It happened almost 25 years ago in erstwhile Bombay! The memory however is still fresh in my mind. A group of visually impaired friends used to meet in a small room for an informal time of fellowship on Wednesday evenings. I was one of the volunteers, helping them with reading the newspapers or helping them with their studies.

There I met a young man named Prem. He was in his twenties. He was not a volunteer but a visitor in that campus. Whenever we met, we would exchange casual greetings of hello or hi and would move on. I did not know anything about him and we never talked. I could not get to like this guy at all. His very sight would put me off. Deep within I had some kind of hatred towards him. Whenever we met, I would put on a smile and say ‘hello’ to him, resenting him at the same time. This went on for several months. Face is not always the index of the mind!!

Time went by. One evening. I was at the Mother Teresa’s ‘Home for the Destitute & Dying’ at Byculla. The watchman opened the gate and I saw a yellow-black taxi pull into the courtyard. I was surprised to see Prem. He got down from the taxi. This time we did not exchange any greetings. He seemed to be in a hurry. I saw him open the back door of the taxi. There was a dirty bundle on the seat. With care he carried that bundle in both his hands and put it down gently. He paid for the taxi and it was gone. What looked like a bundle of dirt was actually a human being!! It was a woman. A horrible sight indeed. There was hardly any clothing on her and she was covered with a gunny bag. She was just skin and bones and covered in filth. The stink was horrible. It was difficult to say it’s a human being. The sisters soon arrived at the scene..They had a small conversation with Prem and they carried that seemingly lifeless body inside. His mission complete, Prem left the scene. I was left dumbfounded.

The poor destitute woman was lying outside the ticket counter of one of the busy suburban railway station of Bombay. She must have come to that place on her own, while she still had strength. Disease and malnutrition had almost taken her life. Somebody would have given something to her to eat. But soon she was too weak even to eat. She lay there in that horrible state of filth and squalor. Rats nibbled at her. Thousands of people passed by her everyday. Those who saw her, probably would turn their heads away. Who would want to see that plight? In a busy city like Bombay, who had the time to help, or still who had the heart? To many, she might have been a non-being or just a piece of dirt. No ordinary person could even think of touching her. I came to know that Prem had seen her in that condition a few times. Then he decided to do something. He personally carried her to Mother Teresa’s home!

A week later, I visited the home. I was told by the Sisters that they had done everything they could. They cleaned her, bathed her and gave her some medicines. But it was too late and she died in that home. Perhaps nobody could help this destitute. She lived worse than an animal. If she could not live with dignity, then it took someone like Prem to help her die in dignity! How many of us would do that??

That evening when I saw Prem bringing this woman to the home, it was beyond belief for me. Here was the man I hated, with his noble act. I was shocked, humilated and speechless by his love and compassion. I began to feel guilty. I did not hate him now yet did not have the courage to say sorry to him nor commend him for his noble act.

I never met Prem again and don’t think I will anymore. But Prem, if you are reading this, please accept my sincere apology. ‘I am sorry for judging you the wrong way, sorry for hating you. I love you Prem’ If you never read this, let me tell you still, this is my way of atoning for my sin. You will always be taller in my eyes.. You will always live in my heart and in the hearts of many.. How I wish there were many more Prems like you!!