Maybe goodness hasn’t died as of yet

It’s strange. Sometimes things happen which make you take a step back and wonder – was that for real? In today’s fact paced world where people don’t have time for themselves, leave alone anyone else – how can someone come around to help you and not ask for anything in return?

It has happened twice till the time of writing this piece and I’m still amazed.

I was going to my office (Wipro Depot) from Durgapur and it was a slightly overcast day. As I got into the bus, it started raining but I thought that’s ok as the journey was 2.5 hours so the rains would subside by then. I reached Kolkata and from there took a second bus to Majerhat (where the depot is situated). From there on it is a small walk to the depot but as I got down, I saw the whole road submerged in water. Actually there is no road, it is a dirt track which was now muddy with water and people were wading through the water with shoes in one hand and trousers rolled up to the knees. I stood there standing, not able decide should I also do the same or should I do something else?

I decided to take a rickshaw across the water but couldn’t find any. I saw a car approaching and asked to take me across the water but to no avail. I tried flagging off a number of vehicles but none obliged.

Then a man crossed the water with his bicycle and turned around and asked me, “dada, oi side jaabe?” (You want to go that side?). And I hopped on to the bicycle and crossed the water logged track with ease. Once we were on the other side, I asked him how much. And he said, not a problem - just help someone when he asks for help. With this the man went back and I was left standing there, wondering if people still help strangers without anything in return.

The second time it happened recently when I was in Bhubaneswar and wanted to call my friend, but my phone balance was running low so I came out to find a pay phone. It was late in the night and no pay phone shop was open. I was just thinking what to do when a man asked what my problem was. I told him I was searching an STD booth and he said you won’t find any one open at this hour. He offered his phone to me and I was taken aback. How do people get so friendly? I used his phone to make an eight minute STD call and when I asked him how much should I give him, he just said – “koi na, kabhi hum Bangalore aaye to jagah ghuma dena”. (No worries, if I come to Bangalore sometimes, just give me a tour of the city). I was again dumb struck with the simplicity and geniality of the person.

These incidents show that no matter how cynical we become, how much profit centered our lives become, deep down inside each one of us is still the good human which God created in his own image and if we all can bring out that good human outside a little more, this planet would be a much better place to live on.