John John

 

We all have different habits, unique body language, and a style that differentiates us from others. John had a special condition that made him stand out even among unique characters. He stood there in front of a mirror and started grooming himself to be presentable for the big event. He blinked twice within every few seconds, adjusted his shirt collar twice, combed twice, and sighed twice. He repeated everything twice. After few minutes, he moved away picked up his bag, key chain, and got ready to leave. When he strained his palm to open the door, an old violin ring tone played emerged from his pocket. He picked up his phone, swiped the lock, and answered – John John here!

Caller – Hello John!

John – Yes, yes!

Caller – Your boat is ready!

John – Thank, thank you!

The call got disconnected and John left his home. He kick-started his bike twice, wiped his helmet twice, and moved towards the road. Like everyone, his physical body was navigating through the concrete trails and his mental presence was reliving childhood memories.

John had an unfortunate accident when he was a child on the beach. He tripped his leg and banged his head on a boat.  After that, a weird nervous problem caught him gradually and made him stammer. Because of the sudden electrical impulse in his nerves, his motor skills ran fast. Because of that he blinks twice, speaks fast by repeating the same word twice, and even inhales twice in short intervals. This condition subconsciously created a pattern. The pattern grew in range as mannerism in the beginning. He started applying the concept of two even in the smallest of actions in his life. As time progressed, his mannerism became a habit and defined his personality.

This condition invited some attention. People made fun of him and even close friends started feeling embarrassed. Everyone around him tried to change him or avoid him. In-between the fakeness and harsh judgments John lost his identity. He came out of his job, old circle, and lifestyle and started searching for himself. Most of his time was spent alone in silence on the beaches. He wanted to drift apart on the waves without any worry and just blend in with the ocean of peace. One fine evening, John found his answer after seeing a boat.

Almost after driving for an hour, John reached the coast of Marina beach. He parked his bike in front of the lighthouse and started walking on the sand. From a distance, he could see the white foams brushing through the granules of the shore. The strong winds pierced the surrounding noise and created a constant rhythm in his ears. He went close to the dock and found hundreds of boats placed randomly. Every boat represented the owner. Some were vibrant, a few had some symbols on them, some had names of stars like Rajini Kanth and a few had flags with symbols like fish and crab.

John went near a garage and knocked on it. Old fishermen in regional outfit whistled few others and opened the shutter. He smiled at John and passed a huge rope to him. They all pulled the rope together and dragged a huge boat out of the garage. The boat was different. It had huge wheels, a vibrant sunroof, and a huge flag on the top of it. The flag had a unique design that said John-John Snacks. It also had a tag line that said, sail with some snacks. The tourists, localities, and the entire beach noticed this marvelous boat and came towards it. It was different. It had a double sound system and some exotic tables on it.

John wore an apron and started cooking in front of the crowd. He made some free Bajyas and served them to everyone. He added two different pieces of snacks with two different sides. People were intrigued and curious about John and his food. Though the food was simple, the taste was powerful. People could taste double flavors in it. John finally got a platform to express his true self to the world. When John served the customers, they found his habit interesting and even imitated his style. With the taste, John's personality got slightly induced inside them. With the newfound freedom, John's individuality and identity remained the same and he relished every part of it. As the years progressed, John-John gained a big name and John gained a lot of fame. John changed his life without changing his personality. Being true to him, kept the essence of his life and helped him grow.