* Alarm rings *
Vaishali wakes up, turns off the alarm and checks her phone.
"What the actual ..... what's going on? My phone's not working bro," she started screaming.
"Kya yaar, let me sleep," came a voice from under the blanket.
"Rohitttttttttttt! My phone's not working."
Meet Rohit Aggarwal and Vaishali Aggarwal, the twins who are 21st century teenagers like all of us with the habit...yess! You got it right. The habit of checking the phone without even brushing teeth or changing clothes.
"Kya hua? Chal toh raha hai. I can see bro. Are you blind? Dekh na, chal raha hai," shouts Rohit, who doesn't like when he's disturbed while sleeping.
"I mean, the internet bhai. Check your phone once, please please please bhai."
"Yaar, rukh meri maa.
Bro, my social medias aren't working as well. WiFi connected hai na? Mummyyyyyyyyyy?," screamed Rohit.
"Kya huaaaa, bolo," runs mataji with the fear that some disaster took place.
"Mummy, WiFi is connected toh?," asked both the twins together being restless.
"Han, WiFi is connected but social medias are down, I don't know, government announced ki for a span of time the social medias will shut down," informs their mother.
"Whaaaaaaat? Whyyy?," screamed the twins with their mouths wide opened.
"I am toh very happy kyunki ye social media ki wajah se kya na kya hota, fir bacche ek taraf, parents ek taraf, baki sab ek taraf," said their mother while the twins are thinking of the days when social media was down for 30 mins and they were restless and stressed as if it was for one whole day and now, they'll have to spend days without internet for a span of time.
* At the breakfast table *
"Dad, what is this all about? The social medias are down? I mean why?," asked Vaishali.
"Beta, the government decided to keep the them closed for a long span of time which isn't really mentioned due to elections and conspiracies you know na, to avoid all that," informed Mr Aggarwal.
The twins were disheartened and stressed thinking that how are they going to spend time, that too in lockdown, rarely going out with friends and gossiping.
"I think we should have a short trip to your uncle's place. What say?," suggested their mom.
"Yes yes, that's a great idea. What about you guys, Vaishu Rohit?," asked Mr Aggarwal to the kids with gloomy faces.
"Whatever you guys are okay with. We are cool," responded Rohit.
"Okay then done. Pack your things. We are just 2 stations away so don't think you're going to careless. Do wear your masks and take proper precautions and pack your bags. Come on, kids!," said Mr Aggarwal, enthusiastically.
* Chalte Chalte playing in the moving train with a number of other songs, radio, podcasts, YouTube videos, the sound of giggles, noises, chitchats *
"Hey, Vaishu? Can you hear the mixtape of the sounds. I mean funny how we always used to plug-in our earphones and hence never got a chance to get the taste of these sounds. Isn't it?," said Rohit.
"Umm exactly bhai. I was thinking the same but...," said Vaishali.
"Beta, do you like laddu? Please have these laddus. You'll love it," asked the old woman sitting in front of them.
"No, aunty. We are good," said Rohit.
"Beta, take one please. Don't worry there's no poison in it hahahaha," and the old woman bursts into laughter.
" Arey aunty, kya aap bhiii. Let me just take one and Rohit here you go," said Vaishali picking up a laddo.
"Where are you from beta?", asked the old woman.
" Umm these laddos are tasty aunty. Oh, we are from Rourkela and you?",asked Rohit.
" I am from Delhi beta. I am going to meet my daughter in Coochbazar.", said the old woman.
* The twins had a wholehearted chitchat with the old woman. *
"Rohit, look how the social medias going down made us communicate and talk rather than being stucked in the phone akele akele. Look each and every person is talking, gossiping and the atmosphere is filled with chitchats and songs and radio and what not. Isn't this beautiful?," asked Vaishali.
"Indeed it is Vaishali. We never got a chance to experience this but I am glad we did. It feels good to see these people all around," said Rohit.
"And all thanks to the social medias that went down that you both realised this. Come on, the station is here," said Mr Aggarwal.
* In their uncle's house, at the dinner table *
"I hope the trip was comfortable?," asked uncle.
"Yes yes, infact a generous old lady cared to offer these kids 'who weren't busy with their phone for the first time', ladoos," said their mother.
"And the ladoos were so yummy. I am already missing them.," said Rohit.
The gossip at the dinner table started and took place for a very long time. The twins were equally involved in the chitchats for the very first time without even feeling that something is missing.
"I loved it today you know. Be it the train or during lunch and dinner or it be helping mom, dad, uncle, aunty in the kitchen and households," said Rohit but this time not with a gloomy face but an excited one.
"Same. I swear. From singing together, playing games in real to the chitchats, I loved it. I didn't even had the feeling that social medias aren't there. We are always so involved with the phones that we miss this kind of happiness in our lives," said Vaishali.
"Yes and I am glad that we got to experience this and all thanks to the government for making us realise that how important it is to take pleasure in the happiness of life, the life which is outside the four walls of mobile phones," said Rohit.