Thursday 4 July 2013

On A Rainy Evening...


Being the rainy season then, I hurried up my work, and left my cabin at sharp 6.00 pm. Rain has always been the green meadow for the poets and romantics, but for me, it was nothing more than a forerunner of epidemics, which always had the capacity to beat my immune system, but I loved to watch it rain, from under the blanket. No sooner than I was on the rim to cross the traffic jammed M.G Road, the dark clouds winked a drop on my cheeks. All my fingers worked helplessly to get hold of my three fold Popy umbrella in my bag, but they failed drastically, as I remembered, it was resting peacefully in my office’s table drawer.  The idea of getting wet, and then boarding a heavily crowded transport bus, for which you are just another gymnast on the foot-board, made me to shelter down myself under a roadside tin sheeted shop. Very soon, I had more members to share my oxygen with. The monsoons had always made me realize, how populated my nation was.

Residing on the borders of Ernakulam district, I have to board 3-4 buses to reach my office in Kochi. It’s terrible in the evening, as the last bus to the remote but beautiful village of Vadakkumpuram, leaves the North Paravur Town at 8.05 pm and the next option available will be to get down on NH-17 and walk 3 kms towards east. It was getting dark and the very idea, made me to get out of the shop veranda and charge in the drizzle, towards another roof, neatly avoiding the gutters, like an experienced frog. Playing this hide & seek, somehow I managed to reach the Ernakulam Jetty bus stop, from where I had to board the bus to Kaloor or High Court and from there to North Paravur. By that time, the clouds stopped sobbing and started flashing their cameras on me, as if we all standing there, were celebrities.  My Fastrack watch ticked 6.45 pm.

The moment I saw a glimpse of the bus Shamsila with a board Kaloor, somebody tapped on my shoulders. I turned and saw a boy with an old man. The boy without making any eye contact, asked me, if I could help the old man to board the bus to Thevara, the way opposite to Kaloor. By that time my bus braked at the stop. I just denied his request in a hurry and climbed the bus, but as I turned, I saw that the old man was blind. I felt sorry for denying. I got down immediately, avoiding the tantrums of the bus cleaner, and went to them. They were still standing there helplessly under one worn out umbrella.  I asked the boy, as why he couldn’t help the man. He said the man was blind by birth and that he himself was partially blind, and by evening, it becomes too difficult for him to be on the road and it’s painful to have the piercing headlights into the eyes. They lived at a nearby social welfare institution for blind people. I assured to help the man and that he could leave. The boy thanked me with gratitude and left in the drizzle. I made sure that the umbrella covered the old man neatly as we crossed the road carefully and walked towards the bus stop. We stood there for long to get a bus, in silence. Finally when he boarded the bus, I made sure that he was given a seat. I asked the conductor, to drop him at Thevara and paid his bus fare. Before I took leave, he kissed my hand...

I looked at my watch and it was already 8.00 pm. Since there were no supersonic transport services, which could cover almost 30 Kms in just 5 minutes, I crossed the road and waited for the next bus to come. It started raining more heavily than before.  I got fully drenched. By the time I reached the NH-17, it was past 10pm. It was still raining heavily. I walked towards the east in the rain, with a soothed soul...

Thank God!


(Linking this to Ultimate Blogging Challenge

31 comments :

  1. What a great reminder to slow down and look for opportunities presented by the Lord to help others. I'm so glad you paid attention!

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  2. What a wonderful story. anita

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    1. Thank You Anita...well its not that impersonal as usual...

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  3. Sreedev, thanks for recording this kindness. God gives the rain to us all! I love how you said "just another gymnast" and recall many a crowded bus and jeep I've ridden in Asia. You do have to be a gymnast to get in and out in one piece! Warm Regards for #blogboost results! Shelley

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    1. Thank You Shelly for the encouragement and for sharing your experiences...

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  4. Very Nice Read Sree..Kindness is Humanity and that reflected in you post..

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  5. Love your posts and the way you write! Hard to spot such kind souls these days! Glad that you shared this :)

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  6. Beautiful write, I like the way you write your posts. It's still raining coz the earth is not deprived of Good Samaritans like you.

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  7. Lovely! something worth to read

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  8. Hats off to you Sreedev.

    If I was in your place, I would not have stepped out of the bus during the rainy season. But for helping others I would definitely step out as you did on a rainy evening.

    There are very few people who can devote their precious time for others.

    Have a nice day.

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  9. Just wonderful... Keep writing and all the best.

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  10. Wow such a beautiful story. God bless u!!

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  11. I loved the way you layered the story Sreedev. I could almost picture you with the discomfort of the monsoon,your haste to get into a bus and then describing the passage of time and your kind deed thereafter.I loved the read. Please keep them coming

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  12. What an humble act Sreedev. the blissful feeling derived from this random act of kindness is priceless. like Dalai Lama says “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion" :)

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  13. You never fail to surprise me ! a nice read !

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  14. As these places described here are so close to me, I can realise the situation very well... n yaa hatz off to whateva you had done :)

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  15. Loved your story, Sreedev. That old man kissing your hand in gratitude choked me up.

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  16. Dear Sreedev,

    This is the first time wherein i'm reading your article. Feeling grateful for that. Moving further, let me tell you the things which loved the most. Opening sequence amazingly written. Enjoyed each and every line. I should admit this. I read it twice since i was smitten by your way of narration. Especially that umbrella sequence,how we will struggle to get into bus during rainy days and how you went in search of tin sheeted shop and how others shared your oxygen. Wow, Excellent narration. Being in Dubai right now I felt cloud as a special case has showered me with rain. That kind of connection you have made through your narration.

    In the body i liked how you crossed the gutters like frog- Good imagination. And finally i was well impressed by your kindful act.. Overall i thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

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    1. I am blessed to have a deep reader of my article. I am grateful to you, for reading this article so intensely and for the encouraging comments. Thank You.

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  17. A benevolent blogger from my state :) It's god reading you bro :)

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