Something about Desires

       I Have a Dream is a wonderful book by Rashmi Bansal. It contains real stories of twenty social-enterpreneurs who created successful socially-favorable models mostly with configuration for profits. I read I Have a Dream in 2020 during one of the first lockdowns.

       Anshu Gupta, who founded Goonj (which stands for “echo”), an NGO that provided used clothes to the needy free of cost, finds a mention in the book.

       The book narrates an interesting anecdote that happened with Anshu, which I give here as I read it:

       …an elderly woman rummaging through the clothes Goonj had to offer. She put aside many pieces in good condition.

       Anshu asked, “Mataji[Mother], what exactly are you looking for?”

       She said, “I am looking for a black shawl.”

       It is midnight, freezing, why black?

       She said, “Beta[Son], I have a red saree and black colour will match well with that.”

       That day Anshu realised that even the poorest of the poor have dreams. They have preferences. And they have needs.

       Why am I talking of this story here, when you could have yourself found it somewhere?

       That is because a few weeks ago, I saw something similar myself. It was the occasion of Vaisakhi, on 13 April, and I was posted as a volunteer at a books stall in a Gurdwara. There was a langar of coffee with biscuits.

       As I was standing there just like that, I spotted a boy half my current age, taking a paper-cup of coffee from the stall, with two biscuits in his hands, ambling to a quiet edge and perching there. He wanted to enjoy his coffee in peace. There was with him, additionally, a little dog, more of a puppy – not of some renowned breed, just a simple stray puppy, but it looked like a pet of his.

       I watched closely as he gave one biscuit to the puppy, then for himself, he dipped the other into the coffee, and when it was soft and dripping, he took a bite from it. He dropped a few drops on his clothes, some trickled down his cheek, but he bothered the least, and was soon taking sips from his hot coffee, as he watched how other people in their hurry were going inside the Gurdwara and rushing out. He enjoyed it, and I him and his dog. It was a peaceful sight.