There are many things in life which I am not proud of but one incident just stands out. I was around 12 years old, enjoying the freedom which a newly instituted allowance brings. Even then I liked to splurge and half my allowance finished within the first few days as ‘Centrefresh’ cards piled up in my bedroom.
One fine day as I was standing at a bus stop under the ubiquitous banyan tree ,I saw them. He was probably around 70, half blind and not very comfortable in walking. She was equally frail and led him by his hand. They went from person to person begging and as I later found out, they wanted money to buy medicines. As they came closer, I saw their faces better. It was a mixture of bewilderment and sadness. Bewilderment probably targeted at the world which treated them like this and embarrassment which I think, came out of doing something which was so obviously below their dignity. They were not the usual beggar couple, he wore a clean white mundu and shirt and she wore a cotton saree. Somehow it was clear that they would never ever have imagined fate dealing them such a blow.
We middle class Indians as a rule are not very tolerant of people approaching us for money on the streets, though at our homes we are far more altruistic when someone comes knocking. They were not very successful and as people started shaking their heads, she gently tugged at his hand and they moved on. I looked at the faces of the commuters standing next to me and I knew that I was not the only one embarrassed by the situation.
I still remember having 18 rupees with me. I had a ten rupee note in my purse and the rest as loose change. As they came closer I decided to hand over the note. Like a movie in slow motion they slowly came to me. She asked me. I still do not know why but I shook my head in dismissal. They stared at my face for a second and she tugged his hand.
I cried that night. Life s funny, even when u know that what u r about to do s t right thing, u don’t do it and u regret it later. Even today I regret what I did that day and I know that what little I have later given out to people who have approached me for alms, will never make right that wrong.
One fine day as I was standing at a bus stop under the ubiquitous banyan tree ,I saw them. He was probably around 70, half blind and not very comfortable in walking. She was equally frail and led him by his hand. They went from person to person begging and as I later found out, they wanted money to buy medicines. As they came closer, I saw their faces better. It was a mixture of bewilderment and sadness. Bewilderment probably targeted at the world which treated them like this and embarrassment which I think, came out of doing something which was so obviously below their dignity. They were not the usual beggar couple, he wore a clean white mundu and shirt and she wore a cotton saree. Somehow it was clear that they would never ever have imagined fate dealing them such a blow.
We middle class Indians as a rule are not very tolerant of people approaching us for money on the streets, though at our homes we are far more altruistic when someone comes knocking. They were not very successful and as people started shaking their heads, she gently tugged at his hand and they moved on. I looked at the faces of the commuters standing next to me and I knew that I was not the only one embarrassed by the situation.
I still remember having 18 rupees with me. I had a ten rupee note in my purse and the rest as loose change. As they came closer I decided to hand over the note. Like a movie in slow motion they slowly came to me. She asked me. I still do not know why but I shook my head in dismissal. They stared at my face for a second and she tugged his hand.
I cried that night. Life s funny, even when u know that what u r about to do s t right thing, u don’t do it and u regret it later. Even today I regret what I did that day and I know that what little I have later given out to people who have approached me for alms, will never make right that wrong.
well written.. and life doesn always give second chances.. does it?
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