The Chaplin smiles....

It was a friday evening when i returned home with mixed feelings of a exhausted weekday and a thrill for the oncoming weekend. I had several plans for the weekend, a treat from my friend at a star hotel, a get-together with my friends after a long time and many more..

With all anticipations and plans to get freaky this weekend I entered my house.
There I happened to witness the most unexpected thing - my father fainting and losing his consiousness.suddenly all the tiredness of the day disappeared and a sheer sense of responsibility rose when i found my sister and mom crying.We rushed him to a nearby hospital and then shifted to a bigger one for better and intensive care.
Thankfully it was nothing serious. That weekend which i had planned out to relax turned out to be extended days of responsiblity. I had to travel to and fro from the hospital, cook, take care of my granny and also run abt all the floors of the hospital to ensure the medclaim was obtained.

I was totally exhausted and tired and was returning back home from the hospital in one of those aftrenoons when i took lunch to my dad.I was waiting for an auto or a bus to come to get back home and finish off the household chores.

As i was waiting i saw a little kid of about 4 yrs old, his face covered with dust , hands infected, shabby hair , and soiled clothes. There was a lot of enthusisam in his face that made every other marks that poverty and street dweling has left on his tender body look mild. He was there with nothing with him hunger in his eyes, yet Happy, singing and running with a lot of enthusiasm.

His presence and acts made me smile. He caught just a distant glimpse of me smiling at him and immediately came running towards me.He came and stood next to me and pulled out his hands from his tattered shorts and asked for money.


What shall i do? Praise his intelligence trying to profit out of my attention towards him or feel bad for having to meet such a shrewd kid in such a pitiable situation?
I didnt know what to say. His eyes pleaded out of hunger. I never encourage beggary. So i asked him if he would take food if i buy him?
Initially he denied. Then after few minutes knowing that he wouldnt get money he agreed for this deal.
I bought him Bun with whatever cash i had at that time and gave him.
The First question that fell off his mouth was "where did you buy this?" "which shop akka?"
I was reluctant to answer since I felt the kid might take this back to exchange for money.

I asked him to eat. Again he hesitated stating the Bigger boys would grab it from him if he ate it here.
He said he would take it home and eat. I insisted in him eating there and assured him that I would wait till he gobbles up the last morsel. He hesitantly started eating.

Curious I asked him about his family. To my surprise this child was going to school. After school he begs and takes back home the money. His mother and a younger sister are also involved in such activities and his father works.
Where are we heading? Are'nt schools teaching about self respect and value of labour? I spoke with the kid for few more minutes. Then I took an auto back home. Not for the little money i had spent to feed the child , but for the child to understand atleast in a subtle way the value of labour I asked him to load my little bag into the auto which he did happily.


His face was lit with a bright smile that I can never forget. The last thing that he never hesitated to tell was his name, "chaplin". The Great charlie chaplin had so many worries despite his comic fame. Hope this chaplin grows out of his surroundings and create a great history. He waved goodbye to me and left, but his thoughts didnt.

The Kid could some day become a marketing giant. When he could catch a glimpse of a smile and try to materialise it at a tender age of 5 what cant he achieve?
What has taught him this.. His poverty or the survival need or was he made for something much bigger?

Who has the answer to this? What can be done from our side to bring to light such young and energetic hearts?

Lets take the first step. Lets do what we can to brighten up futures. I have decided to take up education of one deserving child and do my best to free him/her from the claws of poverty and hence his future generations. What about you?