My office is a space that is hyper-functional, to an extent that a majority of us place our self worth on our jobs and receive gratification out of it. Our minds are in a constant rut, or we’re on auto-pilot ensuring work is getting done. It is a problem – a problem we enjoy, often choose, even.
Surprisingly, it so happened that there was one day when this was not the case. In retrospect, I do not know why we were so free or why we had collectively decided to chill. No words were uttered. No plans were made. No occasion was celebrated. Yet, footsteps naturally made their way to the spot. A multi-faceted spot designated in our office for discussing ideas, sleeping, energising, and what not.
We sat there scrolling mindlessly. Knowing the nature of my office, I’m certain we were having tea. The episode that followed was random, and unplanned. Someone must have suggested we do something fun. So, we started playing games, one of which happened to be “CONTACT”
What is CONTACT?
For those of you who don’t know what this game is, here’s a simple explanation. It is a group game. One person from the group has to think of a word, any word. The word is not revealed. The group has to find the word together as a team. Assume I’m that person who has a word in mind. Let’s say it’s PEACOCK. I reveal the first letter. Now people from the team have to start giving clues, clues to which the answers are words that start from P.
Now, anyone from the team, can come up with a clue. Let’s say the clue is “We use this object to write”. Now the person who uttered this clue with an answer in mind has to CONTACT with another person from the team who should also come up with the same answer. If one says pen and the other says pencil, there is no CONTACT. Again, if I guess the word before they CONTACT, they have to think of a new clue. It can be a CONTACT between any two people in the team. If the CONTACT happens, then the next letter is revealed.
This goes on until the team finds out what the word is.
We started to play, screaming at the top of our voices, stating clues that were inside jokes, stating clues that only a few could crack. I can confirm, it was a good distraction and a trace of joy was observed.
The word thought of must have been “PERSPIRATION”. We had cracked two letters in light speed. “P” and “E” was revealed. We were heading to the next clue. The team spirit was A1, above the roof. Eye contacts were made. We looked like dogs vigilant to grab the biscuit the minute it was thrown, ready to utter, ready to spit the word before the CONTACT was broken.
Someone raised their hands. Eyes darted quickly to that person, and the clue was uttered loudly. To this day, I vividly remember, this was the clue
“Someone who loves children”
M, S, two others, and I, yelled, as though our life was dependent on it.
“PEDOPHILE”, we screamed.
AK, who was equally vigilant and enthusiastic, screamed “PEDIATRICIAN”, even louder.
We paused. In a swift motion, we turned to AK. We bursted out laughing, but the joke was on us. A few minutes later, we stopped – He was right.
There was a mix of confusion and awkwardness in the air. A moment of awful silence. A life-changing episode I think of, even share, often. I’m not sure if this is something that you should read into. Clearly, the overthinker in me has surpassed that, given I’m writing a piece about this.
The clue was loud and clear – Someone who loves children
Why did a bunch of us associate “someone”, “love”, and “children” to a pedophile? Even if in a rush? This was beyond ridiculous.
Why did AK associate “someone”, “love”, and “children” to a pediatrician?
In a fraction of a second, I sat there, re-evaluating my entire life, reflecting on what just happened.
Were we people who thought pedophiles loved children? Hell, no.
Were we people who enabled that behaviour? Hell, no.
Were we pedophiles? Hell, no.
Then why did we scream “Pedophile” at the top of our lungs?
How are our minds wired? Why did that thought pop-up?
Was it just out of haste? Did it have a deeper meaning?
I’m not sure. I still don’t know. I’m assuming it’s this – In my opinion, AK has achieved something we failed to. While presence of mind is one aspect, this, to me, is beyond that.
AK still has a child-like innocence, a sense of self-preservation, a positive outlook of the world, an ounce of hope, and faith. Of course, I can’t speak for others, but when it comes to it, my first approach in stressful environments, at least until this moment, is to latch onto a negative thought, a negative emotion, a negative person, a negative situation.
My first instinct leans towards a darker side.
What can go wrong, and in how many ways can it go wrong?
Somewhere, along the way, the concept of sanity, the reassurance of good thoughts, and the belief that good things can unravel, parted ways with the games of my mind.
I suppose it is people like AK who have managed to carry this naivety, a pure and untainted nature, and a willingness to trust without suspicion, from childhood to adulthood, that help us rethink and revaluate the way we lead our lives.
We need them.
We need them now more than ever.