Joy of Living

All street children look busy, energetic and happy. You have to just observe their behaviour on traffic signals where most of them are- selling , begging or just hanging around. Even the most forlorn looking one will break into a smile if you make eye contact and look long enough.

But this child was different -did not have the " happy go lucky" demeanour of a street child. With a bag on his shoulders he had a cultivated appearance ; but he was crying - silently to himself. I was standing outside a multiplex near the main road waiting for my car to pick me when I saw him standing near by.

Unable to ignore , I moved closer and asked him what was wrong.

It was a book that he needed to buy and he had no money. The school teacher had warned him of dire consequences if he did not bring the book to school the next day .Looking at the disbelief on my face he opened his bag and showed me his class exercise books. I found he was a student of class six and exceptionally good in his school work.

He told me initially he was in a school meant for poor children but because of his good grades he was nominated to a bigger English medium school where the fees were not charged but he had to pay for the books. I found the boy could speak English well.

Encouraged by my interest and the appreciation that must have shown on my face he asked if I could give him eighty rupees for the book. He quickly added that his father was a watchman in a building across the road and he could take me there to prove he was not lying.

I gave the child eighty rupees , more because of the impression he had made on me and less due to pity. He thanked me profusely and promised to study well and had happiness writ on his face.

I was about to go when he tugged my hand and with a gleam in the eyes asked if I could give him twenty rupees more. Pointing towards Mc Donald's he told me he had never gone inside and really wanted to eat something from there . He had also found out that the cheapest item in Mc Donald's was for twenty rupees.

As if hypnotised I gave him another twenty rupees and and saw him run inside McDonald's . He was out in five minutes with a burger in his hand , and seeing me still standing came running and pressed a five rupee coin in my palm. He said " It cost only fifteen rupees" and ran away before I could say anything.

I stood there - looking after him---for how long I don't know ---- wondering where my car was ----it was hot , the pollution was unbearable ----