Isn't it a wonder how time flows non chalantly carrying our lives in its own path carving a beauty deep within us ?? Everyone claims time is flying at great speed.. is there a way to hold on to one moment for eternity and cherish in that joy forever ?? Pictures of old friends.. videos of next door babies(now turned teens).. memories of places u visited with daddy... thoughts of far living parents.... in addition to these lovely beautiful intimate thoughts, added, yet another thought to me today... the moment i wish i could go back in time and relive.. not because of the joy i got from it.. but the shame that came upon me.. upon the human in me... that very moment...
It was the time when my parents were the happiest of all and took immense pride in showing off their daughter to be a Software Engineer in the IT industry which had turned the lives of millions in India into a haven !! People from all stratas of the society were benefitted and could find an opportunity in the industry which so generously contributed to the revenue system also!! I was also happy - finally i am able to support myself... all my hardwork had finally paid off... I am a great person as i am also a part of the so benevolent industry and also add to nurturing the lives of million others !! I was also proud of myself - y wudn i be..am a better person now as a IT professional in a multinational.. not everyone gets that opportunity as easily as i got !!
Now... it was one of those days that I had to shuttle between my office and the place i board my bus.... a very sunny day outside.. and yeah me in the comforts of my IT firm was really tired and exhausted being out for just haf an hour - one other environment every IT person in chennai gets familiar is with "share-auto".. wow i used to love travelling by it.. have met many interesting characteres en route my bus stop... that particular day also.. i did meet one..
Her name was Radha(keepsake)... in her early 50's.. tall and huge built with streaks of grey and white in her now aging thin black hair... in a dull coloured polyester saree and a high knotted hair.. I couldn help notice the respect IT professionals get from their older generations ..esp people we meet off the streets.. I ahve enjoyed that respect tooo... the same i got from Radha.. somehow i likes her instinctively...thats partly because she so much took after my granmom (the real Radha)..
She gave me this broad smile and instantly our conversation clicked off... for people who arent aware of share auto scenarios... its a small three wheeled vehicle made to carry max 4 or 5 people.. but usually close to 10 are made to sit..have always wondered how the auto would expand a wee bit to let an extra traveller everytime... the same way we were asked to scooch by our respectable auto driver in order to accomodate 2 other passengers... unfortunately we weren able to - courtesy.. as i mentioned before, Radha was huge enuff to occupy most part of the vehicle... this scenario is nothing new in our road life... unfortunately for Radha... our driver was in a very choleric mood and offended Radha and her appearance... and to my surprise she dint seem the belligerent look she had... such a soft-natured woman.... turned towards me for solace.. but to my shame.. i still wonder y i was not able to bring myself to speak for her or at least to her.. to comfort her in a scene of social embarassment which could have happened to anybody.. why was my tongue tied and why did my eyes avoid her imploring look ????
that is one regretful moment i had to face... not Radha.. any fellow human at that state.. i must have or at least tried to comfort them... its not a great mishap to lend my help.. but it was a little courtesy every human is entitled to... i would agree with the auto driver.. he is a man with little or no education.. a family to support.. his daily earnings account to the food his family can afford that nite(which mite be their only meal a day).. a couple of extra passengers would only add a two 5 rupees to his already trivial daily earning.. can life style be accounted for forgetting the little human values ??? forget him... can i - the person who enjoyed the respect unknown strangers paid me, that which i earned by doing nothing but just study the little i can and make some money... can i ignore a fellow human's call for the teeniest courtesy?? i still wonder y i refused to show that petty care to a stranger !!! her misty eyes still remain vivid in my memories... can i undo this ignominious past of mine in anyway ??
