Go Placidly Amidst The Noise And Din-2
The old woman tried to sidle on the slope.This provided an oppurtunity to Sudhakar
to have a close look at her frail structure.She was extremely weak.Her legs were like two sticks and when she made any movement,it
looked like the mechanical motion of a skeleton.She had a hunch-back.Over her head,she carried the burden of dirty,uncombed hair.She had some knick-knacks,tied in a torn sack and rags,including a glass and an empty tin.As she inched forward laboriously,she pushed them along. She was breathing heavily.
Sudhakar continued to watch her.He somehow felt ashamed that he was still standing there."If I am to ponder over each beggar on the roadside like this,I will not be able to reach the office today," he thought."Let me throw a ten paise coin in her begging bowl and get away." He felt for his purse in his pocket and was about to take out a coin.
The old woman abruptly stopped moving.She put her hand on her tin,and moaned in a faint voice ,"Oh ,my god...Hum....Hum...Hoom..."
Sudhakar fumbled for his purse and managed to take out a ten paise coin quickly.He threw it in the tin and the coin made a sound.Perhaps she did not hear it.She did not acknowledge the charity nor did she express any happiness.
Sudhakar waited no more.He walked on quickly.He had hardly traversed a few steps ahead,when the old woman murmured again," Oh,my God...Hum...Hum...Hum...Hoom.."
The subdued voice of the woman,indicating her pain and helplessness,pierced his heart.He could not help himself any more.
He turned backward and came up to her.She squatted there,supporting herself with both the hands,as if she was in a trance.From a distance,her body looked very small,and,as Sudhakar leaned over her,he was nearly frightened.She was very feeble,weaker than he expected."Even the wind may blow her off," he thought.The slope was slippery with the slush and mud.It could turn her turtle any moment.In her condition,she could lose her balance anytime.A slip could cause the breaking of her bones,if not death straightaway.Sudhakar decided to help her move doen the slope.Meanwhile,he had second thoughts.She must be hungry.He would get something for her to eat.He walked down briskly to the nearby tuck-shop and, returned within minutes with a packet in his hand.He stood near her,and,bending a little,said "Take this," as he deposited the contents of the packet in her tin.
The old woman looked up.She touched the tin
slowly to show that she accepted the offering.She tinkered with the tin.
Sudhakar waited for a few seconds and said,"Eat it."
No,Babuji,I am not hungry."
Sudhakar was surprised-even disappointed.
"Where are u going?" he asked.
She slowly nodded her head to indicate the direction.She did not look at him.She did not speak.
"You want to go down the slope?"
"Yes Babuji.The policemen came and shouted,"Get out! Get out! He hit me on my hand,Babuji."The old woman lifted her left hand and showed the injury to Sudhakar.Three of her fingers had been bruised.The blows from the lathis had scraped the skin and blood still oozed from the abrasions.
"Alas!" said Sudhakar.He held her right hand and supported her to move downthe slope,ever so slowly.
It took her five minutes to make up a short distance,despite his assistance.Actually,when he held her one hand,she found it difficult to balance her body."What to do?" muttered Sudhakar to himself."I am getting late to the office.What a long slope is this ?" He paused for a while.