"Bhaiya, chhutta hai na?"

I was travelling back from my CA Classes to home when before catching a rickshaw I asked the uncle driving "Bhaiya, chhutta (change) hai na?" as my 10 and 20 rupees notes were used up.

Getting a positive reply, I sat and spent most of the time in revising what had been taught that day. Uncle asked me what I was studying. When my home was nearing, I asked uncle to take a left turn, which he probably didn't hear properly and started going straight. I suddenly asked him to take left. He politely apologised and said that he had some problem in the back. Deep in my mind, I felt it as fake excuse.

As the journey was to end, he started speaking "Mere ladke ne bhi CA ki padhai ki. Baaki sab se voh bahot hoshiyar tha. Sab ke bas ki baat thodi na hoti hai CA ki fees bharne ki. Lekin ek din usko class me ulti (vomit) pe ulti hone lagi aur pura din bimar raha. Ghar aakar usne bataya. Hum usko hospital me lekar gaye."

Although I do not recall the exact words, what came next is something I will not be able to forget for whole of my life. His eyes started tearing and voice tone changed. 

"Ek hospital me admit karaya. Fir waha se dusri. Vaha pata chala ke (~)bone marrow me taklif hai. Vaha se (a popular big) hospital me treatment chalu ki. Isme bahot kharcha hua. Jarur padi tab meri kamar me se ek haddi nikal ke uske sharir me daali. Hamare jaise aam aadmi ke liye yeh sab karna aasan baat nahi hai. Yeh sab me pura 54 lakh rupiye ka kharcha hua. Hamari baap-dada ki jameen, ghar (in a South-Bombay area) sab bech diya."

"Lekin thode din baad isse bhi kuch nahi hua aur mera beta hame chod ke chala gaya" He could not hold himself. Tears flowed continuously from his eyes.

After a minute what he said was even more shocking.

"Uski maa bhi uske bina nahi reh paai. Ek mahine baad uske saath voh bhi chali gai."

"Meri to puri jindagi barbaad ho gai. Na beta bach paya, bete ke sath uski maa bhi mujhe aur meri choti betiya ko chod ke gai aur sari jameen-zaaydaat bhi khatam ho gai." 

I was speechless. What I could do was nothing else but try to relieve him in my limited words. He continued,

"Abhi puri zindagi bas meri gudiya ke sahare chal rahi hai. Bas usike karan jeene ki aasha rahi hai. Uske liye hi abhi pura din rickshaw chalate hai.  Abhi usko sambhalne ke liye ek behen rakhi hai, uski bhi ₹(a quite big amount!) mahine ka dena hota hai. Aise to maine pehle Banaras University se M.A. kiya hai. Baaki ab to mere paas kuch nahi raha."

What could I tell him? The rickshaw had stopped in front of my building long ago. What could a person who could not even bear the smallest problem tell a man something who had already seen and beared so much and in fact was a true iron man. Nonetheless I appreciated his strength and tried to speak some soothing words. He gave me his phone number (which I did not store🤦 ) and told me that he felt good after talking.

At last he asked me, "Aapke paas chhutta nahi tha kya? Yeh lo mere paas hai"

I handed over the small amount without taking change that day. This was only what I did. 

I don't know where he is now and how badly the lockdown would have affected him !

Representative photo

(Yes, there are some things which might not seem rational to some. However the expressions and the words were so natural that I felt many times the world of emotions start where unnecessary logic ends.)

This incident gave me many priceless learnings.