Today's travel to office was a drag. It took approx. 2.5 hours! (Believe that!) Not suprising actually, considering i had to travel all the way from Marathahalli to R.V.Post. And change 3 BTC buses.Aaarrrgh! Anywayz, the journey was not without incident. I got to witness a Live accident right in front of me when I was standing at SilkBoard Bus-Stop. This taxi driver (Indica) smashed right into a school bus at the traffic light. No guesses for who won- The bus obviously! The Indica got bashed in pretty badly. Anyway, the driver went crazzzzy and walked right up to the bus driver and proceeded to start a verbal and then later a physical quarrel. He knew it was his mistake, no doubts, he just couldn't wait to pick up a fight i guess.
Well, earlier, while i was walking to the Marathalli bus-stop, this guy walks up to me and asks me for 8Rs. At first, i didn't even throw him a second glance, and kept on walking. However, he called up again, "Please Boss, I'm not begging!!". Something in his voice made me stop. What do you call it? Unmistakable Sincerity?? I stopped, turned around and listened to him. He went on to say that he had lost his purse and needed exactly 8Rs. to get a bus to his house. He said he'd been asking people for the last half an hour but no-one was believing him. Something in his eyes made me believe him. Honesty?? I looked in my purse but didnt find any change, not even a 10! So i sadly had to tell him that i sincerely didn't have the money. I was even willing to get some change but there were no shops nearby and I really was late for office. So i told him not to worry, and that others walking that way would surely help him. The man had what i call "SHE" Qualities. Sincerity, Honesty, and (ok something i added to make a word outta it..) Earnestness. Not something all "shes" have, but something I would surely like my "she" to have though. ;-) That's a topic for another day though.
The sad part is, most people don't believe those who are sincerely in need. Reason? Being paranoid after hearing countless incidents about cheaters,thieves etc? Maybe. Or Just plain indifference? Likely.
Anyways, I stood waiting at that bus-stop for like 20 more minutes till i got my bus, and I could see that this man was keeping on asking people for help. In vain. I'd like to think that they didn't have change too and so couldn't help him. But somehow, I don't think so.
4 comments:
hmmm...well i stopped after a bad experience myself. At Victoria station in London, this Indian lady with 2 kids approached me and said exactly the same thing - bags were stolen, needed 5 pounds to get to a particular station and i thought she had SHE qualities but a week later, i saw the same lady with the same 2 kids approaching other passengers in the station with the same plea!!!
Better be safe than sorry! Hope atleast your feelings about this person was true and he sincerely was indeed honest!!!
coincidence!! i came across another man in the KSRTC bus-stand whilst i was waiting for my bus to chennai.
a mal he was; said he'd been walking all day (all over b'lore, asking for money) n' he was here to meet his son. he'd lost his purse and wanted exactly rs.24 to get to kolar, to meet his son.
well-dressed (with specs) and really looked as if he wasn't lying. i had 30 bucks in change luckily and i offered it to him.
at first, he didn't take it- wanted my mobile no. so he cud ask his son to come over and give it later. i told him not to bother. said he'd put it into some church/temple on the way home.
sat talking to me for a while and when he got up, he was limping!
really felt sorry for him.. imagine how much he'd have been walking. he was some 45 yrs old. seems his son had some problems with ragging in his college et al.. :|
@Neo - Yup true yaar.hey, ur blog is kool btw, me guessing ur snkutty's classmate.
@Aslan - hey dude, y didnt u use your "mafia" skills to find out if the person was lying or not..ohh i get it, the incident was before u started playin d game rightt?? ;-)
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