Most days while I go back from the shop, I stop at the Azad bakery in medical college and buy something to eat. An old lady sits outside the entrance of the shop, on the pavement and begs. Whatever I buy, I buy for her too and while I walk out, I give it to her. We exchange a small smile too. Yesterday while giving her the parcel, I asked her what her name was and for a moment she looked confused. Dint say anything for sometime. Her smile sort of withered away in a few seconds and she said Naan poi solla maaten, Enn peru Kutti ammaal, what she spoke is Tamil, and it means I wont lie, my name is Kutti Ammal . After saying that she just looked down with a glum on her face. For a moment, I couldnt figure out why she said that or why she was sad but then it dawned on me that probably she feels I wont buy anything for her anymore if I realize she is not a Malayalee. While driving home yesterday I decided I will make sure I go and meet her today not while leaving shop but before reaching the shop, so that her uncertainty of my arrival goes away as soon as possible. I went to a hotel near by bought a Meals with fish fry and a bottle of cold water and went to meet her. While I reached near her I called her Kutti Amma and she looked up in shock as to who is calling her name. I gave her the parcel, and she was happy to see the bigger parcel, than the usual puffs and juice. I told her it would be nice if you could eat now, so that I can sit and watch her have it. She said she will have it later on somewhere in a shade. I asked her Enikku tamil kathu taruveengla in my broken tamil, which meant Would you teach me Tamil She smiled . All these conversations was to indirectly to assure her, she being Malayalee, Tamil, Telugu or Bengali would in no way make a difference to me. All the while, a very short man, probably in his late 50s, who had a kerchief tied around his face as if to guard himself from the sun and had put on a cap was looking at us, sitting in the waiting shed nearby and listening to our conversations. He had with him few evening news papers to sell. While I stood up from there and started walking past him, he showed me the paper, as if asking me to buy one. I looked at him, he was evidently weak. I asked him how much newspaper does he have. He said 13 of them at Rs 5 a paper. I asked him to give me all 13 and paid him Rs 100. He was surprised and it was reflecting on his face but enthusiastic to sell and very happy too. With the 13 news paper I was walking towards the shop, and there next to our shop is a man named Pikru. He behaves likes a 10 year old thought he is much above 30. He helps the road side dwellers by buying them tea when they want, disposing of the waste from the shop, and gets paid 1 or 2 Rs for that. He was looking at me and smiling . I gave all the 13 news papers to him and asked him to sell it and take the money. He was so happy, he took the paper and started selling it, walking from shop to shop. I walked into our shop, all the while feeling happy. I dint write about it to tell you that I did something great. There is nothing great about what I did and infact it is a very selfish act that I did because as they say, the first person who benefits from an act of charity is the giver itself, by seeing changes in himself and by finding peace, by finding a smile form on the lips of another person and realizing , you were the one who put it there. Spending some time with them on the hot sun, we get to realize how lucky we are. 63 Rupees for the meals+ 20 for the fish fry+ 20 for the water and 100 Rs for the newspaper. For a mere amount of 203 Rs , I could buy 3 smiles. I dont think I have ever had a better bargain. I reached the shop, switched on the computer, logged into my share brokers and looked at the rates of a company called Selan Exploration that I bought a month back. I hadnt logged on for few days and was unaware about the changes. With an ear to ear smile I sold and booked my profit and remembered what Anne Frank wrote, and how true it was that No one has ever become poor by giving . I would add a line to it, sometimes those blessing from them, might even make you richer
Posted on: Fri, 28 Mar 2014 08:02:20 +0000
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