One Cup of Tea and One Dosa

'Sir can you give me five rupees? The hungry-looking old man wearing a torn shirt asked me. He was barefooted. He did not look like the usual type of beggars. There was something pathetic yet dignified about him. I took out my purse. I had just one 50 rupee note. I needed Rs. 20 for the bus fare to the Air Force Academy. The bus would take some more time to arrive, and another 30 minutes to leave. There was enough time. I had just started reading the new book I had bought that day from the road-side book vender selling old books when the old man approached me with his request for rupees five.1 shall bring back the change sir: He assured me. I gave him the 50 rupee note and started reading the book again. Two people sitting next to me were Suffering staring at me in disbelief. “Do you think that you will ever see him again?" One of them asked me mockingly. I just smiled at him and returned to my reading. After about 15 minutes the old man came back and returned to me 45 rupees. One cup of tea and one dosa. He told me in Hindi. He bowed to me with folded hands and left! The two gentlemen next to me were staring at the departing old man as if he was someone from an alien world. “No. This is the first time I am meeting him.” I told him. He fell silent. To me, this incident only strengthened my faith in the inherent goodness of people. If you really trust someone, even if he is a stranger, very seldom will he ever cheat you or let you down. If at all he cheats you, you will be more than compensated from some unexpected source. This has been my experience. I have also found from my experience that poor people are more trustworthy. It is better to trust and be cheated, than not being able to trust at all. This was what my guru had taught me. I told the two men who were still staring at the old man who was disappearing around the corner after crossing over the bridge.