Hoardings/Billboards the way I see it

I rush out of the house and jump into an auto “Bhaiya, Andheri station.” Finally made it in time. Phew! Just then I pass by a hoarding “Aapne aaj naya kya kiya?”And almost instantly, something strikes me! “ Bhaiya u-turn lena please.” I head home straight. I have left my keys hanging on the door.

While traveling back home, my tired eyes scan the surroundings. I see a hoarding right before me. Everything else a blur. It says…Take a Break.Go to Phuket. Aah! I close my eyes and I am there, happy and relaxed. Suddenly I am rudely shaken by the train halting at one of the stations. Unperturbed! (surprisingly!) I still smile to myself. I gaze out of a window and my eyes fall on a hoarding which reads “When income stops, expenses don’t. Have you planed your future?” The thoughts of going on a vacation to Phuket has long since evaporated. My smile turns into a frown. I get worried and contemplate on restructuring my financials plans…

Just then the train halts again. I get off the train and see a woman smiling at me. I look at her quizzically – wondering if we know each other, if I have met her somewhere…my eyes falls on a badge she is wearing “ Loose weight now, ask me how.” Aaah! Now I know. “Next time please” and hurriedly I make my way out of the crowded station. I see a Mc Donald’s right out there. I am going to love it. I smile a greedy smile. What harm would a cheese burger do? But there is already that smiling face haunting me…Lose weight now.

I reluctantly turn to the fruit guy “Bhaiya, apple dena.”

People talk about how these hoardings/billboards/Mobile hoardings ( I use that word for the “Loose weight now, ask me how” kind of communication) are becoming a big nuisance. You find it everywhere. I find it very fascinating though. How each of the information your eyes chooses to pick and how it coaxes you to think and at times act. It forces you to think about yourself - They communicate to you when you do have some time to yourself. They don’t really interfere with your existence or come in the way of your work. Like it doesn’t pop out of your computer screen, when you are doing something urgent; it doesn’t come as a sms on your mobile phone when all you are expecting is a reply from close friend. It doesn’t annoy you the way those leaflets pouring out of your letterbox do. It doesn’t force their way into your life. See or Ignore - it's upto you.