I SHOULD HAVE GIVEN THAT CHOCOLATE…
Photo credit: Alvimann from morguefile.com
After a long day of studying some of the most difficult concepts of the toughest exam IITJEE, in the esteem classes of Kota (Rajasthan), I decided to take a walk on the streets of this city. I saw students, banners of latest opening coaches about their plans and their ‘mantras’ to make you successful very simply. They make their banners in so brilliant manner that it feels as if cracking IITJEE is much simpler than making a cup of tea. I saw hostels, so many hostels that sometime it looks like every teenager of the population of 120 crores of this country is going to shift to Kota.
Then I saw a under construction hostel. Road front of that hostel was half blocked by the bricks and half by pits filled with water. I really had to think a lot to cross that messy road without getting my clothes dirty and when I was doing this struggle my eyes fall on a little kid. She was watching me very keenly. She was the daughter of one of the worker working on the hostel. She was sitting just near the pit filled with water and was playing with that. When she saw me watching her, she smiled. That innocent smile touched my heart so deeply that it made me forget everything, that struggle I had with my parents before coming to Kota, the study pressure, the lecture of teachers, the struggle to save my clothes, everything. Unaware of difficulties coming forth in her life, unaware of poverty that she will get in fortune from her parents, she was happy, she was happy in playing with toys that her parents can arrange for her. I waved back to her in return of her magic smile and moved forward in my research.
Next day, same bouncing lectures, same tiredness and then again planning to search the streets. Same site of streets full with students, same banners, same hostels and then the same under construction hostel. My eyes searched a bit and then fought another pair of eyes watching me, as if waiting for me and after that when she recognized me gave that smile for which I was waiting for 24 hours. After that again a wave in return.
That went on for another a week or so. One day I felt that giving just a wave for such a magic is not enough. I planned to buy her a chocolate. Then I moved to shop and stopped. I said to myself to drop the foolish idea and buy patties and have fun. Next day also I thought the same thing and in the same manner dropped the idea to buy Maggie.
Next day when I passed in front of that hostel, there was no one. I was expecting her sitting on the middle of the road waiting for me but she was not there. I asked someone about those workers so I got to know shocking news. She was dead. She got fever which kept on increasing till she died.
I was upset, I was really unhappy to hear the news but I believe fully on god’s plan. May be god doesn’t want her to live the miserable life coming forth for her. May be He have some other plan for her somewhere else where she will get her rebirth and live a happy life. But still I was upset because I could have made her happy for a little while in her short span of life by giving that chocolate. I could be the happy part of her short life. I should have given that chocolate to her and should have said that thank you for your beautiful smile, that innocent and beautiful smile.
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