God’s Own Children


I was traveling in a public bus when something out of ordinary happened. It is not usual that the public bus’ drivers stop at undesignated places (sometimes they don’t even stop at marked bus ‘stops’). When the bus halted, I saw a kid getting in from the wrong door (which is meant to get down). The bus driver kept shouting until two more kids got into the bus and were all asked to get seated (so that they don’t fall down); and then only the bus started. When I could see the three kids’ faces, I could not stop observing a little more than expected.

All three kids were poor (as their clothes and appearances told). The eldest of them was of about 5 or 6, and he sat down only when the two younger kids (perhaps all were siblings) had got seated. He carried a rugged bag (‘jhola’) in his hand and also a confidence which made him appear strong. Second eldest was a girl who was about the same age as of the boy. When she raised her head and I could see her eyes – I was startled. Her eyes made a kind of gaze which was of an adult’s and it spoke of struggles and pity – which I have seen in the eyes of very poor people… The youngest kid was a pampered little plaything; he kept laughing showing his three missing front teeth, feeling happy and content in the company of his elder siblings. In fact all three kids were laughing and seemed pretty happy. Why they should not be? Was I expecting them to be sad just because they were appearing poor (by general standard)?

The ‘conductor’ reached out to them and sat down himself on a nearby seat. When the kids saw him, the girl brought out a twisted ten rupee note in her fist (she held it tight) and offered him. The conductor received the currency in his hand, then said something while talking to the kids with a paternal empathy, and then returned the note to her. I felt hugely relieved. Then after talking to the kids who kept laughing and enjoying the ride, he got himself distracted in other things.

After a while the driver asked the kids where they would get down; but the kids did not answer. The conductor gave them some choices to choose from; the girl selected one of those as her destination and when the place came; the driver stopped the bus (at the undesignated stop again), made sure that the kids got down safely and then started further. I looked at the three kids going away from the bus. The two boys were jumping and looking ahead while the girl looked back at the bus and its driver. Perhaps she was trying to ‘remember’ the bus and its compassionate driver and conductor. But more than anything, her eyes told as if she was blessing the bus for the kindness which she won’t be encountering so often…

These were God’s own children I met today.

- Rahul Tiwary

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