An Unusual Stranger

It’s a narration of an incident which happened to me long time back. It just came back to my mind today and I thought to pen it down in my blog. Here it goes…

I was sitting on a railway station waiting for my train who as usual was late by a couple of hours. One and half hours had already passed and half-hour still remains and I was getting bored on the station. To pass time, I was sipping my third tea in 1.5 hours, occasionally reading the book in my hand and watching people moving here and there on the platform. Just then I saw a beggar coming near to me from somewhere. As usual, I tried ignoring him because they always ask for money. Its not that I mind giving a rupee or two to them but I just don’t like giving it to a beggar unless he is really old or destitute. Also many people say not to promote beggary by giving money to beggars. So I tried to follow that [in which I miserably fail during each train journey :-) ].

But when this beggar came near to me, he did not ask for money. Instead he asked for a cup of tea. I was caught in surprise and since he has asked not for money, I can’t decline him a cup of tea and asked the nearby “chai-wallah” to provide the same. The beggar took the cup of tea and whole-heartedly thanked me. I thought that after that he will be gone, so I again returned back to the book in my hand. But he surprised me second time as he sat on the ground near my chair and started sipping the tea. I felt a little uncomfortable and irritated as he was sitting quite close to my chair and was making strange sounds when sipping the tea. Somehow I was not able tell him to go away and sit somewhere else; I don’t know why. After finishing the tea, he just asked me for which train I am waiting for. I told him the name of train and tried concentrating on my book. But he seems to be in chatting mood and asked me where I am going. I tried ignoring him and didn’t answer his question thinking that it will make him go away. Then he said to me – “Long time back, I used to sit on these benches waiting for the train and helping poor beggars, just like you!!!”. This caught my attention and I looked at him. Then I asked him, you were not beggar from ever. After asking this question, I felt a little stupid that what I am asking. He laughed and said to me – “Babuji, no one is a born beggar; sometimes circumstances and sometimes other people make you that”. Now my curiosity started growing and I asked him – “Who made you beggar – circumstances or someone or both”. He declined to answer that question and just replied in return – “It’s a long story, neither will you have time to listen to it nor do I have strength to narrate it.” After that I did not had any strength to ask further questions to him. He just kept sitting besides me, passing comments on people whom he meets regularly on the station. My train arrived after half-an-hour and I picked up my baggage and moved towards the train. Just then that beggar said to me in English – “Happy Journey”. And his accent of English really surprised me. That accent can be gained only if you are decently educated. I said Thanks to him and entered the train. As the train left the station, he waved his hand and I can’t stop myself from doing the same from my window seat.

But that man left me thinking and introspecting – What would have been the conditions, circumstances or whatever, which made him a beggar. We can say that Perhaps he was not strong enough to face the realities of live and gave up. We can give many arguments and reach to conclusion but all those will be just like “firing arrows in the dark” unless we listen to the story of that person. That man left a mystery and curiosity inside me which till today I am not able to solve.

Can you help me out…?

~Mayank