Among all the news about rape and violence, it is only natural that we start losing hope and faith in humanity. I am not different with my share of days of skepticism and cynical remarks. And then all it takes is a small incident to change everything back to being hopeful.
On a rain-drenched evening, it is not an unfamiliar sight for people to find traffic jams, water-logged roads, cars breaking down and the traffic police running around like wild geese to bring some order to the constant chaos. I got stuck in one such jam a few days back.
Midst all chaos I saw a group of 20-something boys standing at a paan shop and eyeing the whole scene while sharing a cigarette. I sent out a small sigh and recalled recent news of criminal acts. Within seconds, in my mind, I made these boys the representative of those good-for-nothing, anti-social elements.
Just when I turned my gaze to try and find something better to concentrate on while cars honked on all sides and no one gave way to another, I heard a loud 'Oye!' I turned my head to the sound and noticed the same group of boys gathering forces. Were they planning to take advantage of the situation? Or had they seen another one from their gang?
Neither!
One of them, apparently the gang-leader, took a last drag and approached the traffic police standing near-by. A few whispers were exchanged and then the gang started diverting traffic.
A little ashamed at my own thought-process and taken aback at the change in the whole scene, I tried to figure out the matter. It appeared that a car had broken down in the middle of the road due to the rains and was the reason for a big traffic jam. People stuck could not figure out the reason and started losing cool and it got difficult for the traffic police to manage the crowd.
These boys took charge and divided themselves into two groups. One group started pushing the car to one side of the road, while the other group started helping the traffic to move with ease. Withing half an hour the traffic was moving better than before. The car had been moved to one side and the driver was, possibly, trying to reach out to a garage. The traffic police guided the remaining traffic and the boys...
The boys disappeared! I could not see them anywhere. They had probably moved on to another side of the road or maybe went-off to meet a few more friends for another round of shared cigarette. Or maybe, they had again spotted someone who needed help!
In the social structure they are outcasts. They do not earn or pay taxes. They waste time and go through life without any ambition. But their contribution to humanity is the highest. In times when we choose to be the educated, civilized people, too rushed for time to help, they are the uneducated lukhhas who have all the time in the world to bring a smile and extend a helping hand.
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