As promised , here is the sequel to my other blog : The Gift
Independently it would be named as :
It was five in the Saturday evening and was indeed the favorite part of my week. I usually go for a small walk around my neighborhood at that time and being alone helps me to contemplate on the events that unfolded over the week and also gives me time to get mentally prepared for the week ahead. It was indeed a perfect evening for the walk. I was feeling very calm and relaxed as I went past the parks, temples and empty by lanes in my area.
Independently it would be named as :
The Balloon
It was five in the Saturday evening and was indeed the favorite part of my week. I usually go for a small walk around my neighborhood at that time and being alone helps me to contemplate on the events that unfolded over the week and also gives me time to get mentally prepared for the week ahead. It was indeed a perfect evening for the walk. I was feeling very calm and relaxed as I went past the parks, temples and empty by lanes in my area.
That day I decided to take a
different route rather than the normal track I was accustomed to. This road was
one of the busiest in the area and I could feel the traffic and the buzz around
the place. It did not irritate me that day which might be because I was feeling
happy from inside . As I gazed across the road, I saw a bike coming
towards me. It was not the bike not the husband-wife-small kid on the bike that
made me look in that direction. It was a large balloon that the kid was holding
in her hand. It was one of those blue huge round balloons that you see near any
fairs. As the bike whizzed past me, I could see that the thread of the balloon
which the kid was holding so tightly slipped out of her hands and the balloon
flew towards me. Due to my extremely fast reflexes that I have built over the
years I managed to grab it out of thin air in the midst of such heavy traffic.
I caught it and looked at the direction of the bike waiting for them to stop
and get back what was theirs. But due to the pressure of traffic or some better
reason unknown to me, they did not stop. I guessed that the small kid would be
crying but there was nothing I could do.
I just stood there
still, not knowing what to do with the incredibly big balloon. People around me
were too busy to even look at me or the beautiful thing I was holding. I
decided to take it home but then I was sure that I would not play with it.
I
remembered that construction worker kid whom I had given chocolates last time
and wondered if I should give the balloon to him. But then my brain told me
otherwise.
I went
on my next mission.
Find a
deserving child who would get this balloon.
So I
started walking, looking around for someone whom I could pass on this
unexpected gift. After fifteen minutes of walk I could finally find someone.
This was also a three-member family. The parents were carrying tiny packets of
groceries and vegetables and along with then was a small kid tagging along,
looking at each shop on either sides of the road, secretly hoping that her parents would buy her
something. It was surprising that she was not throwing any tantrums though. It
looked as if she was accustomed going empty handed every time they went shopping.
They surely stayed in slums and could not afford anything else.
I
approached them and instead of directly giving the balloon to the kid, which
would have resulted in quizzical stares from her parents, I talked to her
father, told him about how I suddenly became the owner of this mega balloon and
that I would like him to give it to that girl.
He looked at me suspiciously at me for a few seconds (who
would not if some stranger suddenly would have come and gifted you something),
but then since he had nothing to lose he gave it to her kid. The shriek of
happiness that the kid let out still rings in my ears.
I did not wait for them to tell me anything and just left.
Now I had a new topic to think for the rest of my walk.
The butterfly effect of everything that happened in last
seventeen minutes. Instead of thinking what happened, I started guessing what
would have happened next.
The bike balloon loser:
The husband would be furious about the kid losing quite an
expensive balloon and also for the fact that he could not stop there to get it back.
He would have cursed its new owner too. (At that moment : me )
The wife had noticed me and might have taken comfort with
the fact that the balloon was still safe and would still serve its lifetime
making someone else's( mine) life happier.
The kid would have cried a lot but would have got something
else (chocolates/ice-cream or another balloon) to just shut her mouth.
The balloon gainer:
The father would have been extremely grateful to me for
bringing that gleaming smile on his daughters face.
The shriek of happiness of the kid would have filled her mother’s
heart. She would have blessed me whole heartedly.
The child would be waiting to get into their area to show
off to the other kids (her friends) of what her dad-the superman, had
"bought" her today. The parents would for once walk to their slum
with their heads held high. But deep inside he would know that from next time
his kid would not be as silent as she was today and would he definitely could
not afford to do that any other time. He must of made mental notes of how to
deal with that next time.
Poor me:
No loss, No gain.
Got the balloon, let it go.
One side villain, one side hero.
One side villain, one side hero.
One curse, one blessing.
One cry, one laugh
And one happier walk back home.
