RARE HOSPITALITY

             Recently, in a Churchgate-bound local, a vendor selling soft flower-shaped pens entered the train. The pens were bright and attractive and for Rs 10 each, they were an irresistible buy. Though the computer has replaced the writing instrument to a great extent, these pens however seemed as a good option for jotting down quick messages.

          While some commuters started to choose amongst the bunch, there was a young foreigner who too started checking out on the colour and design. ‘How much, how much,” the lady asked the vendor holding the pen towards her.

          “Rs 10,” some women commuters told her. After hearing the amount she started searching for money in her purse. She did found some notes. But put them back and picked some coins. She tried to put them together and handed it over to the vendor.

          One commuter sitting beside the lady told her that those coins were not enough to make the sum of Rs.10. She tried removing every little thing she had in her purse with a strong desire to be able to buy those tiny adorable pens. If they were just normal pens’ chances are this woman would not have made so many attempts. But as it is rightly said that flowers are the way to a woman’s heart, these flower-shaped pens had touched her heart and she wanted them desperately.

          She pulled few dollars and started handing over to the vendor but the seller refused saying that these dollars won’t be of any help to her.

          Observing her nervous mood, the vendor told her to keep the pen as a gift from her. Though the foreigner could not understand her verbal language, she realised what she meant. Thanking the vendor for her generosity the foreigner said, “Indeed Indian hospitality is legendary. Indian people are willing to provide comfort to others. I have been witness to the warmth of Indian hospitality in the past on few occasion,” she said.

(MUMBAI IS KNOWN FOR ITS LARGE HEARTEDNESS)