It was just another Monday... Waking up lazily on Mom's 4th threatening reminder... Utth bhi jaaa... Raat ko time se sota kyu nahi hai... Kal se khud uthna... then brushing the teeth sluggishly... the semi sleep mode gargles... Waning winters creating the standard scenes... like the cold water touch dilemmas in bathroom... To pour the mug or not to pour... then after a brave attempt of pouring the first mug over the head comes a sudden cloudburst of water... Yes... I did it :-P ... So, after all these morning dilemmas and lethargic show, i got ready for office with normal haste... Started my drive to office which was filled with usual morning rush to reach office. Tuned into my car's audio player, I was listening to my dated but "my kind of music" collection of songs. While I was listening to the songs, I was thinking about the long and hectic day which I had to encounter at the office. I stopped at a red light... and the next 90 seconds turned out to be a really thoughtful experience for me.
As soon as I stopped my car on the red light, a girl knocked my car window... my first thought... 8-9 year old Bhikhari. I do not generally entertain beggars... My preferences say, do not give them cash... if I need to... I give them something to eat but not cash... Some may agree or disagree on my preference.. But that's okay... I always keep a small stockpile of nano biscuit packets, so that I can give those to beggars. But strangely despite all poverty, I seldom find any beggars on my route. Most of the times, I find myself eating those biscuits when I leave from office late nights or get stuck in traffic snarls.
The girl knocked the window... I didn't open it... I showed her a biscuit packet from my dashboard. She nodded in refusal... I was not surprised, as some beggars prefer cash. Might be they need cash for some genuine reasons or they just want it for a smack of drugs. Whatever... she's a kid... lemme listen to her... I opened the window fractionally so that I can hear her. To my shock, she asked for water... I showed her my water bottle... she nodded in affirmation. I was simply stunned.
I handed over the bottle to her. And, she took it happily and turned back. I was again surprised, she didn't asked for any thing else after it... No money... No biscuit... nothing. Within those 90 seconds of red light halt, I felt like minutes of silence. I quickly pinched myself to shield myself from the bombarding thoughts. I quickly yelled... Oye rukk.... Ye bhi lele... And, I handed over the biscuit to her... She took it... Pom Pom... Car honking... And the signal went green.... (Oh, its Delhi.. Car honking before signal turns green just so normal).
And green was the signal for the mad traffic of thoughts honking in my mind.
As soon as I stopped my car on the red light, a girl knocked my car window... my first thought... 8-9 year old Bhikhari. I do not generally entertain beggars... My preferences say, do not give them cash... if I need to... I give them something to eat but not cash... Some may agree or disagree on my preference.. But that's okay... I always keep a small stockpile of nano biscuit packets, so that I can give those to beggars. But strangely despite all poverty, I seldom find any beggars on my route. Most of the times, I find myself eating those biscuits when I leave from office late nights or get stuck in traffic snarls.
The girl knocked the window... I didn't open it... I showed her a biscuit packet from my dashboard. She nodded in refusal... I was not surprised, as some beggars prefer cash. Might be they need cash for some genuine reasons or they just want it for a smack of drugs. Whatever... she's a kid... lemme listen to her... I opened the window fractionally so that I can hear her. To my shock, she asked for water... I showed her my water bottle... she nodded in affirmation. I was simply stunned.
I handed over the bottle to her. And, she took it happily and turned back. I was again surprised, she didn't asked for any thing else after it... No money... No biscuit... nothing. Within those 90 seconds of red light halt, I felt like minutes of silence. I quickly pinched myself to shield myself from the bombarding thoughts. I quickly yelled... Oye rukk.... Ye bhi lele... And, I handed over the biscuit to her... She took it... Pom Pom... Car honking... And the signal went green.... (Oh, its Delhi.. Car honking before signal turns green just so normal).
And green was the signal for the mad traffic of thoughts honking in my mind.
- Poor state of beggars? Water Problems? Lost childhood? Child trafficking?
- So much water problem, that a poor child simply shuns the inherent childish greed for a cookie over water?
- Are they not even able to get one of the most basic necessities of life or rather I should say survival - water?
- Such shortage... even it was a waning winter season before the onset of draconian summers?
Don't have words for the thought provoking incident... I might take pride that I helped a poor girl to fulfill her thirst. But is it a matter of pride or a matter of shame? As we are busy in our usual lives... while bitching about our bosses... while cribbing about our work... while boasting about our achievements.. while discussing about Virat-Anushka saga... there are people who are living in such dismal state of affairs.
Should I be thankful of the wonderful life and opportunities that God has given me. Or, should I pity about the poor or probably water shortage or may be child trafficking. Or, should I do something and join some NGO to help poor. Or at the minimum, should I just act responsibly in my life while putting off that odd water tap.
I don't know... I simply don't know...