A Short But Meaningful Memoir

Dear humanity,

 Something reminded me of this today. And I decided to share. So here I go..

     This incident dates back to the year 2011 Autumn. I was living as a paying guest in South Delhi region, India. My office was not too far from my accommodation. Usually, in the morning I used to commute by auto, while in evening I used to walk the way.  There was a market in the vicinity. Often I used to halt there to buy my daily use stuff or sometimes just to have a solo treat with some sort of evening snacks and tea. Of course, sometimes my friends joined me too.

     That evening I was alone. I did some stationery shopping as well as bought a gift item for a family member. After that, as I started walking towards my place, it struck my mind that I needed to take out some money from the ATM that I was just about to pass by. So I stood in the queue there. When my turn came, I entered the ATM and somehow adjusted my belongings in the very less space provided there for the purpose. I kept my phone on the ATM machine and started the transaction. Soon I was smoothly done with the same. So I collected my money as well as belongings and left. By the time I reached my PG, it was dinner time. So I just went to my room, kept my stuff, got fresh in the attached washroom and reached the dinner table in common hall.  I self-served my dinner, took a seat and had just started having it when the landlord lady came. She stood in front of me and asked: “Where is your phone?” This was the first time she asked me such question. So, very calmly I asked her the reason and kept my dish aside to reach my phone which I thought I had kept by my side. To my shock, it wasn’t there. For a moment I got puzzled, wondering what was the matter. Did I even pick it up from my desk, while starting from office? If I had forgotten it somewhere in the market, why my landlord lady was asking for it? So many similar questions ran across my mind, all in a jiffy. Finally, I collected myself and just mumbled to her “it’s not there!” And guess what? The very next moment I had it in front of my eyes. Yes, in her hand. I was puzzled once again, wondering hard what exactly was the matter. Then she told me I had forgotten my phone kept over the ATM machine itself. A kind-heart girl had the turn next to me who found it and called my landlords, contacting them through my last dialled call log. Then my landlord had gone to the ATM to collect the same from that girl. And now it was finally handed over to its owner, that’s me. Oh my God, What a relief it was!

     In one more similar incident, I had forgotten another precious item (I don’t feel a need to specify). In that case, someone I knew was the next to me in the queue. He informed a mutual friend and I collected it then. There have been still some more similar incidents where I got back some important thing I had almost lost grip of. Yeah, yeah, I know you would tag me as careless after reading all this. But then I’d say, it’s not the same anymore. I’ve learnt a lot from my mistakes and have grown up to be pretty responsible. But anyway, that is not the message I want to convey. It’s not about me or anyone in particular. It’s more about such angelic honest souls – like that girl and the other person – that still exist in the world. It’s about those who have a clear idea of what belongs to them and what does not. It’s about not being greedy. I just wish to say we need more of such people to make this world a better place.

     With thanks to all the angels around me in present as well as those whom God sent to help me at any point of time in life when I really needed, even if I couldn’t thank them enough that time or couldn’t keep in touch with. May God bless all. May peace prevail!

Love,

Ney