Everything happens for a reason and everyday of our life is a new journey which leads us to several roads and where with every single step we learn something worthwhile ~
It was a cold winter morning and I lay in my cozy little bed, with the blanket all over me. The feeling was wonderful; I wished to never get up from my bed. Suddenly my cell phone began to ring, I woke up from my dreams and looked at the clock, IT WAS ALREADY EIGHT by then and Rahul was calling. I picked up the phone and ran to the washroom with my brush. "Where are you? I have been waiting here in the bus stop for fifteen long minutes." an annoyed Rahul said over the phone. "Listen, I am sorry dude. I am late I just woke up. You leave." I struggled to speak with the brush in my mouth.
I had recently shifted to Bangalore for my new job and it was supposed to be only my second working day. Although it was a Saturday, which meant a half day's work but still being late to office on the second day itself would mean that the boss would take special notice.
I knew that I had to race against time to reach my office. I doubled my speed. I quickly dressed up and left the apartment in a hurry.
Out on the road I realized that I had forgotten to eat anything, but I had no time to stop. I hired a taxi and paid off fifty extra bucks to reach my office, although I was twenty minutes late by then.
"What time is it?" My boss asked me straight and firm. "Err, I...I am sorry." "You are a new employee here, so I pardon you this time. Next time onwards come on time otherwise you may leave." I just kept quiet and looked down as he left. Rahul was in his cabin just near. "What happened, why were you late?" He asked. "Uh, actually, I stayed up late last night to clean up my apart." I faked.
I was sitting in front of my computer dealing with some clients. My stomach ached for some food having nothing else I sipped in some water and continued my job. I looked at the clock at regular intervals. I just waited for the lunch hour to arrive so that I could leave, have some food and enjoy the rest of the day. But waiting for the clock to strike to twelve seemed like ages, every minute was hard to pass, that doubled my hunger.
Finally it was time to leave. I hurriedly finished off some remaining work and was about to leave. "You look in a hurry Mr.Sharma?" It was my boss. "Err...Yes Sir, have some work at home." He smiled a wicked smile."Girlfriend, eh?" He said. "No, no boss, just some cleaning left." I defended immediately. He patted my back, "Don't be late for next day." He said still smiling and left the office. By then some thousand elephants were dancing in my stomach and I hurried out in search of some food.
Outside our office was a shopping center, I hadn't been there yet. I went in and to my delight I found a food court. I went in immediately.
The restaurant was dimly lit and a latest Bollywood item number filled the room, some part of it was made of colored glass. One could have a clear view of the road from inside. It was a perfect place to have lunch in a winter afternoon. I adjusted myself in a chair, I saw the people on the street, the cars the busy public and then humming to the tune of the song which was being played I took up the menu card. 'WHAT? Fifty bucks for a damn chapatti?' I almost fell from my chair. "Your order sir" The waiter was already there. I gulped and looked at the menu card again. A quick scan revealed that plain dosa was the cheapest. I ordered that. I felt better when the waiter left. Being from a simple middle class family of a small town I had never been to such expensive places before. I felt a bit embarrassed. After sometime my lunch arrived and I was overjoyed. i happy started munching my food. After some time I looked around and saw two young girls staring me as if they had seen someone eating for the first time. I didn't notice and finished eating. I felt good.
I was heading to the washroom when I heard those girls say “looks like he hasn't eaten anything for days, not a bit of food left on his plate." They giggled. I saw that their plates had loads of food still left in them. Back in my chair waiting for the bill I saw the girls leave handing the waiter a bunch of notes, showing their status. Their plates still remained burdened with food. I wondered what they might have eaten, when I saw a small boy in dirty dull clothes just outside the restaurant looking at the people inside. There was no smile in his face, as though he had been starving from days. I paid my bill and a meager ten rupees to the waiter and left. I handed the boy outside the remaining forty bucks which I was about to tip the waiter.
Inside the restaurant I saw that food filled plate, which was about to be thrown in the dustbin.
That left over could have saved someone's life. That left over could have made someone smile. That left over was something more than what it seemed...
