The state of a cobbler near my house.. had taken one of my footwear to be fixed and saw the place he calls his work place… a shack on the platform.. with nothing but a sheet of plastic to protect him from the sun and rain…..
Seated on a couple of cardboard, he loooked like he doesnt get too many customers… maybe all have moved on to bigger stores to get their shoes n chappals fixed..
He sits here all day.. waiting and waiting…. saw me walking towards him and he was lik “vamma ,eppadi irukka”..[come my dear, how are u doing?].. i have passed him by during my walks in morning, to the gym, to buy veggies( the store incidentally is in the complex right behind where he sits) and would smile at him if i noticed him…..
Was done fixing my sandals n then when i asked him “evvalavu[how much?]”.. he replied with a smile ” nee evalavu kudukkanumnu aasai padariyo, avalo kudu [give me how much ever you feel like giving]”… woww, i was soo surprised… i did pay him enough, and told him if he wanted more to ask, but he put his hands together and thanked me…. :)..
what a way to make a living…. felt so bad……
ha but he owns the roads and the cars and yes the supermarket….think how much he has….he sees busy people like you all day huffing and puffing…but for him he is constant contact with nature….at times that would certainly seem greener than what you are doing…
I hate it when senior citizens are in a position like this.
I can understand what you must have felt when you gave that money to him and wrote this post!
Vidya
@Vishesh – yep,that is true.. but what makes me sad is seeing someone so old(almost my granpa’s age) slog like this.. esp wen there are days where he just sits there with no customers… what does he do for his tea or food then?
@vidya- yepp.. thats what makes me sad..very sad…. sigh…
oh dnt worry he must take care of it to be living…
India’s answer to over population and no-idea-to-plug-poverty !!
Atleast be glad the fella wanted to work to get his food unlike that beggar or anyone else.
But I have the mixed feeling anyway to see someone do some stuff like this to make a living – old or young whoever !
We have gotten so used to this cliche “Can happen only in India” and we would continue to take refuge whatever we see and whatever that happens and go heartless !!
Aarti, I’m exploring your blog since you visited mine, thanks again so much.
I don’t know much about this kind of way to make a living. I see a little of it in our big cities, but you have to have a license, etc. Lots of restrictions.
As much as I hate to see someone of his age, anyone really, having to make a tough living this way, and I’m sure it isn’t enough for him, I am glad at least that he can go do this and come up with some cash. We cannot do this legally in our country.
And still he had such a sweet attitude.
i wish i could be as simple as him and get content with the simple life.
شركة تنظيف كنب بالدمام
شركة تنظيف مساجد بالدمام
شركة تنظيف سجاد بالدمام
شركة تنظيف خزانات بالدمام
شركة تنظيف وصيانة مسابح بالدمام