WHAT WOULD I DO IN A WORLD WITHOUT THE INTERNET?
I woke up with a lazy yawn. The mobile phone played my favourite tune of the saxophone, like every morning, waking me up from that dreamy slumber. I peeped outside my window. There was bright sunshine outside. Looking up at the sky, I estimated its noon time. I normally sleep quite late. As usual I ordered my house maid to give me a cup of coffee and I sat with my phone, for my usual morning chore on social media.
But to my dismay, there was no internet connectivity. “Gosh! I got to buy a new phone,” I told myself. I switched it OFF and turned it ON again, but still no 4G. I re-connected with our home broadband WIFI. Even after several attempts, connectivity failed. “What the fc….k !”
I heard some commotion outside. I overheard that a few people had gathered right in front of our flat with concerned faces. Overheard that their internet is off.
I tuned on the News channel.
BREAKING NEWS “All satellite connection with earth disrupted. Space technologists say its due to a massive BANG, somewhere in space.” My eyes went big in bewilderment.
I quickly got ready and went down. My family members were struggling with their mobile phones. I rushed for my laptop. It turned on. But no internet connection.
I was about to call a friend when my phone rang. One of my lady colleague called, “Did you check the TV news. No internet.” Thereafter what followed that day, was worthy of note. People making hectic calls to one another. Thank God at least one could make call. The old time ground-line phones were disconnected many years ago. People rushing out to meet neighbours. I followed suit. Noticed a few Senior citizens of our block, in a huddle, discussing a world without the net. As if they were taunting at the current generation.
“A day without internet is like a year without any rain”
Now what ?
After a few days of sheer hotch potch, I realized that the satellite issue is a serious one. And the internet is not going to come back soon.
For me, the entire digital, virtual and the modern technology world had evaporated, A big vacuum started creeping in. Within a few days of expert gossip on ‘Post No Internet world’, I decided to focus on the basics- get my physical strength going, monitor and filter any gossip and get ready for a never before challenge of working offline.
It’s action time …
Amidst the despair and huge stress of no E MAILS, no WHATS APP, no FACEBOOK, NO INSTAGRAM Reels, no WORD PRESS, MEDIUM, TUMBLR et al, the only solace were the cricket matches on TV and the music saved in the memory of my mobile phone. The music system plugged in with a pen-drive was pushed into service.
I decided to stay cool and control my nerves. I sat down with my notepad for the TO DO LIST,
The first thing I did was to service my printer, as all documents and proposals now needed to be sent vis post, in the hard copy format. Then I realized, that all professional commitments and WORK FROM HOME concepts have gone for a toss. I spoke to all my relevant clients and worked out a detailed travel plan all over the country for the next month, for the physical delivery of services. Thank God, I have been in a profession which is by-and- large, work on an offline physical mode, online work mode was adapted due to compulsions created by the pandemic.
Gradually things started to roll. I felt I have moved back at least 20 years, where dependency on the internet was minimal. I ordered the neighbourhood news-agent to start delivering all my favourite news papers and magazines. And my collection of books, lying unattended at the cupboards, got a new found celebrity status.
My wife, a Fashion Designer and Interior stylist by profession, grinned at me the other day. She hardly used the net. Wasn’t too fond of the mobile phone, wasn’t a social media addict and executed her work at the design workshop and travelled all over for client and customer interface. I decided, for once, to learn a few tricks from the lady.
