Your Heart
A dusty summer afternoon, in the bustle of the city, there stood a girl on the side of the street holding a bunch of roses. "Would you want to buy one for your girlfriend Sir?" she wanted to know.
The Sir threw his hand out in exasperation and yelled back at her, asking her to leave them alone. The girlfriend was indifferent, she pulled her sunshades down and pursed her lips together. It was hot, and The Sir was making her walk this crowded street for a bloody burger.
They passed the insignificant girl, small and bright eyed. She probably wasn't older than seven, had her hair up in a ponytail, browned by the days in the sun, rough and ruly from the nights of hunger. She put on a smile and her best innocent face, and walked up to a different pedestrian. With this one, she had no response. She got a sharp shove aside.
Her balance lost, she teetered over the side of the pavement and dangled dangerously close to the traffic. She lost her footing and landed face down onto the ground. Though she was not alone, she was too insignificant to be noticed by the crowd around her.She rolled to her side, to catch a moment's breath before checking on her wound.
Further ahead a scene had erupted. It was the girlfriend and The Sir, something had happened. She was aware of sticky liquid that was sliding down the side of her face, but she couldn't move. From the ground, she was able to see better, as several feet ran towards the scene. Something had happened.
Curiosity getting the better of her, she stands up and walks still not in balance, to the crowd. She pries her way through the crowd, to investigate. It was The Sir, he had white foam all over his mouth. The girlfriend looked on helplessly, tears rolling down her eyes. Her make up had smudged, her snootiness gone. She stood alone, shivering in fear.
The Sir did not move. And he did not open his eyes. Not even when the Ambulance came, many minutes later. Somebody in the crowd said he'd passed away. Epillepi or was it Epilepsy. The girlfriend stood giving statements of what had happened, she was juggling phone calls across two phones. The girl had by then forgotten her wound, and stepped forward towards the woman.
She picked out a rose from her bunch, slightly crushed. Walking with a slight lilt, she wipes her hand clean on her skirt, and extends the rose to the girlfriend, who's surprised. She looks like she would take offense at the gesture, so the girl quickly adds, "Sir wanted you to have it".
With that the child turns around, and walks to the unknown world of danger and despicable treatment. When they give us so much, with so little. What's stopping you from giving a little more?
The Sir threw his hand out in exasperation and yelled back at her, asking her to leave them alone. The girlfriend was indifferent, she pulled her sunshades down and pursed her lips together. It was hot, and The Sir was making her walk this crowded street for a bloody burger.
They passed the insignificant girl, small and bright eyed. She probably wasn't older than seven, had her hair up in a ponytail, browned by the days in the sun, rough and ruly from the nights of hunger. She put on a smile and her best innocent face, and walked up to a different pedestrian. With this one, she had no response. She got a sharp shove aside.
Her balance lost, she teetered over the side of the pavement and dangled dangerously close to the traffic. She lost her footing and landed face down onto the ground. Though she was not alone, she was too insignificant to be noticed by the crowd around her.She rolled to her side, to catch a moment's breath before checking on her wound.
Further ahead a scene had erupted. It was the girlfriend and The Sir, something had happened. She was aware of sticky liquid that was sliding down the side of her face, but she couldn't move. From the ground, she was able to see better, as several feet ran towards the scene. Something had happened.
Curiosity getting the better of her, she stands up and walks still not in balance, to the crowd. She pries her way through the crowd, to investigate. It was The Sir, he had white foam all over his mouth. The girlfriend looked on helplessly, tears rolling down her eyes. Her make up had smudged, her snootiness gone. She stood alone, shivering in fear.
The Sir did not move. And he did not open his eyes. Not even when the Ambulance came, many minutes later. Somebody in the crowd said he'd passed away. Epillepi or was it Epilepsy. The girlfriend stood giving statements of what had happened, she was juggling phone calls across two phones. The girl had by then forgotten her wound, and stepped forward towards the woman.
She picked out a rose from her bunch, slightly crushed. Walking with a slight lilt, she wipes her hand clean on her skirt, and extends the rose to the girlfriend, who's surprised. She looks like she would take offense at the gesture, so the girl quickly adds, "Sir wanted you to have it".
With that the child turns around, and walks to the unknown world of danger and despicable treatment. When they give us so much, with so little. What's stopping you from giving a little more?
Comments
Most of the urchins arent this sweet. Once a boy came to a bus stop, where I was standing and asked for alms. No one gave him anything. The boy cursed "May your wife and children die" in kannada, before he walked away! Once I gave a 50 paise coin to a beggar woman since I had no change and woman tossed it back at me!
And if this post is your imagination, then, arent you romanticizing the whole thing?
But I do agree that we ought to be kind to everyone though we may not be able to help them.
Instead of concentrating on the part where the "urchin" has swore at others, one needs to understand that it might have been borne out of anguish, anger and frustration by what he may have perceived as the unfriendly wide world.
A face is like a mirror, mostly, it will show you what you are showing...............ideally speaking ofcourse :P
I do accept that things aren't that easy in the real world but still never hurts to try :)
nice story Saro and very well narrataed. This post is worth the wait :)
Again this girl is indeed special if this incident is real.......
thoug sowmya's story is wat i have noticed many a times....
my manager says not to give money to kids who begs.......and tell them to go to school......even i wonder...if that's possible......i'm earning money ....and wouldn't like to go back to college for studies... :)
And yes, a little kindness would go a long way. And what I was trying to say I guess, is if it's a no brainer for a kid, then why is it so hard for us :)
Murali: You belong with me! Tinted frames 'r' us. He he. But we're the sort that would get swindled easy by one of these kiddos. But you're right. More are victims of their circumstances than anything else.
The Solitary Kid: Thank you :) Btw you must be exalted that CSK won the IPL. I'm sulking about the third position we have.
Hitesh: Your practicality is the middle point. You're right. We can tell them to go to school, but so many of them have to earn the food that they eat. I dare say, offering full day meals at schools will make them forgo the money for an education. What do you think?
Ace: How you find the time to comment regularly. Get a blooog!
all coz, i often find myself in this unavoidable state of 'whether or not to help them'.. altho this story stil doesnt change a thing of my decision, bt fr sure, i liked it..