I was happy that rain finally stopped and now I don’t have to be very cautious to protect myself from rain. As I was enjoying the atmosphere and looking everywhere, I saw one boy standing at the corner of the bus depot. He was completely wet, had worn nothing but shorts, bare foot, shivering, it looked like he was out there in rain from past night. I don’t know why but it gave me very disgusting feeling and I turned my face to opposite side.
People were making weird faces while looking at that boy and then were behaving like that boy doesn’t exist. From corner of my eye I again dare to looked at that boy , he was shivering badly and it seemed that he had not ate anything (might be he is hungry from past 1,2 .. , I don’t know how many days).
Our bus came at bus stop and every one hurried to get into the bus. Suddenly that boy also moved towards the bus and tried to get into the bus. People started shouting on him. The bus conductor came and scolded on that boy and asked him to go away from the bus. The scared boy moved away from bus, still shivering. I got into the bus and sat near window. Our bus started and as our bus moved I looked again at that boy, he was still there standing bare foot and looking at us with his big deep black eyes. Suddenly I felt very bad, my heart started paining.
I asked one question to myself – Why I did not helped that boy? One cup of tea and some biscuits could have been great relief for him (and it could have cost me not more than Rs. 10), then why I did not do that? Is it because of money? No, of course not, Rs. 10 is not such a big deal for me. Then what was the issue?
I got my answer. I t was not the money or time issue. I did not helped that boy because I thought what other will thing if I helped that boy? , what if somebody sees me with that boy? I did not helped that boy because everybody were hating him. I did not helped that boy because I thought he does not belong to us. Somewhere I challenged his existence also. And as all these thoughts started coming into my head, I felt very shallow, selfish and fake. Here I am who always complain because 1/4th part of my pant got wet due to rain and there was a boy out there in rain from past night , standing quietly , looking at people with big hopeful eyes with hope that someone will help.
How many times it happens that we are in position to help others but by giving stupid excuses we just escapes from our responsibilities. I have made a biggest mistake, but I am ready to correct it by changing my attitude. Change always should start from the man in the mirror.
