A Mistery of Politeness

Pramod, A mystery about Politeness

 While going for a morning walk from our flat scheme, I heard someone honking a scooter horn at the gate just behind me. I was perplexed, as I couldn't imagine a scooter driver inside the courtyard honking at me. That  was a newspaper vender rushing his bicycle through the gate, carrying a heap of newspapers over the carrier. I almost shouted at him at this early morning gesture. He was so ashamed of the act that rather in a very low voice apologized and asked to be forgiven. Next morning at the crossroad, I again heard same honking sound and found same boy cycling very fast for delivering the newspapers in time. In a rather different tone now I shouted and stopped him to listen the honking from his mouth and then we two laughed merrily. Soon, Pramod, the newspaper vender became one of my morning friends, entertaining me amongst others by honking. He used to speak in a very low tone, full of respect, a rare gesture these days by strangers. I admired his behavior. He was also amongst the first to enter our housing complex as such readily gave him the job of vending two newspapers at my place. Overjoyed at this, Pramod couldn't stop himself ‘honking’. Soon he told me that he was treated badly by his father and elder brother for reasons known to them. One morning I found Promod in tears, he told me that he was going to commit suicide that day. I immediately took him inside the house and explained him about futility of his plan. I told him to look at the unfortunate street urchins, boys at Dhaba and of course the disabled population, all of them wanted to live with dignity & earn with pride, despite odds. God has given him enough strength and with his two hands and commitment to work hard, he can win over the situation. He agreed and thereafter became very close to me. Pramod became popular amongst young & old with his art of “honking by mouth”. Next Sunday I was waiting for both newspapers till 8 in morning and became worried about Pramod, rather than newspapers. After half an hour, Pramod, sweating profusely knocked my door. He was panting and told in a rather low tone that his father& brother have thrown him out of the house. Overnight he stayed with a watchman in next building. Got up early at 3, to fetch copies of newspapers from the wholesale Agent. By the grace of God, he got all the copies on loan and was now vending them by walking all through the 91 odd houses he had. I stood up in silence and offered my bicycle, but he refused firmly & politely. His politeness always surprised me. No one ever found him quarreling or shouting all these days. At last he told, that too politely "Sir, this is my weakness, I cannot speak loudly or shout, as my vocal cords are damaged and Doctors have told that I can never-never speak loudly". The mystery about his politeness and honking on the street was now solved. Rather weeping like a child, Pramod told me that he was found unfit for the jobs of a police, Army-Jawan, taxi driver, & even as a night watchman, as he could not speak loudly. The politeness on his part had became a vice rather a virtue. I told him "One day he would find himself as a “wholesale Newspaper Agent”, distributing heaps of newspapers to the vender boys and I shall always stand behind him at this venture.

Within few days while on a brisk-walk, found Pramod chasing me, honking & telling me that somehow got his Bicycle back and was working in a hotel for whole day till 11pm. He gets up at 3am to collect newspapers for vending till 7am. He was happy to have a shelter i.e. bed-breakfast & two square meals in the hotel itself and a salary of Rs.1500. He politely invited me for a breakfast at his new place & I readily agreed. He was now going to Ambazari Lake for a fresh bath, then to the temple and then ready for the duty at the Hotel. Pramod exhibited this by his victorious ‘Honk’. We two laughed & laughed with joy, while others watched this early morning ‘honky-tonk’ over the street.

Avinash Gowardhan
B03, Panchayatan, RPTS Road, Laxminagar