Lessons : From Kids who never went to school

BOMBAY! , a city full of kids who live on the streets, stations,bus stops, platforms etc.

Like most of you who may read this Blog, am a selfish, self centered person. we never spare a thought for these kids right from the time they walk past your sight. Once we take that rupee or two from our pockets and shove it in thier tiny hands , our good karma for the day is done !

We never bother to even think how thier tiny minds function?
How would she/he spend that money?
Does he/she really need this money to buy food,clothes OR is someone taking care of all that and making them beg/work.
If someone asks them to define happiness or comfort, what would thier answer be?

Inspite of all the hardhips that these kids must go through to live each day of their life, It is nothng but a pleasure to see them smile,laugh, giggle and play amongst themselves. It makes me really believe in the line 'Money can't buy you happiness'

There were 2 incidents in my encounters with these kids when i used to live in bombay, that left such a deep impression on me. They made me learn some lessons, and coming from these kids who would'nt have seen a school from miles away these are nothing but gems.

Boot Polish Boy
Age 7-9 yrs.
Strikng features : A smile. As if it is glued to his lips. Quick wit answers.
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BPB: Good morning Saab, Paalis kara lo na ( would you like to polish your shoes)
Me : Frown, Ignore, Walk away.
BPB: Follows me, Pesters me, Begs me to polish my shoes for 3 rupees.
Me : Frown, Ignore, Walk away ,Arey subah subah dimag mat kha (Dont pester me early in the morning)
BPB:Smiling always... Saab, kara lo na...Subah se boni bhi nahi kiya (Please get it done sir,i have not earned anything since morning)
ME: Tujhe pure station pe main hi dikh raha hu kya, mere pass kyon aaya(Can you see only me on this station, why did you come to me?)
BPB: Saab aap itne lambe ho, door se dikhai dete ho ( you are so tall, i saw from a distance)
ME: Acha! kal se main khada nai rahunga station pe,seat pe baith jaaunga,tab toh nahi dikhoonga tujhe?Meri jaan chod de (Oh Really ! then i would not stand on the platform from tomorrow,i would sit on a seat! you wont find me then!!!)
BPB: Saab, main toh boot paalis wala hu na, niche dekhke chalta hu, aap toh tab bhi dikhenge (Sir, my work to to search for shoes to polish, i keep my eyes down, i would find you still)
BPB: Kara lo na saab, main sab se 3 rupya leta hu, aap 10 rupya de dena ( Please get it done sir, I take 3 rupees from everyone, i wil take only 10 from you)
ME: Surprised, Irritated, shocked
ME: Kya !!!!! Sab se 3 leta hai, aur mere se 10 lega? Kyon be, Mere pe yeh meherbaani kyon?( WHAT !!!! you charge 3 from everyone and will charge me 10??? why this special privilage to me????)
BPB: Saab, Baki sab ne Kaala juta pehna hai, kam paalis lagega, aapne Safeed pehna hai, Jyada paalis lagega na chamkane main !!! (Sir, all other gents here are wearing black shoes, will use up less of my polish, you are wearing white, will take up more of my polish to make your shoes shine!!!!)
ME: This is when i looked down to see, i was wearing my reebok sneakers and not my black leather shoes.
ME: Laughing madly , Abey ! yeh juta bhi koi polish karata hai kya ? (Hey ! does anybody polish these kind of shoes???)
BPB:Doosre ka malum nai saab, aap mujhe 10 rupya de do, main aapka kar dunga ! (I dont know about others sir, you just give me 10 rupees, I will polish yours)
ME: Mere bhai ! mujhe nai karana yeh juta polish, tu yeh le 5 rupya pakad, Polish bhi mat kar and meri jaan chod de ( Brother ! i dont want to get this polished, here.. catch this 5 rupees, dont do any polishing thing, and just leave me alone!!)
BPB: All smiles gone ! serious, stern look on this face!
BPB: Naiiii Saaab ! polish nai karoge toh paisa nahi chahiye(Noo Sir! if you are not getting shoes polished, i dont want your money)
BPB: Walks away, without even as much as a second glance towards me
ME: Stunned ! Feeling so small and humbled by that one act.

It made me realise, only hard earned money can give you the peace of mind and a clear consience to really enjoy the pleasures that money can buy, and it was an uneducated,living on the streets boy who drove the point as hard as a nail in my head !

The Begger Girl
Age 7-8 years
Striking features : Eyes, they kind of were reading into me.
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Its one of those monsoon days in bombay, when it rains like the heavens have punctured a hole in them.

I get down from the rickshaw and walk towards the station, when i feel somone tugging my trousers. I look down to see a tiny girl pulling them, but not speaking a word. I assumed she is dumb, but later it turned out she was not. I am.

I nodded my head in a way, indians do to ask a silent question. She responded back by taking her hands 2-3 times in quick sucession to suggest that she is hungry and wants money to buy food. I told her, I wont give you money, Walk with me to the canteen on the station and would buy her whatever she wants to eat. She just looked at me , the eyes told me she said NO.

I walk off. But something in my head does not let me take off my attention from her and i turn back again and again to check that little girl sitting at a distance now.

I can sense the eyes glued on me, when actually they were not.

Finally i decide to buy her something, i buy 2 packets or Parle glucose biscuits and walk up to her and give them to her. she just grabs it from me in a single quick pull and looks away as if nothing happened.

In the selfish way that my brain functions, some part of me wants her to thank me, i want her to show some humbleness, some gratitude, After all i walked all the way again in the rain to give her something. how can she look away like that. Disgruntled and unhappy, i dont know for what... I walk away. Angry on that little child??

I still keep turning back to watch her, and this time i see her getting up slowly holding the railing behind her, bending down again,Picking up her cruthces and limping towards the bridge! I would have survived the pain of someone stabbing me with a knife, but the pain of that scene was unbearable. A part of me died in that moment.

My stare followed her, walking up the bridge, getting down on the other side, she finally stopped on the furtherest part of the station, and i could see her sharing the packet of bisuits i had given with 4 other people, 3 kids and one adult.

And... to think of it... i with a pair of safe,sound,hale and hearty legs... was expecting a lifetime of gratitude from a little girl, all because i walked upto her, and wanted to come out BIG !

WE ARE SO SELFISH ! our earnings may be high... our thoughts are stinking low.

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