It was raining heavily on that deserted September night. I was walking on the road, trying to find a cab or someone who could help passersby reach home. But as fate had it, I couldn’t find either, and even the few cars that drove past me didn’t bother stopping as they might have prejudiced against helping a stranger in such heavy Mumbai rains that night.
Somehow I reached my apartment building and saw a brand new black coloured Audi parked inside the building premises, wondering who it was, someone who maybe got a big promotion or hit a lottery. I felt envious of that stranger and wondered why they were still living in this apartment complex.
I climbed the stairs to reach my 4th-floor apartment and discovered that the doormat on my entrance had been a little out of place. I checked out the lantern above my nameplate, and there it was. The key to my apartment was missing, and the door left unlocked just latched. I stood there frozen for what seemed like an entirety and felt robbed of things I hadn’t even checked for inside.
I started wondering what someone could rob me of. I was an IT engineer, living on a modest salary, and since I hadn’t had any luck getting married, I had no expensive possessions of my own or any jewellery. No valuables whatsoever that somebody would go all the way making efforts to find my key and toss my apartment upside down looking for, I dont know what.
Since my mind was already in overdrive, I finally decided to snap out of it and thus step inside to see what I was missing and if I should make my trip to the authorities now or wait for the weather to clear.
To my surprise, nothing was missing or tossed or torn or toppled as I had overthought, but there were four boxes gift-wrapped with a note lying next to all of them on my tabletop in the living room. Out of curiosity, I ignored the letter and started opening the boxes one by one. To my disbelief, they had the latest iPhone, a MacBook and a small box, which, as I was about to open, I decided to read the letter to discover the secret behind such generosity.
The letter read:
“Dear Arun,
I am Shalini. Hope these gifts find you well. Exactly three months ago, you picked me up on the Mumbai-Pune expressway past midnight, and it was raining that night. I was waiting for a taxi or anything that could help me reach my destination in time. I was drenched and vulnerable in all sorts of ways. Initially hesitant to ride with a stranger, I had no option but to ask you to drop me at the Leelavati hospital. You had agreed to be the gentleman you are and made sure I reached there in time. During that forty-five-minute drive, you told me how you were a newbie to the city working as a software engineer and wanted to make it big in the industry like everyone else. I am the CEO of a leading software giant based in Pune. I was able to reach the hospital in time and able to see my husband in his last moments, who passed away later that night due to lung cancer. I cherish those last moments spent with him, which were possible only because you decided to help out a stranger. I can’t describe how important it was for the both of us and our children. These are my gifts for you to repay your kindness. Attached with my business card in case you seek new job opportunities in future. Also, the small box contains keys to a brand new Audi since your car did not seem to be in such a good condition.
Regards,
Shalini Mehta.”
I was amazed by that letter, my fingers felt lifeless holding that piece of paper, and all the memories from that night started hitting me back, blurred with time, refreshed by this letter. As I opened that small box, I saw that shining new car key looking back at me, and all that envy I had felt earlier gave way to a big smile. I did not realise that one selfless act of kindness could come back to me like this. Funny how this universe works.