GOODNESS

It was raining heavily that night. Driving along the ghats, only one thought was on his mind: why, oh why did this happen to him? When everything seemed to be going right, he had lost his job. So what if he was earning a paltry Rs.4000 a month as a mechanic.
Here he was, driving home, where his wife would be waiting for him. At least for the time being she would be the sole earning member for the family. The financial situation in the house was not good. He needed to find a job, and fast.

It was pitch dark outside. Not a soul was to be seen. Rajiv looked at his watch: It was well past midnight. Taking one of the curves down the ghat, he noticed a light blinking at the side of the road, dimmed by the heavy rain. As he drove closer, he could see it was a car. He also saw a figure near it. As he drove past it, he noticed an old man under an umbrella, trembling slightly.

He was well-groomed; he surely looked like a saheb.

Rajiv knew something was wrong. He stopped the car, got out and started walking towards the man. The man had a strange kind of fear on his face. He was probably alarmed by the fact that somebody had actually stopped. "Hello. I am Rajiv. You seem to have a problem, sir", said Rajiv. The man did not reply. "You need not worry sir, I am here to help." The man's face showed some relief. "I’ve got a flat tyre, son." Without wasting any time Rajiv removed the jack from his car and got down to business. "So, what do you do Rajiv?" Rajiv smiled. "I am looking for a job, sir". The man did not probe further.
"What about you, sir? May I ask where you are going all alone?"
"Oh, my daughter is expecting. I was going to meet her."

After sometime, "There, that’s done."
"Thanks for stopping, son," said the man. "My pleasure, pop." Rajiv noticed the man reaching for his wallet. "Here, take this." Rajiv needed the money badly. It’s not often that a man offers a huge sum of money just for changing a tyre. This guy had to be filthy rich. "Don't know how long I would have had to wait here if you hadn’t come along. Consider this as a token of my appreciation."
Rajiv looked at the man and then the money, and then said, "Hey pop, helping you was my duty. I don't want the money. But, if you do want to thank me, then help the next person you come across who may be need. Do good to others and it comes back to you: that’s what I believe in." Saying this, Rajiv left.
The man just stood there thinking about what had happened as he saw Rajiv and his car disappear around the curve.

He started his own car. The rain seemed to have stopped. He was hungry now. He could see a hotel in the distance. "Just in time," he thought. He parked his car and went inside.
As he entered, he noticed something he had never seen before. There was a woman at the cash counter. Not only that, he could see ladies serving water as well as food. An all- woman hotel! Now that was a first. There were hardly six people including him. He found himself a nice cozy seat by the window. He had never felt so good. It was warm and comfortable here. He was looking at the menu when a voice asked, "What would you like to have, sir?" He looked up and saw a lady with pen and paper in her hand. He noticed that she was pregnant, seemed tired, yet had a warm smile. "Pakodas and tea, please." She went away to the kitchen.

After about five minutes, a plate of hot pakodas and steaming hot tea was on his table. While munching the pakodas, he asked her "You know, my daughter’s expecting too. She is in her seventh. What about you, my child?" "Eighth, sir," she replied. "Why are you working so late? You should stay at home and take rest, dear." She smiled and said," Well, I need the money for the baby, sir," and went to the next table to take the order.

He thought about his daughter and then he remembered what Rajiv had said earlier. "Anything else, sir?" the waitress’ voice interrupted his thoughts. "No, just get the bill." She came back with a bill of Rs.33. He gave her a Rs.50 note. She went to the cashier. The old man took the tissue, scribbled something on it and then left hurriedly. She came back to give the change only to find the tissue, and the old man gone. She picked it up. "My dear child, sometime back I was helped by a person. He did not accept any money. What he said was to help the next person I felt was in need. So, here is a small gift from me. Please do accept it, and remember do good to others, and the good comes back to you." Along with the tissue was a cheque for Rs.50,000.
She smiled, finding it hard to believe what had happened. After sometime she left for home.
Climbing onto the bed, she saw her husband lying with a worried look on his face. She kissed his forehead gently. "Everything is going to be alright, Rajiv."