Angels in Disguise

All God’s angels come to us disguised. ~James Russell Lowell

Isn’t this true? I do believe we each have our guardian angels who help us along the way but what about those angel like: people who reach out in our dark moments, pulling us out into the light.
After my Valentines piece, I came to the realization that I need to write even about those others out there who have made an ever lasting impression on me even in the One meeting that I’ve had with them .

Today’s memory is about an Autorickshaw Driver in Bhopal. I was 15 I think, and used to drive my Luna ( two wheeler ) to my Computer classes. On the way back one day, just as I tried to start my Luna by running with it, it kicked back making a summersault and I fell as a result. I woke up in great distress, with tears in my eyes ( Hey ! I was hurting ) only to realize that the Luna’s handle had kind of twisted and it just wouldn’t start.

This was in times before cell phones, thus I had no way to contact home and was troubled thinking how in the world would I get home. So slowly, but surely I did the only thing I could think of and started walking home with the twisted Luna by my side. This was around 6 pm and it had started getting dark. Walking along a stretch of long deserted road, with a few sad shops on the side, my tears wouldn’t stop as I heard men offering their help in various rude ways. After around 20-25 minutes of my relentless trudge, I heard an auto coming from behind. Seeing me, the driver very kindly and cautiously offered his help. He got out, put the Luna in the back of his Auto and had me sit in the front. As we got closer to home, I was aghast as the Luna handle scraped another man who was on his bicycle, who was all a Big drama queen, ready to create More trouble than he was in. The driver got out , told him to relax, had me give him what little money ( Rs. 20 ) I had in my book to him for his medication and had him on his way .

When we reached home, I ran up the stairs to tell my mother about what had happened, so that she could come down and pay the man. She came down, and had him put the Luna behind our car, thanking him profusely for helping me. When she offered him money, he refused, saying if it were his daughter in need, he hoped there was someone who’d have helped her as well.

6-7 months down, as I walked in the drizzle talking to a friend, I saw the autorickshaw guy again as he drove out of his way into our complex only to ask me how I was doing and if my parents were fine. After a minute of small talk, he drove off, to dissappear forever.

I don’t remember his face. I don’t remember his name. But I do remember often, the kindness he showed a girl stranded, expecting nothing in return.