Vadapav part 2

(Continued…)

Raju said-

“That labourer stays in our locality. I have seen him from my childhood. My dad’s friend. Both were daily wage workers. They used to work all day. No vacation. Day when they got off means no food for family. He was great friend. When my dad passed away, he supported us like family. Now owing to age, he cannot do that much of strenous work like before. So I give him vada pav for free whenever he comes to the shop. Owner doesn’t know that. He would not like it. But I remember the days when he had fed me from his plate.”

“Oh! I see. But I do not understand why did you gave it free to other man. He seemed well-dressed” I asked him.

” Yes ,you thought he must be from well to do family. But in reality he is an unemployed man. We used to study in same municipality school. I left studies to support my family. He continued, did well in all exams, got a qualification. Only person in our locality to learn so much.

But those certificates are shit of papers they don’t guarentee you a job you deserve. He didn’t get any of his calibre.”

“So you gave him free? But in this manner you can’t earn for yourself. There are so many unemployed people. You can’t give free to all!”

“No. I’m not doing that. Im not doing him any favour. Im actually showing him gratitude. This man is my ideal. Unemployment has not stopped him. He is the person who has changed our lives.”

“What? How?”

“Education couldn’t uplift him, he decided to uplift others with his education. People in our locality are deprived of education due to many reasons. He has started educating their children for free. He says that education is everybody’s right.”

” But what about his earning? How does he supports his family?”

” He was an orphan. That doesn’t demotivate him. He feels whole world is his family and keeps striving for family members those who need his help. He has no monetary savings. He says the children he is teaching are his investment. They will live his dreams, they will change the world. He has also inspired some youth from our locality to begin their start-up.”

” Great thoughts. But then after all we work for one thing ‘food’. How does he manage his own livelihood? I asked with increasing curiousity about this man.

” As I said before everyone is his family. He is never left to starve. I started learning again because of him. I had offered him money from earning. He declined saying I should save for my family. We had an argument which finally settled when I promised him to complete studies and he promised me that he will eat free vadapav from the shop whenever he comes there. There are many people he earned ,who are there to take care of him”.

Reports were ready. They were absolutely normal.

“Nothing to worry” I said. Raju was happy.

” Ok then. I must leave”. He went away.

I started walking back home. Our life seems so simple and sorted compared to these people. Still we complain and curse.

Helping each other in adversity is most valuable act of humanity. I got to see three different aspects of it in form of that old labourer, Raju and his friend who are making an impact on the society in their way. It’s our time to contribute.

As I entered our building premises I saw vadapav party hosted for celebration of a student’s success in SSC exam. Someone called me and handed me vadapav. At that moment it didn’t seemed just food, it was a representative of common man in Mumbai.

– OptimistSaya