THE GOLD CHAIN
A true story…
I and Shyam have known each other for less than a year. I used to see him in our nearby market only. His face says that he is a humble and kind-hearted person. Also, I used to observe that he helps old age beggars in the market which one can see plenty of nowadays.
However, our first introduction was a coincidence. He was buying chicken, and I was next to him. Suddenly, he realised that he did not have enough money to pay the bill. He requested the shopkeeper to pay it the next day. The shopkeeper denied it and told him to return the chicken. Shyam’s face was red in embarrassment. I told him that I could pay his bill to help him to come out of such a situation. Shyam assured me to pay it back to me the next day in the same market. I told him, no hurry, pay me sometime later. It is a small amount indeed.
Eventually, I had to go outside on an office tour and forgot the entire episode. After a few days, when I went to the market and was buying some potatoes from a shop I used to buy, Shyam came from behind and paid the money he owed.
When he went back, the potato seller told me that Shyam had come every day for the last few days, asking about me and was waiting there for hours for me. I know, some people always live uncomfortably when someone owes money from him/her.
Last June during the peak of the Covid wave, Shyam came to me and after a lot of fumbling, he said that his company closed due to lockdown. He was not getting his salary. Somehow, he managed a job with half of his earlier paycheque which can help him to survive with his wife and little daughter. However, the purpose of coming to me was for some help as he wanted to put his little daughter in school this year and he did not have that extra money at present.
I asked him, how much?
Shyam told, ten thousand. He requested to lend him at least five thousand and for the balance money, he can approach another person. I paid him ten thousand and told him to return when the situation completely normalizes, it can be after one or two years or more.
Shyam took out a small box and gave it to my hand and said, keep it until I return your money. I opened the box and saw a gold chain of his wife inside it. I immediately refused to take it but looking at his tearful eyes I had to accept it.
After that I hardly saw Shyam in the market, probably lockdown broke his backbone to have any luxury to come to market daily.
The story does not end here. I got a handwritten note a fortnight back that Shyam sent through one person. ‘Sir, I am going to Ludhiana as got a better job there. Probably, I will not get many leaves to come to meet you personally. But surely, I shall come someday to take back the gold chain of my wife which her father gave her when we got married. I shall come with the money you gave me as a loan. Thank you, sir, for giving a little girl all the joy of going to school.’
The gold chain must be ten times more expensive than the money I gave him. But it is a million times heavier on my chest.
Ultimately, Shyam came after a few months and returned the loan and we both could make our chests lighter over a cup of coffee in my home.
:Writer and © Subrata Halder:
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