Was travelling by one of the newly introduced KingLong buses to Chandivili on a Saturday morning. It was near Bhandup that this elderly looking man got in - he was dressed like a villager, carried a shoulder bag and had a packet of biscuits in one hand. His indecision as he entered the bus was palpable, he looked around for a minute and then moved hesitantly towards the conductor and enquired - Will this bus go to Powai. The conductor replied in a rather haughty tone - Yes but it will cost u 20 rupees. Why don't u take the BEST bus, its cheaper.
The old man opened his bag, pulled out a knotted piece of cloth, and counted out small change amounting to Rs.20. And then he replied to no one in particular - I've been saving up for this. Its way beyond my means, but I wanted to get a feel of how it feels to be inside an AC bus. That minute, every passenger on board the bus must have felt ashamed for having mentally sized up the old man as he boarded the bus and wondering - What's this ill-dressed farmer doing here.
Stood up to offer my seat to the old man. He touched me lightly on the head, at the same time refusing politely - Sit my girl. I am used to toiling under the sun for hours, I look old but am stronger than you.
During the walk down to office, I couldn't stop thinking about that old man, for whom 20 bucks meant a lot, in all probability his daily wages, and his wish to have a ride just once in an AC bus. About the things we take for granted and which are out of reach for the vast majority. About the way we judge people. And then I thought about grandpa and holding his hand tightly as he took me on a bus ride just because I loved the feel of the wind on my face - grandpa who knew all the answers, even without hearing the questions. Suddenly I missed him a lot, missed the aimless walks to nowhere, where and when does all that innocence disappear.
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