Wretched!!!

I was done for the day and was waiting for my system to shut.I was hungry as i ate less for lunch. My colleague rang me to know if i was ready to leave.We had decided to head for a long drive that evening for it was week's last working day at office and the weather was inviting.Enroute to the highway we pulled over at a eat-out to compensate for the insufficient lunch.This place had just everything we could imagine for a fast-breaker.I ordered a double veg sandwich while my friend went for a patty.We settled on the chairs outside the cafe as we waited in a reflective mood.The ambience was a typical weekend one.School kids were happily rushing towards their school bus.The road was jammed with office goers eagerly wanting to return to their families .Few men were busy shopping for fruits and delicacies to turn their evenings into celebration.College couples crowded the near by coffee shop and joggers park, hoping for the weekend to last forever.Others kept their mouths busy with golgappas at the adjacent Chat shop.Everyone seemed happy and were least bothered about the past and future.I sat there picturing how i once lived and would live these peoples' lives.

The thought of sandwich interrupted me for the good and as we sat there waiting,i felt a tiny finger poke my arm.I turned to see who it was.I couldnt move my eyes off what i saw.It was an abandoned,weak and a beggarly kid who was not more than 6 yrs old .He had four other kids of same age standing behind him.They were staring at me with their innocent eyes which spoke of nothing but Hunger.They had only torn vests hanging around their bodies which had turned brownish over the years.They were acutely malnourished and their eyes were a testimonial of their struggle for existence since birth. Their expressionless faces had tanned completely and only dried mark of tears below their eyes was evident.They didnt even possess the energy to speak and simply stood there helpless.It seemed like they were devoid of food for ages.They all looked desperate but skeptical.Somehow the kid who approached me was the least scared of them all.He simply kept pulling my sleeves.I reached for my pockets and was looking for coins when the waiter came down with the sandwich and patty.The sight of these raised their heart beats.It came as an oasis in a desert for the long lost and thirsty.They grew more and more impatient and desperate.They stared at each other as if they had found gold after digging for years.They were least bothered about my search for coins and turned selfish among themselves, thinking about who would get all the food.They were in a mood to gulp hundreds of them though.Right then,two of the kids quickly jumped on the food.My colleague tried to resist but their teeth were strong enough to bite his hand off and snatch them away.The two of them began to run away with the food.Me and my colleague were left gaping.The other kids also ran behind to get a bite .The waiter chased them for some distance but gave up midway.They crossed the busy road at lightning speed.We stood there to see what followed.The other three kids who ran behind, caught up with them.Soon after, all five were wrestling.In the process they dropped the food.It didnt matter.They didnt give up.They grappled for sometime and got hold of few crumbs each. We still stood there not able to digest.They saw us from distance and began to run again.We didnt speak a word with each other and silently left without ordering again.

We all have big aims while we live.These kids' only aim is to live.