A petition from the Students’ Association is on my table. They want the start of the academic year to shift from July to October. Heavy rains, traffic jams and the long queues for admission exacerbate tension.
I call the secretary, still lost in my thoughts,
“Tell them we’re taking the process online. There is no need to queue up in the rain.”
I go back down memory lane – to that afternoon when I met Angela in a similar place, and offered to share my umbrella.
This generation will never know the romance of rains. They live online anyway… Why bother?
A good story to fit the prompt, Reena. We didn’t often have as many queues in the U.S. I did get in a crowd to see President Johnson when he was speaking at our college for re-election. Students began to push and I couldn’t get my breath. Someone finally opened the door and people began going inside so the pressure was released. I’ve hated crowds ever since. I also hate to queue up, even for a restaurant. Well done. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Crowds are claustrophobic, not a disciplined queue. A perceived scarcity and over-reaction makes people go berserk.
Thanks for dropping by, Suzanne!
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Oh yes, there was something so magical about the old world, of queues and realistic living, far from the online, make believe world.
Lovely spin to the tale, Reena.
Here’s mine:
https://natashamusing.com/2019/09/the-show-must-go-on-friday-fictioneers-natasha-musing/
Cheerio!
Natasha
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Thank you, Natasha!
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Organising our lives online does provide a wonderful convenience, however could we ever go back to the olds ways and still keep smiling. Nice observational story.
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Thank you so much, James!
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Oh yes, they do meet online these days, don’t they? Queuing up has lost its magic in today’s age! Very nice take on the prompt, Reena!
Let me know what you think of mine. Here goes:
https://mysoultalks.com/2019/09/27/the-queue-fridayfictioneers/
Best wishes,
Esha
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Thank you, Esha!
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Despite the benefits of online services, I agree that student queues were one of the most entertaining moments of university days. Mostly because we chatted to random people.
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As an author has mentioned in her story, Dominos will soon start delivering here.
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As you rightly say, they live online. A sorry comment on the way things have become.
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We are all online – the degree of obsession and blindness to manipulation matters.
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This demand may be another excuse to prolong the summer vacation. I hope you did not oblige.
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Change in academic year will also shift examinations to December. Change in the financial year was also a demand, but it does not suit certain sections.
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An they meet online, too. Miss/Mr. Right are a key click away. No need to make much effort.
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Yeah… they have a waiting list to fall back upon too 😀
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Beautifully written and a reminder of where we’re headed.
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Thank you, Lisa!
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🙂 You’re welcome, Reena.
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Lovely. So many memories are crowding the mind of my college days. Today coming back from our evening walk, there was a sudden rain pour, and we enjoyed it a lot. Good old days are happy remembrance but I love internet also. Without going out can reach so many, read so much, shop so much…
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Thanks for sharing your experience!
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So many things I miss from the ‘good old days’ that I think the younger generation are missing out on too!
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They wouldn’t bother about listening to your stories 🙂
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A lovely piece. Though, I’m sure some people prefer convenience over romance
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Oh, sure, there are many …. me included 🙂 Thanks a lot!
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The good ole days 😀
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Thanks 🙂
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You know I can identify with the romance of rains. Human interaction is slowly ebbing away, automated everything these days.
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Hot cuppas and delicious snacks … one wants company, and therein lies the romance.
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‘The romance of rains’ – what a lovely phrase. Loved this, Reena.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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Thank you, Susan!
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The joys of being part of the older generation… I followed a similar line in my story.
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Thanks! Will look it up.
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Growing up in a dry climate, I’ve always loved the rain. I assume that people will love it all the more once it’s gone. Well done.
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Rains are lovely from the sky to mid-air …. slush and waterlogging can create problems.
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Nowadays people miss out so much by being online – even when they are waiting in queues!
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Yes. Earphones and screens render them absent from the spot.
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The young people of today!
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🙂
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