It was 6:30 in the evening. Sunset reflected all the hue on the clouds. Birds were chirping. ‘I always travel by feet from college to home after 6 said’ David to her friend Verona with the smile on his face. I get double bonus of benefits while doing this. Firstly during the dusk reminiscing the sunset, I complete my daily dosage of walk. Secondly, I can save 2 dollars which I spend when I travel via bus. David belongs to a really poor family. His parents can barely afford the college fees, so he does this job himself by working in night shifts in the café. He can earn that much by which he can only afford his fee. His father earns so that he can make a bread out of it for the whole famiy. This is how he and his family relishes.

Just like everyday, I stepped only five inches outside the college from the college main gate what I saw that a man was approaching me. He was a tall young adult, very thin that his bones were peeping out of the skin who was not wearing attractive clothes. His clothes were dull and a bit teared off. He came to me folded his hands and was asking of 4 dollars with his eyes full of hope and was hoping me to be very kind that i can give him the money he wants. He asked me to offer him 4 dollars, and said “I want to go very far brother, kindly give me 4 dollars.” It was really awkward for me, so ignoring him I quickly went ahead of him on my way, “saying I don’t have the lose money, or coins, I only carry big notes.” Listening to this, he wanted to stop me to continue his conversation. I crossed him in a speed. I went a little far away of him, and then I realized that my mind was still in between his conversation, and I kept thinking about the 4 dollars he was requesting me to give him as alms. I thought that if in reality, he really wanted to go to a far place and begging for it must have been a restraint. He was only asking for 4 dollars, not for the 50-100 dollars currency. At least I should have enquired that will he ask others for money or not, or else he was asking me only. And he was asking for money from other people too, there could have been a reason that he needed huge money, and he was asking a little amount of money from everyone because no one will hand over a huge amount of money to him. It might also be a possibility that he was a drug addict. It could also be a probability that he needed money for drugs like cocaine, marijuana, ganja, or some sort of synthetic drugs, but he cannot ask for money in one go because then people would doubt him, so he was asking for only 4-5 dollars from people. I didn’t like the way he was asking for money by holding his hands, that is why I didn’t even stopped to talk to him to clear all my queries. He could have earn the money, by doing hard work as he was a young adult.

While my mind was still there, thinking all possibilities, I kept looking at that guy that he will surely ask the other person for the money. Turning my face towards him I really wanted to go to him, but I stopped myself when I saw a middle-aged man was stepping towards him. From my side I wasn’t able to hear what they were talking about but they had a talk for a long 2 minutes. Also, I was not sure that did the middle-aged man gave him the money or not. So standing there only, I kept waiting for that men, from whom that guy was asking for money. I went to the middle aged man, “What he was asking for?”

‘Who?’ The man said

‘Did you gave him the money?’ I said.

‘I didn’t have the change’ said the man.

I asked the man again, ‘How did you felt?’ Was he speaking the truth or it was his acting skills.

‘I don’t know.’ The man said. After asking him all about the situation, I went my way. While walking I was still thinking of that guy only who was asking for the 4 dollars that why he was approaching people who had their bags full of books? Then I started raising questions to myself that why didn’t I helped that guy? Why didn’t I heard the situation he was suffering from? Was just that because of 4 dollars that i couldn’t face him? I should have asked him, ‘Where do you want to go?’, ‘From where are you coming?’, ‘What do you do ?’, “What made you needy to ask for 4 dollar from people?” If I was satisfied by his answers to these questions, why would I be having any problem giving that guy 4 dollars? Instead I was having the lose money. I don’t about the reasons behind, that why I didn’t remember the lessons of kindness and helping others as human at that time. Thinking all about this, I convinced myself that if truthfully he needs the money, someone will give him 4 dollars for sure.

Thinking all about the situation that happened, I was promising myself that from the next time if someone will ask money from me directly I will have a conversation with him. Having money or not, will not be a problem, at least I will not regret it afterwards. It was a lesson of remorse for me.

“Why be become so alert in front of people who asks for help, that we no longer find them being truthful and assume it a case of falseness?”