Shoe Polish Moments

I was late for this meeting and was running out of time to get in time just wishing i should have got up on first alarm. Reached Dadar waiting for slow train to Matunga. My shoes were dusty. My VIIth grade class teacher and my favorite Mrs Esther Philip madam had said,"Shoes are the Reflection of Man's Character"  and I have taken her words pretty seriously in my life especially after engineering. I had time and there was a shoe polish guy just when you get down on platform 2. I grabbed the opportunity that he was free (trust me in Dadar you have long queues even to pee) and placed my shoe on his wooden box.

He held my shoe and suddenly I was ashamed of myself. he was a mid 40's Man, doing hos Job, but for me it was first time some one holding my leg and working for me. Normally I do most of my work myself. Thanks to my mom's upbringing. I wash utensils when bai is absent (in turns with my sister),wash clothes(in washing machine), cook food(maggie), and iron my clothes(wear  jeans). Shoe polishing is I do a night before always, but somehow I slept early night before. (in brackets is what my sister would say)

We touch feet of our elders, according to our dharma we touch right toe with right hand and left with left, it is the God inside the person we see, and not his physical body.This is ideal way. We get half the punya if the elderly has traveled to tirth khestra,it is said.

But an elderly person touching my feet!!!!! 

  the other part of brain says--you are paying him,   its not for free he is doing it,   it is his choice of profession,     you did not force him to do it,    you do not have other choice right now,  you are making the cash flow,   you are the one creating the inverted pyramid of economics they talk about,   you are helping him buy things with the money you give him,    just multiply 10 and number of passengers and you will sit here tomorrow and become billionaire (at least millionaire)   , ok just pay more and get rid of this guilt!!!!!!!

well I did pay him extra, but thought provoking things happen, you have no power over it. I write this blog in these times when news is full of negativity. Of course we can't ignore whats happening in our society. Currently I am sincerely trying to be harmless, optimistic, i am trying less of criticism and more of praise, less of complaining and more of solution. (In short I am in mid 20's with topsy turvy career to care for). Well as we mature we understand what Darwin meant by fight for survival. It sure is a fight.

Thanks to my parents who have always respected hard labor, and taught us to be hard working. Once when I read Rich dad Poor Dad, I always compared my dad to the poor dad, I asked my dad "how should I earn money?"  I was expecting explanation, stories of successful men, business, and trust me many other replies for an answer....

He said " earn money from the right way".

Given impatience of youth these days and easy availability of wrong 'ways and people', his guidance was apt. But what won the point is, he left the direction and the way up-to me. It was up-to me to choose the right way. As a young man I can now appreciate his guidance which i failed to recognize as a teenager(i used to wish a rich dad to be born to).

Shoe polish is an ingredient which is applied to shoes in order to make its appearance blah blah blalhah "please don't expect this from me"

Small things can not change the world, it is no more my idea to change the world, I have grown up now. But it really feels good when you get a pat from an unknown elderly person in local train for putting chocolate wrapper in pocket instead of throwing around. 

I have to polish my shoes now. Good night for now friends.

Help in Need

I was in my bank, depositing money, didnt have pen as usual,so waited for lady next to me lend her pen. I filled my pay in slip form, wondering why i have to fill in form to deposit money in my own account when i can get instant deposit messages on my cell,i can check my balance online or best case they can give me printed slip of acknowledgement,why this stamping and all.......

There was a lady in burkha staring at me, eyes asking me help. Every time I go to bank i help elderly people,class 4 men etc. and nowadays of course I have more than ever time to spend...I decided to help.

Given my personal opinion that burkha must be banned,as i feel it hampers social upliftment of women, and my hostile nature towards people who impose such strictures,this was a giant leap for me.

I not only filled the form, but also went a step further. I took a blank form and asked her to write everything which is to be written on form in urdu. She could read and write urdu. "Mere shohar saudi main hain" she said. she now knew how to fill a form on her own. I was happy. "hindi likhne main bahut dar lagta hai, kahin galat ho gaya toh" We both were in line. She wanted to ask something hesitantly. She asked me to check whether the account credited rupees 5000 on 18th March. I saw it was showing credited zero rupees. I told her and she was shocked. "maine toh rupeye bhare the"....I asked her for deposit slip if she had and thankfully she had it. I said i will ask to employee after we deposit money. 

She said " kita bataa raha hai yeh paisa" i said 3500 rupees..."maine toh paise nikale hi nahi fir kam kaise hue?" what would i say to that...when passbook showed withdrawal by ATM. She said "mere paas toh ATM card hi nahi hai.... "I was shocked!!! 10000 rupees were withdrawn,and as I could see she was depositing some 3-4K per month that makes three months earning for her. I said dekhte hain.....

We went to bank officer on duty, a lady, i gave her passbook and she checked. 18th March was showing credit, due to some etchnical error it wasnt printed on passbook. and todays deposit was also there. Then I said about withdrawal, she said" yeh toh bahar ke ATM se hi hua hain"......

and before I could think anything lady in burkha started crying.." aap ro kyun rahi hain..mil jayenge aapke paise" I said...." mere shohar mujhe maar dalenge" she said sobbing....

I asked bank lady what to do. She said first block the card. I said "do it then"...she said"aapko hi karna padega" I took card number,and toll free number of bank.

I called the bank call centre...It got connected in first attempt...to my astonishment (IDBI).

I told what was problem and that I was calling on her behalf. The woman on call centre was very helpful...she took verification...and I helped burkha lady know her date of birth by her PAN card which she was carrying in her purse...and with great difficulty We blocked the card..the verification process is tedious.....as it should be.....she said you have to register FIR in case of misuse of card....

"Aapke ghar pe aaya tha card, kisine aap ki signature karke liyaa hai"     She said" mere bhai kaa betaa bol raha tha ki fufa aap ki sign toh kitni simple hai, mere bhai ke saath ek joint account bhi hai meraa yahaan"....I assumed it was some family problem...I said "aap pehle pooch ke dekhiye ki usne liyaa hai kyaa"......"main yahaan ayi thi card lene unhon ne bolaa pichle mahine ki nahi aaya"she said    

I said in case if he says no then you come again and ask manager....You have to do police complaint if they say they didnt take money....My mind was wondering, will police help her in case she went?? should I tell her not to use ATM henceforth?? will I get in some problem for letting my cellphone use for her?? god knows what is her background...... Afterall I was just some random wandering guy.....I have something stupid such as "career" to take care of......what more could I do...

her eyes were wet with unstoppable tears......."shukriya bhaisahab"she said and I went on 

Her name was PARVIN ISMAIL SHAIKH.

** This is a real life incident