An Act of Kindness

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A Cup of Coffee

- A Lesson in Kindness

    This evening, I walked into a quite famous local restaurant for a cup of coffee, which I felt, I deserved after a long day of teaching, college work, my PhD work and my short film work. 

While I took the token, I happened to notice a middle-aged man who gave me way to the cash counter. I saw him holding a 10-rupee note and maybe a 5-rupee/ a 2-rupee coin. I did the UPI transaction, received the token, and noticed that the man again went to the counter and was whispering at the counter girl, and she was telling something to him, which I couldn't hear. I took my coffee and was seated, and became busy with my WhatsApp chat and Insta feeds. After a few sips, my eyes again spotted the man, standing still at the counter, and looking at the money in his hand. I now came to the conclusion that he didn’t have enough money to buy the coffee or tea, and the counter girl kept denying him or asking him to give enough money. As I almost completed my coffee, I decided to make a difference.

I stood up and was walking towards the counter, about to step forward and help him get a coffee, and that's when something wonderful happened.

Another customer came before me and paid for the poor man’s coffee before I could do it. He did it without any fuss, without seeking attention, just a gentle gesture of care and kindness. The poor man’s face became bright and he had a happy face, he did the Indian style 'Namaskara' to the 'good Samaritan' customer and walked towards his coffee. For a brief moment, the restaurant seemed filled with warmth, and I was admiring the customer and went back to my seat, to fetch my helmet and walked with something-good-feeling in my heart, towards my bike, Bruce.

With this small incident, I felt humbled. I had wanted to help, but this stranger had already acted, showing that compassion still exists; it finds its way into the world. This incident reminded me that humanity exists not in grand speeches or big gestures, but in these small, silent acts that touch lives more deeply than we realize.

Sometimes, a simple cup of coffee can become a reminder that kindness is alive around us—we just need to notice it.

- Ashok's Musings 

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