Not Just Another Day

Not Just Another Day

It was just another day, until a tall, fair, middle-aged person came across my way, when I was about to cross the road to reach my college. To be frank, I didn’t even notice him, until my ears were attracted to an orotund voice saying, “Excuse me, Sir. Do you have a minute?”

 

“Yes. How can I help you?” – I was in a hurry.

 

“I’m hungry. I have no money. Can you give me some?”

 

I was surprised to say the least. May be, my boastful eyes and ears couldn’t believe that a person who is begging to someone can come with such decent attitude and fluent English accent. Or maybe my worldly learning was inadequate till then.

The person could read the disbelief on my face. He came up with another idea-

“Ten rupees will do, Sir. Or you can accompany me to any shop where I can have something to eat.”

 

“Are you sure that you want ten rupees?”- I couldn’t resist myself from asking what I was suppressing for long. Well, it was as long a minute, tops. But it seemed lot more than that to me.

 

“Yes, Sir.” - He smiled and added “I don’t look like a beggar, right?”

I could only nod with an affirmative gesture as I was at a loss of words then.

 

“I beg in my own way Sir. I want to dress up well, speak like a gentleman. Even though I am no more than a beggar now, I want to behave like the person that I once used to be. But sorry, Sir, I can’t work in a roadside teashop or live the life of a cobbler. Because that hurts my ego. So, I beg. I feel more freedom over here, Sir. Nobody can boss me in my profession. If someone does not want to help me, no problem. Some other people will. Am I not living a better life than the cobbler sitting just next to you? Tell me, Sir. Don’t I have the freedom to live my life on my own?”

 

Everything he then said made me believe that he must have been using this speech every day, with a lot of people. I just happened to cross his paths that day.

I picked a ten rupee note from my wallet and handed over it to the most astonishing person I’ve ever met in my life.

 

“Thank you. I hope you remember me, Sir. Bye”- He disappeared in the crowded street of the city, leaving me stunned, spellbound and bewildered.

 

I had many things to tell him but couldn’t. I could tell him that begging is a sin when he is physically and mentally sound, he should find a job, be it of a travelling salesman, or a cobbler.

 

Years have gone by. I am not anymore, a college student. Whenever I sit and ponder over that incident, I feel how much pain he had to go through to choose to beg. Political freedom has been achieved long ago, but our society still has got some characteristics which show signs of being in bondage. A cobbler gets insulted for nothing, a travelling salesman must listen to dirty words which so-called gentlemen use to shrug off their frustration. People misuse their freedom on a regular basis.

 

If begging is a sin, then what about insulting innocent people who work tirelessly to make both ends meet? People talk about freedom, but hardly they understand the true meaning of it. People love to boss others around, and don’t want to get bossed. When will all of us realize that no profession is small and that everyone contributes in their own way?

 

The longer people will take to realize this small thing, the more the number of travelling, literate beggars will increase. Someday, some way you will have to stop and stare at the person who will request you saying “Excuse me, Sir. Do you have a minute?”