Take off your shoes to see how the hot earth hurts the soles…..

What do you do when a boy aged 6 and a girl around 4 come bare footed and ask for money for shoes, when you are trying to rush back to office? In most third world countries beggary is an organized industry. But you are bound to be moved when you see this sight.

Had just got done with the client and walked back to my car, was waiting for the charged parking attendant to get my keys, when the incident occurred. It was almost 3 in the afternoon and pretty hot. The only thing that stopped me from giving in, was how well rehearsed the two kids sounded. The language they were using sounded just too strong emotionally for their years. Another thing that gave them away was, young as they were; they would get easily distracted, but would soon return to a delivery that sounded almost like a well rehearsed jingle.

It’s been a year since I first read Ayn rand’s work. She seriously dented my socialist mind set with her no-nonsense rational arguments. Even though she is a radical in her own right, but an intellectual radical at that. Reading her hasn’t wiped compassion out of my feelings. But somehow with beggary as institutionalized around you as it is, you can somehow feel the difference between the genuine cases.

The first week I returned after spending a day with my Indian friends in Quetta, and experiencing the first snow fall, I encountered something that I felt was a genuine case. I was returning around 10 after my MBA classes when, I noticed a woman in her sixties with a small kid closely huddled, on the pavement trying to draw the attention of the few cars that passed by. At first I too just drove past. But something about them stopped me. I stopped my car and walked back to them, took sufficient money out of my wallet for a decent meal for them, handed it to the lady, and was walking away, when the lady stopped me. She said something to the effect of ‘Son, you seem a God fearing person, please help us, I need food for the kids.’ I had given her sufficient money for a meal or two, and was almost beginning to get a bit angry, when she said, ‘Son, you have provided for the food, but I and my granddaughters have nowhere to go. Its really cold, and I have no warm clothing for them. Please do something for them.’ That’s when I noticed that the other bundle in her lap was a girl of 2 years or so. I also realized that shelter from cold was a bigger priority for her than food. I walked away telling her I would see what I could do, not knowing what I would do.

Anyways got home. Asked mom if we could spare any warm clothing for young kids. Fortunately just a week ago, my sis had taken out some old sweaters and other clothing that did not fit my niece any longer. I took back the warm clothing, a warm shawl, some food back to her. I gave them to her along with some more money. But still wasn’t at ease. The reason was that I had provided for them today, but what about the day after.

Such experiences can be very powerful, as they stir you, and make you think. You feel that you need to do something, play your part. That’s when Ayn Rand’s arguments hit back. Though I largely agree with most of her arguments, the only thing that she dosent clearly address, is the different chances that the fortunate get in life. True not all make most of the chances they get, and on the opposite end are people who rise from nothing, but this issue certainly needs to be to be taken into account. The fact that I never had to worry about providing slippers for burning feet as a six year old is surely one of the reasons I have achieved whatever I have.