Humanity

We lose faith in humanity and acknowledge in our heart that the fibre of passion, love, and kindness are all lost. All drowned into these mechanical, digital, and virtual oceans, where all these emotions are churned and frozen. Then something happens and your old faith in humanity gets restored.

This incident happened, when I was travelling in my jittery company bus in Pune. At that signal in Kalyaninagar where rivulets of traffic converge from three directions and make a mess of rush hour.

I was at this window seat looking out for specifically nothing and saw a biker parking near a tin-shop. A Street dog came out of nowhere and stood before him. He patted the dog’s head and moved towards a nearby tin-shop. The shopkeeper there spoke some pleasantries, they laughed at some joke and then the man handed over a 10 rupee note to the shopkeeper. In return, the shopkeeper handed him two packets of Parle G biscuit.

He took it to the location where the street dog, who greeted him, was waiting patiently. Spread an old newspaper, opened the biscuit packet and fed the dog. All the time patting the dogs head and back. After that he returned back to the shop and had his tea in a plastic glass with some biscuits. Some other daily workers also flocked towards him… he gave his toothy grin to all and waved at some who were passing by.

Yes! I was really struck in the traffic and had the time to gaze at all this.

I noticed the man’s attire which indicated that he could be a milkman or a goods transporter or a newspaper distributor. A person who could be in his fifties. Straight posture and open outlook. His hearty grin was bereft of some essential teeth though.

Immediately after he had his tea, he got on his bike and merged back into the traffic convergence.

This scene left me pondering about this person, how he came in like a firefly… a small goblet of light and love… spreading some light, giving away some warmth and at the same time restoring back my faith in Humanity.