The old man called out, “Anybody’s home? Sitaram. Is me, Ramsingh.”
Ravina could not bear to hear this voice. She grumbled to her Mum, “Ma, it’s Ramsingh again. Why does he come here every morning?”
The mother spoke to her daughter. “Now, now, Rav, is that the way to treat poor people? Remember, you have food, clothes, a home and a loving family. What does Ramsingh have?”
Ravina replied angrily, “ Nothing! He has nothing of his own because he wasted his life. If he had saved for himself and family then he would not be begging. I think we need to teach him a lesson. We should not give him anything today.”
As she spoke she opened the door and headed towards the gate. As she looked in his direction, her jaws dropped, her eyes popped out of her head and she stood speechless. Before her stood a neatly dressed old man. He held a beautiful bouquet of flowers and beckoned Ravina towards him.
“Come here, child. Happy birthday. Here take this lil gift,” said Ramsingh, with a broad smile.
Ravina was puzzled. How could this old beggar know about her birthday? Why is he so well-dressed today?
Many thoughts ran through her mind. Then she collected herself as he placed the bunch of carnations in her hands.
“Th…Tha…Thank you, uncle, but how come, how, how co…?” she could not complete her sentence.
“Don’t worry, beti. I know you since you were born.”
Still, Ravina was more perplexed. What did he mean by ‘since you were born’? So to clear all doubts, she asked him.
Ramsingh then explained to her that he used to live next door and always helped out their family whenever they needed transport since he owned a van. He had even transported her Mum and Dad to the hospital on the day when Ravina was born. However, as fate would have it, fire destroyed his house and he lost everything. He had nothing and nowhere to go since then. After sixteen years, he still remembered her birthday.
Ravina felt embarrassed. She apologized to Ramsingh and invited him into the house where a sumptuous breakfast awaited him.
She again thanked him profusely for the flowers and told him that he was welcome to their home anytime. He mother looked on quietly and listened to her daughter who had learnt a very important lesson.
Ravina had realized that it is always better to think good of others rather than see only the negative side.
