Neander woke up….rubbing his eyes……

This implies he had been sleeping….elementary ….Isn’t it ?

But Neander actually woke up after a long time…probably for the first time….

He had been sleeping…. was in a sleep-like stupor… for thousands of years.

But he was not aware of this…..in a manner of speaking.

So this act of rubbing his eyes can be described as ‘awakening’ !
 

Neander saw he was on this place called Earth….It was some NEANDERTHAL EXPERIENCE !!!

First thing he saw was an advertising bill board.

Although Neander was unaware of the ways of the earth….and he was not even literate…..but he could….surprisingly….read what was written on that bill board !

“ Make love….not war !”

Reading was easy for Neander….but understanding the meaning of this strange message was another thing …

“ How can anyone MAKE love” enquired his uncivilized brain.

“ And how can war be made ? Or for that matter….if love has to be made …then it must have been unmade in the first place !” Neander was getting utterly confused.

But our dear Neander was not the one to get bogged down by any trivia…..He had more pressing needs.

To start with….he was famished….and feeling very thirsty…..He got up on his two legs and realized …he could walk !

While he was wandering ….apparently aimlessly….but with an inner urgency….he saw another sign board.

He approached this blinking glow sign and this is what he read:

“ Great Fast Food….at throw-away prices !”

Hungry though he was…Neander found it difficult to digest this…

“ Is it the food that is fast….or one has to eat it very fast….and what is this….prices ? Is one supposed to pay for food ???”

Neander was shocked to learn this first lesson of economics….

As he was at his wits end….he simply ignored the term ‘throw-away’ !

Things…as it is…were getting a bit too complicated !!!

He somehow managed to fill his stomach….We wont go into mundane details…..probably he washed dishes in return for the food !

Feeling a little better….he started on a familiarization tour of this strange land.

He realized he had to earn some money…” Nothing is free in this strange land !...And yet they call it a civilized society….” !

Then…suddenly…. Neander concluded:

“Oh ! Probably this is the reason love has to be made !”

     *******

Soon Neander  made a lot of money….he was now rich….

Again…we would not bother you with mundane details of his modus operandi….Probably he became an expert hole digger !

Now smartly attired….and with an air of confidence that money provides…he set out on the broad streets of this great civilization .

He had learnt a great deal of new things….nothing spectacular to report….but he was no more an uncivilized ruffian….he had quickly learnt the ways of this world !

One day….a strange thing happened….and Neander found that the ground below his feet was fast disappearing…

The reason for this ‘strange’ thunderbolt was his encounter with a gorgeous female.

One look at her….and the hero of our story forgot all heroics !

This woman had …as if…cast a spell on Neander.

Such was the effect…Neander would have been ready to do anything for her….had she asked….even dug holes….without asking for money !!!

But Neander… after all…was still semi-civilized….so he gathered up some courage and walked up to this magnet.

“ Hi Neander !” The female suddenly spoke.

“ Oh ! Hell…how do you know my name ? “

“ You can call it Love at first sight !”

“ But what has love got to do with this….and my name….. ??”

“ Oh Neander….you are really naïve….Maybe you have been digging too hard….Don’t you know that pure love is pure knowledge ?”

“ Oh !” This is all he could say.

“ Do you know …my dear Neander…I have been waiting for you for eons !!!”

“ Come on…dear lady….not so fast….Let me know your name….and then let me take you out on a date….and then we shall plan ahead…..”

( Neander had surely picked up the ways of the civilized world !)

“ I am Neandra !” said the beautiful woman….revealing a bewitching smile.

“ Oh !”

“ My dear darling….please do not say ‘Oh’ each time I tell you something….You are talking like the others….Don’t pretend to be civilized….I like you the way you are !!!”

Neander was still in shock….but now things started making a wee bit of sense…. He asked her…

“ Hey Neandra….Who are you ?….and how have you survived in this world for so long….with your strange and bold ways ?”

“ Dear Neander…it is difficult to explain….Civilization has got nothing to do with survival….Society is no more than a busy body….All it wants is… to find out if you sleep indoors….or outdoors….alone …or with someone….and with who !”

“ Oh…!I see…”

“ So now you know ….dear lover….If you do not want to make love….but to feel love…and to share love….then you don’t have to merely survive….You have to live….And Living has got nothing to do with society…..dear Neander !”

Suddenly Neander ….not realizing that he was going to say this….said :

“ I love you…dear Neandra !”

“Like I said….Love at first sight !”

“ Let us get married…dear Neandra….Let us live as man and wife “

“ What if I say….let us live as a woman and husband …what would you say to that ? “

“ Oh Neandra….have pity on me….your radical ideas are difficult to understand….even by me….who is not yet fully civilized !”

“ Forget it my dear lover boy…..let us not get into any arrangement….let us simply live together…..and remember….let us not talk of marriage…or any other funny thing….” Saying this….Neandra burst into an unfettered laughter.

Neander was swept off his feet….he knew ….intuitively….that she was the best thing that would happen to him…. 

So…they started living together….And they never made love….They simply loved and loved….And soon….a lovely baby-boy was born.

Neander felt he was on top of the world…

( A king of this earth….A Neanderthal King !!!)

“ What should we name him ?” He asked his lovely lady

“ He has been born with a name….Cant you see it written across his broad and tender forehead !”

“ oh !” Neander had now grown accustomed to this beautiful packet of surprises.   “ What is written their…dear Neandra ?” He was curious.

“ Human” 

“ What a fine name ! Does it signify anything ? Does it have a meaning …dear darling Neandra ?”

Neandra smiled…..and replied…

“ It means …the one who feels….”

“ Oh….how is it that I have never come across this word…..?”

“ It is a long story….Now almost forgotten…Once…earth was inhabited by people who were full of feelings….and they were known as human…I am glad you like the name !”

“ Oh my  dear Neandra….sometimes I wonder ..what would have I done without you…I would not have survived… !!!” Neander could feel a few  tiny droplets in  the corner of his eyes….

“ You would have survived….for sure….” Neandra said this….with a  mischievous twinkle in her eyes….

“ Yes…dear Neandra…..I would have survived without you….but I cant be sure if I would have lived !!!”

The two lovers embraced each other and were lost in this love-locked togetherness for many moments…

Human grew up on tender….uncontaminated love ….provided by Neander and Neandra.

He also grew up on this amalgam of knowledge and emotions that these two had jointly prepared.

From Neandra, Human learnt about the knowledge of emotions….and from Neander…he learnt a great deal about the emotions of knowledge!

Neandra….who had been around for eons …and had seen the earth get civilized….one day heard her man say this:

“ Neandra…I don’t know why….but I do not want to call Human as OUR CHILD….I always want to see him as our friend !”

“ I am proud of you….my dear Neander…You are truly humane…But whatever you might say….you are Human’s father….and of course his friend too !!!”

But Neander had one nagging fear….he himself was lucky to have survived being ‘fully civilized’ …thanks to Neandra…. But will Human remain so…. He worried that Human would change!!!

As these three content people were living on the very edge of civilization…as you might have guessed by now….they were oblivious to the fact that one day…soon….Human would have to leave….and go to school !

Great changes were taking place on earth….while these three content souls were enjoying the blissful environs of the suburbs of civilization !

But it would be inaccurate to call them changes….as Neander had a limited experience of ‘conditions’ on earth….not having faced the onslaught of advertising bill boards for too long….and Neandra had seen so much….that nothing  really would  surprise her !

But the world was changing….

There was a virtual explosion….Of information !

People were getting incredibly well informed….and information access was now merely a mouse click away….Earth had become a big reservoir of data and information….and retrieval was possible if one had a valid password !

Now….two new Gods had emerged….efficiency and effectiveness…These were the new religion.

As all religious belief systems have a bias  towards dogmas…this new religion had banned certain archaic modes of thinking: It was a taboo now… to talk of life as a biological co-incidence…..Life….whenever included in the ‘relevant’ discussions….was seen as some intellectual game of probabilities !

And the catch phrase was….intellect….how beautifully it fit with the new religious ethos !

And this new religion….thriving on micro chip explosions….was extremely averse to two things:

Knowledge….and Emotions !

Man was no more interested in flesh and bone issues….CPUs were the reigning deities….both types of CPUs. !!!

Knowledge….like Neandra …was living with a few semi-civilized Neanders on the very edge of society.

Art had given way to articulation !

Men of law were now known as Legal Eagles !

Matters of heart were confined only to the ECG machines !

More games were being played outside the play fields !

Distances had…as if… disappeared…thanks to the telecom revolution….but the distance between the left and right hemispheres of the brain had immensely increased. !

Sun and moon became objects of interest….only on the days of full eclipses !

Death …invariably…brought a faint reminder of life…..but the converse was seldom true !

Earth had become an arena…where great races were being played….

Rat race….and race to save the planet….to name a few….

Search of any type had been given up….it had been replaced by Research !

But actually….the word ‘research’ was a misnomer….as it actually was an exercise to codify and classify !

Efficiency was greatly valued….even more than life !!!

In this world of specializations….generalists had made way for journalists !

Great premium was placed on laboratories….and on statistical tests !

Even intuition had been institutionalized !

Business was seen as the sole business of existence on earth !

Mankind had been reduced into two halves: Sponsors and Consumers !

Commerce had  completely consumed the spirit of Humanness !

But Neander and Neandra had other important things to do :

They grew their own food…They had abundant stocks of fresh air to breathe….and of course they had Human….who kept them on their toes !....with his curiosity-laden pranks…

Their only link with the rest of the world was a man called Norman .

Norman was a school teacher….who secretly cherished a desire to live as Neander….but Academia …and Economics…had mellowed his passion.

Norman was scared to live in the suburbs….He made a compromise:

On  week days…he would live in the city…teaching young students the art of information retrieval… and on weekends he would get away from this….and spend two blissful days with Neander and his ‘family’ on the farm.

On each such visit….he would try and drive some ‘common sense’ into the edge dwellers….but every time….eventually….succumb to the ‘free’ ambience of the farm.

“ It is difficult to understand this man “ Neandra would often exclaim….but Neander….who still secretly nursed some faint desires to live on the broad streets…would say:

“ He has made a good compromise !”

“ A compromise is no good…dear Neander !”

“ My dear woman…not everyone is made of solid stuff that you are made of !”

“ so….you have some regrets….you too would like to live in the bazaar ?”

No…no….but I think I am getting influenced by Norman’s idea to let Human get the exposure !”

“ Actually it is a brilliant idea….!” Neandra said so….and secretly smiled...

Then one day….soon…….Human was sent to a school in the city….

Human….bathed and scrubbed….having discarded the free-flowing dust of the suburbs…was all set to say good bye…..

….and Neander thought his boy looked cute in this freshly starched uniform…Neandra hugged and kissed her child….

Human was soon sucked into the great machine of learning…

The boy took to school as any fish would take to water….Human had an insatiable hunger to know !

The great machine offered a perfect environment for the young seeker !

But this machine was remarkably efficient as well….it was gradually turning Human into a hardened hardware….Human was daily gaining more proficiency in processing software !

So…between this soft and hard clay courts of learning….Human became an ace in serve and volley !

Human…..a thinking mind…with a privileged ‘education’…..was gradually dismissing the thoughts of ever again…living on the farm….

And Neander’s memories….of the periodic visits Of Human  to the farm…between terms…was of a prim and proper lad…a little older each time…. Who would incessantly say ‘thank you’ and ‘excuse me’ !
 

“ Oh Dear Neandra…we have lost our Human…we have lost our child…”

“ Have patience….Neander….!” Neandra would sigh…and yet… that secret smile would always be there….at the corner of her lips.

“ I cannot forgive myself to have listened to Norman….this school has snatched away our dear Human !”

“ Grow up …my man….Dont cry like a baby…everything would turn up alright in the end…. I am sure !”

“ For once…I do not agree with you….These wretched broad streets have converted our Human into a programmed Robot !”

“ Hush…don’t be so unkind….he is learning….he is one of the best students at the university !”

“ You call this learning ?….he is simply storing data !”

“ Well civilizations put a great deal of premium on that….you know it….Neander !”

“ Ah ! I would settle any day for a simple data-less human….I warn you…I am recalling him….Don’t you  dare stop me !”

“ Go ahead….I wont stop you….but then Human would never forgive you for this….”

“ Oh ! Then what should I do ?…Oh my dear Neandra….I am so unhappy !”

“ Relax….wait….have faith in our love….Have faith in the amalgam on which we brought up our child !”

“ You think there is hope ? You think Human shall ever come back ?”

“ Please …Neander….Don’t try to fight his war for him….please leave him alone….Let him be….if our amalgam is pure….he would definitely come back !”

“ How….and when ???” Neander was at his wits end.

“ A day shall come….when Human shall be forced to look back….and take stock of his life…He shall then see through this maze….put the pieces of the jigsaw together….He shall have to find out on his own though….that the great information reservoir is still not sufficient to make life possible….and if he is really our boy….if he is really Human….he shall be compelled to look for the missing link !” 

“ Oh my god…..I hope you are right….dear Neandra !”

“ Human has to realize that stand-alone pieces of information can unite….only with the adhesive of pure knowledge…Imagine Dear Neander….wont that be the real day to celebrate ??! When Human braces himself for the quest of synthesizing !!!”

“ Oh Neandra…I hope you are right….and did I tell you of late….that I love you….and would not have been able to live without you !!!”

“ Ah my dear Neander…..you are a wonderful Man…..a true and deserving father for our Human !”

    ****

Human passed his final examinations at the University with great laurels….He was doubly happy…as on the very day of his convocation….he got engaged to a beautiful girl….his childhood sweetheart and a bright scholar….who was also his classmate !

He was on the top of the world….as his transition from the great laboratory of learning was accompanied by fulfillment of his love….and if that was not enough….he had been offered a plum job in one of the fastest growing information companies in the world….He would now conquer the globe !

Neander and Neandra sent their love and good wishes ….and invited the young lovers to spend a few days at the farm…
 

….but Human was far too intoxicated with this heady success….Before taking a real plunge into the bigger school of life…he wanted to spend a week in the hills with his fiancée….

Neander had smiled when his mail had arrived. He said:

“ My dear Neandra….our boy has grown into a man ! I don’t mind if he wants to hole up with his girl…anyway…he needs to be fortified before he actually starts digging holes !”

“ Human is joining one of the bluest of the blue chip companies….and you describe his job as a that of a hole digger…you are growing old….my dear Neander….!” Neandra mockingly rebuked him.

“ Oh my dear woman….I can make a slight concession…and call him a state-of-art hole digger….but I must give him full marks for thinking up this vacation…Let us hope he has a great time….and let us pray that his girl fulfills him….!”

Human and his girl spent a full week in a luxury cottage tucked away deep in the woods.

Their days would begin when the warm and tender sun rays gently caressed their love-locked bodies. They ate breakfast either in bed….or by the side of some lazy brook….picnicking on the soft grass. Then they would go out for long aimless walks through the deep pine-covered forests. Sun would peep at them again and again….from behind some thick-furred tree….or from the vantage hiding place behind a not-so-distant hill….Till it finally disappeared with a promise of a next morning wake up call !

Evenings were misty…..moonlit and filled with romance ! Dinner was invariably by the fire-side in their cozy log cabin. Then the two lovers….having left their credit cards and the lap tops behind on the broad streets….would lose themselves into each other…..with the only onlooker to their love being the serene silence of the woods !

“ I never did realize that life can be so beautiful !” Human would often exclaim…and then lose himself in the silken tresses of his lovely lady. Their cottage was a perfect love haven…..with the air constantly charged with a heady elixir of love !

On the last night of their heavenly vacation…. Human was excited….he could not sleep…..his girl was tired though….having lived some  hectic love-filled days and nights….and she kissed him goodnight.

Human thought that he would read for some time before retiring….so he opened the quaint cabinet full of books. He had noticed the books on the very first day of their arrival….but reading was the last thing he thought he would be doing on this romantic get away ! 

(The owner of the log cabin must’ve been a great lover of books….but now it seemed that no tourist ever opened this book cabinet…. That actually was a treasure trove…as Human would soon realize ! )

He opened the cabinet….and was astonished to so many OLD books….with amazing and enchanting titles…..There were books about emotions….about love…..about knowledge….about art….about poetry….about many things that were now considered old fashioned….

Human scanned through many books…reading a page here and there…..till he came across a very old and tattered book…..the title of this book was what made him jump….the book was called  BEING  HUMAN….

Although it was well past midnight now….and they had to start early….Human could not resist opening this strange book….whose printing was gothic….and the pages were yellowing…but the title had caught Human’s fancy….it was an unbelievable co-incidence.

Human sat glued to the chair…and read through the night….he did not even notice the chirping of birds…..and was finally brought back to the here-and-now when his fiancée said : “ Good Morning love….why are you up so early….and what are you reading ?”

“ Oh darling….I am reading a fascinating book….that I found last night….It is about a by-gone era….You know ….earth was once inhabited by people called Human !!! Can you imagine !”

“ Oh….How interesting….you must be thrilled !”

“ It is not just that….This book is a dynamite ! It talks of very strange things….like the possibility of all of us being connected….all of us….men…women….flora….fauna…And it also says that the entire creation is a manifestation of sheer knowledge !”

“ Sounds weird to me….darling….And don’t you think that you better start getting dressed….or we shall be late to catch that plane ?”

“ Yes….darling….I think you’ve got a point !”

Human reluctantly kept the book back in that quaint book cabinet.

On the journey back to the neighborhood of familiar machines…Human was strangely silent.

Everything around him was the same….but now…everything looked different….in a way !

Human decided to extend his vacation….He was not ready as yet for the high-profile job. He kissed his fiancée goodbye at the airport and promised to catch up with her in a few days….He was a man in a great deal of hurry….his fiancée was confused at this strange metamorphism….

Human had a mission to accomplish…as if :

Is it possible that the shape of the leaf determines the curative potential of a plant ?

Is it true that a certain plant in the high mountains has leaves with the entire alphabet patterned on them ?

Is it possible that all the languages of the world have a common syntax ?

Is it possible that music heals ?

Is it possible that our feelings are stored in our hearts….and not in our heads ?

Thousands of questions were rising in his head….A forgotten little yellowing book had triggered off a very volatile chain reaction of thoughts !

Who are we ?

Where do we come from ?

Where do we go ?

What is the real purpose of life ?

Who were these Humans ???
 

Human could not wait now….he had to be with his dear mother Neandra….and ever-patient Neander !

      *****
 

“ I am Back !” he shouted …entering the threshold of the farm house.

“ Oh ! We thank you God ! Our Human has come back !...We are proud of you…dear Human !” They both sang in a chorus…

Neander was ecstatic with joy….he hugged Human …and showered the handsome young face with his warm and wet kisses.

Neandra looked at Neander….and her Human…. with a meaningful smile on her lovely lips.