A Beggar with a Bank balance
" Guys, I'm taking a break " i told my colleagues, straightened my hair and walked out of the office. Pressed in the biometric key at the security and got out. It was around 5 PM and i could feel the evening breeze. Thought for a moment where to go, and decided to follow my everyday ritual.
I tentatively got down the stairs and walked slowly towards the bustling main road.
Mount Road was always very busy with vehicles zooming past as if in a race to finish. I took the subway around the corner, as usual, to my favorite bhai kadai on the other side. With no lights, the subway was quite gloomy inside, even during the day. As an everyday scene, there was an old lady in dirty rags, with a stick and a cup, seated near the exit stairs. She usually stares at passers by with daunting eyes and clangs the cup, demanding money and i pay her ten rupees out of pity for her age... but that day was different.
The old lady was on her phone, busy talking to someone. She was furious. I walked past like i hadn't noticed, but couldn't help overhearing her. "Who asked you to take all the money from the account??", she demanded on the phone, "I told you to transfer only forty thousand rupees!". I forgot to take my next step. "What did i just hear ?!" I turned around to see if it was really her talking. She was too occupied in her conversation to notice me. I turned away and as i walked out of the subway, i thought to myself, "Even i don't have forty thousand rupees in my bank account."
I tentatively got down the stairs and walked slowly towards the bustling main road.
Mount Road was always very busy with vehicles zooming past as if in a race to finish. I took the subway around the corner, as usual, to my favorite bhai kadai on the other side. With no lights, the subway was quite gloomy inside, even during the day. As an everyday scene, there was an old lady in dirty rags, with a stick and a cup, seated near the exit stairs. She usually stares at passers by with daunting eyes and clangs the cup, demanding money and i pay her ten rupees out of pity for her age... but that day was different.
The old lady was on her phone, busy talking to someone. She was furious. I walked past like i hadn't noticed, but couldn't help overhearing her. "Who asked you to take all the money from the account??", she demanded on the phone, "I told you to transfer only forty thousand rupees!". I forgot to take my next step. "What did i just hear ?!" I turned around to see if it was really her talking. She was too occupied in her conversation to notice me. I turned away and as i walked out of the subway, i thought to myself, "Even i don't have forty thousand rupees in my bank account."
Next time, i'll think twice before donating to a beggar, I decided. If at all i wish to give, it's better to buy them food than pay money.
- R V Shantharam
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