It was quite late at night. I was returning home from a movie, all alone when the incident happened. In a relatively deserted place two or three goons saw me walking and shouted at me to stop. Ignoring them I kept moving but soon they were behind me. I started to run and they followed in my heels. I was running as fast as I could and was also looking for people around for help but alas no one was there. After running for about two to three minutes I turned across an alley and there I came upon on the footpath a beggar woman sitting all alone by herself.
The beggar woman was now my only hope in this deserted place. The goons were yet to turn that alley and hence they haven't seen her yet. I pleaded with the beggar woman to help me. She opened her blanket and hugged me in her arms, thus concealing me in the blanket as well. Both of us lay down on the street in a deep embrace. She took care that she had covered me fully so as to create an impression that only a single person was asleep in that place. My heart was pounding in my chest as I felt the sound of running steps. The goons ran past us without noticing me hiding in the beggar woman's embrace.
The blanket as well as the woman's body odour was very stinky, which showed that they were unwashed for several days. My fear didn't let me notice that before but now I could feel the odour. The skin of the beggar woman's arms that were holding me felt a bit rough. My face was buried in her neck and I could smell the sweat accumulated in her body. My left arm was wrapped around her back while my right arm was pressed underneath her body. She had one cheek resting on the side of my forehead. Her unwashed hair was also smelling really weird. But we needed to keep our bodies close so as to conceal ourselves within the blanket.
After a few more minutes I felt that I had escaped the goons and hence decided to get up. But as I moved the beggar woman stopped me and said, "Don't go now they might return. Stay here."
Saying so she hugged me even tighter. She was right. I could hear the running footsteps again and immediately hugged her tightly again. She placed her cheek on mine and we both stayed very still. Soon the goons ran past us again. As I slowly tried to move I felt that her leg was raised on my body. I said, "Thank you so much, you saved me tonight. You are a wonderful person. What is your name? Why do you sleep on the streets?"
The beggar woman while still keeping me in her embrace said, "I am Sarla. I am all alone in this world. Sometimes I collect and sell used bottles from garbage, sometimes I beg to have food, to stay alive. One of my legs is deformed due to an accident two years ago and hence I can't do any physical work. In that very same accident I lost my husband and my son. I lived in a village earlier and had just come to this city with my family when the accident happened."
Sarla's hot breath fell on my face as she spoke. Even in the darkness I could see tears accumulate in her eyes that were just inches away from me. I was moved by her words. God knows how sad this person's life was. I did actually feel her deformed leg just now. Her good leg was on my body and the other leg was concealed. I said, "My name is Pinky. I am a student in the nearby college. I live in a girls' mess about 10 minutes walk from here. Please come and visit me tomorrow morning there. I shall talk with the mess-incharge. She knows many people and she will surely give you some work that will suit you."
Sarla said, "Thank you so much Miss Pinky for your kindness. You are a very nice person."
She was really happy as her voice sounded. But she was still holding me in her embrace, her arm and leg wrapped around my body, the stinky blanket covering our bodies. Our faces were very close to each other, our foreheads were touching and our lips were just inches apart. Sarla was breathing directly into my face. The odour coming from her sweaty body was really strong and I was getting a little uncomfortable by now. So, I said, "Sarla, I think I should go now. It's already very late. All my fellow mess friends have gone to their respective homes today and only I am left behind because my train ticket is for tomorrow's date. And yes, please call me Pinky, no need to address me as Miss."
Sarla let go of her embrace and I got up from the footpath. In the dim light I could make out that she was a middle aged woman in her late forties perhaps. She had dark skin and her hair looked quite coarse as well. Due to lack of proper diet her figure was very lean and slender. As I was about to move away Sarla held my hand and said, "Go safely Pinky."
I smiled at her and assured her that I shall be careful. I bade her goodbye and went to the mess. I was really thankful to God and the beggar woman for helping me out. I promised myself that I would never go for a late night movie all by myself again.
Next morning as I woke up Anjali aunty came to my room with a look of concern on her face. She said, "Pinky how am I going to tell you this, there is an emergency back at my home. Both my husband and my son are very sick and I need to rush home now. But all your mates have already left and you will be left all alone here if I go."
I calmed her and said, "It is ok aunty don't worry about me it is only the matter for the day. I have to catch my train at night so just passing the day matters. You may go without any worries, your family needs you."
Aunty smiled and said, "Thank you so much Pinky, you are great. I have made breakfast already, you may have it. Only for lunch you have to take it outside."
I replied, "It is absolutely alright aunty. You may go peacefully. Don't worry your husband and son will get well soon."
So aunty bid me farewell and left for her home. I had my breakfast and was watching TV when there was a knock on the front door. As I opened it I found Sarla standing outside. The poor woman was sweating profusely from the heat outside. In broad daylight I could see her face clearly, it was dusty and dark, her hair looked coarse and untidy, her body emitted the same sweaty and stinky odour that I felt last night. She was wearing an untidy, worn out saree torn in various places. She used a stick as support for walking. I really felt bad for the beggar woman, she was my saviour last night, and yet little could I do for her now as the mess-incharge aunty had left.
I said, "Oh Sarla you are here. Come in."
On seeing her in daylight I could understand that she must be around 40 years of age but looked nearly 50 due to the strain and weariness in her face. I was just a 20 year old student then but still felt that it was my responsibility to look after this beggar woman. As if I needed to be her saviour now just like she was mine last night.
Sarla entered the mess and with great difficulty sat on the floor. I closed the door and seeing her sitting on the floor went towards her and said, "Hey don't sit on the floor Sarla come sit on the sofa."
She said, "No Pinky I am ok here on the ground. People like me shouldn't be sitting on sofas."
I held her hand and said, "Who told you so? It is rubbish. All of us are God's children. Come on, I shall help you."
She looked at me with vivid eyes and smiled. I slowly helped her get up from the ground by holding her hand and placing my other hand on her back. Her body odour was very strong but I didn't pay any attention to that. I really wanted to help my last night's saviour. So, I wrapped my arm around her waist and while holding her hand slowly guided her to the sofa. Sarla while moving occasionally stepped back as well due to her deformity and her unwashed hair brushed on my face. I didn't pay any heed to the weird smell and helped her to the sofa.
As Sarla sat on the sofa she asked me to sit by her side. She kept holding my hands and said, "Pinky when you told me that I may get a job here I was very thrilled. After the accident I only relied on begging for my livelihood. This life is so full of hardships I can't explain it to you. But you have given me a new ray of hope. Have you talked with your mess-incharge about my work Pinky?"
She looked at me with so much anticipation that I felt very sorry for her. I knew that my mess-incharge aunty won't be returning very soon as she called me earlier about her son needing better treatment and she was required to go out of town. Since our college summer vacation had already started for 45 days she won't be returning very soon. I said the same to Sarla and her face became very gloomy. She had tears in her eyes as she said, "Maybe God won't have mercy on me."
I was moved by her tears and hugged the beggar woman. She wrapped her hands around me and wept with her face resting on my shoulders. A strong smell of her body odour was hitting my nostrils but I didn't withdraw myself. I gently fondled her head trying to console her. She rotated her face a bit and her nose and mouth touched the skin of my neck. I couldn't resist myself from lowering my face and putting a gentle kiss on her head.
The beggar woman lifted her head slowly and looked towards me. She then hugged me again, only this time she placed her cheek against mine. I could feel her slightly rough face skin gently getting rubbed on my cheek as she breathed heavily, trying to control her tears. Her arms were wrapped very tightly on my back and I continued to slowly move my hands on her back, trying to comfort her. The blouse she was wearing was almost fully torn in the back and hence I was actually touching her skin as I moved the palm of my hand on her back.