The autorickshaw was about to cross the junction when the yellow signal turned red and obstructed its way. The digital timer below the traffic light started counting 111, 110, 109. “Huh! I have to wait again for two minutes”, Souvagya Srinivasan, who was onboarding the auto murmured. He had waited for longer duration at each of last three traffic junctions before this, another two signals had to be crossed for him to reach his office at Diamond district. He was worried of getting late. But it was Bangalore's traffic at peak hour, he had to bear!
A woman soon appeared from nowhere and started pleading for money with the auto driver. She was carrying a baby and three kids were following her. The auto driver shook his head in denial, but when she was not leaving and stood requesting, he ended up saying that he was unable to help even with a penny. The signal turned green and the auto moved forward. Souvagya observed the short interaction of his auto driver with the woman from behind quietly. He was not happy with the unkind attitude of auto driver towards the woman. On the way he was thinking, he could extend help, but he did not get the opportunity as everything happened in a short while.
Three minutes later they reached the penultimate signal where they had to wait for around one minute. Souvagya’s office was just five minutes away. A similar incident took place. An one-legged man limped towards the auto and beseeched for alms from the auto driver while the driver shook head left and right again in his characteristic way in denial to help. Souvagya could not withstand this and offered a ten rupee note to the beggar. They left the traffic signal.
“It is unkind behaviour not to care about people suffering from abject poverty, I think you were rude towards the disabled. You could give a one rupee coin, but you denied to give a penny.”, Souvagya told his driver on the way. The auto driver was silent. Souvagya repeated his statement to attract his attention. “I am sorry sir, I do not want to comment. I just want to tell that I do help people, but not all”, was the reply. This irked Souvagya as that was too generic statement. They soon reached Diamond district. Souvagya did not have change to pay the auto charge of 200 rupees, he offered a 500 rupees note. The auto driver also did not have change. So he requested Souvagya to get the change from nearby shops. The shops were at a location where autorickshaws were not allowed. Souvagya was reluctant to go and asked, “Why don’t you go?”.
The driver silently took that 500 note from Souvagya, took out two crutches from beneath his seat and started walking towards the betel shop nearby. Souvagya was awe stricken to see that the auto driver did not have both the legs. He was numb and could not move or express his feelings for a moment.
“I salute you! Now I understand why you were not willing to give a penny to those beggars on the way!”, Souvagya told to his driver upon his return and hugged him. The driver smiled and said, “Sir, I strongly believe in myself and the Almighty. Due to my past karma, I might have been deprived of both the legs, but I have never given up in my life. I am living with honor. So do I expect from my fellow men and women who have limbs unlike me!”
Note:
If people are suffering it is because of their wrong attitude and actions and not because of their fate. This YouTube video will give you further insights on attitude.
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