Thursday, August 12, 2010

Thy BraveHearts – its about two little runaway kids whom I met while traveling!

Such beauty! Such innocence! Such bravery!


Sun was just about to set in the temple town of madurai. I am running to catch a bus to coimbatore after a few meetings. Yep, Lunch was skipped or forgotten as it often happens :), caught up with a puff and some junk food to keep my tummy calm I got into the bus.


Two little kids sitting alone caught my eyes, thought I could get into some simple and interesting chat. Wah ! I was blown over by hearing to the conversation just as I took the seat next to them.


Conversation went on like this:-

conductor: where are you going?

Boys: coimbatore

Conductor: get me 120 rs.

Boys: ( one puts his little hand into the pocket of his old half trouser: pulls out a bunch of 10 rs notes)

Puts it all together and gives 70 to the conductor

Conductor: I need 120.

Boys: (with a cute smile) We ate for the rest of the cash :).

Conductor: take out 120 or get down :(

Boys: (with an innocent look) We were very hungry, so we ate for the rest of the cash.

Driver interrupts and says “give them half ticket or some thing, poor kids”

Thus travel ticket was issued..


Oh I thought its going to be dam interesting :P, with these boys.

There was no victorious smile or rather a bit of relief as they got the ticket. May be they aren’t aware of what’s happening around or may be they knew that this is what is going to happen.


Bus is fast moving away from the big temples into the country side with green fields on one side and railway line on the other side. Soon a lot of questions are thrown to these kids by the people around………

where are you boys from?

Where are you going to ?

Who are you going to meet there?

Do you go to school?

Bla bla bal…


Amazing! They are siblings from mattuthavani, one was 8 yrs & the other was 11 yrs, Going to a specific bakery in coimbatore, to meet their brother, expired father, mom working in brick chamber & not attending school.


wow !

Such Clarity in thy words! Such Beauty in thy voice! Such Innocence in thy acts! Such Bravery in thy heart!


this went on for half an hour,

then they ran out of gas! Couldn’t manipulate anymore – words were short-circuited & clarity was lost.


Ya, They are going to bakery & don’t know where it is, they r not siblings but cousins, They are not from matuthavani but some other place, they are going to rescue their brother stuck in coimbatore…..! & what not !


Still Such Beauty in thy voice! Such Innocence in thy acts! Such Bravery in thy heart! but for clarity !

(what’s wrong –its just clarity that was missing, As if we are clear about what life has for us tomorrow and where we are heading to :P )

I simply said that I know ppl in coimbatore who will be able to offer some job…. There it was evident…! Their eyes got lit up as if powered directly from the lightning !zzzzz


A lady sitting behind got little loud saying that these guys will be kidnapped there and instructed them to get back home and go to school & bla blab la…

The collective wisdom of people around was that these boys should be handed over to police and returned home safely.


Still such beauty! Such innocence! Such bravery! ,

I haven’t seen it any where else.


Random thoughts went on…

May be these guys are trying to run away from some trouble

May be we are preventing the emergence of future ambani’s :P

May be they will get into bigger trouble :(


Just at that time the bus braked in front of the police station. Myself and few others got down with the boys….didn't knowing if any thing better could have been done.

Even the little cash they had went into that unused half ticket.


The inspector questioned these boys.... ... ...

the kids were still going strong ! but for clarity !


Bus honked .... I had to go - a half hearted one !



Such Beauty ! Such Innocence ! Such Bravery ! ---------- Thy Bravehearts !

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