Episode 02: Cooper
“Aaa-choo!”
“Who sneezed? I thought I was the only one in this room!”
“Of course you've forgotten that I exist. It's Cooper, your old paint-brush. You don't even bother to wipe the dust off of me anymore, even though you’re fully aware I’m allergic to it.”
“Psst! Since when did brushes start having allergies? I know where all this is coming from. You were missing me, weren’t you?”
“Not really. At least I’m not losing my bristles each time you wash me vigorously to get the paint off of me. Also, the other art supplies that you’ve abandoned just like me give me company in desolate times. So, you don’t have to worry about anything at all.”
“I expected you to be a little more understanding than this, Cooper. You know how burdened I am with college work. You think I have the time for painting and sketching right now?”
“People make time for the things that are really important to them. I'll simply assume that your love for art has died.”
“Firstly, can you stop throwing tumblr quotes at me? Secondly, me and my art are inseparable. Nevertheless, I will not deny the fact that of late, certain unfortunate events and circumstances have weakened the bond between us. But, I am sure we will figure this out.”
“Well, go ahead, why don't you enumerate the “unfortunate events and circumstances” that are keeping you from your hobbies? I'll make sure they are conveyed to my fellow art supplies as well. We all deserve to know.”
“You are very dramatic for a brush, let me tell you. It's 2 am and I’m very sleepy. I have classes scheduled from 9 in the morning. I better sleep now. You should too. Good ni..”
“Ah, I was right. You really don’t care about me or any of us anymore. Why don’t you give us away to people who are genuinely interested in us? Just another day I heard from my fellow brushes that my brother has been purchased by one of the finest painters in town, while I am rotting here in an engineering student’s room.”
“I think I’m left with no option but to sacrifice my sleep. First of all, my art is not going to pay me. I’m pursuing my bachelor’s in engineering; in my job interviews, they are not going to ask me which two colours should one mix to get the colour orange. Therefore, I think it is better that I spend my time learning things that matter before it is too late”
“You are slowly and gradually turning into a very boring person, let me tell you. How do your friends put up with you?
“Well, I have like-minded friends.”
“Oh, yes, I had forgotten to acknowledge the fact that the amazing Indian education system has sucked the creativity out of all of you equally. Next?”
“You see, my parents have certain expectations from me. Since I am still dependent on them for food and shelter, not obeying them is not an option. Hence, I submissively work towards meeting those expectations, even if I have to sacrifice my hobbies in the process.”
“Understandable. But I think you've forgotten that sacrificing one's hobbies comes at a cost.”
“What cost?”
“I’m pretty sure that the batteries in your Casio keyboard have all leaked by now, most of your acrylic paints have dried up due to your carelessness, and the poster colours that you vouched to fill with water from time to time when you bought them are as dry as your skin.”
“Oh no! I absolutely forgot to take the batteries out of my keyboard!”
“You can whine about it later, okay? I'm in no mood to take the blame for your already messed up sleeping schedule. So, without further delay, let’s move on to the next one.”
“Well, if I doze off during my lectures tomorrow, be ready to take ALL the blame.”
“Are you done?”
“Alright, alright, stop trying me. Whenever I sit with my sketchbook, I feel like I’m wasting my time. In the amount of time I spend drawing, I can complete a math exercise, or do something else that might benefit me in the long run.”
“So you’re saying that you’d rather spend your time doing something that will benefit your career than indulge in your hobbies.”
“Um, yes.”
“If you're not already aware, let me tell you, I have been sitting on your desk for years now, and I am a witness to what you do in your room all day. I'm pretty sure binge-watching shows on Netflix for six hours straight does not benefit your career in any way.”
“That was just one time! And remember how stressed I was? I needed something to relieve the stress so that I could resume my work.”
“Various scientific studies have proven that indulging in one's hobbies also relieves stress and is in fact good for your mental health. But, who am I to tell you what to do? After all, I am just a brush and you’re the one with a scientific and a technical background. But let me tell you, your excuses are extremely hollow.”
“Cooper, listen to me.”
“No, YOU listen to me. The truth is that your priorities have changed, and WE are at the very bottom of your priority list, thanks to the society we live in that values rote learning over everything else and labels indulgence in co-curricular activities as a waste of time, thanks to your parents who expect you to become all that they themselves couldn’t become, and thanks to you, who can’t see through all this. The saddest part is that there are lakhs of other students just like you who’ve stopped nurturing their hobbies, or worse, they were never allowed to inculcate them in the first place. I can’t see the creative side of you dying slowly right in front of my eyes, with every passing day, with every passing lecture, and with every passing exam. You need to do something about it. Do you hear me? Why are you so lost?”
“Oh! I’m so sorry, Cooper. I was just wrapping my head around everything you just said. Not that it's something new; I've heard those intellectual guys with youtube channels say similar stuff in their motivational videos, but somehow when a brush tells you the same stuff, it's much more impactful.”
“I’ll just assume that you are not mocking me right now and are taking me seriously. Well, you get the point, right?
“Yes I do.”
“I think this is enough for today. I have been speaking for too long; my wood is creaking with pain. I hope my words will echo in your head until they force you to bring a change in your thought pattern. Now, before we wake someone up with our murmurs, it's better we both go to sleep.”
“You’re right, Cooper. But before that, I wanted to thank you. I didn’t know I needed you, a paint-brush, to make me realize that the clutches of monotony that clutch every other student of this country are dragging us all into an abyss where creativity has no value. I promise I’ll free myself from these clutches.”
“I’m glad I was able to knock some sense into your pea-sized brain. Good night, moron. Thank me in the morning.”
“Good night, narcissist.”
On a side note, if your paint-brush refuses to give you a TED talk, maybe it is time for you to get a new brush.