The Fruit, Lesson And Cribber

The Fruit, The Lesson, The Cribber

________________________________

This happened to me on a hot sunny afternoon in my town when the mercury touched 38 degrees.

I was accompanying my friend to a local utilities shop where he went in and I said I will take shade below a nearby tree.

There in the corner stood an unmanned bicycle loaded smartly with a carriage full of tender coconuts for sale.

I couldn’t help the urge to sip on something soothing in the boiling weather and I started hunting for the man selling this.

I checked nearby and also shouted around in Hindi ‘Bhaiyaa koi hai kya yaha’ to check if he turned up.

However to my surprise from below the tree in a far shaded corner appeared a handsome little boy no more than 4.

He asked in a clear tone “sir narial du kya?” (Sir do want to buy the coconut)

I told him yes I wanted to buy the coconut but where was his dad or mom who sold this?

To that he replied they are out in the market to buy necessities and left him in charge to take care of the stall.

I said I want the coconut but I don’t see any peeled coconuts? Who will peel them?

The boy threw a smile I will never forget. That brimming confidence.

He said nothing but picked up the sharp big knife and a fruit and started trouncing the fruit with absolute precision.

That moment I couldn’t help control my reflexes and stopped him from doing this (My kid was no older than him) I almost pulled the knife from his hands scolded him to stay away.

He with his usual confident smile assured me that he knows the drill and my coconut will be ready soon.

I surrendered and watched him with greater curiosity, anxiety, worry and care all mixed and boiling within me.

He handed me over the small coconut peeled almost to perfection ready to be gulped.

I couldn’t contain myself no more and somehow managed to finish the fruit pay him and leave.

This little lad and this little incident kept me uneasy all day. Later that evening I went back to the little bicycle stall with a few chocolates.

To my surprise there now sat a lady alone peeling coconuts for thirsty customers.

I checked with her and told her about the lad and how he helped me with the fruit earlier today.

She said he was her son and was now off home to study and rest. They managed the stall turn by turn.

She thanked me for the chocolates and assured me to hand it over to him when home.

I feel there could be a 100 thing to learn from this incident but I would like to leave it at that.

For a corporate employee like me who goes to work every morning halfhearted and is surrounded by like people.

Who complains about his situation and feels he deserves so much more; who compares himself with his so called "well to do" peers;

Who has an endless wish list of things he wants to buy which will make him happy;

Who thinks he was born to do something else and is really waiting for a miracle to happen;

It crushes all these emotions and gets me to believe in the good old love for labor and perseverance which was lost or forgotten since a while.

One thing is for sure that we are filthy privileged with an attribute called 'Cribbing' with all that we have.

If there was anything that we could do to improve our lives is probably practicing it less and things should 'fall in place'.

They say Coconut has many benefits this one is added in the list.