Chumki
stood motionless as I prepared to start my long and arduous journey from office
to home. The day long ordeal with a face mask and the limited options of
breathing had already ripped me of my energy and despite honking for last few
minutes, she was rigid in her position. A girl around eight years, largely
frail with unkempt hair and a soiled frock, she held her ground in front of my
car with a bunch of incense stick packs in her tiny hands. I had no other
options but to get down and with a threatening voice shouted, "don’t you
know you are not allowed to sell anything on the roads in this time. Now leave
quietly and give way to my car, or else...".
She
looked at me and coming a bit closer told "babu, some fever is already
spreading across Delhi and people are getting killed. These incense sticks
drive away mosquitoes and if you take these packs I will earn some money. I can
get some food for me and my little brother sitting there in the chowk” pointing
out towards a little kid sitting on the corner of the road.
I
looked at her eyes and asked her warmly, "do you know what this fever is
and what happens from it". Chumki never expected this and with a cute
smile on her lips, told" my mother told me to sell these to people as
everyone in this city is afraid of death.
Are you not afraid of death babu...
I quickly thrust some currency notes into her tiny hands and
walked away to the car with the last few lines ringing all across and drove
away until Chumki and her brother were out of my sight. I kept on asking myself
the whole night- Am I not afraid of death.
