Friday, January 18, 2008

"18 till I die !!"

Immortal words by a mortal star, ‘18 till I die'. Personally I have my own views about immortality. For instance, I would rather achieve immortality by simply not dying than through my work but then that’s besides the point here. So I’ll try to stay put and not go off tangent!I had for long been laboring under the illusion that my life would take a dramatic turn once I turn 18 and now precisely five days after attaining that coveted 2 digit figure, the state of affairs remain a paradoxical abyss.

The Indian law considers people above 18 years of age as ‘adults’ and thus one is conferred with several rights at that age. But come to think of it the very foundations of Indian laws are contradicting. The ambiguity starts from the very word ‘adult’. When does a person cease to be a child? At 18, when a girl can marry; 16, when she can give consent for sex; or 14, when a person can work in hazardous jobs?But then I don’t intend to analyze the contradicting laws or their implementation or rather the lack of it!

Coming back to my newly acquired legal rights;

1. A person is legally allowed to drive at 18.

Yes, our law makers feel that a person is capable enough to handle a car at that age.(I read somewhere that sex is like driving, so in case you can’t wait to drive till you are 18 you can still legally experiment with some sex after 16 to get a fair idea)Well my even though my parents second the law makers' point of view and feel that 18 is the right age to get a Driver’s license, the appropriate age when their daughter should get the car remains debatable.

2. It’s illegal to sell tobacco products to people under 18.

So now that I am 18 I can walk up to any paan waala and demand for my pack of cigarettes with a new instilled confidence.That I consider smoking obnoxious, inconsiderate and plain yucky is a different matter altogether.The fact that now I can lawfully buy tobacco is enough to make me feel empowered, indeed!

3. 18 is the minimum age for a girl to get married.

It's true! I can get married to any gentleman I please, who is of course above 21years (That's the age the not-so-fairer sex is expected to grow up). So the policy makers think at 18 a person is old enough to get married, start a family and have babies ... though they also feel that the person needs a lot more growing up before s/he can handle his/her drinks (Legal drinking age being 25).Therefore, even though I can get married at 18, I can't celebrate my marriage with a drink!

4. 18 is the minimum age for voting.

Yippee! I will from now onwards have a say in the governance of the country. So what if my 'one' vote is simply a drop in the ocean? The voting rights give me the mental satisfaction and the much needed reassurance that I am finally and legally an adult.




Though by the standards of the Indian government I am an adult, my parents bluntly refuse to even acknowledge the fact! So, even after turning 18...

* I continue to travel by blue lines and autos (on more fateful days).
* I continue to drink milk with two tbs BOURNVITA!! (It’s tasty and healthy)
* I continue to struggle to get back home before sunset.
* I continue to eat out of my mummy's hands! (The experience is almost heavenly)
Would I still Love to be '18 till I die’? Umm.. I would have said yes without a thought had it not been for the "LEGAL DRINKING AGE"

17 comments:

shruti... ;) said...

oye yaar i luv wot u rite...it's so funny...!!...oh n by d way...on my 18th birthday...i had milk as a part f m breakfast 2...the 18 means nuthng 2 ur parents.....i knw abt dat...infact dey tend 2 use it 2 deir advantage...nw ur an adult..take decisions...u take em..nd u havent grown up enuff 4 it..!!

Meher B said...

you idea stealer, you.
!!
but i like what you've done with it.

Rozita Singh said...

hehe!!the bournvita part goes for me also!but by choice,i cant hav milk without bournvita!
cumin bak 2 wat u wrote,uhmm for parents thers no such thng as 18!i mean seriously,they dnt consider u a adult even wen u r 20!!!like shruti sed,they just use '18' 2 their advantage!!!sometimes v r adults wen it cums to handling responsibility,but in the nxt moment v r young again,wen v demand thngs as adult!!

Rebel Raised by SATAN himself said...

ok!! being the critic.. first of all the legal age of having sex is '18'.

But It was nice, i felt the touch of humour in it.

Rebel Raised by SATAN himself said...

and i have got blog(s) for many years i just like the idea of mailing my writings, so if u r interested leave ur mail ID..

And i will seriously think about your 'nasiyat' and not take me life seriously! :D

Devz said...

@ meher... I thought u turned 18 last year itself... so how can I Possibly 'Steal' ur idea?
Oakkk .. i knw wat ur hinting at...
But then..since when did YOU started caring about the legal drinking age anywayz..?
:P

Devz said...

@ rebel..
There is no legel age for having sex.. though at 16 a girl can give her consent for sex...
'Consent' of a girl below 16 is not considered valid by court.. which simply means that evn if you have sex with a girl below 16 with her consent.. its still considered rape..!!

Rebel Raised by SATAN himself said...

Before questioning my knowledge about the Laws please note that the age 16 is for countries like UK and US but india has the age of 18. Below is the link please follow it and clear your doubt

http://www.interpol.int/Public/Children/SexualAbuse/NationalLaws/csaIndia.asp

If u still want to debate! reply.. ;)

Rebel Raised by SATAN himself said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

hahaha.. :D
i enjoyed reading this one soona!
but after going through the random posts from DIABOLIC minds... phew are girls so edgy and avid to have sex or that initial shot of alc'
newaz~ that was amusing in many ways..

hey for a sake of experimenting why don't you try to write something "off-d-track".. i personally feel u would b worth reading @ that front too... so do try once.

Meher B said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Meher B said...

accha na ,you have a point there.
:P

KRODEEJAY™ said...

Hey!

Awesome!

Just loooove the way you perceive
the things around you!!!


You sure do have a strong point of view on this Delhi public!
(Referin to da "BLUE LINE" thingy!)

Keep this up!

Rebel Raised by SATAN himself said...

beleive me the indian law has this law till now... dont know if they are changing it!!!...anywayzz... long time no post???

Rebel Raised by SATAN himself said...

ok nicey!! i am waiting....

OK! reveal myself... hmm lets say i am fan of yours!!

Ok lol .. i am an engineering student, I just love to read so i read all kinds of blogs! I also write when i feel like ... what else do i need to reveal? ask me ill love to answer!! ;)

- Gagan Chaudhry

Jayant said...

Our government always comes up with these laws..
they actually thing that at 17 yrs and 364 days a girl isn't "matured" enough to take her decision on matrimony and i dont know what that magical one day(that turns her 18) does to her mind to make her that much "mature"!
as for the comparison between sex and driving a car,i would like to correct ya.. it was "having sex is similar to PUSHING a car,just that the former is more pleasurable".I guess the author tried to compare the similar kinda effort it takes in both the things..
nyz.. loved ur post again and i suspect you dont visit ur own blog so frequently..
I'll surely blogroll you if i get a reply to any of my comments
cheers!

Devz said...

@ Jayant: haha.. ah well now I remember, it was definitely "pushing" and not driving. :P ;)

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