Clearing my head seemed quite impossible to do, as I tried making my way through the mixed traffic of pedestrians and vehicles on that lane that day. I almost couldn't tell the difference.
If you could prepare a dish of this place it would contain a paste of restlessness and impatience, a cup full of self-righteous arrogance. sprinkled with plenty, if not, excess of noise pollution and filth throughout. This indeed would be a perfect recipe for chaos.
Walking and compressing the emotions within me, I tried to ignore the overwhelming honks bleating like sirens on 'rigorous test mode'. I wondered if anybody was actually sane enough to stop and realise what was happening as I feared I was getting numb like the rest. At least before that happened I could pass on the baton of 'sense' to someone. Even though it seemed like a losing battle.
At that point, early in the evening, I could see goats being flocked around, school kids in uniform chatting and walking back home together, hawkers and vendors bored as ever, people seemed in a hurry to return home or probably to work, with those long serious faces, on either side a stretch of tiny little shops and what seemed to me like 'slum houses' barely a meter in length and definitely over populated.
I shifted gear hoping to get back to my hostel quicker like a speed racer with the slimmest chances of overtaking.
Just then, my eye caught hold of something. Something that squeezed my heart.
A little boy I think around 6, with just an old torn tshirt on which was too small for him, running around happily. I halted there in the middle of the road, and I heard someone grumble, 'arre yaar'. I tried to catch hold of what it was that made this innocent little chap who was barely clothed and nourished, so thrilled. I looked closer, the chaos around me immediately fading, and smiled to myself while I watched him run off straight into his fathers arms, who seemed to be partially paralysed. Then the boy bursting with gladness willingly gave his dad the prize he had in his hand. I felt a lump in my throat as I saw the ten rupee note.. and then realised why..
That little bundle of innocence had achieved his salary.
A tear rolled down my cheek as I got a glimpse of what reality was to him..
This bitter sweet reality.
