damn! Anyone can be a KING…

Just an hour back, on the busy streets of New Delhi, I took a rikshaw ride. For those who don’t know, it is a 3 wheeler cart peddled by a man. 

The ride did not last for more than 7-8 minutes. In those few minutes, the rikshaw puller shared something amazing with me.

As there were many cars on the road, I asked him to drive on the extreme left side of the road (just to be on the safer side). And there, he started his story.

“Ma’am ji, please do not worry. I am a driver myself. I drive all sorts of cars and have my driving licence too. I know how to be safe on the road”, he said.

“Then you must drive a taxi, it will pay you well, or you should work as a driver somewhere” I advised, because pulling a rikshaw is a very tiring job and it requires a lot of physical strength.

“No ma’am ji, I don’t want to work under anyone. They ask me 100 questions if I get late by just 5 minutes, and I can not complain. I am not even allowed overtime money if they extend my working hours even by an hour or two sometimes. I have done that job earlier, but I am happy pulling a rikshaw now. Even though I have to work in the heat pulling weight which requires a lot of strength but my reward is that I am free to ride on my will. I make Rs. 500 everyday and I don’t have to give answers to anyone. I work on my own conditions”, he said.

“This way Ma’am ji, I feel like a King” he said wiping his sweat off his forehead.

He was smiling.

And I thought to myself damn! ANYONE CAN BE A KING. 

You just need the heart to feel like one!!

mySestina observations!

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