While commuting on my way back to home,
I met a man.
Old, dark and lean.
He had protruding eyes.
Black they were.
A receding hairline- gradient combination of grey and white.
Broken teeth, but a wide smile.
Drunk he was- he smelled so.
Happy he was -he looked so.
A plastic cover in his hand
Translucent, with visible contents.
Food, anyone could say.
I didn't notice much
Considering him to be just another drunkard.
When the vehicle began moving,
He was almost falling on others.
"Keep that cover aside
Grab the grip bar",
People told.
He did not listen to them
Instead, held the cover tighter.
"I'm taking them for my grandchildren.
Biscuits they are", he said, with a gleam in his eyes
Holding it firmer, with the rough hands he had
Now I saw the contents
Little Hearts and salt biscuits.
"I come from Old City every week", he continued.
That's quite far from my home, I thought.
"I get them food every time. I like to see them eat.
Little hearts they are,
Just like these biscuits", he pointed them out.
People around me were clearly considering him an old lunatic
But, something drew me towards him.
Intriguing, he was.
I kept listening.
Only I, kept listening.
"Every week, I get my wage. I come to give it to my children and bring food for my grandchildren along with it."
Wait. What did I just hear?
A man, easily over 65 years of age,
Still working,
Still earning,
And giving those earnings to his children?
Supporting them even now?
"And that's my stop. Stop the auto", he said.
Coincidentally, I had to get down there too.
"A five- minute walk from here", he said.
Coincidentally, it was the same for me too.
We both started off together,
He outpaced me soon
And I,
Young and active
Couldn't match his pace!
I kept following him though.
About ten feet distance between us.
As he walked,
He signaled me to walk faster.
Embarrassment? Was it?
A young lad, unable to match the pace of an old man!
Nevertheless
I continued- same pace.
Consistency maintained.
As I saw him take turns along the same lanes
I got excited
Maybe I would see his grandchildren
Maybe they live near my house.
Thoughts, curiosity
Filled my mind.
Who is this person?
Old, yet young.
Happy,
To meet his grandchildren.
As I was thinking all of this, he kept walking forward.
I had to take a turn into a lane.
A lane I had to turn into.
But I kept walking behind him.
I can choose the next lane too.
He crossed that lane as well,
And so, did I.
"One more lane, and I'll head back to home", I told myself.
Coincidentally again,
He took a turn in the next lane.
A few more steps to my home.
A few more steps to his home.
Excitement within me
To know if I know
His grandchildren
Of whom he spoke
So beautifully!
One last lane, and I'll reach my place. "I hope he takes a left turn now". Fingers crossed.
But he kept moving forward.
I reached my lane
Waited to see
Which turn he would take next.
It seemed like he never took a turn after that
As I saw his image get narrower and narrower
Until my eyes could see as far as they could.
He didn't turn back.
He kept moving
With bundles of love, affection and happiness with him.
Positive soul he was, I felt.
And I made my way back home
With all the observations I made:
About an individual
About old age
About hardwork
About empathy
About care
About affection
About humanity.