I was having my breakfast when the door bell rang.
“You sit, didi. I will see who it is.” Said my maid.
I stood up still because I was almost done. She opened the door and I found a woman standing there. I thought she had come for me but she smiled at my maid and hugged her.
She gave her some money (which my maid refused to take) told her she would be back in some months and she will definitely contact her then.
My maid had tears in her eyes and she said she will wait for her call. She told the woman to take care of her health. The woman smiled and headed off to the lift.
My curiosity piqued.
“What was that all about?” I asked when she closed the door and came in the living room.
My maid wiped her eyes and narrated the whole story.
“I used to work at their place close to a year when one day their three year old daughter passed away due to sudden illness. It was difficult to see them heartbroken. Madam and sir were always crying. I would go for cleaning the house and see they would have not had any meal. I would cook for them then. They would be sitting in the same position when I would reach in the evening. No one cared. This is Mumbai. Neighbors don't care. And they had no family. They had a love marriage and no one was in touch with them. Losing a child is the biggest pain any parent can face, and they dealt with it all alone. You also have a child, you can understand, Didi.
I stood there at a loss for words.
“So are they moving from here now?”
“Yes. Sir got some work temporary out of India. Madam is accompanying him. They will be back in some months.”
“Oh okay. So she wanted to give you some money as a gesture, is it?” I asked. “Sorry I should not ask you so many questions.”
“No no Didi. That is okay. That money was my two months salary.”
“Salary? Then why didn't you take it?”
“They have lost a child, Didi. And I am not a cold hearted person to ask money from a grieving family. They needed my support. I gave them.”
I stood there in awe. This woman who had three daughters was living hand to mouth life. Every penny would count for her. But still she selflessly gave immense support to a family only in the name of humanity. Not asking anything in return.
“God is watching, Didi. And I have to answer him when I go there. If I had taken the money, I would not have had a good sleep. What I did for them was not for money.”
She smiled and went inside my kitchen and started working.
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