The last ride of the day (808 words)

Biren leaned against his yellow Ambassador cab at Howrah station, waiting for the last train from Delhi, which was running late. It was past 11 PM, and he hadn’t had a good day. Most rides were short and didn’t fetch him much. As a principle, he never overcharged, considering it a form of begging. Scrupulously honest, he never tampered with the meter. He had his rules: always take pregnant women, however short or long the distance, avoid drunk men and shady groups, and hope for a foreign tourist or a rich man, though the latter rarely needed a cab.

That morning, his wife Tara reminded him there was no stock of materials to cook, and the children would go hungry the next day without money to buy groceries. Their youngest daughter had fever for two days and needed a doctor. His elder son mentioned the school fee was overdue by ten days. The nights were chill these days and his mom’s request for a blanket remained unmet for a month. His immediate concern was, however, to earn enough to buy groceries.

He wiped his old car clean, lit a joss stick in front of Ma Kali’s picture on the dashboard, and said a quick prayer. He saw movement among other drivers as the train hooted. The prepaid taxi counter closed by 10 PM, and drivers scrambled for passengers. Biren stood apart, worried as the arriving passengers dwindled, and thoughts of his starving family came to mind.

Just then, an elderly gentleman looking tired with a bag on his shoulder and a suitcase approached. 

“Baba, let me take your box and bag. I will take you wherever you want to go. Please, come with me and get into the car,” requested Biren

As he started the car, he asked, “Where to?”

“Lake Market. Once you reach there, I’ll direct you. I’ve never seen anyone take a passenger without asking first for the destination. You seem like a good person.”

“Thanks, Baba. I don’t usually ask. Today, wherever you wished to go, I would have taken you.”

“What’s special today?”

“Since morning, I’ve had only a few rides, mostly minimum fare. My wife asked me not to come home without enough money for groceries.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. Don’t worry, I’ll pay you two hundred rupees more than the fare. Tomorrow is a festive day, and I have no family or children. Are you in the Lake Market area?”

“No, Baba. Pay me the due fare. I don’t wish to take more.”

“You seem a strange but good type. I’m not feeling well. Let me rest for a while.” He dropped a five hundred rupee note on the front seat telling Biren, “Keep this with you. Return the balance after taking the extra two hundred rupees,” and reclined in the back seat.

“Why now? What’s the hurry?” Biren protested mildly, but the man rested with closed eyes. He seemed asleep as they passed Victoria Memorial. Nearing Kalighat and Lake Market, Biren called, “Baba, we’re almost there. Wake up for directions.”

There was no reply. Worried, he asked again in vain and stopped the vehicle near the tram depot and nudged him. The man fell to his side to his shock. Biren quickly turned the car towards the adjacent Ramakrishna Mission Hospital. The doctors found him in highly critical condition and decided to rush him to ICU.

As the ward boys started pushing the stretcher to the ICU, Biren inserted Rs.150 in the passenger’s pocket instead of Rs.140 which was due to him. He explained to the staff the happenings and left the man’s belongings with the hospital and gave his contact details.

After a week, Biren got a surprise call from the hospital informing him that the patient had recovered thanks to the treatment at the nick of time and that the patient desired to meet him.

Later that day, when Biren met the patient, he introduced himself as Mr. Rao, and said with tears,” I learned from the attending doctors that you have literally saved me from the jaws of death by bringing me to a hospital without the slightest delay. I am under immense debt of gratitude to you. I got my box and belongings including the balance fare of Rs,150 meticulously inserted in my pocket. Frankly, I have never come across such a kind and honest person in my life.”

For the curious readers who may like to know how Mr. Rao repaid his debt, I can confide, on conditions of anonymity, that Biren got a brand-new vehicle of the latest model for a taxi, an undisclosed tidy sum for improving his living conditions and an assurance of full assistance till graduation for his two children.

 “Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody’s going to know whether you did it or not”-Oprah Winfrey