Time travel in an ordinary world

How would it be like to time travel? Yes, am speaking of people—travelers from another period in future—coming into our own and touching us. Much like the alien creature from Koi Mil Gaya, what would a child of present do when an unknown hand of friendship is extended to him from another time, another world reaches out to him or her?
Now, don’t think of the idea as another pipedream or a hypothesis freely floating around in ether. This is apparently possible, in our own times and to be experienced with our own eyes….
Here’s how
Let’s assume you are the average overworked, worried, well-paid yuppie based in an Indian metro. You work five/six days a week, earn well to scramble another personal loan to show for your investments every March. Life’s easy. But what does it have to do with time travel?
Try this…
On a typical weekday apply for leave, wake up early and take the train. Take the passenger one, not the flying express that you are used to comfortably settle into, there will be awkward glances from your fellow passengers, if you are a sophisticated looking geek with a ponytail or earphones jutting out from your head. Give them a knowing smile, and if you are lucky they might get a seat for you. Things are perfectly adjustable here, and you should be able to squeeze your ass between multiple others on that slim but sturdy wooden bench.
Don’t smirk, don’t cover your nose with that fresh linen hanky, nor do feel uncomfortable about the woman on the next bench talking to her co-traveler about the travails of delivering her first baby! Don’t belch at the awful farts all around. Don’t curse. The compartment will get more crowded as the first few stations come and go. Resist the urge to dose off.
Finally, after traveling a good two hours into the wilderness, get up, stretch from the back-bending squeeze of the travel and get down at the next two minute halt. Call it a station if you want, or destination.
Ignore the fervent appeals from the lone cab/auto/ tangawallah to take you around. If you feel like, puff a cigarette from the paan shop nearby, but ignore all queries about your sudden appearance at the village. Chances are, you will be taken for yet another NGOman, survey guy or social worker—and if you prove to be disinterested in any of the above professions the curious villagers may soon also be disinterested in you.
Find out where the local primary school runs and move in that direction. Chances are you will find only students and no teachers, because he rarely comes—finding better avenues like indulging in petty politics and cultivating land, maybe. You may also find a school without any of the above roof/ doors & windows/furniture/toilet. But one thing is sure, you will be surrounded by bright-eyed, inquisitive, chirpy schoolkids.
Do not look at awe at their dusty, torn clothes; do not lament at their destiny for they have to study at a school which rarely has teachers even proper facilities. There will be kids who appear quite intelligent and confide in you that when they grow up they want to be like you and do a big job in a big city. But ask them about their marks in the last exams and you are sure to find a scholar amongst them.
Talk to this sunny-eyed girl/boy about his/her dream. Chances are s/he hails from a family of modest means with siblings competing for the same privileges of coming to the school. Procuring even a set of standard textbooks, some stationary and a pair of uniforms is a struggle.
How do this bunch of kids view you—the visitor from a metro? Arrived’, would be the word. For them you are the ultimate symbol of success in life, a dream come true, a star. An alien landing at their remote village would be treated in no less a way they shower their affection on you.
Think of it. You are from another time, another world. How many times would you have thought of the kids from your air-conditioned cubicle in your entire goddamned career? For you, they do not exist. They are strangers on the outer stretches of another planet maybe, not one of yours everyday world, eh?
How could you make a difference to these kids? Ah, maybe you could leave your sedentary life and come back and settle here building them a classroom, buy books and take over the teacher’s role. But no, that’s too impractical, you think. Not nobody can do a Shahrukh In Swades, leaving his cushy job at NASA to come and light a bulb!
Why not talk to the scholar among them? Ask him what are his/ her troubles? Is finances the major block towards pursuing his/her studies? Will getting him/her a set of books from the town help? Why not solve that one problem then?
Why not accompany the kid to the local post office and open an account there such that a fixed sum hands out a small amount to cover that child’s needs every three months? That would be very nominal indeed, you’d be surprised. And why not buy a set of postcards so that s/he updates you about his/her studies once in a while. Do remember to write your address (Oh, c’mon, if credit card bills reach you, the postcards also will!).
All done. Take the next train to your daily life. Now, doesn’t it feel like you have traveled lightyears in a day?
Now, if everyone of us reading it did just as told, I’m sure the time-travel would indeed save many bright talents sparkle to their full potential.
BUT ARE YOU GOING TO MOVE YOUR ASS?