Are you not afraid of death

 

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.