The story of a bag

A nice story that unfolded in phases over the day.

Our watchman, Venkaiah, came up early this morning saying he was going to Tirupathi, and could he get an advance. The otherwise usually grouchy man actually sounded excited about his trip, and when I asked further, went on into which train, when, what....lots of details....he looked happy.

Then he says "I also need a bag....can you give me one, I don't have a bag to pack our clothes in". I said I'd check and to come back later.

When Faizan came at 11, I asked her to help me get down a suitcase from the attic and then to empty it (it had a lot of random stuff in it).....and after it's down she says "let's empty it tomorrow, I'm in a rush today".... and I was like, "No, now only, Venkaiah needs the bag today".

She's like "what?!!? ....you're giving this suitcase to him?? what amma....what happened to you....it's such a nice suitcase....plus he's such a horrible man, he doesn't clean your car well, he yells at me for the smallest reason........no, you're not giving the bag to him....if you don't need it, give it to me". 

I'm like "It's not about me not needing it, it's about him needing it".

She's like "no, not this suitcase, and not to him, I won't let you, he's so kadoos, he doesn't deserve it". She sounded so like an offended petulant child, that I gave in, thinking I'll ask Diksha for a backpack.

An hour later.......Diksha searches through her stuff and doesn't find one she can give away.

So we're like "sad, but what can we do, just tell him we don't have one".

A couple hours later .......

Diksha: "ma, I told him about the bag when he came up, and he looked so disappointed......I can't get that look off my mind.....can we do something?"

 "we tried no sweetie, we don't have extra, it's okay, he'll manage".

"no ma, it doesn't seem right that there should be so much grief because of not having a bag for a trip, he looked so sad (even if he's a creep), do something no".

We put our minds together, and finally decided that we'd give him one of our regular bags for this trip, on returnable basis. (He's now gone off with my bag:)

Deech, for having let that expression touch you...... for having pushed for a solution.... for enabling an out of usual resolution......you made the day so special !