One winter morning...

It was Feb 2010, when I was preparing for my NIFT entrance exams, sitting on my cozy bed and wrapped in a warm blanket, my book kept on my fluffy pillow and me desperately struggling to concentrate since it was kind of “one night study before the exam.” It was almost 6 a.m. in the morning, and my quantitative aptitude book was feeling slightly ignored. My eyes half open, and through that partial vision I was trying to comprehend those black ink marks on the white paper. As I was almost giving in to sleep, the phone screeched. In an unjust manner I so cursed its inventor, though it was the same device that had also brought so many messages filled with warmth before. It was just a few steps away on my computer table. My possessive bed was not permitting me to get up and receive the call. I reluctantly left my bed, crawled to the table and responded groggily. “Hello” I said, but the line disconnected. Irritated I decided to make it helpless by keeping the receiver aside on the table and return to my bed. Sleeping felt especially very good during exams. I decided to set my cell phone alarm and sleep for a while. It seemed now that my landline telephone was all set to take revenge by conspiring against me. I’d forgotten to set my cell phone on a silent mode, which now vibrated rigorously. My customized fancy ring tone that rang out seemed so noisy at that moment. Before I could respond, I heard a husky voice speak in a commanding tone on the other end. “Please give the phone to Mr. Merchant”. “Excuse me, hello?!!” I interrupted. “I guess, you’ve dialed a wrong number.” “Ohh is it, well apologies then” he said and hung up. A few disturbances in around 30 minutes were enough to irritate me. My sleep vanished now. Neither was I in a mood to study.

I decided to go for a brisk walk. I put one my suede jacket and a stylish muffler, checked the time in my cell phone & left from home.

As I was walking, I was enjoying the cool weather as much as my walk. My mood suddenly changed and I felt fresh. A beautiful morning, a warm jacket, a fancy muffler and a carefree easy-going life!! I’d saw a fountain at the crossroads, and went close to it to enjoy the light sprinkles of water that would fall delicately on my face. The orange glow of the rising sun looked so raw and pure. Quite similar to that depicted by a little school kid in his portrait. Jus as I was walking on the clean open city roads, smiling to myself, I came across a small girl. I stopped abruptly. I could see her shivering badly. Her ears covered with her hands so as to prevent the cool breeze from entering. Her clothes semi torn, standing right in front of me barefooted, looking at every other pedestrian around in a wishful manner. Our eyes met. I started feeling sorry and sad. My smile disappeared instantly. I wondered how nature can be wonderful to one and harsh to others. She wasn’t crying. Maybe she was used to this cold. She did not even ask for anything to me. But her eyes that kept staring and did not even blink spoke much…

I returned home. Inspite of a brisk walk, I did not feel warm. I could feel the cold inside me. Feeling quite sorry and guilty, I wondered, I couldn’t provide her with my cozy bed, my warm jacket, my stylish muffler, and surely not with a carefree easy going life. May be I was as helpless as she was…