Generosity of the poor

What is it to receive generosity? Having been born into a privileged family and later on in life having much more wealth, opportunity and good fortune than an average Indian citizen,  one cultivated the habit of being generous. As one grew older and less focused on acquiring, I began to see the joy in giving.  So, whether it was in the form of small change or sometimes even currency notes to alms-seekers, used clothes, a ride in my car for students , speaking to the various people whom we ignore or who are invisible to us like the watchmen, lift-men, cleaning women and even beggars I experience constant joy. 

More important, I never cease to be surprised by the generosity that begets generosity, just like love begets love and hate begets hate.  A mere ‘thank you’ makes you a friend forever with your college canteen’s cashier. A ‘thank you’ to the autorickshaw driver, known for their cheating ways and fares, brings out amazing gestures. He is either startled and gawks or his hand shoots out involuntarily in a salute to acknowledge your gratitude, a typically male way of greeting friends, bending the head and touching the forehead. The younger ones respond with a ‘welcome’ and a smile in a society that is increasingly learning public politeness. Some of course are rude; they dismiss you with a grunt or make sounds of impatience, indicating that you to get on with your life and allow them to go on with their work.  Asking after her family and children of the woman cleaner in my college establishes a connection of friendliness that is constantly invoked whenever we run into each other. Acknowledging her existence in an atmosphere where she is seen as someone who is far below the status of the average teacher in the college, literally makes her come alive. On seeing me her eyes brighten and she greets me. At times, she allows herself the luxury of a smile, which also reduces the social distance between us to an extent.   This role of as a  giver__of recognition, affection, money__ gave way to being recipient of amazing generosity.

My daily walks sometimes involves in driving in my car to a particularly green locality which is about five kms from home.  On way back the other day, I stopped at a roadside tea stall since I am a compulsive tea-drinker. This stall is run by an old woman who stocks biscuits made locally, daily newspapers, cigarettes and stuff like that. Since most of her clientele is the tea-drinking, paper-buying men, she keeps the stall open only for a few hours in the morning. She basically retails tea that she stores in a vacuum flask that is refilled by a local neighbourhood restaurant that makes it. Evidently, what she makes in this miniature business is too little but it keeps her busy as she told me one day. Her stall is in front of her house and she apparently makes good use of the footpath on which her stall has been built. The other day, after my walk, I drove up to her stall and bought a cup of tea and a few biscuits. As it was an unusually cold day, I was tempted by the thought of a second cup. Even as I was considering it, a group of youngsters came up to the stall, ordered tea, drank it and left. My temptation got better of me so I got out of the car and went up to the old woman and asked for another cup. She was crestfallen. The tea was over ; the flask was empty and the refill wasn’t due in another half hour or so. No matter, I said. Thinking that she shouldn’t regret ‘loss’ of business, I asked to buy a special edition of a newspaper. It cost six rupees. I gave her ten rupees and decided to buy some toffees for the change of four rupees. She said one rupee fetched two toffees. So I took eight toffees and almost pocketed them. Realising that she hadn’t counted them, I put them back on the counter and counted eight even as she protested. I then put them in my pocket and said bye to her. She put her hand in the toffee jar, pulled out a toffee and handed it to me..as a bonus! Was it because she felt my disappointment at not getting a second cup of tea? Or was it because I bought the toffees as a token of kindness and she felt compelled to respond? Whatever it was, it caught me totally unaware and moved me deeply. Economic status need not be a barrier to generosity, is what the old woman conveyed. I drove away marveling at the generosity of the poor! And I was overwhelmed at being a recipient of such generosity.

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