Random Acts of kindness by strangers -or- Its Oprah time!

Two weeks ago, I was in the lift between the 7th and 4th floor cursing whoever had unknowingly set off a tragic chain of events by pressing the button on the 4th floor. I knew by the time the person (lets call him/her X) got in, I'd lose two precious minutes not to forget the extra 30 seconds I would have to wait till X got out of the lift on the ground floor before I could shut the lift door. Those few extra minutes lost would mean that the last rickshaw at the rickshaw stand would be taken by that mom with the the two school going kids. I would have to walk a little to catch another rick which meant that I would just miss the signal at SV Road. And miss my last bus to office. This would entail spending 50 bucks and the next 1 1/2 hrs in a crowded B.E.S.T. bus and rick to reach office. All this I thought between the 7th and 4th floor. Honest. At the fourth floor as X, who turned out to be a young servant boy, hopped in, I realized I'd forgotten my cellphone. My last hope of getting into the bus was calling someone already on the bus and imploring them to plead with the bus driver to wait for me. I told X I needed to go up. He chivalrously agreed to go up first instead of down. I pressed the 7th floor button. Rang the door bell, dashed into my room, got the phone and ran out, all the while calculating how much more time I would have to spend waiting for the lift. Then I saw that the lift with X in it, was waiting me. He held opened the door. I thanked him profusely while rushing in. And in my mind blessed him and his family. It was a fairytale ending. I caught the rick, and boarded the bus. Without even running.


College was pretty close to home so I would usually wait for 10 minutes for the bus. If it didn't turn up within that time, I'd start walking home. [Trying to walk on moss covered footpaths during the rainy season is a delightful experience. Also I find it tremendously improves one's sense of balance.] One day, after buying my 3rd Scientific calculator, I managed to catch the bus. When the ticket collector came, I discovered I had no money left. After digging around the bag for 3 minutes, I discovered I had a sum total of R. 2. Back then the fare was Rs 3.5. I looked at my calculator which I had juts bought for Rs 800, the Engineering Drawing compass I had bought for Rs 65, the discman that my sister had gifted me. Even selling them as "pre-owned" I would have got 1000 times the money I needed. But in a moving bus, I was as good as broke. To preempt the conductor's outburst [and I knew there was going to be one about "kids these days"], I got up to leave the bus. Oh, the humiliation! Then this kind voice from behind me asked "How much do you need?" "One-and-a-half rupees" I replied in a small voice. He paid the conductor. I was saved. I was also indebted to this man. Before I could properly express my gratitude, he stood up and said "Thats my stop." I resolved to wait at the same bus stop the next day and thank him and repay him. Unfortunately, I never did.


One day when I was in school, I missed the school bus. Having to go home and telling my parents I had missed the school bus would ensure that they would wake me up 15 minutes earlier from then on. My sleep was precious to me and I was determined to safeguard it. I had 15 bucks 'emergency' money. I hopped into a rickshaw. Yes, it was dangerous but I had my 9 1/2 hours of sleep to think about. The meter fare reached 15 bucks when we were still 2-3 minutes away from school. I quickly told the rickshaw driver to stop, my mind filled with visions of the rickshaw driver beating my up or calling me "chor" for not being able to pay the extra rupee it would have taken to reach school. My class teacher would be called and then maybe I'd have to go to the Principal's office. Or maybe the teacher would wait till report day and then spring this incident on my parents. I hurriedly paid him the money and started walking to school. The rickshaw moved on and then came to a stop. When I caught up with it, the rickshaw driver was smiling and he said " Pehle bolna tha! Chalo, kahan utarna hai?" I jumped in and enjoyed my 3 minute "free" ride.

On re-reading the above, I find that all of them have to do with transport. The following one is one of the best presents I got :-

Some years ago on my birthday, when the doorbell rang, I ran towards the door, all hopped up on birthday cake. When I opened the door, there stood our raddiwalla. Our raddiwalla is a sweet, sweet old man who always wishes "Good morning, baby, paper hai?" That is our cue to go to the kitchen and get the pile of newspapers out so that he can weigh and take it away. Today, before he could speak, I wished him "Good morning" and half-turned towards the kitchen, waiting for his customary question. Instead, he said "Happy birthday, baby". As I was grinning away and started to say Thanks, he gave me a bouquet of roses! It turns out that the previous year he had come to collect newspapers and mom had given him a piece of cake [I was away in college]. And this man who is probably in his 70's, he remembered! And it was the first bouquet of roses I ever received.
I'm gushing, I know it. Oh, you would too.