The Reply

The mini truck stopped in front of the double storied building at the corner of the street. As few laborers proceeded to unload the truck and carry the contents, which were mostly furniture and regular household goods into the house, the man looked at his newly acquired house and gave a silent smile. After nearly three decades he was back in his hometown. Two weeks back he had retired from his job and with a part of the amount he received he had bought this house. He was back in the city where he was born, where he grew up, got married and where he was blessed with a son. Promotion had followed his son's birth and required him to leave the city. Frequent transfers over the years had all the more increased his longing to settle in a place where he thought he belonged to. And today the time had arrived.

 

Days passed and he along with his wife comfortable got adjusted to their new home, neighbours and colony. One striking feature he found about his colony especially the street in front of his house was that it was exceptionally clean. He knew that it was the duty of the municipality   to keep the surroundings of residential areas clean but he did not expect such a response. The sweepers, two of them, a man who was nearly of his age and the second who was in his mid 20's would be there everyday by dawn and carry out their duties. Somehow he felt that he had met the older sweeper before, but couldn’t remember when.

 

It was the Diwali time. The gentleman wanted to give a handsome bakshis to both the sweepers, in fact he was waiting for them to come and ask for it. Diwali came and went away but the men didn't come for what was awaiting them. Finally one fine morning he called the older sweeper, and pulled a 50 Rupee note asking him to share it with his co-worker. The sweeper smiled and said," I still get my wages for what I do and so does my son". He went away for the day. At once it struck to him why the older sweeper had seemed familier. Years ago when his son was born in a city hospital, this sweeper was there with his wife who was a nurse. When the Doctor broke the good news to him, out of happiness he had offered few Rupees each to the sweeper and his spouse as the latter had assisted his wife during the delivery. But both in turn had refused the money with a reply similar to the one he had just got. The reply had pleased him then and had pleased him now too.

 

The reason behind the exceptional cleanliness of the colony was now clear to him. Keeping back the currency note in his pocket, he silently saluted the two walking men.