I ran errands for a few hours without a break in Sahakar Nagar, Pune. It was hot around 1.30 P.M. I was tired, hungry, and thirsty. I entered a shop selling snacks and biscuits opposite Janata Sahakari Bank.
Me – Hello, I’m hungry and want to eat something first. Which snack is fresh?
Shopkeeper – Both, samosa and idli are fresh. What would you prefer? Come inside and sit on the stool.
Me – (Walking in with effort, keeping my bags down) I will have a plate of samosa.
The shopkeeper heated the samosa, served it with chutney, and left me alone to eat it peacefully. He stepped out of the shop and strolled around the courtyard. I hungrily ate the samosas, had a few sips of water, and felt energized. When I composed myself, I got up and told him I was ready to shop. He took his position behind the counter and I bought whatever I wanted. He gave me the bill.
Me – Hey, you forgot to charge for the samosas.
Shopkeeper – Ma’am, you looked famished. I cannot charge a hungry person.
Me – (experiencing this for the first time) – I insist that you take the payment for that plate.
Shopkeeper – (smiling) I cannot take that on humanitarian grounds. Let me also earn some brownie points/blessings from fate.
I smiled happily and left for home.
A few days later, I told my son about this instance over a phone call (he was studying in Bangalore). He was happy to hear about the good Samaritan. But as a young boy, he also had a shade of doubt.
Son – Great! I’m surprised that someone can give something free. Maybe, he charged you extra for other items.
Me – It was a genuine act of kindness.
Son – Good to know that uncle was kind.
About a year later, my son called and excitedly told me he had a similar experience. Then, he was in college studying for a degree from the Institute of Hotel Management in Bangalore. He also worked as an intern in a hotel for long hours. The city is famous for its juice shops at every nook and corner. He enjoyed visiting these juice shops on his way back home. A glass of Mosambi (sweet lime) juice was for INR 10/- then.
One day, he had completed 10 hours of duty and was exhausted. On his way home, he stopped at the juice shop for a glass of Mosambi juice. He gulped it down immediately and asked for another glass. He drank this glass of juice slowly. Content, he paid 20/- but the shopkeeper returned 10/-
Son – (surprised) Arre, I had two glasses of juice.
Shopkeeper – You looked so tired and needed that first glass of juice. The second one restored your energy. I can’t charge you for the first glass on humanitarian grounds. I will be cursed if I charge you.
Smiling, my son left the shop and recalled my incident with the shopkeeper in Pune. He co-related the genuineness of feelings and understood the emotions. He returns this favor by carrying it forward and doing similar acts of kindness to other strangers.
Simple and magnetic ways of kindness recognising kindness. thank you, keep writing and keep inspiring!!
It’s these simple acts that touch my heart! 😎
Loved it!! So kind and real!
I especially liked the paying forward part at the end! That’s the best we can do return the favor for kindness or good deeds. Thank you for writing this article 🙏🏼
Kindness matters. 😊
Yeah, carrying this forward is the only way.
No act of kindness, however small is ever wasted
Absolutely dear! 😃
Most of the times the small business owners running shops and small units by the roadside have a lot of experience in business building. They have gone through a lot of hardship and at times face them on a day today basis. Therefore, they can read the face of a person who has gone through a lot of hard work and they probably see their own image in them. These acts of kindness, I believe, originate from their emotions. But being emotional and taking an action are two different things. It is really commendable of both the shopkeepers in this regard. And your article pays a worthy tribute to both of them.
Well said, Jaydeep. It’s this humane touch that helps them scale up their business.
Amazing ! Your effort to narrate it so vividly also show your acknowledgement of their act of kindness. It makes the reader over similar acts that we would experienced, and encourages us to also relish them and pen them down. Congratulations!
Thanks!!!
Let me know when you write down your experiences. 😃
The acts of kindness never go wasted. As the saying goes ” What goes round comes round “.
True that!!
Sometimes few simple people give a moral lesson to us that rich people can’t. You always penned very nice and interesting stories…. Keep on writing my dear friend.
Glad you liked it. Yes, lessons can come by anytime, anywhere.
Wonderful experience sharing Sneha…
Thanks dear. 😁
Beautiful. The joy of being able to put a smile on someone else’s face just by a simple act of kindness !
It’s a blissful feeling…..both for the person doing the kind act and for the receiver. 🤩
Indeed we need many more people like this in our society. Major issue with the world today is nobody will trust people giving anything free, but if you provide such help from shops, restaurants etc it is really an act of kindness snd feeks genuine.
I’m glad to meet such helpful folks when I need it most. Guess I’m blessed. 😇
Pleased to read as it is rare to see such empathy these days. Indeed, such acts need to be carried forward in our own capacity, to make this world a better place.
Oh yes! We can begin the chain too.
So beautiful.. it’s a great world out there full of kind people.. kindness attracts kindness..
Absolutely true! 💯
Thank you!
Please keep sharing such anecdotes… sometimes we take such act of kindness for granted.
On lighter note….may b I will try my luck at next samosa/juice center 😀
Hopefully you will notice the kind deeds hereafter. It may not come in the same form. 😉
Very true…small acts of kindness make our day.
And in turn we also do something to make another’s day….
That’s life ..
Keep going
So true! What goes around comes around! 🙂
That was a genuine act of kindness. Such acts touch your heart and leaves a marked influence in the behavioural pattern.
Absolutely….!! 😁