father – “Son! Do you know what is the biggest problem in the world right now?”

Roger – “I have a long list”.

Father – “Tell me one!”

Roger – “World is in big crisis situation!”.

Father – “No! The biggest problem is a communication gap”.

All the world leaders, media and all the important personalities around the world as you have correctly mentioned have never said any thing about the big conflict. They are trying to explain something else, while the general public is hearing, presuming and discussing something completely different. This is creating a confusion on a macro level, that too in a very negative sense. World citizens have to listen clearly what has been said repeatedly explained by the world leaders, understand properly and must not presume or analyse anything related to this issue. The responsible people are much more qualified to take decisions on such topics. The role we all must play here is to be alert, and well informed but we must not speculate anything. Most importantly we should be extremely careful about our analysis, which is based on hollow talks”.

Roger – “Hmmm!!”

Father – “Few courageous leaders are raising their voice against the people who are breaking the rules. If they will not raise their voices and if they will not take any action against the law breakers the International laws will be broken by all other powers in no time, it will spread like a jungle fire. This chain destruction will be so rapid that no one will even have time to blink their eye lids. Someone has to come up and pour cold water on this fire”.

Roger – “What if the water which they are planning will not calm the fire rather make it more aggressive?”

Father – “If that will happen, it will be handled too. Responsible people are well advanced in their planning they are well aware and prepared for the unknown and unpredictable risks”.

(Father and son returned home. In the garage, car lights were switched off but the conversation continued)

Roger – “According to you we must not even think about what is going on in the world, and what will happen after the strike. We must simply lead our life as if nothing happened or happening or will happen. I do not understand!! How can you say that? You keep telling me about the Globalisation, and your stories about the world connection. If this statement is true than we all are connected than we are surely going to get affected. It doesn’t matter where we live on this planet. It will not even matter whether we will support any power, or stay neutral, we all are going to get affected”.

Father – “Son! I understand! How deeply your mind is already affected by these breaking news? It’s not your fault, you are hearing, watching, listening only about this issue everywhere. It’s normal for you to think this way. Let’s do one thing, I do not want to force you to think what we had discussed during the drive. Simply reflect on our conversation tonight. Remember, coin has two sides, intelligent young man must always judge a situation keeping in mind both positive and negative sides. Being pessimist about the turning of the events will bring no good to your personal as well as the society’s welfare. Even if, whatever you said is true than your role must be to spread word of hope around, and your conversations must be based on positivity. Whatever comes out of your mouth must have a strong base otherwise you are doing nothing except speculating”.

Roger – “Hmmm!”

Father – “Son! We will again discuss about it in few days. What I can advise you before closing our discussion for tonight is- whatever has to happen, will happen. Whether it is good or bad we cannot stop it. We will face it when the time will come. But just by assuming too many things which are just in air or in the minds of some people who are neither responsible nor qualified to analyse the situation is simply waste of your precious time. Be informed about the events but it does not mean that you should stop your life and your everyday activities because of them. As they say, show must go on!!

Roger – “Ok! Dad! Perhaps you are right! I am thinking bit too much. I must go now in my room and prepare for my debate tomorrow”.

Father – “What’s the topic of the debate?”

Roger – “Will there will be a third big conflict?”

Father – “Goodnight”

Roger – “Goodnight”

Father said nothing after hearing about his son’s debate topic. He picked up his favourite cigar from a hidden box in the cupboard. Looking at the flying smoke rings he thought about the conversation he had few minutes before. He thought, somehow he has managed to convince his son that life around is normal, but the fact was this that even he was not very sure about it, he himself was hearing about this breaking news everywhere. People are certainly leading normal lives but there is a pessimism, fear, anxiety in the air.

May be nothing will happen!! May be there will be no small or big strike or conflict but just the fear of it that it will happen is causing even a bigger negative effect in the entire society, specially in the minds of young generation. On one hand they are being continuously informed about the two big conflicts and their serious negative effects in the history class and on the other hand, they are also being informed repeatedly about the possibility of major conflict that might take place after the strike.

If they are becoming pessimist, if they are thinking about being dead soon, is it their fault? Who is to blame? What will be the future of the world? Father himself started thinking on the same lines like his son was just few minutes before. He stopped the flow of his thoughts, walked towards his room, tried to sleep but he couldn’t. Entire night he was turning his body from one side to another and was thinking about this breaking news. He suddenly became extremely anxious, he was worried about his family, his children’s future and safety. His blood pressure became high, in the middle of the night he got up, opened the window for fresh air, took some sleeping pills and slept while looking at the stars.

Morning was like every other morning. All the family members did exactly the same thing, they do everyday. Father went to his office, son went to his college, they did not mention any single word about last night conversation. But both of them didn’t stopped thinking about it…they are still thinking about it….!!!

What will be the world’s future? What will be there future?

Author: Rashmi R-R

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http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/09/16/writing-challenge-dialogue/