I was walking to the bus stop hoping to catch a bus to my college and not be late. As the buses that go by my college are less frequent, I was elated when one of them came on time. Once I boarded it, I realised I didn’t have the exact change. The ticket cost Rs. 11 and all I had with me were notes of Rs. 10 and Rs. 100. In the hurry, I had forgotten to check if I had any change in my wallet.
I gave the bus conductor Rs. 10 and looked at him holding Rs. 100 in my other hand. The conductor gave me a ‘I-can't-do-anything-and-you-are-screwed' look. The uncompromising conductor wouldn’t settle for anything less than getting me out of the bus at the next stop. I would have got down if it was another day, but today happened to be the third consecutive day that I was late to class and I would lose attendance. Not knowing what to do, I stood looking at the conductor desperately. Just then, a middle-aged man, who was observing all this, got up from his seat and offered me one rupee. I looked at him, smiled and took it. I realised how things were relative; even Rs. 100 would look small in a mall. How many times do we leave coins at random corners in our home? We will understand the significance of small things even if it is as small as one rupee only when we face difficult situations. And good deeds have a ripple effect, which is why, while on my return journey that day, I donated Rs. 10 to a needy person.
The writer is student of III year, Mechanical Engineering, Loyola-ICAM College
