Friday, July 23, 2010

I believe in MIRACLES!!

And not just Miracles,the fact that some very good people exist in this world,.. and maybe a few blocks away from mine!

I have quite a reputation for being absent minded and careless and this one just takes my "absent mindedness" to a totally different level. So the other day I am walking back from the bustop to my flat and I stop by an ATM to withdraw money. I withdraw enough money to cover my rent and some other bills which I had to pay. The point to note here is that I am not referring to a few hundreds but ONLY thousands. While I am walking back from the ATM, I get a call from my cousin with whom I have not spoken in ages. I pick up the call and chatter incessantly sitting on a bench on the way. ok, so to give you a picture, I stay in a gated community which has its own ATM, parks, eatouts and the works and the footpaths here are lined with benches to give fitness freaks and maybe the lazy bums, a "break" in between their rigorous walks or day dreams. So coming back to my phone call, I am completely in awe of my cousin's last business trip to Dubai and the details pour in from his end. I get up from the bench, still talking, and walk back home, lugging my laptop bag as well. I reach home and after the much interesting phone conversation of 45 minutes, I settle down in my room. The cook comes in.
"Dekhiye, aaapka salary aaj hi deti hoon"
Shukriya Madam"
THEN. Where is my wallet!!!!??!

What happens in the next twenty minutes is anybody's guess. I search my bag, my cupboard, I rush out of my flat to the bench, I take the flashlight, search under the seat, go back to the ATM, .... the wallet is nowhere in sight.
"Obviously, who will NOT take a wallet with so much money in it"
"Hmmm, I agree. Are you sure you dont remember what happened after you stepped out of the ATM?" says my roommate.
"I dont........!" I am blank. I do remember the some of the best places to shop in Dubai though.

That night I can barely sleep. I tell A & my mom. A is ofcourse very sweet and offers to lend me money. The point is I am not angry because I am broke. I am not broke.I am so BLOODY careless!! Unlike A, my mom does not have any sympathy for me. She is very clear "You have no value for money, it just shows everytime!" SIGH!

I reach office the following day, still not out of the shock completely. I have no mind to even start my laptop.

and THEN, I get the call. An elderly voice, says his name is Mr Satyamurthy.
" Are you Priya Jayarajan"
"Yes" So maybe its Piya, but nevermind. I do not have anything to do with any Satyamurthy anyway.
"I found a purse on one of the park benches yesterday. It has lots of money in it. (He says the amount)I think it belongs to you"
".....!SIR, Yes! That is mine" I cannot believe my ears.
" Yes child, I thought as much...You must always keep your contact details in your purse, if something happens, someone should be able to trace you"
" I know SIR, Its my fault completely"
" You must be careful of your belongings. Yesterday myself and my wife were out for a walk and we found this on one of the park benches. We took it thinking we must give it to the owner or some passerby would definitely misuse it. We had only your ATM card with your name. We called your bank, they gave us your office number. When I called your office, one Mr Prashant picked up and said wrong number. Then I tried again and explained the situation to him, he said that you used to sit in that cubicle and he gave me your mobile number"
"Thank you so so much. You have no idea how grateful I am SIR. I will come and collect it anytime you are free"
" Yes, Here is my addrees, please take it down..."

And so I went on the same day with a box of sweets to his house to meet him and his family. I collected my wallet, not a rupee was moved. Satyamurthy had initially called up some random people whose business cards I had in my wallet. I had not even thrown them out even after I shifted jobs. Those people obviously did not remember me. Then the bank and my colleague Prashant helped him reach me. Prashant also called me the other day telling me how the old man had called him multiple times to get my mobile number.

I may be one of the lucky ones, but I truly believe that goodness is just around the corner.

6 comments:

  1. wow !!! so nice !!! and good that u got a box of sweets too !
    lucky ass u r !!! ;-)

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  2. what goes around comes around..maybe U did something good and that is helping now.Good one !!

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  3. Sathyamurthy lives upto his name. Not asathyam like Sathyam.

    I strongly believe, what is yours is yours, else ponal pokattum poda.


    - Rajendra Menon

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  4. ohh that so sweet of Mr. Satyamurthy! Hey Piya i really loved ur narration style.. very interesting! :)

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  5. Thats very nice of Mr. Satyamurthy! i really liked ur style of narration..keep it up! :)

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