Sunday, August 10, 2008

the girl!!!

Hmm… today I was trying to do something nice, which resulted in embarrassing an innocent child. Actually I was at TC (tiger circle) with my friend when a small beggar kid came to me and asked for some money to eat food. As I was in a very good mood I thought, instead of giving her money I would better take her somewhere and give her food myself. So I thought of taking her to Dollops which was the nearest restaurant from there. Initially the little girl was hesitant to join me there but I insisted her to have her lunch with me so she followed me ( it took me almost 15minutes to persuade her to come with me). My friend didn’t approve of my gesture for the child. As we sat down at the restaurant, the waiter came to us and told us to not encourage such beggars by bringing them to restaurants as they will continue expecting people to take them there. He added that it is their daily business to beg for food and we can not do anything about it and that should just let them be as they are. Plus he made a point that he would not be serving us food here because other customers might not like dining at a place beggars come, so he asked me to pack my food and give it to the little child once we are out.
I glanced at the little child and there she was, totally uncomfortable in a restaurant, not even daring to look up. I felt so sad for her and felt guilty too for embarrassing her so much. Yet I was adamant to give her at least food so I ordered a simple fried rice and asked it to pack it for her. And till the time we waited, my friend made me feel more miserable (not for myself but for the kid) by saying she is not of the standard to be brought to restaurants and now this will affect the business of the place as people might not come here anymore. The reason according to her was that people still consider poor people as untouchables and would not like eating at the same place. When I looked at the kid, I was reminded of my story, pain of warmth, because she was seated exactly the way I had explained Betty to have sat; at the edge looking at her bare legs. For me she was just a small little kid who would have been pleased by my endeavor and nothing else. I could not reason anyhow, how such an underage girl would be able to think business and of money at such tender age.
Hmm.. I was told by the waiter and by my friend that their parents get paid some Rs.100 per day for making their kids beg and we should not be encouraging it. But as I see it, if we don’t give them any money, those people (the ones I was told were paying the parents money) would not even pay them (the parents) the money they are getting now as they (the money suppliers) won’t be profiting. So it would be an even worse condition for the vagrant parents and kids.
It made me think how I demand for silly luxuries without which also life can be easily sustained and here they were struggling for basic needs and (to make things worse) not even getting enough support from the society for it. People find it so easy to say that begging is not a good option but I need to ask them what else can they do? Do petty jobs which would not give them enough money for survival. A question for all such people is that would they work for a meager amount without grumbling about it? And after all of this, all people care about is to not eat food at the same place a poor kid is. I know nothing can’t be done about it but their condition is such a pity.
Nonetheless, I have no logical argument to make so I would better stop. It is just that I felt sad for the little girl and how unfair everybody was to her. Was it wrong on my side to take her out to eat? I know I was definitely faulty in taking her to a big restaurant like dollops but still, who should we care for more? Those in need of it or those who are already living comfortably. I am distressed; I need some serious advice in this. PLEASE COMMENT.
PS: the only consolation I have for my distress is that people get used to the way they are living and somehow find happiness there. I am no one to say that she is not happy the way she is. Who knows, she might be happier than many rich kids. Let us not define happiness for others.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

firstly since ive been in such arguments wid myself it ws intrestin readin it and yea if i ws to be at ur place i might have gone to the extent of aguing wid da waiter and the friend but the point being did this affect you i mean if u wnt to be the change thenn u shudnt be embarassed of takin sum oder beggar sum oder part of the world to a good restaurant did u debate or discuss wid ur frens or did u take the pains to do anything whteva set an example fr oders until then we cn nt confront ppl fr wad they think but sice it's ur blog F*$# it

Vidya said...

It was a nice gesture so dont get disheartened by some narrow minded people...