(A true incident which made my life, and can make yours if you try.)
The train from Jabalpur arrived late at Delhi railway station, nothing new; this was the problem every time. I had to rush and run on the platform, rucksack on my back, to catch the train. Shatabdi should have departed by now to Chandigarh.
Glad! I some how made it to the train, which was sliding from the platform. Holding the bars of the door, I tried to board it. It is then I realized, that a boy in front of me, was blocking my way? “Chandigarh Jana hai.”He retorted, “Than go inside” I said loudly, "train is moving", I added, " Is it the right train"? He again blurted. I had no choice, but to push him inside, to board the train in time. "We have made it", I said, "we would have missed the train, the way you were deciding"? I tried to explain to the boy. He was perplexed. I was wondering, looking at him, as the boy seem extremely poor, with poor clothing and a mere torn cotton bag as his belonging, and therefore was appearing, in AC chair car compartment; visibly out of place. Well, he may be having reasons, to be here -- I thought!!. Pushing the glass door, I made my way inside the AC cool compartment, nice and cool gust of AC was soothing; Selecting a vacant seat, I sat down.
"The Indian Railways has gone to dogs", she said. I turned my face, near the widow seat, I noticed her, a beautiful lady, although her face now was in scrimmage, not happy as the train was departing 10 minutes late. "Yes I said, but had it departed in time, I and the other boy would have missed the train".
Where is the boy? I looked around. That is the time I noticed, the boy was having some problem with the Ticket Collector, few other passengers were also crowding over him.Sensing some trouble, I got up and went outside. “He is a ticket less traveler;” the on lookers, standing in circle around the same boy, who had boarded the train with me; shouted in one tone, "they are thieves”. "Do not let him in" they all added.
“He has a Ticket” I shouted, "leave him", I said, flashing my Vir Chakra, Gallantry Award, Government of India, Railway Free Pass, “he is with me.” The over zealous passenger shouting around him, were now left astounded.
I took the boy inside and offered him the seat in-between me and the disgruntled, beautiful lady. “Who is he?” she complained, shrinking in her seat, “do you have a ticket”, she asked the boy. "No", he said, than “why are you here?” “I do not know?” He said. What! She screamed. She got up and went to the ticket collector, never returning back, probably, she was able to manage a better seat.
The boy was a poor farm labour, going to seek work in Chandigarh. Meal was served; we were hungry and enjoyed the wonderful journey, of course with discomfort to other elite passengers. I did a good deed, this was probably the first time the poor boy felt and enjoyed comfort and coolness of an AC coach.
WE ALL HAVE THAT STREAK OF GOODNESS IN US, BUT HOW OFTEN WE DARE TO TAKE THAT STEP. MY WIFE VANITA DUBEY, ALWAYS TELLS ME, DO A GOOD DEED; HE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO REPAY IT. BUT SOMEDAY, SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE ELSE WILL REPAY YOU WHEN YOU ARE IN NEED.
THIS IS A TRUE STORY.
The train from Jabalpur arrived late at Delhi railway station, nothing new; this was the problem every time. I had to rush and run on the platform, rucksack on my back, to catch the train. Shatabdi should have departed by now to Chandigarh.
Glad! I some how made it to the train, which was sliding from the platform. Holding the bars of the door, I tried to board it. It is then I realized, that a boy in front of me, was blocking my way? “Chandigarh Jana hai.”He retorted, “Than go inside” I said loudly, "train is moving", I added, " Is it the right train"? He again blurted. I had no choice, but to push him inside, to board the train in time. "We have made it", I said, "we would have missed the train, the way you were deciding"? I tried to explain to the boy. He was perplexed. I was wondering, looking at him, as the boy seem extremely poor, with poor clothing and a mere torn cotton bag as his belonging, and therefore was appearing, in AC chair car compartment; visibly out of place. Well, he may be having reasons, to be here -- I thought!!. Pushing the glass door, I made my way inside the AC cool compartment, nice and cool gust of AC was soothing; Selecting a vacant seat, I sat down.
"The Indian Railways has gone to dogs", she said. I turned my face, near the widow seat, I noticed her, a beautiful lady, although her face now was in scrimmage, not happy as the train was departing 10 minutes late. "Yes I said, but had it departed in time, I and the other boy would have missed the train".
Where is the boy? I looked around. That is the time I noticed, the boy was having some problem with the Ticket Collector, few other passengers were also crowding over him.Sensing some trouble, I got up and went outside. “He is a ticket less traveler;” the on lookers, standing in circle around the same boy, who had boarded the train with me; shouted in one tone, "they are thieves”. "Do not let him in" they all added.
“He has a Ticket” I shouted, "leave him", I said, flashing my Vir Chakra, Gallantry Award, Government of India, Railway Free Pass, “he is with me.” The over zealous passenger shouting around him, were now left astounded.
I took the boy inside and offered him the seat in-between me and the disgruntled, beautiful lady. “Who is he?” she complained, shrinking in her seat, “do you have a ticket”, she asked the boy. "No", he said, than “why are you here?” “I do not know?” He said. What! She screamed. She got up and went to the ticket collector, never returning back, probably, she was able to manage a better seat.
The boy was a poor farm labour, going to seek work in Chandigarh. Meal was served; we were hungry and enjoyed the wonderful journey, of course with discomfort to other elite passengers. I did a good deed, this was probably the first time the poor boy felt and enjoyed comfort and coolness of an AC coach.
WE ALL HAVE THAT STREAK OF GOODNESS IN US, BUT HOW OFTEN WE DARE TO TAKE THAT STEP. MY WIFE VANITA DUBEY, ALWAYS TELLS ME, DO A GOOD DEED; HE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO REPAY IT. BUT SOMEDAY, SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE ELSE WILL REPAY YOU WHEN YOU ARE IN NEED.
THIS IS A TRUE STORY.
That's so well said.If atleast half of the people in this country started getting up and doing something for the poor, we will definitely become a super-power.
ReplyDeleteThis is sonu and buaji from noida..this is mom's first blogging experience.
this incident though so simple is written in a very emotional way and reminds of some great writers like premchand, chandradhar sharma guleri and offcourse haridatt dubey.
ReplyDeletedr. nawal