My mom used to say that whenever she came across a good samaritan or witnessed an act of kindness. Today was yet another boring day at the library till this happened.
I just finished a block of questions and decided to take a break with the Economic Times shouting itself hoarse with the whole Satyam fiasco. There was this guy I saw from the corner of my eye but I stuck to what I was reading. A couple of seconds later I couldntt resist lifting my head up as this figure was slowly and deliberately looming in my direction. So as I looked up I saw this guy who looked well South Asian lets say. He came over to the side of my table as I took out my earphones and braced myself for the encounter.
Can you speak Urdu?
No.
Hindi?
Yes.
Well if you dont mind can I just talk to you for a minute.
Yeah.
Bhaijaan My name is Abdullah Khan Afridi from Peshawar. I am an architect. Just got here a month and a half ago. I am living in London as of now and came over to Toronto to meet with my immigration lawyer. Unfortunately though this afternoon my wife lost her purse with all our money in it. We are stranded now as we dont have enough money to get back to London. I have my wife and 21 year old daughter waiting as I am out here looking for help. I am new in this place and I dont know anyone. I tried going back to the lawyers office but found it closed. Someone there said that there was a mosque somewhere nearby where someone might be willing to help me. As I was walking by, you caught my eye and I just thought that in this foreign land I will take a chance and ask you for help.
Yeah, I guess. What are looking for?
I am short of exactly 35 dollars. Thats all I need to get my family back to London tonight. I was hoping you could help me out with the money. I promise I will be back on Friday, not this one but the next, and I will come back and repay you. Trust me brother, I know its awkward like this asking around for money but I dont know anyone else here and there is nothing else I can do. I am Pashtun and mark my word, I will come back and return the money.
I think for a minute. The man seemed honest and well as always in these situations, I am easily persuaded.
All I have got with me are 15 dollars and thats what I can give you.
The man hesitates and looks at me for a bit.
Bhaijaan I am not here to ask around for money. I promise to return it all. I wish that you could please help me out. There is an ATM just outside. I would be very indebted to you.
Alright I was going to give him the money. I just was going to. Sometimes I am just sold on certain things. There needn't be any particular reason. I just do it anyway. And this was one of those. I got up and walked out the library.
Allah, Subhanawata'ala will keep you well and will never put you in bad times. I will pray for you my friend. Thank you. Thank you so very much. I walked all the way from Union to here. We havent eaten all day.
Well you should just take the subway to Union on the way back. Its too cold.
Brother that would cost money too. I couldn't. All I need are 35 dollars.
A Pashtun's word? Alright. Lets not talk about it anymore. I am giving you what you want and lets both forget it, I think.
Outside the ATM is a BMO. My bank is Scotiabank. I tell him that. We decide to walk over to Bloor and Spadina. I go inside get my jacket.
It is -22 C. As we walk he asks me if all the buildings there belonged to the university. I tell him they do. Even that most of everything between Queen's Park and Spadina, and Bloor and King are university buildings. He says he has seen Western and it was huge. Well UofT was in the centre of the city and so was actually smaller than some of the university campuses I tell him.
What are studying? Finished medicine in India. Final Year? No I have my degree.
Mashallah! Congratulations brother. It is a matter of great pride.
I guess.
I am an architect. I have two Bachelors degress from the University of Peshawar. But people here tell me that my degrees are invalid, that I am unqualified. It is maddening. I regret coming to this country. My sister-in-law, my wife's sister, would call us from Vancouver every week and tell was what a great life it was and that we were missing out. May be she hated us. My family runs a garment factory in Peshawar, we make leather. I have two brothers who live in Germany. But I dont know why I came here. Once a woman had decided on something, there is little you can do to change her mind. My wife insisted. You get screwed. I gave 47000 dollars US to the immigration consultant to get us here and now I realise its all waste. I wish I never came here.
By this time we reached the ATM. He says he will wait outside. I draw 30 dollars. I think if I should just give him 40 dollars and be done with it. Then again he asked for 35 dollars and thats what I will give him. Money clutched in hand I walked out.
Thank you very much brother. Thank you. I will never forget this.
He leaned forward and hugged me.
I will be back to return this money to you.
Don't worry about it. Its alright.
No brother I couldn't. Atleast on that pretext we will get a chance to sit down for some tea. Please give me your number.
I do. He makes note of it in the Arabic script. And then my name too.
He points and asks if that direction was South.
I pull out my wallet and give him another 3 dollars and tell him to just take the subway.
He hugs me again and walks off around the corner still thanking me.
I walk back.
It will always be tough. One half doesn't believe it at all. The other wonders how many times total strangers have helped me and so may be if I owed it to this man. Well I gave him the money he needed. Thats all.
People will tell me that I got taken for a ride. That I got conned.
I gave the man money, it wasn't so much to make feel the pinch yet quite a sum.
I wish for him to come back, that we do sit down for that tea and that I make a new friend.
I don't need the money.
I want him back just to prove to everyone, to myself that we still have honest good men who will help one another, friend or stranger.
I need that.
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