Returning from a hectic day, I was commuting through the chaos of workaholic people. I was making myself comfortable in the overcrowded BEST bus greedily munching on a chocolate. As I crunched the chocolate with a distinct noise, I looked at my co-passenger, just out of embarrassment. She was steadily gazing at me without flickering eyes. I decided to share a brick of chocolate with her. As soon as I offered, she abstained herself from taking it. However, I comforted her by saying that you really can have one, it’s one of the best chocolates. After a few minutes, she thanked me for the chocolate.
This is the first time I ever had a Dairy Milk. I was startled by her reply and questioned, “Are you serious that you had Dairy Milk for the first time?”
She asserted indeed and it was tasty. I could never forget those words. After a few conversations, she described herself, her profession and also about her family.
Born and raised in a poverty stricken family from Rajasthan, she worked in a manufacturing workshop of electric bulb holders. With strong yet rough palms, working hard for over 8 hours brought her a remuneration of Rs. 180/day. Unfortunately, she was the only bread-winner of her family. Having lost her husband, she was living with her 17-year old son and her in-laws. The thought of countless tribulations she might have faced managing her profession, her family turned me empathetic towards her. However, there was a proud feeling in every word she spoke.
She pressed her words with much pride,
“I’m really happy because I earned Rs.200 today by working for 10 hours”.
And that much is enough for the food everyday right from breakfast to dinner. However, there are certain days where we have to rely on Parle-G biscuits. Hearing this, I felt lucky to have born and raised in a family where the basic needs were not a struggle. It’s true that parents face the ordeal to keep their children happy.
From the way she spoke, it was clearly evident that she could easily turn away the sorrow and found happiness in sending her son to college who was planning to pursue higher studies. There was a spark in her eyes on the thought of making Rs 200/day.
She added, “There are days where I feel sick affecting my physical health and my son yells at me to not go to work. Instead, he insists he will start working. But she turns a deaf ear to his opinion. I dream my son will pass education with flying colors and start working in a good company.
I felt pity for the condition of the woman who strived so hard to earn an amount of money that is just the pocket money for most of the middle-class children these days. I wonder why this discrimination exists between masses. Discrimination in race, caste, creed, economy. Is progress meant for the upper-class society and not for the lower-class people?
People becoming richer and richer and penury striking the poor; we have heard and read about this a lot of times in many articles since ages. Is it the stringent government or the thought process that has become stagnant and rusted? Is this is the future of our country?
This was one such example which I encountered, there might be many more who go homeless, jobless and end up on the wrong and evil side of life, some losing their lives. Is life so gruesome, that we don’t have a chance to prove our existence? Needy people just need an opportunity or a way-out to give themselves a sense of confidence and prove their very existence in the society. A government can be constructive in meeting the two ends of this disparity and bring them on a common platform. Poor people are even thinking positively and wanting to be educated. So let us take an oath to bring change in the system because it is our country and we are the ones who can bring the change.
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The Scribbled Writings 
Very well written!!
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