Looking Back Detail Page

01 Apr

- Ramesh Thadani
Class of ’53 Written when in Std VI
 
The train stopped at New Delhi station. A passenger entered the Second Class compartment and seated himself. Then when he saw somebody else also getting in, he quietly stretched his legs and took the remaining space for his bag. When the new passenger asked him to remove the bag so that he could sit the first comer, providing for his own selfish interest, calmly stated that the bag did not be¬long to him, but to someone who had lust got down, and that naturally he could not be expected to touch another's property.
Soon the train started, and the new passenger, who was standing by the win¬dow, saw a man running towards the compartment. Thinking that the bag be¬longed to this man, he quickly took up the bag and threw it out.
The passenger who had taken the fullest advantage of his 'first-come' posi¬tion realized with a rude awakening that he had a swift return for exercising his rights at the expense of others - "the re¬ward for telling a lie".