he was really happy...

a sultry hot day it was. i was in a bus coming back home from my college. today i had got admission in engineering college n had gone there to complete some left formalities. i was happy today but due to this hot weather i was getting irritated. i was trying to take a nap.

suddenly i heard some noise. i opened my eyes n found that a beggar like looking man was arguing with the conductor for the ticket. the conductor said '' baba, aaj to tankhwah mili hai aaj to poori ticket le lo(u have got ur salary so u should take full ticket today).'' the man replied,'' tankhwah mili hai to bus mein ticket lekar lutaaoonga thode hi. paise bachchon ke liye kamaata hoon(so what if i've got salary , its not to spend on tickets. i earn for my children)." and a smile came on his face. the conductor also smiles at this, because i think he wanted to avoid any further argument.

i was feeling drowsy but this man drew my attention to him. he was wearing a yellowish kurta which i think would b white when he would have purchased it. his accent n looks were telling that he was a mohammaden. his kurta was having at least 5 patches of clothes which were matched by him to his kurta's colour but in vain.he wouldn't be more than 35 but his lean n weary physique n grey hair had made him to look at least 10 yrs older.

i was looking at his face just then he looked at me. he gave me a smile but i avoided this eye contact by looking down. suddenly my eyes fell on his slippers. he was wearing two different colour slippers in his feet. n those too were so torn that it looked better to walk bare feet than wearing them. those had stitches n straps which were to keep them together for as long as possible. i was getting irritated to this person. he had got salary today but why doesnt he purchase a pair of slippers for him.

i was planning to close my eyes again but just then he put his dirty polythene bag on his lap and took out a new shining polythene. i couldnt stop myself from looking what was in this. then he opened the new bag n took out a pair of sandals. i was shaken. those slippers were surely not for him. these were two new colourful sandals with size of a 5-6 yr old child's feet. i got everything clear. and i understood why inspite of his poor condition he was looking happy.
i looked at his face again. he was looking and touching those sandals as if it was an artist's masterpiece.
he put them back in his bag n looked at me. he again gave me a smile. his smile teeming with some eternal joy. not as true as his was, but i gave him back a smile as true as i could afford.