The Book That Spoke

He had always thought of them as lowly people. However today as his car stopped near the traffic light, he looked outside the window. The boy selling books shoved a masterpiece at his face urging him to buy. Trying to ridicule the boy, he lowered the window and asked, “Have you read this book?” The boy’s eyes twinkled with joy as he answered, “No, sahib, but I read.” He smiled mockingly but the boy did not leave. Standing there, he asked, “Buy no, sahib. Good book.” “I will read if you can” he said in a ridiculed manner. As if not understanding, the boy smiled and said, “Sabib, I read but not this.” As the traffic light went green, the car sped away. Forgetting the boy on the street, he went on with his day at office.

The last thing he wanted was reaching office late. Taking his paper wrapped sandwich he asked his driver to drive as fast as possible. He saw the boy again at the same traffic light selling books. Recognizing him, the boy came forward and again shoved a book at the window. “Do you study?” he asked. “No sahib. No time,” he answered. “Children like you should go to school rather than sell books here” he said righteously feeling proud. “Sahib, no money to go school. But I read.” “Yes, I can see that”, he replied laughing at him in a mocking manner.   Finishing his sandwich, he stretched his hand out of the window to throw the paper wrapper but the boy caught it. “You went to school, sahib, but still you litter on road. No respect for country.” As the traffic light went green, the car sped away. However, this time he kept on looking at the boy on the street selling books.

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