An auto driver's lesson

One evening coming home from university, I boarded an auto-rickshaw, and as usual reported my lack of change before hitching the ride. There was nothing unusual about my co-passengers, (yes in Kolkata we have a system of shared auto unlike other metro cities) apart from the lady in my right who seemed to be in a little hurry. She was frantically searching for something in her purse, switching between chains and repeatedly zipping and unzipping them. My attention was soon diverted towards the rainfall outside the vehicle, the moment the sound of the motor’s engine reached my ears.

The auto was halfway, when the lady suddenly demanded the auto to be halted for she’d dropped her purse. The driver complied and she got out searching for her wallet in the middle of the road. No doubt she is anxious. I thought.

We were waiting inside the vehicle with the rain gaining momentum outside. The lady on my right, who went unnoticed hitherto owing to the presence of the other lady and the weather, was growing impatient. She kept checking her watch every now and then. Why don’t we leave her and proceed? She  asked. Both of us stared at her in amazement. How could a person be so insensitive? The driver replied. What if the same thing had happened to you? The lady went silent. Turning her head aside whether it was anger towards the driver or realisation of her insensitiveness, one could not say. I looked at the driver and smiled, in gratitude and in the humane way in which he took his stand. Moments later the she returned to our auto and we rode to our destination. She thanked us for our patience and support.

This was a little incident, but it certainly made a big difference that day. The driver could have followed her and in doing so, he would not lose a thing rather he would save time and pick a different passenger. We would have reached a little earlier. The lady whose purse dropped would have eventually found it and hitched another auto and rode home. No one would have really lost anything. But instead, he decided to wait, and thus was a lady able to learn a lesson, a lady’s faith in a stranger was sustained.

Often in our busy life, we tend to overlook our vicinity, and the little things which we refrain from doing, because we are in a hurry (for if you are not in hurry, you are not doing anything to make you successful), can cause a great difference to others if given a little time. Helping an aged man with his bag while climbing the stairs, replying to the good morning wish the gate keeper of your building greets you with, or even saying thank you to the milkman every morning etc. are the very little things that we can painlessly afford creating a big difference to others. The aged man will get another son, the gate keeper will feel valued and will take pride in his job, the milkman will have a reason to relish amidst his early morning toil.

So do small things and bring a big difference. And about the Return on Investment, well you can see it for yourself…..

An encounter at a certain tea stall

A dim lantern was glowing inadequately at the counter beside a burning stove. Seated upon the stove was a saucepan slightly bigger than the one we see at our houses. A new lot of empty cups were being laid, ready to be filled. “Two small cups,” said a voice from the other side of the counter. “Without sugar.” She nodded in acceptance and immediately dispatched two cups with steaming hot tea towards her customers.

After paying, the two customers left, when a little girl, of age might be five or six years, appeared with a notebook in her hand and said “Mamma, homework done.” So she was her daughter and probably she was doing her homework while her mother got occupied catering to her customers. Her mother took the notebook in her hands and began inspecting whatever her daughter had written. The light made it too difficult for her eyes to read.

Her tea shop opened late in the evening. She may have other jobs during the evening which did not permit her to meet her daughter to help her with studies. She was thus forced to bring her to her stall during the night amidst the dim light.

She might be the only earning member of her family, and her evening job was not enough to maintain her family and her daughter’s education. Thus forcing her to tire herself even more to ensure they went on progressing. It was clear that she valued education and knew its importance. Or I may be completely wrong. It’s possible that her tea stall was the outcome of her passion not out of compulsion. And she was aware of her duties towards her daughter and did not shirk either passion or duty. In that case she becomes more respectful in my eyes to be able to find a job that keeps her happy.

Whatever the reason might be, she deserves a different salute for her dedication and hard work. She might not come in any news, neither shall any biopic will be made about her, but she is undoubtedly a real life hero to her family and her daughter. And she is makes wonderful tea.

While returning home after having tea at her, I saw a half ready life sized idol of the Hindu Goddess Durga, who symbolises ultimate feminine power and a woman who is adept in simultaneous jobs owing to her ten hands (metaphorical). Even she was with her kids.

It was a great similarity that I found between the mythical character and to the person I met in real. She, like the Goddess had her demons which she fought regularly. Though in her case it was not any person, but her own draining strength, the dim light, her condition at home and the like. Like her even most of us have our demons, which tend to succumb us in its girth and we tend to lose ourselves. Everyone has problems in their lives, coming out of it is what separates the Durga from the rest.