Innocence

Living in a city, one is left to wonder if innocence is an obsolete virtue. What with all the yuppie teenagers with their "I know all there is" swagger, PlayStation (or maybe Wii/xbox) junkies, juggling their time between one class after the other (classical *and* western music classes, karate classes, mind math and other crap). But, ask them to cross a busy road on their own, or deposit a cheque at a neighbourhood bank -- most times, you'll probably get a "Are you crazy" kind of look before walking away.

All is not lost however. Try conversing with some of your younger relatives that live in the rural environs. Their thinking is conventional, affection genuine, and more often than not, their curiosity is refreshing.

One such conversation with a teenage relative of mine who lives in a small nondescript town 90 minutes from Bangalore. This kid was seated in the driver's seat of my car while a group of cousins were conversing above some lilting instrumental fare playing on the stereo...

Kid: How many gears does this car have?
Me: What is the highest number on the gear shift lever?
Kid: Ok, got it... now, what does R stand for?
Me: Reverse
Kid: Which one is the accelerator?
Me: The small pedal to the right
Kid: So, the left is the clutch and the middle is the brake?
Me: Yes
Kid: Front or back?

There you go!