It all started with me going for an evening walk with a school time friend, We were in middle of a conversation of how have we evolved both as individuals both personally and professionally. Though we both had different arguments to every question however we seemed to agree on one thing “ no matter how much we earn we will always want more”. Suddenly we saw something that we hadn’t noticed anytime. There is a large footpath we were walking on and I saw that one side of the footpath was lined with makeshift “Chullahs” and most of them were occupied by poor families who were trying to cook a decent meal for their respective families.
Unlike my home’s kitchen which is filled with laugter and endless discussions of what would be cooked, The chullah’s had an errie silence attached to them, There was no laughter around them, children seemed to huddle around with dreams in their eyes that maybe they will sleep with a full stomach tonight, Unlike children from well to do families who sometimes throw food tantrums (I’m ashamed to admit that I have been and will always be one to do the same) they seemed to be at peace with their inner self about food.
I walked a little further and realized that it’s a different world out there, While sitting in my air conditioned car and whizzing past luxury cars little do we realize that life exists beyond the safe environs of our homes. A lot of people around us lived in penury and we are so busy that we fail to realize that this is a life that many people live.
I tried sitting at a distance and watched them carefully, most of them din’t talk while eating, they had a sad expression on their face and with my limited wisdom it felt as if they are enjoying their meal as if it was their last. The most disturbing part was the fact that no one asked for a second helping, suddenly it stuck me that most of metrosexuals as I like to call my gang of friends have short lived tempers, they would be enraged in case they are not properly served at their homes or at an eatery, how come children of the same god had a different attitude.
A small child was eating a small plain roti and it seemed that he had befriended a stray dog, even though that roti wouldn’t have been sufficient for any one of them still the lad had the courage to share the same with him. Some of the men rose up after dinner and seemed to move towards a construction site nearby, I gathered all courage and asked one of them what were they doing at the construction site and he replied that he worked at the site.
It felt strange to realize that even though they are trying to give their best for someone’s dream they would be devoid of a permanent roof once this structure is completed, my thoughts drifted for a moment and It seemed daily wagers across industries share the same fate, their maybe working in a car manufacturing plant but they will never earn enough to buy the same car, Some of them worked in the best restaurants in the city and make sure every kid’s birthday is a memorable one for everyone in their family. Yet their kids would never be able to celebrate their birthday’s in such a style.
This realization has made me realize the fact that I may not be able to give them anything in life, a smile and respect is the least that I can give to them. They are people made of a different material alltogether
