“No legacy is so rich as honesty.” So goes a famous Shakespearean quote.
When we were about to catch a train from Shimla in the evening, he came there running and handed over to us that repaired timepiece. With a melancholy face, he wanted to convey something but it was too late.
My parents and brother and I were on vacation to Shimla. We were having lunch in a restaurant. My dad had the habit of removing his wristwatch (which was very dear to him as it was presented by his dearest cousin) when having food. The waiter pushed it off the table accidentally and it got damaged. He apologised and suggested a watch repair shop nearby. Somehow, the name of the small shop “Mataji Watch Repairs” caught my attention. After examining the damage, the young owner suggested that we collect the watch the next day. As we had to catch a train back to our hometown, my father expressed his inability to collect it at the time he had mentioned. The boy asked my father when we were leaving and to that, my dad merely said by the 6 ’0’ clock train. He convinced us saying that the watch would be ready the next morning.
The next day, we went to the shop to find it closed. When the train was about to leave, he came running.
My father waved at him and evidently with great relief, he hurriedly came to us and handed over the watch. My father, though pleased on getting back his watch, severely scolded him for his late delivery. The man wanted to convey something to us with tears in his eyes but the train started moving.
But the mystery of the late delivery was solved an hour later when we bought tea from the tea vendor. Handing over the teacups, he said, “Sir, I saw you scolding that boy for not opening his shop. He is my friend and he lost his mother this very morning.”
We lauded his honesty even at a difficult phase of his life.
priyasri_m_1976@yahoo.com
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