Live your dream

Everyone you encounter is sometimes engaged in a conflict you are unaware of. One wonderful evening, when I was packing my belongings to depart for Bangalore, I saw that some of my bags were torn and that the zip on one of the bags was broken. Going to the store was not particularly appealing after a long day at work. I grabbed the stole from the chair in the corner of the room, grabbed the key to my car, and dashed to the parking lot. As I walked through Pune's streets, it seemed as if everyone was in a rush to go somewhere. It was already 9:30 p.m., which is considered late in Pune! To my luck, there was a small shop full of bags in need of repair, and the owner was about to close up the shop. The man appeared to be the proprietor of the shop. I skidded to a halt in front of his shop and dashed over to him, yelling, ‘Bhaiya wait…’ He turned around and faced me since my voice was loud enough. He smiled as he turned his face towards me and said, ‘Beta ab to Ghar jane do.’ His hard effort was evident in the wrinkles on his face. He appeared to be quite exhausted, and because it was already late, I gave the man all three bags to mend. Although I was in a rush to have them mended, after seeing his expression, I chose to pick up the bags the following evening.

The next day, I went to the same store at 8 p.m., and there was a line of people waiting for him to finish their work first. ‘Bhaiya mene kal raat ko apko 3 bags diye the, wo bana die aapne?’ I walked confidently past the queue and straight to the man, ‘Bhaiya mere Kal Raat ko apko 3 bags diye the, who bana die aapne?’

(Angry expression on his face) Aaj nahi hua hai, kal aake leke jao!

This response enraged me, so I asked him to return it if he was so busy. I was in a rush to finish my packing as well. Because the man refused to return the bag, he requested that I wait for a while so that he could repair it and return it to me. The man appeared to be in poor health, his eyes red after a long day at work, and the light in his business was so weak that I couldn’t tell if he could even see. All of these elements combined to make me feel sympathetic, and I agreed to wait until he finished his work. I strolled over to my bike, sat down in a comfortable position, and pulled out my phone. When it comes to killing time, nothing beats cell phones. I contacted some of my pals while scrolling through my contacts, but no conversation lasted longer than 15 minutes. I returned to the shopkeeper after approximately an hour, when I had finished talking with all of my friends. He appeared to be still busy, and luckily, he was mending my luggage. I silently stood up and began looking through his work. The old man inquired, ‘Are you going on a tour?’ out of curiosity. ‘I was a tourist here!’ I replied, smiling. Now I’m off to a new town in pursuit of new possibilities.’

Old Man: Oh, that’s great; that means we’re on the same team. You know, youngster, I moved to Pune 54 years ago and have been exploring it ever since.

The man appeared engaging, so I merely smiled when he replied, and the fact that he called me “kid” made a soft spot in my heart grow. ‘Wouldn’t you like to know why I’ve chosen this location?’ he continued.

Me: It may be because you liked Pune.

No way! Says the man. Because I liked the people here, and because my wife, who is the love of my life, lives in Pune, my fate was sealed! Anyway, you say you’re too tech-savvy?

Me: You, too? Is there anyone else in IT?

Man: My son, an IT engineer, is currently in Nagar. He had gone to the United Kingdom for three months, Germany for two months, and is currently in Japan.

These statements provoked an electric response in me! I couldn't say anything because I was speechless. The man who toils away in tattered clothes had a son in Germany!! The man's heart was overflowing with pride for his son, and his smile was out of this world. ‘Uncle, why don't you leave this job and live a peaceful life then?' I asked, unable to contain my curiosity. Why are you working so hard?'

“Because the work I do gives me a genuine sense of joy and contentment,” he said. He also said “I can sleep easily at night while I work so hard throughout the day. I selected this life or myself and am content with whatever I have.”

I was taken aback by his response. And my sympathy for him grew into admiration. I gave him the money and waved goodbye before continuing on my way to my house. One thing about him was undeniable: ‘His heart was bigger than his thoughts, and his thoughts were bigger than his dreams.’ Keep Your Hopes and Dreams Alive!!!