The Story of our Lives

http://sanglife.blogspot.com/2010/04/story-of-our-lives.html

Of the 7 years in his life, he couldn't remember the ones which weren't dreadful. But then again, who looks back at life when he has only 7 years to his credit?

The boy stood at the train station waiting for the next ride. The thrill of a fast train made his fears & pain go away. The wind kissed his face, as his mother once did. The wind wiped away his tears, as his mother once did. He could fly like a bird, that his pet once was. The sound of the train was a music to his ears. He could dance.

The train pulls into the station. He climbs in and takes off his shirt. He cleans the floor of the compartment with his shirt. That's what he does for a living. And then he puts forth his hand, waiting for the passengers to think his work was worthwhile. Or in reality, take pity on him and give him some money.

He goes to the girl in red standing at the door, lost in her thoughts. He puts his hand forth and calls her "Didi". He looks at her eyes, a mix of emotions and skepticism, begs her for some money. She says "No". He moves on to the others.

He gets about 3 rupees and there is no more coming. He retires. Suddenly, he feels 2 taps on his shoulders. It was the girl in red. She hands him 5 bucks. He accepts it. At the next stop, he gets down and repeats the same job there.

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The girl had a fun time tonight with her friends. She couldn't remember the last time they laughed this hard and went about the streets so happily. When they parted ways at the train station, she ran for the train, just about the depart. She took a seat, kept up the spirit by talking to her friends and then falling asleep. She woke up 2 stations before her stop and decided to catch some wind.

The train rides soothe her soul. The wind kisses her face, as she longs her mother to do. The wind wipes away her tears, as she longs her mother to do. She felt like bird, that she once believed she was going to be. The sound of the train is music to her ears. She could dance.

A little boy filled with dirt gets into the train, takes off his shirt and starts cleaning the floor. Her heart breaks because he's supposed to be getting an education and not earning. "It's just unfair that we are not born with the knowledge of what we truly deserve but have to learn it along the way, till it's a belief" - she thinks. She considers whether to pay him or not. What's his life like after he finishes up here. Does he go home to a drunken father or a failed one? Worse, does he go home to his master who takes away all his earning and feeds him? No, she will not pay. She doesn't have the food to give him.

He calls her "Didi" and she looks into his eyes. They are desperate as they are taught to be, else they really will be. "No" comes out of her mouth, of habit. She turns away and thinks "At least someone feeds him, if not you." and then "Have faith. May be he doesn't get abused but has no other way to live" She digs her purse for some money and draws out 5 bucks.

She taps his frail shoulders and hands him the money. He gets off at the next stop and she forgets all about him. She thinks about someone she loves and smiles at a few memories. Her stop arrives and she gets off.

"Didi" - a little voice calls out and it's happy. She turns back and finds the boy. He was eating a biscuit, holding his shirt in his arms, smiling and waving at her. She smiles a wide one that comes from knowing that the faith paid off.