For record, he is a beggar in the street, asking for money from every possible passer-by. When cars stop at Red Signals, he knocks on their glass side-screens begging for money. For two-wheeler riders, he can be quite troublesome. For, at times, he can go obnoxiously close and touch them anywhere, including cheeks and ask for money. If somebody rebukes him, he laughs sheepishly and moves away. Yet, nobody would remember the non-descript him again. Yet, he has found himself at the centre of Occasional focus. Today has dawned differently for him -- without he realising it.

 

He is there -- as usual -- at the square, doing business as usual. Morning traffic is flowing fast and tight. Even when the Red Signal comes on, people still are pushing through, disturbing traffic on all roads. Near the median, an old man with bent carriage stands -- waiting for the traffic to ease so that he crosses to the other side. He is painfully slow in his movements -- and obviously diffident (in favour of his own safety on the road). Long minutes pass by, and the old, stooped man is still standing near the median. The fast-moving and relentless traffic is just too much for him to tackle. He is now beginning to lose patience -- yet has no courage to step into the traffic. He is helpless. A young man also stands nearby wanting to cross the road. He is strong and brimming with confidence. In a few minutes, he just dashes across the road through the traffic and is gone. Seeing that, the stooped old man also picks up courage and starts crossing the road -- through maddening traffic.

 

A few steps later, he is confused and wants to retrace to the road’s edge -- which is not able to do. The traffic moves in a cruel mood. Sensing trouble, our protagonist beggar steps forward. In his shaggy clothes and dirty exterior, he rushes close to the old man, holds his hand, waves the traffic to slow down, and helps him to cross the road safely. The old man’s face lights up in gratitude. He tries to thank the good man for his help. But the good man is already gone over to the other side.

 

He has his ‘business’ to take care, after all. This benevolence from an unlikely quarter is unexpected. The old man stands still -- now safely on the other side of the road -- and waves at the beggar. He also waves back. The episode is over. Life is back to normal -- business as usual. Yet, the demonstration of basic goodness has the power to shock anyone out of wits. For, nobody ever has expected a simple beggar to respond to a fine human emotion within. Such episodes do not happen every now and then. But this episode has the power to impact anybody’s feelings profoundly, thanks to its cinematic value, thanks to its human appeal. n