Dating : “Watch this news…”

“china is attacking India, watch this news”- my grandpa showing me some YouTube channel.

“It’s not true, any body can have a channel and say their views about any topic”- I took my hundredth breath explaining about it.

“you don’t know, you do your job”- staring at the mobile screen my grandpa continued.

How can I explain him it’s not the actual news, I sent an WhatsApp forward stating don’t believe what you see over social media, it may be misleading and all that crap.

He replied saying — “LOL”. From room heard a voice “I know it’s you”

I screamed again — “do you know what LOL is?” — “I know idiot! Its Last Option Left for you to say don’t believe in these news ha ha ha, so you are sending me all these irrelevant things “

My god! I am out of this and looked at my own business.

My mobile blinked with a new message in our family group — posting an old actress photo it sated that she is jewel thief, Beware!

My grandma liked the news, my aunt said — “oh! Need to be careful, but she looks good”. Uncle commented — “yea, better than you” and all emojis flood came together.

I just replied — “she is Madhubala! Please do not spread such news!

My grandpa is super genius in emoji’s — he sent me middle finger in our group and said — “don’t talk”

I should make myself understand that the finger signifies “you”

Every day one or the other false news are coming in. and also lot of health tips “If you want to fight mosquitoes use lemon and cloves”, “If you want to keep your self healthy drink soda which helps in digestion”, “stand in hot sun you will get good vitamin D” — I pulled my grandpa literally inside home at noon 2PM who was standing in hot sun expecting vitamin D.

What is going on with this generation? This legacy question matches for any generation though. The cable guy is not bothered if people in family are watching TV or not but still, we do have smart TV at home for extra-Smart people. I do not even remember when it was last switched on.

“Do you know Nandini?”- pointing to mobile screen with his glasses on nose grandpa is asking everyone at home.

I interrupted — “Who Nandini? Why what happened any news?”

Aunt said — “She’s our milk man’s wife.”

Then I will accept the friend request in Facebook — my grandpa heard from trusted source.

“she looks like foreigner, lucky our Nagappa (milk man)”- I can see grandpa face with sad and happy emotions both at once.

How can I explain him now, It may not be a genuine person and the picture is of Hollywood actor katewin slet. My flowering god! This generation is crazy!

He even got a message from “katewin nandini” asking to like some of her videos and my grandpa is of big heart as always.

After few days he came to me asking why the messages are not going to “Nandini” — when I saw the chat conversation I was flabbergasted.

First, we both do not know who is that profile belongs to, second is that in all cases we cannot use emoji’s and shorthand texts to express something. I understand typing is quite cumbersome, so they rely on emoji to reply.

I introduced him to use index finger emoji to represent someone as ‘you’ than using middle finger emoji. He had a valid explanation though — you should not point that finger to others its rude. Explaining him using middle finger is much rude than that was like attending a military training.

These nonsenses should be stopped and must save this generation from getting spoiled; I have a great responsibility to fulfil.

So, I created “The news”. And that news should not reach my grandpa through me — as I am not a valid source.

Putting in grandpa pic added these lines — “watch on people! This is an old guy who kidnaps your children, do not leave your children alone in park or home. If you see this person around inform your nearest police station”

My grandpa was on sofa swiping across his mobile with sloppy lenses when he got the “news” in our family group forwarded by aunt.

I ran to him and said — “Watch this news…, very important”- he was flabbergasted.