The weather was really cold that day in Dehradun. I had worn heavy winter clothes, not letting the cold wind touch my body. Finally, I reached the clocktower. Maybe my friend was on his way driving; so I decided to text him; to let him know that I was there and was waiting, I decided to wait around the corner at a tea stall where people were enjoying their cup of tea.I couldn't resist myself and ordered a cup along with them. I was thinking about the “Beauty of Mussoorie”as they call it, which we were about to visit. It's been a while since last winter, but the wait seemed a bit longer than I had thought, as I lit up the cigarette and thinking about what harm it could do to me, I was in a deep introspection again as usual.
Suddenly someone was tugging at my shirt on my back. I turned to face him, and I saw an old man; he wore a blue monkey cap, winter scarf around his neck, a dull black winter-blazer and grey pants, he had no shoes but slippers with socks, as I looked closely at his wrinkled-face closely it reminded me of a green faced witch on her broom, but I found something different in his droopy eyes. He was selling packets full of groundnuts and asked me to buy one, I threw the cigarette away.
"For how much" I asked,
"Ten rupees a packet Sahaab" he replied,
I felt ashamed, when he called me Sahaab, "please don't call me Sahaab" I said, "I am as old as your grandson".
"In business we consider customer as our God; you are my customer so you shouldn't be ashamed of anything Sahaab" he replied,
"Well, don't you think, you should be at home inside the quilt on bed sipping hot tea in this weather" I asked, I was just passing my time with no intention to buy anything.
"Yes, but if I go home I won't have money to buy myself a meal today"..
'Oh sorry! ', I said with an apologetic smile. He requested me not to feel sorry for him.
"You mean you are on your own".
'Yes', he said; "so can you please buy these groundnuts and help this old man to try and make the ends meet", he said with a smile on his face.
Talking to him, I witnessed not stress but joy in his voice. He was not sad but proud of himself that at least he was independent, proud that he is not begging but working hard to earn, maybe he did some mistakes in his past days, when he was younger, maybe this was the reason everyone left him alone, even his own children, when he needed them the most. I could see a glimpse of hope on his stoic face, it seemed to me that he wasn't a man who dwelled on past mistakes.
"Okay, Give me two", I said not because I felt sorry for him but because I felt inspired by him.
I put my right hand in my trouser pocket and took out two ten rupee coins and gave them to him.
"That's all I could do for him." I thought.
Till then on the other side of the road I could see my friend waiting on his vehicle, Maybe he had read my text and was looking for me.
"Okay Uncle I have to go now". I said. "And Thank you." I finally said.
My friend parked the vehicle beside me; as soon as I got on the vehicle we left. The old man was left behind.
The old man turned away and went ahead in his business.
Someone has rightly said, "Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don't."
I thank the old man till this day because, he knew how to be positive even in the toughest times and he taught me the same.