~ The Penship…~

He stands silently behind your back, outside the shop in anticipation of a sale which he would like to progress. His sell is a humble ‘Pen’ which he is trying to sell in the morning heat of the sun.

Wearing a torn and unclean pant, he is wearing a school bag and is on a mission to sell all of his pen’s and earn some quick bucks to support his family.

Oblivious of my surroundings, I suddenly skip out of the chemist shop in a hurry after buying some urgent medicines and as I walk out, I am impeded by a soft voice “Bhaiya Pen lelo!” – ( Sir, please buy a pen!). The softness of his voice is heart wrenching – he is a little afraid as he has some seconds to convince me, seeing me in an urgency, he quickly speaks again “Bhaiya, Pen lelo!”.

I don’t know what makes me stop at this juncture – I swiftly ask him his name and to that he reverts

“Roop Narain Pandey” – I feel the truthfulness of his name as I decipher the completeness of his introduction. He surely is in dire need of money as his shaky tone tells me so, but he is very presentable and of course is honest in answering me.

Further to this, I ask Roop Narain addressing him so “How much is the cost of a pen he is selling? “

He answered “Bhaiya, Rs 10 for a single piece!”

I quickly do the deal as I am in no mood to talk in length considering the situation at home – I tell him to give me 5 pens – His face lights up with a smile and he quickly unfolds his bag from the back and picks out 5 polythene wrapped pens and hands it over to me.

As I pay him, he counts the change back in an earnest fashion as he doesn't want falter and end up the deal in a shameful loss.

This gives me a quick opportunity to converse with him – I ask him in which class and school he studies.

He is equally quick to respond to my question – “Bhaiya, I study in class 7 in a government school near my home. As I am having summer holidays, I am selling these pens to support my family.”

“What does your father do? I asked.

“He is a rickshaw puller but with no work now due to covid.!”

I heartfully accepted and understood his situation and boosted his morale “Well done Roop Narain, you are the best bet of your home. Keep it up son. But please be safe too”

I could strongly relate the juvenile with my son – what time can make you teach. Destiny is strongly giving him lessons the hard way, but he is learning through the best school on this planet – “LIFE”. For sure, one day he would come out as a  prudent businessman cascading all the anomalies of business he would enter into as he would have broken the shackles of inhibition. I observed the confidence in him whilst he called and talked to a stranger like me – though it was his need – but he had surely transgressed the line of his reserves and had opened himself up to converse to anyone.

I could surely decrypt his dilemma of being a student and also an earning member of his family – how urgent it would have been for a mother to send her son out to earn some quick bucks , knowingly enough the current situation we all are facing in Delhi. The ugly dance of death which the virus has shown us all. Though still reigning, the pandemic has ruined complete families and have left young ones to sustain for themselves with the trauma and bear the brunt of life with no financial and emotional support

Soon our conversation ended with a quick goodbyes and cheerful smiles, the young lad had touched me from inside – his determination and effort was well deserved – internally, I prayed for his safety and also for a bright future as I would surely want to see him again but with a better proposition in life and not like today.. till then my good wishes is with my new friend…. All the best son!