It was Tuesday, I guess
In a grocery store, where my mom took me
Near the billing counter
I saw an old man, with a stick
Dressed all in white with a beautiful kufi on his head
Yeah he was alone
And accidentally dropped his debit card in the shopping basket
With stick in one hand, he was trying to reach for card from
another
I saw him doing all these
So I pulled the card and handed him
He looked at me with a smile, so earnest
It took my heart away
He came and sat next to me
“I survived two bullets on my right leg,
in Kargil
retired as a Captain,
I was that young!”
I had no words so, I became a listener
and he recited his story
“I took fourteen years out of my life
To teach my two sons and to make their career
One is Major in army
Another Manager in SBI.”
I couldn’t miss the satisfaction on his face
Nor the smile
Neither his words.
After some time,
He stood up
“take care, beta” he left
And I could only manage to say a thank you.
