It would've been an ordinary day, as one would expect out of our 'typical' Delhi summers, but there was nothing the usual about it. It had rained all through the last week, the night before and the lingering scent of wet earth hinted at another strong shower, which would have been alright had it been monsoons. But, at this time of the year ? Had there been a mix-up.....of seasons perhaps!!!
"Maybe we had been good the past year and this is god's way of rewarding us!" I said (smiling sheepishly) to my Mom engrossed in the newspaper in her hand, its expanse blocking my view of her face.
"Seems more like nature's turning on us for being so insensitive. Its time people wake up to the alarm bells of global warming!!" she said, sitting upright and folding her newspaper and I knew how I'd spend my next half hour.
(......It's true you know how we happen to take everything for granted until one fine day, it all just snaps. Ofcource, it's too late by then.....
......I like sitting in my verandah, atop the banni. It sets me free and my mind wandering. And from that particular angle, this world seems a beautiful place to live in.....)
Just then, I was distracted by 2 boys, not older than 8-10 yrs of age, hi-fiving each other over something...and grinning from ear to ear, as if they had accomplished a task unbelieving of them. They were carrying huge bags over their shoulders holding on to them as to dear life. Caught by something of their fancy, they stopped right outside my house. Seeing them barefoot, wearing clothes...torn at more places than one, their skin and hair...the colour of dirt, i could not help but wince, after all they were just kids.
In the next moment, one boy started tearing off leaves from the wild plant that had grown in our parking lot, and gave it to the other boy. This kept on going for a while, untill my mom (true to her 'nature lover' instincts) summoned them (essentially, to educate them and to hope that they wont go about banishing trees n plants in future).
" Ye patte kyun tod rahe ho tum log?" my mom asked of them "ismein to abhi 'phal' (fruit) bhi nahi laga hai".
The boy replied, "...maa ne kaha tha tod laana...raat ko 'patto' ki sabzi banane ke liye...."
I looked at my mom, and i knew we were thinking the same thing.
I had never in my life felt so sick...thinking about this disparity between the 'poor' n the rich.
