Young at Old

Gone are the days when the old people used to go to temples daily, offer prayers throughout the day, and watch TV soaps in the night. They want something more exciting and interesting!!Times have changed and so have they!!

They want to be in limelight even after their retirement and are in no mood to sit in the house idle and doing nothing. Proof??

Here u go;

At the newly opened McDonald restaurant in Bangalore, things weren’t the same as at other outlets. McDonalds’ used to be a common place of hangout for youngsters grabbing their burgers and coke after college and chatting in the backdrop of songs of Madonna or akon etc. But this wasn’t the case here. The outlet was filled with ladies in their early 60’s ordering burgers and French fries and chatting amongst each other. Even the backdrop songs were different .Songs like Boom Boom Robo da from endhiran, a blockbuster rajnikanth movie were being played. The old ladies couldn’t stop relishing their burgers in midst of their favourite songs!!

Malls are now increasingly visited by the old couples. The grandmothers and grandfathers prefer to visit the popular malls with their grandkids and son/daughter on weekends. Several health problems like knee/ankle pain haven’t stopped them visiting these places. They are taken around in the wheelchairs provided by mall’s customer service. Some shops have been opened particularly targeting these customers.

Restaurant, malls what else?? Maybe Tours!!

The old ladies and gents in the neighbourhood get together and form groups. They conduct and attend various singing/bhajan classes and also plan their outdoor trips themselves. After making plans, they find travel agents nearby who arranges buses. Not only are they self-dependant but they are also self confident to go to these trips. Several such trips have enabled them to view various temples and sight spots outside the city. These trips are very memorable for them as they travel with people of their same age and are able to share their experience and stories on their way.

Apart from doing young stuff, they want to look young too. No one wants to show their age. They regularly dye their hair; some hit the gym to stay in shape. Several Beauty-treatment procedures for the old are being opened.

Several couples save money and spend it to visit places abroad or go for world tours after retirement. The government’s plan of extending the retirement age to 62 would just ruin those plans.

Gadgets are also increasingly used by them. Cell phones, Mp3 players are with them at all times. They also get interested on seeing new devices like I phones, Tablets, LED screens.

In those days, communication between two old friends staying at different cities used to be via telephone or postcard/letter. But now, we have easier and interesting ways of communication.
1. Email
2. Social networking sites-Facebook , Orkut, twitter etc

Few days back I got a friend request in Facebook. When i opened the tab to see the friend who was sending the request, I was in for a rude shock. My 85yr old grandfather had just sent me a friend request in facebook. Looking at his profile, I noticed that he already has over 80 friends. He updates status and comments frequently. Wonder if he has joined Google plus before me!!

Even though few of them may not like how the culture is shaping up, they can’t resist enjoying the fun and thrill that the present has to offer to youngsters.

THEY EXIST!!!

Many of us might not follow the traffic rules .Sometimes; we cross the roads blindly or park our vehicle in No-Parking areas!!But among us, within the city there exist some species which know and follow the traffic rules. They posses some good manners also!!

Yes, they are called COWS. Read on and you will know!!

The following sentences are 100 % TRUE.

While I was heading towards airport in Bangalore, an unusual scene happened in Jayangar. There was a cow trying to cross the road. Initially before crossing the road, it LOOKED RIGHT for vehicles and then crossed the road after realizing that the road was free. I was shocked and thought it is just an illusion. But my shocks were true. After reaching the middle of the road, it rotated its head again and looked LEFT at the oncoming traffic and then crossed the road again.


Another day, I was travelling in the car and there was a cow moving ahead of us .There was a car parked ahead of the cow, so the cow moved right. But there was something odd. It swayed its tail to the right before moving right. After continuous horns by cars behind it, it moved left and gave way for the cars. Again it wagged its tail to the left before moving left. Nice of it to give indication before it turns!!Lol!!



After the above incidents, I started giving more attention to the cows in the road looking for more such interesting incidents.

There was one lazy cow sitting relaxing by the road side. And the best part-it was directly sitting under the Parking Zone sign board. Nice Coincidence!!

Another interesting fact, cows always walk behind one another unlike us where we walk beside each other ignoring the busy roads and traffic.


Do these things happen only in Bangalore?? No, i have noticed similar odd stuff happen in Chennai also!!

The Chennai weather proved to be harsh for the cows also. One of the cows actually stepped inside a Volvo Ac Bus waiting in the bus stand as it couldn’t bear the heat outside. A child sitting in the front was shocked and started shouting!!The conductor had to rush and push the cow outside.

In Chennai near the HP petrol bunk in Vadapalani, i noticed a cow standing and facing the road. I thought it was just crossing. I was wrong!! Its back was right above the garbage bin and its shit fell right into it. Nice cleanliness habits!!LOL!!


I looked for reasons behind these abnormalities and Wikipedia provided the exact answers I wanted.

Many of you would have come across Darwin’s theory of Evolution. Some quotes from Wikipedia which gives the explanation,
"An animal or plant is developmentally flexible if when it is raised or transferred to new conditions it develops so that it is better fitted to survive in the new circumstances". Genetic changes may result in visible structures, or may adjust physiological activity in a way that suits the changed habitat.

The same applies here. Humans have destroyed the fields and erected buildings and constructed townships. So the animals staying in those areas either adapt to the change or become extinct. Surprisingly it looks that the cows have adapted to the traffic and busy streets of the city!!

Pretty much, we can few Cow Crossing Boards in our city.They might prove useful!!