Child is the father of man!

Just behind my house is a narrow street, lonely and isolated. This morning I set out to explore it, on foot of course! Besides the large bungalows and their spacious parking lots here and there, I saw the huts of the homeless scantily arranged with wooden sticks and semi-torn plastic sheets.

As I walked by, a grocery store in the vicinity caught my eye. A can of coke would be a great companion for my short walk I thought. So, I approached the store and bought a can of coke. I turned to the left and was welcomed by the constant stares of a poor young girl from the neighborhood. Her eyes were on the coke. It seemed like the concept of coke in a can was new to her. Anyhow, I ignored her.

The necessary transaction with the grocer was over. While trying to put the change back in my wallet, I dropped a one rupee coin. Although unintentional, I ignored it and kept walking. Watching from the corner of my eye, I realized that the girl’s eyes never left me. She picked up the coin, ran and handed the coin over to me. I was stunned!

What the girl pulled off, may not be the greatest act of kindness on earth, but it sure was extra-ordinary. To someone, who was almost 15 years elder to her, she taught a lesson not to judge a book by its cover. She sure made my day!