Bloody Mary

Dad and me were standing on SV Road as Mom got some vegetables from the local vegetable seller. This kid, shabbily dressed, ruffled hair, street-worn out kinda look, definitely a teenager walks up to my dad.

Kid: Saab, joota polish karoo? (Sir, can I polish your shoes?)
Dad: (Shakes his head to a no)
Kid: Saab, karne do, bahut bhook laga hai (Sir, let me polish them, I am very hungry)

Dad looked around and saw the only conveniently accessible food spot was the vegetable seller.

Dad: Tamatar khayegaa? (Will you eat tomatoes?)
Kid: (Nodded a painful yes)

Dad picked up two tomatoes and gave them to the kid. My eyes followed him till they could, wondering if he would sell these tomatoes off for a beedi, or if he would eat them. When I saw him take a bite off the first tomato, I was glad, and sad.

Dad paid the seller two rupees for the tomatoes and we moved on. But my mind kept flashing back to the 180 bucks cranberry juice I had at a lounge I visited few days ago and the sad yes nodded by the kid for two tomatoes.

Definitely one needs to be thankful for what one has, and an incident like this would have surely made me feel thankful for all thats been given to me so far. But this time round it just made me feel that more than anything its people like us who can make a small difference and snowball it into a big one. Two tomatoes could feed one mouth. Could stop a crime, could hold back a tear.

When you are done partying on the first day of 2007, try not to throw away your left overs. You have no idea the number of mouths it could feed.

Everyone have a fun filled safe 2007.