Number 2-meaning-Do Numbari

It was really a hot day. A little too hot than usual. I was coming back from work by Metro. I got down at Yamuna Bank Station where I get to change the train. Unexpectedly I decided to sit at the platform for a while. Comparatively this station is pretty different from others and I have always found it close to my heart. The huge complex is across the Yamuna and rests on its floodplains. The west sided platform everyday hosts the hottest sunset view. I love it. So I hunted for a decent place to sit and watch the sunshine retreat.

I’d have spent just a few minutes there that I got interrupted. A bulky man in red t-shirt and black lowers appeared. I removed my ear plugs to listen to what is he saying. In his sissy voice he was asking for help. He said he has lost his wallet and he needs to go back to Jaipur. He was asking merely 80 bucks. I gave him a quick scan instead of instant help. He was wearing gold rings, a bracelet, a hanky kind of a thing and was carrying a hefty cell phone. I asked him couple of questions and told him to stand a bit away. He then said it’s been hours and he’s ashamed of asking people, have begged already 50 odd people and no one is ready to help. I paused for a second to empathize, took out 100 bucks and gave it to him. He took no minute to get disappeared. While watching him from a distance only one question popped up ‘out of 50 people am I the only one with humanity’?

Today this incident completed a week. Deep down I was happy I could help someone like that but I had forgotten. I was coming back from work again. It was a sticky whether today. Got down at Yamuna Bank Station, Metro was too crowded, so I deliberately missed couple of them. Then I reached to my station. I hardly look at people as I am generally lost in my playlist but I thought I saw him. To confirm I moved a little faster in his direction. same clothes. Same bracelet and a hanky like thing in his hand. He walks gayish. Ohh yes… it was him. I shouted ‘hey you…Jaipur Guy…’ he turned around I asked him with a rude tone ‘Do you think this is Jaipur’ expectedly he said what are you talking about and I could just say ‘you faker bitch… May you choke on your own shit’ and moved swiftly. While crossing the Footover Bridge I realized ‘how I fell an easy prey to this con man and not those 50… I was the sitting duck for this bloody wimp’. I was just too exhausted to react; I looked up at the dark blue sky, dotted with the occasional wispy cloud, like strokes from a dry paintbrush felt someone saying katta!