It is common to see selfishness, intolerance, arrogance and such harsh
qualities around us every now and then. When we experience good behaviour,
it feels like a very refreshing change. But we forget it fast. I had two such
experiences in the last two days and am writing about it so that it remains
in the mind a bit longer.
The ‘pav walah’, who makes and sells bread, starts his rounds at half past
five in the morning. He comes in front of my house around half past eight.
When I hear his air horn in the back street, I go down and wait in front of
my house for him.
He is a busy man and he is always in a rush. I heard his horn yesterday and
went down with cash in my hand. I had to wait longer than usual for him to arrive.
He came rushing on his bike, stopped abruptly in front of me and said
apologetically “doctor, pav is over. There were many customers today and
I have run out of my stock”.
He started his bike and as I turned to go back, he stopped again and asked
“have you been waiting for long ?” I said “Yes. Nearly twenty minutes.”
“Oh”, he said. “I feel very bad that you have to go without pav after waiting
so long. But wait, don't go in. Can you wait a bit longer ?” I said “yes”.
“You just be here”, he said, “I will go to the market and buy pav for you” and
without waiting for my reply he started off.
He returned in less than ten minutes, handed me a parcel and said “Now I feel better.
I felt very bad that you waited for me and had to go back empty handed.
It won't bother me any more” saying that, he zoomed away, without waiting
for me to pay him !
I will have to stop him again tomorrow, thank him for his kindness and
pay him for the bread !
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