My usual routine to go sit at promenade on Sunday evenings was as interesting as every day. However I have a heartwarming experience on last Sunday.
I was enjoying my much desired recluse and yet remained a vigilant spectator to my surroundings. People rushing past in serious discussions or jogging, walking lazily in relaxed complacency, beggars trying to make one lose their money and road side vendors practicing their persuasive skills to make their living.
A little boy… should not be more than six years of age walked towards me in reluctant confidence with a bunch of fresh rose stems in his hand. I happen to saw many children of this kind. They are cheap labor to whoever exploits them and an element of pity from people works in their favor.
I hate to see a child slogging to make living. But at the same time I do not quite understand if I should encourage their spirit of success by buying something from them and leave them with hollow victory where the money is actually pocked by someone who is cruel enough to make the child work.
This boy came towards me and stood before me in shy defiance. I looked in to his eyes and smiled. This must have given him the needed boost of confidence to offer his wear. Normally these children target lovers’ sitting in pairs. They are sitting ducks to them. The boy tries to safeguard his fragile privacy with his lady love and the girl looks in anticipation if her man is man enough buy her a rose that’s dirt cheap in romantic gesture.
I am always surprised to see most of the men discourage or intimidate these children who sell roses. A simple fee of five Indian rupees (probably not more than a few cents) is nothing before a smile that germinates of the girl’s face when a hero sacrifices a trivial sum. But as days pass by love is taken for granted on both sides… may be…
The anxiety and anticipation to please someone you love must not ware off however the time goes by or whatever life’s cruel demands are. I do not believe in “Love at first sight”… I believe in… “Fell in love every time you meet her, see her… Think of her”.
Going back to this boy… I did not utter any word but just simply weaved the flower bunch before my face. I really felt happy looking at two innocent things…
One is the child and others are the roses that looked back at me. Perhaps each of those roses was contemplating their short lived domination over me in radiating her love to me. I gave the boy and rose a very bright smile and… nodded rejection. My smile must have given the boy confidence to go forth. He sat beside me and tried convince me. Now this conversation took place in Hindi and I try to give a true translation…
“Sir… please buy a rose”
“I don’t need a rose boy”…
“Why don’t you give it to someone???”
I hesitated an uncomfortable moment and said, “I have no one to whom I could give that rose”.
I was enjoying my much desired recluse and yet remained a vigilant spectator to my surroundings. People rushing past in serious discussions or jogging, walking lazily in relaxed complacency, beggars trying to make one lose their money and road side vendors practicing their persuasive skills to make their living.
A little boy… should not be more than six years of age walked towards me in reluctant confidence with a bunch of fresh rose stems in his hand. I happen to saw many children of this kind. They are cheap labor to whoever exploits them and an element of pity from people works in their favor.
I hate to see a child slogging to make living. But at the same time I do not quite understand if I should encourage their spirit of success by buying something from them and leave them with hollow victory where the money is actually pocked by someone who is cruel enough to make the child work.
This boy came towards me and stood before me in shy defiance. I looked in to his eyes and smiled. This must have given him the needed boost of confidence to offer his wear. Normally these children target lovers’ sitting in pairs. They are sitting ducks to them. The boy tries to safeguard his fragile privacy with his lady love and the girl looks in anticipation if her man is man enough buy her a rose that’s dirt cheap in romantic gesture.
I am always surprised to see most of the men discourage or intimidate these children who sell roses. A simple fee of five Indian rupees (probably not more than a few cents) is nothing before a smile that germinates of the girl’s face when a hero sacrifices a trivial sum. But as days pass by love is taken for granted on both sides… may be…
The anxiety and anticipation to please someone you love must not ware off however the time goes by or whatever life’s cruel demands are. I do not believe in “Love at first sight”… I believe in… “Fell in love every time you meet her, see her… Think of her”.
Going back to this boy… I did not utter any word but just simply weaved the flower bunch before my face. I really felt happy looking at two innocent things…
One is the child and others are the roses that looked back at me. Perhaps each of those roses was contemplating their short lived domination over me in radiating her love to me. I gave the boy and rose a very bright smile and… nodded rejection. My smile must have given the boy confidence to go forth. He sat beside me and tried convince me. Now this conversation took place in Hindi and I try to give a true translation…
“Sir… please buy a rose”
“I don’t need a rose boy”…
“Why don’t you give it to someone???”
I hesitated an uncomfortable moment and said, “I have no one to whom I could give that rose”.
Surely the child could not understand what I said in material sense. He is not yet ready for anything that propels anyone towards love and do foolish things like buying roses to killing themselves and ruining lives.
“Sir… why don’t you buy a rose for yourself???”
“I don’t want to buy something that I will throw away mercilessly after I am saturated with the pleasure of having it. I know how it feels when someone rejects… someone”.
This was too much for the kid. I really hated myself afterwards for being so sadistic towards that kid who is just trying to make living. He sat in silence. I am sure he did not understand what I said. But for a few placid moments all three sat alone.
The boy, the roses and me…
We felt rejected in our own hearts. But did not communicate or confess the same to each other. The boy looked elsewhere and I looked at the boy and roses… and I could not quite fathom where those roses were looking.
He got up later and walked away.
I got up after an hour to walk towards train station where I was supposed to catch a train back home…
By the way… I need to confess something. Never in my life had I bought flowers for Mach. On the other hand she is the one who was always thoughtful to buy me flowers whenever she met me. She always used to develop refreshing thoughts and ideas to make life more beautiful for me… when she was… with me…
I miss her so much….
“Sir… why don’t you buy a rose for yourself???”
“I don’t want to buy something that I will throw away mercilessly after I am saturated with the pleasure of having it. I know how it feels when someone rejects… someone”.
This was too much for the kid. I really hated myself afterwards for being so sadistic towards that kid who is just trying to make living. He sat in silence. I am sure he did not understand what I said. But for a few placid moments all three sat alone.
The boy, the roses and me…
We felt rejected in our own hearts. But did not communicate or confess the same to each other. The boy looked elsewhere and I looked at the boy and roses… and I could not quite fathom where those roses were looking.
He got up later and walked away.
I got up after an hour to walk towards train station where I was supposed to catch a train back home…
By the way… I need to confess something. Never in my life had I bought flowers for Mach. On the other hand she is the one who was always thoughtful to buy me flowers whenever she met me. She always used to develop refreshing thoughts and ideas to make life more beautiful for me… when she was… with me…
I miss her so much….
1 comment:
Aawwww.. poor little boy. Why can't you just buy one to make him happy, Cheena? :(
Anyways,
Blessed you for those roses Mach gave. :)
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