It was a nice evening. Apart from the fact that the winters are beginning to enter Delhi and our lives, there was something very special which happened and I thought why not post about it. Nothing extraordinary, nothing life-changing for me at least, but special for sure.
Ma and me had just had the evening chai and she asked me to come for a walk down the street. I agreed and we got ready for the walk. We realized that Delhi is in that amazing period when it starts turning beautiful. We had our sweat shirts on but not our mufflers yet.
We chatted about my illness getting cured and how Kamaan is doing good work. We discussed about my future, her future and Pa's too. We reached the closest mall from our place (Pacific) and we went in.
As we spoke we realized how 'cold' Delhi had actually become... with Shawls out, sweaters out and Delhi's eating habits enhanced, I could notice it all.
We reached the food court, and I asked my mother if she wanted to have garlic bread.
She refused and she pointed up. I looked up and I saw HALDIRAM'S. (A famous Indian food joint)
Haldiram's, Bikanervala etc. and the likes have always been ma's favourites. She prefers clean Indian food to its 'NOT-SO-FULFILLING' western counterparts. So we went up to Haldiram's.
We had a nice Raj kachori and we chatted about the documentary I am working on right now. We had a nice chat and as we started going down and we saw happy people in the mall. I was literally surrounded by an unknown happiness.
Both of us moved ahead crossing the happiness.
THE SPOTTING
As both my mother and I were walking out, we saw a group of ladies chatting away to glory and the kids following them. We got out of the mall and as the glass gates closed behind us, we experienced the chilly air. We crossed the 'gossip' group and with my hands in my sweat shirt, I saw a little girl run happily in front of every one, following the 'Happy' group.
But as we reached the main Gate, the ladies turned right and the little girl took a left, surely not knowing where she was going.
As we went on talking, we realized that the girl was clearly lost.
At first I thought that the little girl knew her car and was looking for it.
I smiled that how smart the little kids these days are. But before my smile would appear on my face, it disappeared. My mother told me that the kid is lost.
As a first reaction I looked around and I saw that there was no elder around and the kid was about 50 metres away from the mall, running into the slum nearby.
THE LOST CASE
I ran and bent to catch the kid's shoulder. and she looked at me with a super fair face which had gone red. It seemed she wanted to cry but she would not. BRAVE.
I asked her, "Kahan jaa rahe ho aap?" (Where are you heading to?)
And Ma reached us and asked the girl, " Beta mummy kahan hain aapki" (Kid, where is your mother?)
And tears rolled down her cute little cheeks and i got up and said "Come with me, we'll look for your mom".
She held my fingers so hard which I can't describe in it words. There was every emotion in the way she held my fingers.
She was relieved that there was someone had found her, but was still scared that she was lost.
We took her to the security guard and as I started asking him if there was a lady looking for a kid, a young woman came running, and hugged the girl.
The girl who was holding my fingers so tight, all scared suddenly left them to give a hug to her mother.
My mother gave the young woman a scolding. She looked at me and did not say anything. Her eyes told me a lot.
I just smiled at both of them lost and I said "You were lucky today."
Ma and me started walking back.
It was indeed a cold evening and winters were setting in.
We smiled at each other and Delhi was not just cold, it was special too! :)
Comments