Even though I woke up as early as four in the morning,I was running late for work.I ran as fast as I could to catch the bus which ferries me to my workplace.
It was as usual, a hot, sweaty, polluted day.Adding to woes were the suffocating traffic.The only thing that was right for me was to get a seat,that too a window seat.I was glad!! :)
Once I settled down on my seat,my mind started wandering.Thinking about the work which I have to complete,about the very stubborn manager I have to face,and gossiping colleagues,woes of people who come to meet me.Along with my thoughts, my eyes too did wander only to be locked with a shabbily and nearly dressed man,who was shouting aloud at times and talking to himself.He was sitting right under the bridge,near to the bus stop where a huge crowd of people were waiting for their respective buses.
With disgust,I noticed him from head to toe.There was a pile of dirt upon him, because of which I was unable to detect his age or ethnicity or even the colour of his skin.He had long unkempt hair, beard and moustache. He even smelled like rotten eggs!!.Everyone standing nearby him were disgusted,at least from the faces and they all tried to move away from him.Even I too looked the other way.My bus began its journey and so did I leave the filthy looking man there.A light breeze was finding its way in the bus,thanks to the window seat!.
Without even realising,I started to think about my home,my husband and about my baby girl.She was sleeping when I left for work.I was feeling bad about missing her naughtiness, her talks,her small acts.I wanted to run back to my home and hug my lilt girl.I know she would be waiting for me at the gate when I return from work.That filled me with a sense of joy and pride.
Suddenly,I wondered...Wouldn't the man from whom I just averted my mind away too have a mother ? Would she would have been so happy to give birth to him,to see him for the first time ? Someone who would have fed him,some one who would have taken care of him, well-kept and bathed.Some one who would have sat besides him,while he was sick or while he studied at night? Some one who would have woven her dreams all around him just like me.
Wouldn't he have a father ? A father who would have rejoiced when he was called "Dad"..May be he too was someone's Prince..Or may be he was a hero to this boy..at home or at school or even college ? May be he worked at a good place.May be he was a genius ?
He too might have had grand parents just like all of us have,who would have told him stories and fables.He would have had sisters,brothers,a family,friends..
I felt,he too might have been like me,like one among all of us.What might have happened that he lost his mind ? Was he left out ? Or did his family abandon him due to his illness ? Or to die ? Or did he just run away from any misery ?Is he happy now or did he knew that this might be his destiny...? Have we as a society anyway contributed to his ill fate ? Would timely medications have worked out in his favour ?
A good-looking,well-kept young man was staring at me, in my thoughts.This thought brought a drop of tear in my eyes...and reminded me which I always take for granted.Something which I knew but refused to acknowledge..."I am lucky to have born on this side of line - A line that divides us on poverty,education,mental health,physical deformity,happiness,better family.!!,but that essentially doesn't make us any superior..we are simply beings and to be human we need to harbour mutual feel and respect and help everyone..."
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