The beggar incident

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he other day on 25th March 2015, I entered the Cycle Shop, Bata Charali, Dimapur to repair my son’s bicycle. As I waited for the repairing to finish, my attention was caught by some so called beggars on the pavement of the road. I felt pity for them after seeing their seemingly sad and hungry faces, dirty clothes and a couple of wound marks in the legs. And as I watched closer, it was somewhat like a Naga fellow (man) holding a non-Naga boy (plainsmen) on his lap. So I asked him, “Kun laga bacha ase?” (Whose child is it?) to which he just shook his head as if he is dumb. The boy appeared sick and hungry too with his eyes closed tightly. And yes, there was this Rs. 10 note inside the collecting bowl, so I too pulled out a 10 rupee note and dropped inside the bowl. Immediately he was seemingly praising God (by his gesture). So I thought God will bless me too, Eh! The real drama unfurled after some few minutes. The man offered some water to drink to the boy and after which the boy wanted to be freed but the man refused to let him go free. A little tussle went on between the two. After sometime, I saw a bundle of 10 rupee note tucked inside his trousers/longpant. Both the man and the boy were now looking very smart and healthy. And so, “Opps!” I thought to myself, “I’ve been tricked by these simple looking yet so cunning fellows.” Immediately, I was reminded of a Nagamese comedy film where a group of organized “Beggars”, some acting as dumb while some others acting as blind and lame or handicapped begging passersby. By that time, bicycle repairing was over and poor me! I left the place poorer by Rs. 10 but richer by a new experience and enjoyed the practical experiment of human dynamism. So, better watch out for the ‘genuine beggars’ when you step out next time. Dr. M. Temjen Longkumer