Just A Thought!

"Good Things Happen To Good People!!"

I have always been a staunch believer of this funda ! Recent events, over the past few months are shaking it !

Is it really true?

Just A Thought !

For quite some time now, I think i've only typed LOL and never ever acutally laughed out loud ! Hmmph ! Not a good sign !

Take It Easy....It Is Really Easy !

I have been away from my blog,and it shows! I was staring at the screen for a good 20 minutes to decide on the title for this post, and in hay days the title was the simplest part! I almost gave up and closed the window, but then settled for the same title for the post as i have for my blog. And it seemed fit to what this garbled post will contain.

To sum up the last 2 months. They were anything but easy, In fact they were the most difficult two months of my life. But as the dictum of my life, "This too shall Pass". It did pass, and thankfully for the better and in my favour.

So! That brings me back to all you good people with a promise to be regular ! Hopefully you dint shrug reading this :-)

Now to add some flavor to a bland post...

A corridor conversation in office..

Guy: Hey.. long time...
Me: Ya! been a while... All's well?
Guy: Yup ! how about you.
Me: Been Good ! How come on this floor today?
Guy: I have a meeting With Su in the room over there.
Me: Meeting with who?
Guy: Su Su ! Got a meeting with her.
Me: Ya: Arent you heading to a wrong room to meet Su su ??

And ! Back with a Bang :-)

PS: No i was not Pinkslipped.

Festive Conversations

Spent the last couple of days in Mangalore.

A long lost contact sprang up on Gtalk !

M: Do you have Nero?
Me: What Nero?
M: I want to burn My CD's
Me: CD Burn Ko Nero Kyon chahiye? Thoda sa Kerosene Dal aur Macchhis laga de!!
{Silence}
{Silence}
Me: Jala Diya ?
Me: Burnt ?
Me: Khud Bhi Jal gala ?
I lost a Friend day before yesterday :o)


Me: I filled 2 litres petrol in your scooty.
Sister: What are you giving me as Rakhi gift?
Me: Dint you hear? I filled 2 litres petrol in your scooty!
Sister: So that is my Rakhi Gift ?
Me: Hey ! C'mon Ofcourse not ya ! I filled Air in the tyres too !!
Sister: Both Tyres?
Me: Ya Both!
Sister: WOW ! where will i find a brother like you !

Sister1: Hey Santo, Give me my 500 Bucks, I had paid for your ticket to mangalore
Sister2: Where is my Rakhi Gift?
Me: Hey Sister1 ive 500 to Sister2 ; I have to settle 500 Rs with you right? Settled
Sister2: Hey Sis, Give the 500 which you have to give Santo
Sister1: WHat !!! I have to take from him, Not give to him ! I am not giving anyone any money, I did not ask him to come to to mangalore, nor did i tell you to tie Rakhi to him !
Me: Let me know who is giving me 500 Rs. I have a bus to catch tonight.
Sister2: Hey give him the money na , I will get my Rakhi gift only if you pay him !
Sister1 : Are you really dumb or ganged up with him to make 500 quick bucks
Sister2: I dont know, I want my Rakhi gift
Me: You girls are mad ! I am out of here.
Sister1 : See you are such a stupid thing ! we both lost 500 Bucks!

Took my Granny to some 13th day function of some old aged lady who is a distant relative and i have no idea who they are !

Random Guy1 : Oh Santosh! Its been so many years since i saw you, you have changed completely ! {so what did you expect, me to stopping growing at the age of 7 so that you can recognize me 20 years later?}

Random Guy2: Oh ! did you recognize me ? {No ! And i dont plant o trouble my memory cell either}

Random Lady1: So you are staying in Bangalore now? How much rent do you pay ?? { Next Lady.. or Next Question please !!!}

But i am so happy i took my granny there, It really made her day and she had not expected in her wildest dreams i will accept her invitation and actually accompany her. My good karma for the day or for the year may be !

Hair Hair Saved

Or as they say, Bal Bal Bach Gaye in Native Indian languages is what happened to Your's Truly today !

We had this all IT team away from office at Manipal County. The whole affair got pretty boring around noon, Heavy lunch may be partly balmed for this, Also no beer ! So 3 of us decided to head out of there and grab a couple of beers.

As we were driving somwhere near BTM layout, My colleague who was driving veered to the left and braked to a standstill at an intersection, and right next to us this huge lorry comes full force and bangs on to another lorry standing ahead to the right of our car, That lorry went and hit the car ahead and the car went on to another Auto or Bike fellow.

It was just a matter of 40-50 Secs, if my good friend had not veered to the left, We would have been in between the two lorries, And looking at the damage the lorry caused to the other lorry it hit, The Santro we were in;Did not stand a chance ! Phew !
Eyememyself had commented on my earlier post that losing footwear brings luck, Well never imagined that one shoe getting stolen would save 3 lives. Thanks "Eye..." :o) how i wish i had lost both of them !
Beer tasted a lot lot better after that, Believe me ! So enjoy every drink :o) You will never know which is your last !

I have heard of Don't Drink and Drive ; Today the reverse was also true, It was as f God was saying " Don't Drive to Drink as well " :o) Par hum toh tehre Besharam !

Moral of the Story : All Office functions,get-togethers, parties should serve Beer, So employees don't leave early to fend for themselves !

F.R.I.E.N.D.S

What is life without you guys?

Here's to us...... Cheers !

Who has the Right Answers?

The Mehtas who are in the news for submitting a plea in Mumbai high court to abort thier 25 week old baby had thier plea rejected yesterday.

Does it end there? Are such questions or situations of life plain black and white? Is this the end really ? Or is this just the begining ?Who is right here?

The parents, who have only good intentions for a child unborn and wish that they dont want to bring to life a baby who in most porbabilities would be plagued with health issues.?

The Judiciary, Who feels this amounts to Euthanasia and should not be provided as an escape from a situation which would have many medical solutions given the available medical options for people who are born with Congenital heart and other health issues ?

Given that the high court has rejected thier plea, it is all but evident now that the baby will be born. The parents and the world can only pray that it has the least suffering if the poor thing really has to undergo the birth defects but hope that the baby comes out hale and hearty and surprises the world, which some doctors have claimed is a possibiity too.

The most astonishing part would be how would the Baby judge all those who are debating what is right for him/her. As and when he/she grows up to an age where it will start understanding and realising the past it carries even before it were born.

If the child is born healthy or with minimal health problems, which are easily corrected with a pace maker or any other medical marvel. Will it thank the Judicial system for giving it a chance to come into this world and experience it firsthand and will it Hold it against its parents? The hard fact that they tried to abort it and did not want to bring it into this world? That they did not want to give it a chance ? Will relations change? Will there be confrontations?

OR

God forbid the child is indeed born with many birth defects that life is more of a punishment than a pleasure. Will the judicial system claim reponsibility for the suffering the young one may have to go through? Will the child question or curse them for not having given the right to its parents to have excerised the extreme step they had embarked to take?

I guess no one will ever have the answers. Or maybe there are no answers.

Bombs..Blasts...And a Hobby Gone Bad....

I have a hobby of collecting newspaper headlines. Not everyday news, but news that made headlines. I have the clipping of Indira Gandhi Assasinated, Rajiv Gandhi Assasinated, India winning the World cup, Lord Ganesha Drinking milk, The Bombay bomb Blasts, The Bombay blasts again, and again and again.

If the bombing spree goes on this way, I think i will have to keep everydays frontpage !

While at the point, I also wonder how long and how many times will the same cycle be repeated and how far will we go till we say enough is enough and react. I am just fed up of a few things , rhetoric, statements and News Flash that follow a Bomb-Blast.

• The Prime minister and President have condemned the blasts.
• The Chief minister has asked the public to maintain calm and peace.
• News Flash - Police have released sketches of suspected bomber.
• The News reporter shouting "You are watching these first pictures of the blast site exclusively on our channel"
• The gory images of blast victims that are splashed on the screens, I am sure it would have a huge phsycological impact on many people, specially those who would have either gone through a similar experience themselves, or sadly would have lost one of thier kin.
• Finger pointing by politicians. It is high time we grow up folks !

On a personal level, i have gone beyond getting scared by such incidents, It just does not effect anymore. I guess its just about not being at the wrong place at the wrong time and being happy about it.

My prayers to all those who were affected by the recent events.

and to those who are doing this : MAY YOU ROT IN HELL !

Better Late then Ever !!!

What is it about me and being early; I am early even when I am late.

Today I walked in to a video conference room at 2.10 for a meeting scheduled at 2.00 and Lo! I am the first one to walk into that empty room. And then within the next 3 minutes the whole room is abuzz! Where were all of them till 2.09? Hiding somewhere and waiting for me to get in? By the way, it’s not only about this meeting its true for any conference call that I am invited to. When I dial in I hear " Please Wait while the chair person arrives" And If on some occasion where I am the invitee I hear " you are the first participant to join the call ; Please Wait"

#$@!# Am I born to wait?

I think I have a reputation. I have waited for friends below the platform # 1 indicator when in Bombay for so long; I guess many would have thought I live there. I reach huffing and puffing, feeling guilty as hell for being about 5-7 mins late only to find there is no one there, and within the next couple of minutes or hours they all start trickling one by one! I have never had the privilege to keep people waiting, as hard as I try they try harder and Darn it but they always win!

Once I reached for my friends engagement venue to see an empty hall, Amazed and embarrassed I called him to know that he is still at home and yet to start for the venue.

Am telling you folks! It’s all a big conspiracy the world’s playing on me! And all my friends and colleagues from through out the world are deeply involved in this.

I won’t let them get me….. I WILL BE LATE NEXT TIME!!!!! You just wait… :o)

Smiles and Frowns

• Read this sign board on the Bangalore-Mysore highway." Learn Unlimited English. 500 Rs only"
• Bangalore Traffic Sucks. Elections should happen once in 100 years.
• Me to a colleague. "Buddy coming for lunch ?" He : No man you carry on, I recently had breakfast !
• Bangalore Traffic sucks. Offices should be walking distance from home
• Read this sign board near Cox town, "A-one class paying guest accomodation available. Male members only. Andhra style" I wonder what they do Andhra style :-)
• Bangalore traffic sucks. They should let us work alternate days.
• Overheard at office. A guy to a female. " I Can't open it: Can you please ZIP it again properly?" I wonder if he would be still working tomorrow, or facing harrasment charges.
• Bangalore Traffic sucks. Our cabs should function the same way like outstation buses do. They should stop en-route for snacks, at TOILETS etc.
• Nobody is ever happy after appraisals {Wink Wink}
• And ya of course, How can i forget, Bangalore traffic sucks !

Down the Memory Lane!

Somebody TAGGED me last week with a request to write about the list given below. He/She also mentioned that it will bring bad luck if I do not write within 7 days of receiving the tag. Now, not wanting to call more luck issues than I already have, I decided I will work against the clock and meet the deadline. So yours truly has written a part of this blog sitting in the office cab with curious eyes hovering around and also assuming that I am soooo overloaded with work!

Here goes.

What is the oldest / first memory you carry of :

Of your Mother : I stretched my memory to the limits and the earliest I could reach was a memory of mom sitting with me on the bed making me do my homework must be my 2nd or 3rd standard. There were books thrown all around, and I distinctly remember a scale in her hand as well.

Of crying : Of me being chased by a few dogs in the colony and running back home crying like mad. I still fear dogs!

Of your father : This will tell people how selfish I am! I am somewhere in my primary school and my school starts only in the noon. I want to take the press button umbrella to school and not wear a raincoat. It was raining the morning when Dad leaves for office, but I did not let him take his umbrella, I am not very sure now but I guess he would have reached office soaked to the skin. I took the umbrella to school that day. God punished my selfish day by making that noon the sunniest noon of the monsoon that year! Yeah! I protected myself from the sun just to be able to use it in front of my friends!

Of School : Me Picking up my watermelon shaped water bottle from the shelf. May be 1st standard. I am so surprised this stupid memory is of a earlier date probably than that I have of my mom!!!! Damn me!!!

Of a fight: Me and another guy from my housing colony in Bombay coming to blows over who would ride double seat with one of the older boys of the colony on his “Gear wala” cycle ! I don’t remember either of the guys name. I remember going home with blood on my shirt and bleeding lips.

Of a lie you told: I Flunked in four subjects in my 6th standard and told mom and dad that I flunked only in one. As foolish as I could be. The Lie was bound to be short lived and I was royally jacked when I had to get the marks card signed. I remember not being talked to by mom and dad for more than couple of days!

Of a vacation : Kashmir with my family. Don’t remember the year. But I surely do not remember any earlier vacation.

Of laughing : All of us cousins sitting in the lawn of my Grandpas house in Mangalore and laughing like devils for no rhyme or reason. Must be about 9-10 years old!

Of a class-mate : His name is Don. That’s all I remember. Hey Don :-) If you are reading this.. Remember me??

Of a relative : This one is crystal clear needed no digging in the brains. Of my Mothers younger brother. I so distinctly remember him carrying me to see their new house that was under construction in Mangalore. I even remember him making me sit on the wall as he was talking to the workers there. I guess this makes it to Number one position in the oldest memory I have as a person !!!!

Of a Teacher : Sinha Teacher. 1st standard. I remember her face. I will be able to spot her even today in a crowd!

Of your Brother / Sister : My brother and me shouting together “Maaaaammmmmmmmmmmmyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy” from below our building to call mom from our 3rd floor house in Bombay. Must be 8-9 years here too!

There! Am I a lousy person? To not have earlier than this memories of parents or family?? Whatever!!!!!

Honestly in a way I enjoyed doing this, brought back some nice fond memories and exercised the brains too. I now TAG the millions of people who read my blog to try writing on the same topic. !!

And you, whoever tagged me, Hope you are happy now!

What Has Changed ?

Ten years ago in the year 1997 i was in Goa on new years eve. OK ! Before the millions of people all around the world who read my blog jump to the conclusion that i was there partying ! YOU ARE WRONG. With out digressing onto what i was doing in Goa, Let me get back to the point.

I did not have a cell phone that time, I am not sure if anyone in India had a cell phone then, i was living in distant town named Tivim. YET ! i walked 3.5 Kms to the nearest STD booth to call my family and friends and wish them a Happy New Year at the stroke of mid-night. I hardly had money in my pocket, yet i spent about 20 25 /- to call them up and talk to them. And Believe me 20 25 /- was a huge sum for me then, could have bought me few glasses of beer :-)

Now, coming to the year 2007. I have a cell phone in my pocket, I dont have to walk anywhere to make the call.The bill is paid by the company, dont have to spend a dime on the call. YET, I did not call anyone. It was one common sms to all and sundry.

Am i the only one who has changed for bad, or the world in general has become impersonal. I promise to change !

That brings me to something my Granny sarcastically told me a few months back. Heres what she said.

"Few years back people did not have the means to make calls, talk to near and dear ones, but had the will. Now all of you are walking with the means to talk to near and dear ones in your hands, but do not have the will"

Hard Hitting Fact Eh ? Well.....

Things.. People I Hate the Most Today....

Here Goes....

10. Promos of Saawariya
9. Promos of Om Shanti Om
8. A towel clad Ranbir
7. A oh-i-am-so-shy Sonam
6. Shahrukh and Farah khan
5. The song Masha-allah
4. Dard-e Disco is a Dard in the ass
3. All the TV shows going ga-ga over these 2 movies
2 .Six pack Abs
1. People who did not like Laga Chunri main Daag and the idiots who termed the movie as a flop.

Fasting Feasting

Fish Curry, Chappati...........

Some people touch our lives in such a special way that we remember them for life. They may not have bought you monetary gains, not done anything great. Come to think of it, they would have actually done nothing at all. On the contrary, they would have lost something of their own in the bargain. Their time, their money maybe. We would never know, these kind of people are such, they would not let you know.

I do not have anything to repay their kindness, love they had for me. A complete nobody for them. Hence This. Written with all my love and gratitude.

“Maushi” (loosely meaning Aunty), I knew you for less than four months of my life. You would have come across hundreds, if not thousands of care-free guys like me who came to your canteen in the busy industrial area in a small town of Goa. For most of the time I knew you, you were nothing but a shadow for me, moving about busily in the dark kitchen of the canteen where I came to eat food every day for 4 months, noon and night. I just saw you move around ever so busy, Saree tucked in the typical Maharashtrian way, sweaty, tired maybe. Busy arranging dishes for the lunch and dinner time rush. I never once bothered to peep in to check how you look, how old you would be.

I was busy. Busy thinking. Thinking that you have made the Chapatti (Indian bread) even thinner today, the curry you have made would be full of water. What you would have plotted to cheat us of the 18 rupee that we pay for the food.

After about 15-20 days of regularly cursing the food, yet coming there to eat daily as I had paid up-front for the full four months. You once peeped out of the kitchen, to check me out. A regular guy. I thought you would have asked yourself; Oh! This guy will not miss one day’s food haan, every day he will turn up as he has paid upfront, I think he will eat every paisa worth of food!

Instead, you asked me “Pora, Jevat nai ka barobar, Kiti Bareek Disto hai?” (Son, are you not eating well? You look very pale) and I again thought you are just making small talk to ensure, I do not ask for a refund and walk off. Just making sure you don’t lose out on ‘Money’!

Then I dint come for two days in a row, I thought you would have been happy. When I returned:

“Kuthe Gela hota, Bara hai na tu?” (Where had you gone, Hope you are well!).

“Bara hai mee! Phiralya gela hoto.”(Am well, went for sight seeing!).

I could not sense the genuine concern and care in your question or your voice. I did not even bother to see you in the eyes; maybe I would have seen something.

One such night, I came in famished. I can still smell the watery fish curry you made that night. The four chapattis of the standard dinner plate were over in less than a minute from my plate, before I could raise my head; I saw your hand put two more chapattis in my plate. With a pang of guilt hitting my tummy, I ate the two chapattis you put in my plate. I would pay for it anyway, Big Deal!!!.

“3 mahine rahnaar hai ikde, aankhin barik jhaala, tujhi aai mhanel barobar kalji ghetle nai maushi ni” ( 3 Months you would be here, if you become any more thinner by the time you go from here, you mother will say Maushi did not take care of my son)

No matter how much I think about it, I wonder how the food tasted so much better from the next day, the chapattis were just fine, the water from all the curries just disappeared. And I do not know if it showed or not, But I am sure I smiled when I was eating food there, everyday since then.

“Kai Maushi; Kashi Aahe?” (Hello Maushi, How are you)

“Me Bari hai pora, tu sang, Bhook lagli? (I am OK son, tell me are you hungry?)


Even when i asked about you, The question as an answer was about my well being. Suddenly I saw you; I could see the genuine care with which you asked me if I am hungry. It was not just a question. It made a difference to you didn’t it?

Every time you made the fish curry I had so-loved, you never forgot to put the 2 extra chapattis in my plate. Somewhere down the line, you stopped charging me for those extra chapattis. The fish curries started to have more fish pieces floating in them.

“Ithun 2 Kilo jasti gheon jaa, mala changl vatel” (Gain at least 2 more kilos before you go from here, I would feel better)

4 months ended in a jiffy. It was suddenly my last dinner there and I had a bus to catch the next morning, there was the best fish curry again in my plate, with the 2 extra chapattis, and touch of ghee on them. And the Sweet, a nice small piece of Barfi, Coated with love. I selfishly have taken to believe that I am the only person who would have ever gotten a Barfi piece in your canteen.

I touched your feet, and gave you a tight hug. You moved your hands over my head, blessed me for what I was and pardoned me for all the wrong thoughts I had for you and your canteen. With that, I walked out, Never ever to see you again. It is eleven years this month.

Maushi, I have moved on in life. If I ever come back to goa I may never eat in the kind of canteen you run, I would probably be on a corporate card dining in a star hotel, where one chapatti would cost more than what you fed me lunch for. A place where I am sure the waiter / cook would care two hoots If I am hungry, I am sure he would not let me have 2 chapattis for free because I liked the fish curry he fed me. I am sure he is not bothered if I do or do not put on weight. But I am sure no one can make the fish curry as good as you did.

Maushi, I hope you had a nice life since. I am sure you would have. You would have the good wishes of hundreds of people like me. People who did not care for your good deeds then, but have again and again remembered and thanked you. I am also sure; you did nothing to get gratitude in return. But there is absolutely nothing I can give you in return anyway.

Except maybe a big Thank You.


PS> Maushi, I have finally put on weight. From the skinny, lean 52 kilo guy to a healthy 70. The chapattis worked for sure :-) Thank you once again.

I am sorry... Teacher......

Well, What comes as a surprise to most of my friends is that I was a very very naughty student during my school days. I was punished almost every other day, I was never sitting on the bench that was meant for me ! I was either standing on it, or standing out of the class, or kneeling down near the teacher’s desk.

I have been punished by almost all the teachers I had, but yet in some ways I was their pet student too.

For the past few days, I’ve been nostalgic about one such teacher, whose life I made miserable in the classroom. My 8th standard Biology teacher ; Mrs. Shyamala.

Once, when she caught me doing one of my stupid pranks, She walked down to my bench, caught me by my ear and dragged me all the way to her desk. Usually I used to enjoy this stupid attention, when the whole class watched and giggled. YES! I am shameless :-) , But that day for I don’t know what reason, I was in a very pensive mood, and I almost burst into tears. She was more shocked at seeing me this way, than I was at what was happening.

I kept saying sorry, and that this is the first time I had done, whatever I was caught doing that day! And something she said in response to my pleads that day has been etched in memory.

“Everything has a first time, even bad things, Don’t do them, even for the first time”

But as I said earlier, I am shameless. I have done many bad things even after that, not only for the first time but many times even after that.

So.. This post is dedicated to Mrs. Shyamala my 8th standard biology teacher. Miss.. I hope you read this, And if you do… I am sorry for being such a horrible student, I hope you remember me and have forgiven me !

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.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

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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