THREE BANANAS AND THREE CHEERS

I like this kelawala. At 7.45, this morning, I bumped into his gaadi. He came towards me with his folded hands. When he reached me, he bent down to touch my feet.

“Nahin, bhaisaab, nahin,” I took his hands away out of embarrassment. “Kaise hain aap?”  I enquired, “Kaisa chal raha hai dhandapaani?”

“Khuda ki meharbani,” he pointed at the bananas on his cart. A lot of them were over-ripe, almost spoilt. “Chalana padta hai, saab.”

He tucked three good bananas into my hands. I had a bad cough; but, I had no choice but to accept his love-offering’!

Three years ago, he had brought his young son to me to be taught in TY B’Com. When I saw this man’s enthusiasm and vision for his son – also, on seeing the sincerity of the young son (Every evening,  from 5 to 10, this young man would relieve his father by selling bananas, parking their cart in the busy market) – I took the young man in. Obviously, there was an acute problem of fee. I  fixed a small amount, which some organization arranged to pay. I encouraged the young boy to do our PD course, which he whole-heartedly did. The fee was paid by another anonymous well-wisher. The young man is, presently, employed in a good firm, and, I am sure, will do well in life.

This March, one morning, this man appeared along with his young daughter. It was her turn to learn from me in TY B’Com. Within minutes, the matter was closed. The fee got reduced, the balance fee, as in his son’s case, was paid by the Good Samaritan. The girl, too,  joined the summer PD-course, and another silent hand reached out, in time. The girl was brilliant during our two-month course… She, in deed, stole our hearts. Now, she is in my class learning her final-year subjects. Absolutely committed and hard-working. I have my thumbs up, both thumbs… for this young soul!

This morning, at 7.45, he was already on his duty. I was on mine. As I left him, I began to wonder, how similar we both were!

His shirt had drenched in sweat; mine too. Yes, though it was early morning of the day!

He had left home 


with the same goal as mine: 


to keep our kitchen fire burning… 


to see our children get 


the best of education and come up in life… 


and, to provide some decent comforts 


to our respective families.

 

He was a father… I too.

He had dreams… I too. 

He had left home early… I too.

He worried about his fatigued body… I too.

He prayed to God for help… I too.

Good Samaritans reached out to this man… to me too.

“Hey, how similar we both are!” I smiled in my heart, “how identical!”

This night, he will go to his humble home – literally a hut – with the same satisfaction as mine. 

“Sir, you offered me three bananas with all your affection and gratitude,” I told this man in my happy heart. “Please accept my ‘three cheers’!” I raised both my thumbs up.

GERALD D’CUNHA

Pics.: Vivek D'Cunha