It Still Exists

THE WORLD IS FULL OF NICE PEOPLE. IF YOU CANT FIND ONE, THEN BE ONE…

“Oh man! This traffic really sucks... Ash please try to understand... It would probably take an hour or two for us to reach” said Viren in a pleasing tone.

But Ashwin, who was already annoyed and no mood to listen, ended the call. He saw his mobile buzzing up with messages. He did not care to reply them. He asked the manager to delay the arrangements for a while and left the club. He planned to pass the time in a nearby park in a walkable distance as he had left with no choice.

Ashwin, the only son of a well settled business man, was a handsome fellow. He got settled in Delhi a year ago. Ashwin was a college student and he enjoyed the total luxurious life made by his dad. And that day, it was Ashwin's birthday. He wanted to threw a huge party and made plan to celebrate the day with his friends. Though he had so many friends around him, he really wished for his childhood friends to acompany him on that special day. He had already warned them about the traffic and have asked them to start their journey earlier. But they got late to get gathered.

It was already an hour late, now another one or two hours. Uffff. He got irritated.
He started to walk in the pathway. The traffic of Delhi was always a historical happening. Thinking about the surrounding he reached the park. The park crammed with pairs. He went near the entrance and paid for the ticket. As he was about to enter the park, he realized someone pulling his shirt from back. He turned around to see and there stood a small boy with a bucket full of roses. He looked pale and skinny even dirty too.

“Bhaiya, will you please buy a flower from me?” the little boy aked in a cracked tone.

Ash gave a look at him and tried to move. But the boy went running behind him.

“Bhaiya please. Just one rose” the little boy pleaded him.

“See dear, I don’t have anyone whom I can give this rose. Better try some other customer”
Ash was about to move but he was dumbstruck when the little boy fell to his feet pleading. Ash totally felt awkward and did not know what to do. The boy started to shed tears holding his legs.

“Bhaiya, I don’t have anyone to look after me. I did not eat from morning. Am starving. Please buy a rose from me so that at least I can have hope for the next meal. A piece of bread would help me live alive. Please please bhaiya” he started to cry and all the people around them stared at them. But none cared much and they lead their own way.
Ash was completely moved. He leaned down and helped the boy to stand. Ash could figure how weak he was.
“I will buy them, but before that I shall buy you something to eat. Now, come with me”

 Ash made careful steps leading the boy to a stone bench. He asked the boy to sit there and bought some bread and drink from the nearby shop. The boy grabbed the bread from his hands as soon as it was given to him. He ate without glancing up. It really pinned his heart. Never in this life he had suffered the pain of hunger. He even was not aware that hunger would exist for him. He saw the small boy sitting before him who had no hope for the next meal. Ash was shattered by the very thought of the boy.
" What he is going to do next? What if he is not able to sell the flowers? What if he did not get food? Where he stays? Where he sleeps?" Each question haunted him but he waited until the boy ate the last trace of bread from the packet.
The boy, as soon as he completed, stood and folded his hands to thank him. Ash was not really used to this and he felt different. He asked the boy not to thank him and enquired about his parents.
“Bhaiya, I would at least not have had fell to your foot if I had a mom who would grasp me in her lap or a dad who would bear me upon his shoulder. Am left all alone in this selfish world with nothing but only my hunger and tears” the boy wiped the tears and looked towards Ash.
Ash was left unmoved. Each words of the boy pricked his heart. He could not even think how much suffering and pain the boy was fighting with. He saw the wet eyes of boy and his eyes reflected his heart. Ash felt his heart heavy. He saw the boy stood to leave. Ash could say nothing but just saw the boy taking steps away from him. But the boy stopped within three steps and he came rushing to Ash. He took a white rose from his basket and said, “I wish to give you this as a token of love. Please accept it bhaiya” the boy said and shown the flower to him.

Ash did not utter a word but just stared at the boy. His mobile started to ring and the screen flashed the name ‘Viren’. On a sudden, ash went grabbed the boy and said, “Come with me”.
The boy was totally confused but followed him without uttering a word. He called a taxi. But when he was about to sit, ash saw the taxi driver throwing a look of ignorance towards the boy. Ash felt totally worst.
“Keep your dirty look within you and start the taxi” Ash said in full of anger. The taxi driver obeyed and moved.
Ten minutes later they reached the building. All through the way his friends called him so many times but he ignored them totally. He asked the boy to wait in the reception and went inside the room. Within five minutes he came back with a lady smiling at him.
“Come here to me” Ash called the boy and he took slow steps towards them.
“From now she will take care of you completely. You will not suffer again. I promise” ash said. He saw some inexpressible thankfulness in those tiny pity eyes. He could not measure them. Meanwhile the lady takes the boy with him.
Ash made his way to the door but he stopped as he saw a box with lines ‘help this orphanage if you wish’. Ash made his steps towards the box. He opened his wallet and sighs as he saw the suffocating thousand rupee notes inside. He pulls out all and put in the box and moved.
Ash opened the door of the taxi but he paused. He felt someone pulling is shirt. He looked around and saw the boy again. He went to his knees.
“Is everything OK dear?”  Ash asked in a soft tone.
On a sudden the boy threw his arms around Ash's neck and planted a kiss on his cheek. Ash had never felt such a thing in his life. Ash saw the boy running back as his cheek got wet by the tears and it dashed his smiling lips. He was in a different world. His phone vibrated and he came to reality. The screen flashed Viren.
"Dude, where are you? How many times to call you??" He asked in a furious tone.
"Come to Gandhi Orphanage" Ash said simply.
"What?? Orpha?? But why??" He was totally confused.
"To celebrate my birthday"
Ash said in a satisfied tone.

WHEN FATE HANDS US MONEY, LET'S HELP POOR...

Comments

  1. I also totally salute the protagonist ash for the courage. . Yes, aparna, we salute you to think n move us all towards feeling empathy for all humanity. Congrats! !

    ReplyDelete
  2. Trace of humanity left in this society... supr...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Nice Aparna and good writing skills.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Nice Aparna and good writing skills.

    ReplyDelete

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