Has the person who designed this ever cycled in Indian streets I wonder ! Or just read some English story books which talk of sun longingly in foggy England.
When we cycle in India through the daytime, all we seek is clouds, shade, water. Not the hot sun !
The cycle chain slipped off the gear. Noontime sun. I kneeled down by the roadside trying to pull the chain in place, knowing I probably could not. I have rarely managed this. Rued the fact that I had no rag to wipe my greasy hands on. Ignored the fact that I might be looking odd.
A man with one arm in a sling came by after five minutes. He kneeled down next to me and started adjusting it without a word. I tried helping, and then realized I was more a hinderance. I stood back, feeling very awkward at allowing a man with a fractured hand struggle on my cycle because of my ineptness.
In less that ten minutes, he had it fixed. And went on quietly, as I mumbled my thanks. I could not 'offer money'. the simple magnanimity of his act, spontaneous and unselfconcsious, I could not bring down to the crass level of monetary exchange. It would have demeaned him and the moment.
Another debt to a stranger. Another payment to be made to some other stranger some day. Life is all about connections and relationships and goodness to be paid forward. Rinam.
Today while cycling for the first time ever my saree pallu got caught in the cycle chain, and nearly pulled me off. I managed to stop the cycle, but was fully stuck. A young man in a cycle stopped. Another young lady in a scooter stopped and together they spent half an hour crouched on the hot shadeless road tugging at the greasy chain and the pallu. Words as usual were insufficent for any thanks.
In these many spontaneous and uncalculated acts of goodness lie the answers to many questions. This goodness, and the urge to help, is intrinsic in people. The social structures have to be recreated which allows there to flourish.
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