By Gitanjali Maria:
There are some instances and some people whom we do not forget even though they might have just been there in our lives for a fleeting time. Many people, even strangers, help us a lot without expecting anything in return. They touch our hearts in a special way. This is one such incident which reminded me that humanity still exists in a world where generally people race to acquire money and riches by any means; there still are people who help and care without wanting anything in exchange.
It had been a weary day at office and on top of it I had to go to the market too. Taking a rickshaw from the nearby auto stand my friend and I set off to do our marketing for the week and also buy gift for a friend whose birthday was approaching. We chatted all way along sharing what we did during the day. In between I also finished texting replies to many of my friends who had texted me in the last couple of hours. Our journey to the market area took us a longer time than usual — due to rains, traffic blocks and the stoppage at the railway crossing. We complained about the government, the public, the weather and everything under the sky for our miseries during the half an hour journey. Finally we reached our destination. Having paid the auto we first proceeded to have some tea and snacks.
That is when I noticed that my cell phone was missing. I panicked at once. It was new model and I had bought it hardly two weeks ago and I still hadn’t mastered all its functions yet. I began to get upset. My friend tried ringing my cell and I proceeded to look out for the rickshaw we had come in — having guessed that it must have fallen somewhere on it. Neither could the auto be found nor was the cell being picked up. Thankfully it was ringing and not switched off. My hopes of finding it dimmed with every attempt of call we made.
Finally the call was picked up by the Auto Walla Bhaiya who said that he had gone for another round and would give it when we returned. He reassured us that he would return it safely and not run off with it. Though relieved, my heart rate was in no condition to return to normal till I got my mobile phone. So after gulping down our tea, we went back to where we had come from, leaving behind all plans of shopping. Along the way, I prayed that the man doesn’t change his mind and switch off the cell phone. Half way through our journey he called us up on my friend’s number and told us to come to a different place, where he lived. We went up to that place which seemed a bit lonely and isolated and we two girls felt insecure at such a place in the twilight hours.
As soon as we reached the junction a man came up to us and asked us whether we had come to get a lost cell phone. He told us that he had it and returned it to us. We thanked him profusely and offered him some tip. But he refused it and said that it was our good luck that no passengers had got in during his return trip.
In addition to returning my cell phone safely he also dropped us back at our house without any charges since we were not able to get any mode of transport to return.
Such small incidents reinforce our faith in humanity and are proof that humaneness still exists in a world which is considered deprived of morals and values. It shows that there still are people who uphold ethics above riches, how much ever in need of money they might be. I just hope and pray that India gets more of such kind of people. What do you think?
The writer is a Correspondent of Youth Ki Awaaz.