What Braveheart ?

Its a long time since I have bitched about social issues and its impact on me:-) A few days back TOIlet paper (Times Of India) carried a front page news of a 7 year young Delhi kid driving his injured 5 year young Bro to a hospital for emergency treament in guess what - a car!! The news bite was titled 'Braveheart' and was laced with accolades and praise for the young kid. I have been reading readers-letters in response to that for quite some days after that. Here's my take on it:

The boy does not deserve any accolades, instead he should be placed in juvenile remand home and his parents in Jail. What was ToI journo thinking when he praised the kid? Does he want to project the kid as a role model for other kids? Does he want more 7 year olds to learn car driving and run amock on the roads? Does he want parents to teach driving to their wards and make them wonder kids, for all to admire ? Well, if I had read this news about 15 years back, I would have run with it to my dad and demanded an explanation for not allowing me also to drive the car or even the scooter for that matter. I remember I knew the son of one of dads filthy rich family friend (a marwadi) who used to drive car at age of about 13. He was same age as mine then. And not just that he used to haul cash and made business deals for his dad at that age! His father used to tell stories of his prodigal son to my dad with pride, and I used to hear it sulking all the time. Well we were quite the salaried class for making the business deals but we did have a car and I could have defintely driven it if allowed! And I did defy the rule once and took dads scooter to school while my parents were away, and I still remeber dads stony silence towards me after that for about 2 days!He never scolded but the message was driven home. Well, looking back now, I feel how right he was. I was too young and naive, could have easily harmed anyone including me with reckless driving! Even today I drive reckless sometimes, though I am trying to be a more responsible driver. I never thought I would start thinking like a stereotyped grown up, but I too have grown wisdom teeth, and they are not for nothing. I am determined to be a righteous parent whenever that happens!! I think thats a natural progression in homo sapien growth!