I had a chat with my newspaper delivery boy Rajesh, who had come to collect his monthly bill. After checking my calendar, on which I had marked “no paper” on a particular date, I told him that I hadn't received the paper on that one day. In turn, he told me that on that day his mother had fallen sick and he couldn't arrange for a substitute.
Making a difference
Rain or shine, braving difficult conditions, these newspaper boys work tirelessly to deliver newspapers with hot news, at your doorstep, before you sip your morning cup of coffee. They are up and about by 4.00 am, when they meet their respective agents at a common point. The main paper and the supplements come in different bundles. These boys arrange the supplements, and sometimes advertisement inserts too, appropriately into the main papers. The speed and accuracy with which they work is noteworthy. I am sure many cricket fielders would envy the way they throw newspapers from a moving cycle so that it lands perfectly on a dry spot even during the rainy season.
Most paper boys like Rajesh work part-time, delivering papers to support their families and attend evening college or work during the day. They cannot afford to fall sick or go for vacations.
I asked Rajesh if he knew that Dr. Abdul Kalam distributed newspapers during his childhood to support his family. He was surprised and there was a spark of hope in his eyes. I was not sure if he knew who Walt Disney was or that Disney's first job was delivering newspapers, but I was sure that Disney's quote would definitely inspire him. So I translated the quote for him in Tamil — All your dreams can come true, if you have the courage to pursue them — and wished Rajesh all the best, as I paid the bill.
T.S.KARTHIK, MBA, IIPM-Chennai
