'Bahiya, andheri?', I was shouting outside my office gate where I could see dozens of rickshawala but none ready to get up and drive me home as it was 2 in the morning. 'Life can be so unlucky at times' is what I told myself and decided to walk. As I started walking my way home and took a slum way to cut my distance short, I saw an infant crying out of hunger on the street and his mother beating him to sleep, she quite obviously did not have anything to feed him. That very moment, the feeling of being unfortunate and not getting a ride back home seemed nothing compared to sleeping without dinner. At times we take so many things for granted and overlook most of the privileges that life offers. We need to share something with the under-privileged is what we think but when we actually have to play the role, we tend to run away from our game of thoughts.
As I walked ahead, I came across a drunk man beating his wife and abusing her (the reason was obviously unknown to me) while his son was standing at one corner looking at the helpless state of his mother, maybe this was not something that he was looking at for the first time. 'Do we marry so that we get someone to vent our irritation and anger?', that's exactly the question that popped in my head and reminded me of small little fights which my parents used to have when I was young. I think fights are a part of every relationship but one should draw a line and not take the other person for granted. Suddenly a storm of thoughts came in my head, I felt like doing something for the people who undergo shit everyday, everytime. 'What can be done?', is a question which is still in my head and the answer to which is still missing.
15mins of my walk made me reach the end of the slum and to my surprise, mumbai roads were empty. Maybe it was because of the chilly weather that Mumbai was experiencing during this time of the year, something what Mumbaikers are not used to.
Suddenly I heard a very jittery sound coming from behind which was increasing with every passing second. As I turned, I saw a rickshaw coming towards me with a flickering headlight. 'Bahiya, andheri', I shouted again. He came next to me and slowed down, an indication in Mumbai by rickshawalas to jump-in. I got in while he was putting the meter on and this got an end to my walk, but a beginning to a new thought.
