I was recently reminded of some of my childhood memories while reading one of the posts. I just thought of sharing it with you guys.
It was, may be, 15 years before, I was a bright highschool kid. I wanted to take early lessons for even better performance. So, it was summer classes that I was attending, not in school, arranged by some other people. You pay high fees, and they teach you. Mainly math and science. I would wake up early, take 6:20am public transportation bus, then I was supposed to hire a rickshaw (a three wheeler automobile taxi). For first few days, my dad dropped me and picked me up. But eventually, I was starting to set my routine. And, I believe, very early I started to do this. Take the bus, and instead of taking rickshaw, I would walk in the breezy morning, as i had some spare time left for the claases to start. On the way, there comes an underpass, going under the rail tracks. I saw this guy in very terrible condition on the sidewalk. He was a leper, I guessed he was begging there, though he never asked for anything. He didn't have many fingers, and I did not think he could even see. I felt very bad for the unequality, here, I have luxury to go to school, hire a rickshaw coming from well to do family, and here this guy, I don't know how he would be eating his food or if he could even get food. I was afraid to go near with a fear of catching leprosy. But then I decided that, since, I had some spare time and I could walk, I would walk every day, and save money which my parents gave me to hire a rickshaw, I will give it to this guy. This way, I would help him, without being feared of catching infection, from far. I started to give money to this guy everyday, not to mention here that I never told about this at home. He never asked for it, neither I was not sure he knew that someone was giving him money. I never got any kind of gesture or words or movements from him. I was not sure how this guy would spend money, since I doubted that he could walk, but I did not want to think about it. I was painful. I sometimes would keep some fraction of change to add it to my piggy bank that's a different story..
This continued almost for all the weekdays for two months. Now summer vaction was ending, and so did my classes. I was so worried about this guy that how he would survive now, as if he was surviving on me! But back then, I seriously thought that he would starve and will die soon, and I would be responsible for his death.. I wanted to continue this classes but it was not feasible or possible with school.. and I had to leave it there.
After sometime, whenever I would pass by the same underpass, I would try to look for this guy. It was monsoon, and I read in the newspaper that this underpass was flooded with water, and I was worried about this guy, when I did not know if he was still there and alive.
This incident or whatever you call is one of the most memorable memories from my past..
It was, may be, 15 years before, I was a bright highschool kid. I wanted to take early lessons for even better performance. So, it was summer classes that I was attending, not in school, arranged by some other people. You pay high fees, and they teach you. Mainly math and science. I would wake up early, take 6:20am public transportation bus, then I was supposed to hire a rickshaw (a three wheeler automobile taxi). For first few days, my dad dropped me and picked me up. But eventually, I was starting to set my routine. And, I believe, very early I started to do this. Take the bus, and instead of taking rickshaw, I would walk in the breezy morning, as i had some spare time left for the claases to start. On the way, there comes an underpass, going under the rail tracks. I saw this guy in very terrible condition on the sidewalk. He was a leper, I guessed he was begging there, though he never asked for anything. He didn't have many fingers, and I did not think he could even see. I felt very bad for the unequality, here, I have luxury to go to school, hire a rickshaw coming from well to do family, and here this guy, I don't know how he would be eating his food or if he could even get food. I was afraid to go near with a fear of catching leprosy. But then I decided that, since, I had some spare time and I could walk, I would walk every day, and save money which my parents gave me to hire a rickshaw, I will give it to this guy. This way, I would help him, without being feared of catching infection, from far. I started to give money to this guy everyday, not to mention here that I never told about this at home. He never asked for it, neither I was not sure he knew that someone was giving him money. I never got any kind of gesture or words or movements from him. I was not sure how this guy would spend money, since I doubted that he could walk, but I did not want to think about it. I was painful. I sometimes would keep some fraction of change to add it to my piggy bank that's a different story..
This continued almost for all the weekdays for two months. Now summer vaction was ending, and so did my classes. I was so worried about this guy that how he would survive now, as if he was surviving on me! But back then, I seriously thought that he would starve and will die soon, and I would be responsible for his death.. I wanted to continue this classes but it was not feasible or possible with school.. and I had to leave it there.
After sometime, whenever I would pass by the same underpass, I would try to look for this guy. It was monsoon, and I read in the newspaper that this underpass was flooded with water, and I was worried about this guy, when I did not know if he was still there and alive.
This incident or whatever you call is one of the most memorable memories from my past..
16 comments:
what u did ws gr8.
gulnaz
Thanks gulnaz, I did not think then, and now I think about it, I feel, I did a good thing in my ignorance.
I've come across a lot of people who shun such people off. And they have some sense of pride doing it. It is inspirational, what you've done. Something very few people can/will do. :)
aahhh venus, atleast you did something unlike me. A spin off from my post that made you think about a similar incident? :)
V: That is flattering, but back then, I never thought of anything, the whole thing came out of my ignorance. I believe, more we get old, more we analyze things wih our logic, and more mess we make!
Sensibly Stoned: Oh yes, this post was inspired when I was reading yours! and I am more delighted that you figured that out :)
I caught the grammar difference of a younger version of you. It's neat that you saved this.
Someone once told me that they always thought of the homeless and ill as gods and godesses in disguise. You will surely be blessed for your selfless act and your generous heart.
wow mermaid! I am very impressed by your eloquence. Thank you for wishes. you know, I never think or thought of this as something I was return back for, it's just I did the thing that I felt was right.
hope you are doing fine.
Venus - you truly the Goddess of Love. Such love and compassion for a fellow human being is truly gr8. I salute you. Hope you continue doing these things now too.
Most flattered and honored :) Well now I can proudly say that Ive made atleast one person to sit up and take notice.
One of the most amazing things about your story is that you did this as a child. I was very frightened of people like this when I was young. As i got older, I would often give money to people in need and very often the same people that I would see near my work. Your story is quite compelling.
I was about to cry really with your story...
bablu: Thank you for your compliments, but I'm just a human no goddess :) I just did what my mind judged as right thing to do at that moment.
neel: It's something deep down in our heart which makes us do that. It gives us a very different kind of contentment out of helping someone. It's one of the acts that gives us a chance to contribute to god's creation, don't u think? I remember of reading this somewhere that even other people who see someone helping a needy person, they get this serenity. Our brain produces different kind of chemical which makes us feel this way.
iamnasra: Thank you for stopping by nasra. some wise books also say that god resides in the poorests. u get their happiness in return :)
I absolutely agree with you. And once again, it is a lovely story.
Thanks Neel.
you know, I keep telling people jokingly about such things that this is not a story, this is an actual incident in my life :)
Youre welcome. I realized that this was a true story. A story can be about actual events (nonfiction) or it can be made up. Thank you for all your kind posts.
i like to mess around a li'l :)
Thank you for your comments too neel.
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