Its been many an hour, but could not shake away the images from my thoughts....It was the regular evening break with my friend. As we were sipping tea and talking of things at work and other usual stuff, a kid pops up with a paper in his hand, mute and deaf, requesting for money. My personal rule of not to encourage kids asking for alms, sort of made me turn a blind eye to him, but my friend being of a more kinder nature gave him some coins and sent the kid, a bit happier, on his way. In no time a girl turns up, mute and deaf (acting ???), slightly elder than the kid and has another copy of the same paper, my dear friend obliged to pull up few coins for her, she would not accept it but in her own mute way signals for more money. Being a bit elder to the kid, she seems to know that the coins would not suffice. We sort of managed to send her away. Looking around, could see a bunch of kids with the paper in hand and asking for money from others who landed there for their evening break. As we started to make our way back into the office, the earlier kid turned up, with his request and my friend subtly reminding that we paid our dues to him, but the kid obviously in no mood to remember that. I tried to avoid and move away but the kid sort of clung on to me , continuing with his requests. I somehow manged to get clear past him. While I struggled physically to be away from that kid, deep within some cords sort of bonded to that guy. His persistence reminded me of my neighbor's kid who clings on to me with his persistent demands which many a time I give into.
This made me wonder, if the the innocent and persistent demanding made me remember my neighbor's kid and made me strike a chord with this guy, why did it not make me give in to the demands ? Why did not I feel to at least pull up some coins and give it to him ? I many a time go out of my way getting things for the neighbor's kid , there is some non-explainable happiness that one gets when a kid is happy , especially because of you . I believe that is where the answer lies. Irrespective of what I do or how much ever I give this kid, that would never bring this guy the proportional happiness or cheer that I manage to bring out in my neighbor's kid every time i turn up with a chocolate bar or something.
The way these kids went about with their thing amused me. The younger ones going about with it as more of a play, and the slightly elder ones a more business oriented approach. One thing which seems to be common is their Innocence, albeit various levels of it. Level of innocence being indirectly proportional to the experience they seem to carry. On one hand is the innocence of my neighbor's kid which exploits me to give into his demands and other is the innocence which gets exploited for the demands of those greedy lurking in the dark shadows extending that darkness into the lives of these kids.
Long back I wrote on child labor, about a kid who seems to be losing out on his childhood working at a tea stall. But when I look at these kids the earlier one's life seems to be in a better situation, at least he works for his family and whatever he manages to earn goes for himself and his kin.On contrary what about these kids ? whose burden are they carrying ? whose sin are they paying for ?
This is where the evil of child labour seems better !!!!
Long back I wrote on child labor, about a kid who seems to be losing out on his childhood working at a tea stall. But when I look at these kids the earlier one's life seems to be in a better situation, at least he works for his family and whatever he manages to earn goes for himself and his kin.On contrary what about these kids ? whose burden are they carrying ? whose sin are they paying for ?
This is where the evil of child labour seems better !!!!
