Social Short Story – God … Did you answer my question?
Photo credit: ecerroni from morguefile.com
While I was writing down some thoughts, I heard some noises outside my door. It was 2:30 at night. I know, quite late to be writing, but the silence around, makes me think better…Ah yes, the noise, I was telling of…initially I ignored it. It continued for almost 10-15 mins.
Then I panicked.
After a couple of minutes, I composed myself & decided to investigate the sound. After all, the security of my society, is not just the responsibility of the watchman (as I was sure he might be dozing off somewhere); it’s every citizen’s…!! At first, I thought of opening the door, come what may. But it was 2:30 at night. What if it was a burglar? What if it was someone, who had come for doing something bad (can’t say exactly what bad though!!). No peep hole as well… !
I did not dare to open the door. But the sounds continued for couple of minutes more and then I could not curb my fear as well as excitement. I summed up my courage and slowly, steadily opened the door trying to make the slightest of the sound. I didn’t want to alert the intruder. What if he had a knife? What if he stabs me? With the safety chain tightly secured to the door, I finally opened the door.
Silence ….
I was shocked. My mouth went dry. 2 pairs of eyes stared at me ….. Yes….it was two of them…..a street kid not more than 6 yrs and a stray dog.
My neighbours kept their dustbin out at night, usually, so that the cleaner wouldn’t spoil their sweet slumber early morning. They were searching for something in that dustbin. I didn’t know what to do. They were harmless, I realized. I unchained the door and got a closer look at them. Hunger struck at every corner of their face and body (yes…both the kid’s as well as the dog’s).
I was speechless. Neither did they, speak anything…
I saw the contents of the dustbin lying around on the floor. Without uttering a word, so as to not cause any embarrassment to the kid, I got him 3 rotis which were left over from my dinner. The two shared 1 ½ roti each. Friends, after all never cheat in their friendship and when it comes to hunger, never at all. I saw them eat the rotis and sabji, gave them water and closed the door.
No words were exchanged between us…
But, the faces I saw that night, will never be forgotten by me, till I die. I stood in front of God and asked him, why did the child deserve such a childhood? God answered, may be, but I couldn’t hear it. My senses had stopped working for a while. All I could imagine, were the innocent faces, the fear, hunger, helplessness, tears…that’s all….
God did you answer my question?
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