Sep 30, 2011

The Policy...

It was the usual Bangalore morning signal jam. He turns off the engine and instinctively locks his side screen to be safe from the usual menace of the eunuchs. He knew it would take at least 5 minutes before the traffic can resume. The traffic cops are busy with their morning collections on the other side of the road. He opens his canister and starts drinking his morning dose of chocolate soyamilk.

He notices her approaching on the rear view mirror. She has an infant against her bosom. Surely it must be a stolen infant he thought. He remembered the story he had recently read in the papers.
It was his firm policy not to give alms to beggars. "Why don’t they earn their bread by hard work? The society breeds them with alms", he always sighed.
Two teens on the bike drop a coin as they gawk at her bosom. That irks him further.
Now she is knocking on his side screen. He looks ahead ignoring her. He could hear the wails of the infant above the voice of the wacky RJ on the FM radio. He is not sure which one bugs him the more. The signal turns green and the traffic upfront begins to move. The infant’s wail drowns the other noises around as it pierces his locked door.

This is not easy he feels.
His one hand takes the 5 rupee coin lying on the dash board while the other hand starts to roll the side screen down.

He turns. She is not there.
He quickly rolls back the side screen, relieved that he did not violate his policy.

Later at office, the infant is still wailing in his head.

200911

11 comments:

  1. Policy is right but we have a heart beyond it!

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  2. You have a great blog. Dont forget to give us your comment into my blog here

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  3. The signals are usually places where the cross roads are pronounced. Completely understand every word in this post !! Deeply !!

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  4. The poor woman, she can't do anything, maybe she's left all alone? There are too many questions!

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  5. makes you think


    http://wayfarersquest-rsctt.blogspot.com

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  6. Hmm...the dilemma of what is right and what is wrong.

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  7. Hm..the dilemma of whether to follow the head or the heart.

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    1. Good one Ashok! I almost always open my hands, but lately I have begun to wonder if these are genuine cases...

      Thinking it over I would rather be cheated than walk away from a genuine case.

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  8. You're a good story teller - I randomly opened a post from your archive and saw this. This is something we probably all have experienced - ...to give or not to give ..

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  9. Thank you Sandy. This story telling side of me largely remains unexplored. I hope to write more in the coming years...

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