Dead faces

What is with people here in the US?

Every where I look, people look glum. I guess they want to look serious, but they all end up looking glum . There is no sound of even kids shouting to each other. No sound of laughter .

Yesterday i observed it again. We had gone for dinner ( allo, gobi, muli and methi if you want to know), at Lucky Dhaba in Sunnyvale here in CA. I was driving and happened to glance at my right at a traffic stop. The guy in the SUV next to our car was looking glum. The same thing happened at the dhaba - most of the people (a totally indian crowd), were glum. No smile on anyone's face. The kids who were there were also quite quiet. Strange - never seen kids so still. Some people would say they were "well disciplined". But to me it felt unnatural to see kids so quit.

In the office, the guy whom I am working with , always has such a glum and tense face. His home is aound 75 miles from here. He sometimes works from home. Other times, he comes over and stays at the hotel during the week. Wonder if this chap enjoys a good family life ? And I used to think people in US had everything. I think I was way wrong.

Sure, people are polite. They smile as soon as you have eye contact, but the smile never reaches their eyes. Its frozen . Like those of the Beauty Queens. Good looking, but if you ever care to notice beyond the shine of glam, there is hollowness.

Yes, thats what it is. People are living hollow lives. But why ? This is the USA ! Every Indian dreams about coming here. It that just a dream ? Or is it because the dreams have been shattered here ? Is it because even though you earn in dollars - you are really just a nobody here ? What is it ?

I miss the shor-gull, the halla-gulla of India . I Love living in India , inspite of its many drawbacks and the corruption.

Was talking to my friend in Bufallo, about how I used to go out at 1am on my bike - onto the highway - to a tea stall to have tea with friends. That is something you just can't do here. There are no small tea stalls . Everything is the same. Its this sameness, the emptyness, the quietness that drove him to ask his parents to get him married off. Thankfully, he found a great girl. I dont know if everyone else has been so fortunate. Seeing the countless glum faces, I don't think so.

No. I definitely don't subscribe to the view that the US is the best. Mera India Mahan ! I just can't wait to be back.