I was spending the weekend at Uncle Robert’s house where my cousin, Rachel, was ordering her cook, Ratna, and her daughter, Rani, to bake cakes.
They made around 10 vanilla cakes that Rachel carefully placed in individual boxes. “I am going to give these to the homeless people who live near the park. Will you help me carry the basket, Tina?” she asked. So I went with her.
Rachel called some children playing on the pavement and handed me her mobile phone and asked me to take photos of her giving them the cakes. After the first photo, “My hair doesn’t look good,” said Rachel, and took out a brush to set her hair. She took the box back and I took photos of her giving it again till she was satisfied.
However, a cobbler seated under a tree told his son not to accept the box. “He’s so rude. Let’s go home. I am so hungry,” said Rachel.
All for social media
Once home, Rachel yelled at Ratna akka, as lunch was not ready. She then uploaded the photos on her social media pages and received many likes and messages praising her. Ranjani, a well-known vlogger, called her for an interview. “I am going to be famous,” said Rachel.
When Ranjani arrived, Rachel said that she’d woken up early to bake the cakes, when she’d actually not lifted a finger.
“I have three more cakes left,” said Rachel. As Ranjani got her camera ready, Rachel gave a cake to an elderly couple living on the pavement near the bus stand. “Please give it to a child,” said the lady and gave Rachel ₹500 to be given to a homeless family. To Ranjani’s questions, the lady replied that her name was Kanchana and that her husband and she washed vessels at a nearby restaurant.
Rachel stood angrily, as the focus shifted to Kanchana patti. As Ranjani moved away, her slipper strap snapped and Kanchana patti directed her to the cobbler. “It’s that rude cobbler,” said Rachel. “Call me when you are ready.” As the cobbler mended Ranjani’s slipper, she asked him why he wouldn’t accept the cake. “I don’t like people who take photos when they are doing a charitable act,” he replied.
When I returned home, Rachel asked, “Why didn’t Ranjani call me?”
“Ranjani is not interviewing you,” I told her. The next week, millions of people watched Ranjani’s interview with the pavement dwellers and came forward to help them. On Christmas Day, I called Uncle Robert to wish him. Rachel and Rani had gone to give blankets to homeless people, he said, adding, “Rachel left her mobile phone at home.”
