Okay so yeah, I know I should drop the disappearing acts, I promised myself consistency when I started this, I need to go ahead and prove to myself that I am capable of it. So here's to trying to be consistent. But I hope the narrative that follows is worth the wait.
Yesterday I met a sweet man, on our way out of the university we take a rickshaw to the gate, what with the heat wave, we an barely keep our eyes open let alone walk to the gate. So we did, Samar and I, we took a rickshaw to the gate, it was an old man, we got in and said "Baba Sheik Zaid jana hai" he looked a little confused so I pointed in the general direction ad said "Udhr walay gate" he replied "Aao betho" we did and he took us to the gate. All the way we gushed at his cuteness, you see me and my friends have this thing, we love really old people. Once we got off and paid him I was about to walk away when he said "Beta shair (sheher) nai jatay?" I replied, " Jana tau Saddar hai baba par mehnga buhat perhayga" I usually take a bus home on Fridays when I don't have to go to work. Then I saw the look on his face, I was about to say, kia laingay when he said "Mai 200 me layjaoonga" I did not have the heart to say no so I just said "Acha sai hai chalet hain" and got back into the rickshaw. Once outside he said, "Beta bura na mano tau do sawaariyan rastay ki aur bithalun? 20 20 rupay hongay, mera b kharch nikaljayga." Now, I am a weird person, with personal space issues, I usually say no immediately, but to him, I couldn't. So I let him, he got two girls to ride with us till Sabzi Mandi, I resented their presence all the way, when they got off they said "Thank you baba!" and he replied, "Beta, shuqria mera nai, in ka kero, yeh mana kerdaiti tau mai kese leta sawaari, hum dono ka bhala kea inho ne." They turned to me and said "Shuqria aapka" I could barely mumble "Koi baat nai" and then we left, a while later the babaji said "Mai roz 11 bajay nikal jata hu university se, aaj larkay agayay, shagird hain mere, mai ne sikhaya hai dhanda unhe, baten kertay kertay waqt ka hi ni pata chala, zahir hai kabhi kabhi tau miltay hain, phir baten b buhat hoti hain kernay ko. Phir tum aai tau pata ni kia aai dimagh me k is beti se puch loon, ho sakta hai jana ho isay usi tarf, tau puch lea, ab dekho mera kharch nikal gaya, patrol (petrol) p chalata hu gaari k awaaz na keray, mehnga perhta hai par sawaari ko sakoon tau milta hai. beta sakoon sab kuch hai, who na ho tau sab bekaar." I kept listening and saying "ji" at regular intervals, lost in my own thought, wondering how much of a sacrifice he must be making just so people could travel in relative peace. I don't know why, but I managed to take a picture of him, maybe I knew this would be a story worth telling.I kept thinking until it was time to get off, he couldn't take me home as he had to go to garden, where he lived. I didn't mind being dropped off at Saddar on the way, I didn't tell him that I had to go farther, I wanted to return him the favor, give him relative peace, let him get home, be safe, rest a little. "Buhat shuqria baba" I said and got off, walking away before I took the next rickshaw home. That man, that wise old man taught me a valuable life lesson, "Sukoon sab kuch hota hai beta, who na ho tau sab kuch bekaar"
There isn't much I could add to this, so, stay safe.
Ta!
Yesterday I met a sweet man, on our way out of the university we take a rickshaw to the gate, what with the heat wave, we an barely keep our eyes open let alone walk to the gate. So we did, Samar and I, we took a rickshaw to the gate, it was an old man, we got in and said "Baba Sheik Zaid jana hai" he looked a little confused so I pointed in the general direction ad said "Udhr walay gate" he replied "Aao betho" we did and he took us to the gate. All the way we gushed at his cuteness, you see me and my friends have this thing, we love really old people. Once we got off and paid him I was about to walk away when he said "Beta shair (sheher) nai jatay?" I replied, " Jana tau Saddar hai baba par mehnga buhat perhayga" I usually take a bus home on Fridays when I don't have to go to work. Then I saw the look on his face, I was about to say, kia laingay when he said "Mai 200 me layjaoonga" I did not have the heart to say no so I just said "Acha sai hai chalet hain" and got back into the rickshaw. Once outside he said, "Beta bura na mano tau do sawaariyan rastay ki aur bithalun? 20 20 rupay hongay, mera b kharch nikaljayga." Now, I am a weird person, with personal space issues, I usually say no immediately, but to him, I couldn't. So I let him, he got two girls to ride with us till Sabzi Mandi, I resented their presence all the way, when they got off they said "Thank you baba!" and he replied, "Beta, shuqria mera nai, in ka kero, yeh mana kerdaiti tau mai kese leta sawaari, hum dono ka bhala kea inho ne." They turned to me and said "Shuqria aapka" I could barely mumble "Koi baat nai" and then we left, a while later the babaji said "Mai roz 11 bajay nikal jata hu university se, aaj larkay agayay, shagird hain mere, mai ne sikhaya hai dhanda unhe, baten kertay kertay waqt ka hi ni pata chala, zahir hai kabhi kabhi tau miltay hain, phir baten b buhat hoti hain kernay ko. Phir tum aai tau pata ni kia aai dimagh me k is beti se puch loon, ho sakta hai jana ho isay usi tarf, tau puch lea, ab dekho mera kharch nikal gaya, patrol (petrol) p chalata hu gaari k awaaz na keray, mehnga perhta hai par sawaari ko sakoon tau milta hai. beta sakoon sab kuch hai, who na ho tau sab bekaar." I kept listening and saying "ji" at regular intervals, lost in my own thought, wondering how much of a sacrifice he must be making just so people could travel in relative peace. I don't know why, but I managed to take a picture of him, maybe I knew this would be a story worth telling.I kept thinking until it was time to get off, he couldn't take me home as he had to go to garden, where he lived. I didn't mind being dropped off at Saddar on the way, I didn't tell him that I had to go farther, I wanted to return him the favor, give him relative peace, let him get home, be safe, rest a little. "Buhat shuqria baba" I said and got off, walking away before I took the next rickshaw home. That man, that wise old man taught me a valuable life lesson, "Sukoon sab kuch hota hai beta, who na ho tau sab kuch bekaar"
There isn't much I could add to this, so, stay safe.
Ta!
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| The Rickshaw Wala Uncle |
Such people are the real inspiration. Well written.
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