Kindness of strangers

Last evening, my parents picked me up from my aunt's place where I had spent the two previous days on a brief visit. They wanted to take me to shop for new clothes for my cousin's wedding coming up shortly. I was not interested in it. While I am generally never interested in buying clothes, these days since my RA has become obviously crippling, I am not interested in going to big gatherings where I will find a million people asking me why I limp and offer me various, almost miraculous 'cures' when I tell them it is because I have arthritis. The worst is when old aunties say "my God, such a young girl with arthritis! It is because you don't eat, see how thin you are!!!" I feel like wringing their necks!

I guess I side tracked!

Anyway, when my parents said it was for their happiness that they wanted to buy me clothes, and put their foot down, I relented.We went to a huge new clothes store in Jayanagar 4th block. The good evening started when the door man held open the door for me with a smile and let me take my own time getting in. Then, the salesman who helped us - Karunakaran! He was so patient while pulling out all the dress materials that amma and I kept pointing to. But, among themselves, I could notice that the salesmen were commenting to each other softly in Telugu about customers who just drove them crazy making them pull clothes out and not even buying anything. At one time, after amma and I had made him pull out some 4-5 sets and were going through them, he stepped a little away from us, faced the racks of clothes and sent out an animated prayer to the clothes!!! I was very amused though I did feel like maybe he sees me too as one of those annoying customers! When he turned back to us, I asked him smilingly if he was fed up with us. He said "No Madam, I have no trouble helping you, but there are others who do drive us crazy!" Anyway, we did narrow down to 3 sets, and I said I'll only buy 2 as it was quiet expensive. So, Karunakar said, "Take all three! All are beautiful materials!" So, I joked to him saying I don't mind if he'll give a deal of 'buy two get one free'. He said, "of course! I never spoke of the bill! Take all three, I'll bill the third to my account and think I gave a gift to my sister". That took my breath away for a minute. He was very sincere about it. I said thank you, but bought only two. I was really touched.

But, something more sweet and humane happened as I stepped back outside.

We were waiting on the pavement for my father to get the car round. I saw a tree by the road in full bloom, celebrating spring. It was aflame with beautiful lavender coloured flowers. I could not help but go over and try and pluck one flower to have a closer look. Once I started towards the tree I noticed that there was a young boy of 15 or 16 who was selling jackfruit standing with his cart under the tree. While going to the tree, a girl on her moped stopped beside me and the girl riding pillion got off right on me!!! It was as if they had not seen me right in front of them! I called out to her saying 'watch out!' there was no way I could be fast enough to move away in time and avoid falling down. It really did anger me and I said "really, I've had cows who have been more sensitive to me!" And, they indeed have been! Anyway, I forgot about the two girls as fast as all this had happened. I went to the tree and reached for the nearest flower, found that it was too tough for me to pluck, but with difficulty could manage one. It was beautiful! As I stood admiring it, the young jack-fruit seller gave me a whole bunch he had plucked for me! I could not believe it! I could only manage a "thank you" and a smile from which I hoped he would see that his gesture meant a lot to me. He smiled back and nodded as if to say "I understand, and I'm happy to see you smile". Appa came round, I got in, and from the car window again looked up at him and smiled, he nodded and gave a reassuring smile.

Really, the world is full of kind strangers!