By the time I finished my last client’s call of the day, it was three o’clock in the afternoon and my flight to Delhi was scheduled at six-thirty in the evening; the reporting time was 5pm at the airport. Although Jammu Airport was approximately 7km away from my Hotel but still I did not want to take a chance and rushed back to the Hotel to collect my suitcase, which was kept at the Hotel-cloak-room after I checked-out in the morning. Therefore, I requested my cab-driver to first stop at the Hotel so that I could pick my luggage and then head towards the airport.
The cab-driver seemed to be a very decent and simple man as he was talking to me in very short and simple sentences from the time I hired his car, three days back. Since then we had hardly spoken much with each other in that span of time. Immediately after leaving the hotel premises, he asked me very hesitantly about my flight timings to which I replied by saying: “6:30 pm”, He said in his soft voice: “Sahib ji, it’s too early to go to the airport now, it would be better if you could spent some more time in the city?” I replied “Why are you saying so?” He answered that within next ten minutes we will reach the airport and still you would have two and half hours in hand. I also felt that it was too early to go to the airport at that moment.
Meanwhile, I also realized that we both had missed our lunch, so I asked him to stop at the nearby eating-place for a quick bite. He followed my instruction and stopped the car at a Restaurant which was much closer to the airport. We went inside but we both sat at two different places and his table was far away from my table. I instructed the waiter to send the cab-driver to my table. He immediately came in front of me and asked me with both his folded hands: “Sahib ji, you did not like this place? Shall we go back to the city; there we will have many more good restaurants??” I simply asked him to sit down at my table and join me for lunch. He was a bit hesitant in the beginning but when I insisted he sat down in front of me. I offered him the menu-card so that he could order the food of his choice. He politely returned the Menu card and requested me to order one vegetable dish and three Chappaties (bread) for his lunch.
I understood fairly well that he was feeling very hesitant and shy to have lunch with me at the same table. Therefore, I told him to sit wherever he felt comfortable and ordered lunch as per his choice. He refused to move and again with folded hands said: “It is an honour to sit with you and have lunch, but Sahib ji, I am in this driving profession for more than twenty years and nobody has treated me like a human being. I was mere a driver for them and today you have given me so much respect and not only treated me like a human being but also offered me lunch in this manner, that’s why I am totally confused, I don’t know what to do now, it’s very hard to believe, if this is true or I am day-dreaming? I am sorry sahib ji.” His eyes were filled with tears and he could not speak further. I could sense, he was deeply moved and I also could not control my emotions and simply hugged him to make him more comfortable, put him at ease and normal, as early as possible.
Thereafter, I ordered lunch for both of us and at the end, I wanted to order two cups of tea but he suggested me one more place where creamy-masala-tea was served. During the lunch time, he told me that he is 51 year's old, married for last 26 years and blessed with a son only 11 years back. This taxi-car belonged to his relative. He owned only a small house of his own. His wife was working as a lady-tailor from home and earned reasonably well. Both of them wanted their son to go for higher studies and become an Engineer. Meanwhile, he also wanted to own his own taxi some day for which he and his wife were saving money since long.
This tea stall was far away from the airport and this time he made me sit in the car and brought two glasses full of creamy-masala-tea, which were very tasty indeed. When I offered him money for the tea, he simply refused to accept it and said this tea was from his side. I quietly accepted his offer with thanks and a big broad smile.
Meanwhile, he also enquired about my family very hesitantly and politely. On hearing from me that I have three beautiful daughters, I did not know why suddenly he became very serious, sad and quiet for some time. Thereafter, he started his car with much excitement; and told me to pay a visit at a most respected Sufi Saint Pir Baba Buddan ji’s Mazar along with him, and without obtaining my consent he put the car into first gear and proceeded towards the Sufi Saint’s Shrine which was just behind the airport. He informed me that here all the wishes of people are fulfilled and people from all walks of life and religions pay a visit and get Baba ji’s blessings without any partiality. He also told me that those couples who were deprived of being parents since long were too blessed with a child. Here nobody has gone-back empty handed; even he has got a son with the blessings of Baba ji only. He repeatedly requested me to visit with him to the said Sufi-Shrine of a great Sufi Saint and offer my prayers.
I was having three beautiful angels, who were grown up now. I was expecting three sons in the form of my sons-in-law. And to be more honest, I never had the urge of having a son. As a matter of fact, we are three brothers but not blessed with a sister of our own. Therefore, first: I missed my sister very much, two: I could not become an obedient, loyal and faithful son to my parents. I have never done any great-job which could have made my parents proud of me. Therefore, I never complained about it to anyone that I am not having a son of my own, neither to my beloved wife nor to my God Almighty and I accepted HIS verdict with full grace, humbleness, honor, respect and I am truly very happy with my Lord’s blessings.
But today this honest and simple man forced me to think otherwise. I was in a dilemma, whether to go or not? And finally, what purpose would it serve? After repeated requests of the cab-driver, I decided to go to the Sufi-Shrine and offer my prayers on behalf of my family and for my new friend so that he could become the owner of a taxi-car soon; his son becomes an engineer; and last but not the least, all the dreams of this straight forward man may kindly be fulfilled by Baba ji.
We reached the airport around five pm and the check-in counter was still open. And before saying good-bye to my new friend, I first settled his taxi bill and also offered him Rs. 500/- as token of my love for his son which he accepted after lots of persuasion. At the end, he also gave me one envelope which he wanted me to open only after he is gone. I refused to take the said envelope at the first place but his repeated requests made me to accept it without reluctance. Therefore, I accepted his envelope and kept it in my coat-pocket. After saying good-bye to him, I proceeded towards the security-check, because the Delhi flight was right on schedule.
While leaving for home from terminal T3 of the Delhi airport, I suddenly remembered about the said envelope given to me by the cab-driver and I immediately opened it with great excitement. I was literally stunned, surprised and shocked to see three Rs. 100 hundred notes wrapped in small note written in Hindi which said: “For three respected-sisters with lots of love and respect at the most auspicious occasion of ‘Raksha-Bandhan-Festival’ from their younger brother.”
I was lost in deep silence and was keenly looking at those Rs. 100 notes and also reading that small message again and again, which was scribbled by a man truly very holy, honest, pure at heart and full of affection, love and respect. I could not see any caste, creed, religion or any economic barrier between two of us and suddenly I found him to be an integral part of my small family. I simply bowed my head in respectful remembrance of the great Sufi-Saint Pir Baba Bhuddan Shah ji Maharaj, who had already blessed me with a son, as perhaps, demanded by the noble soul, who accompanied me to the Shrine. May now, Baba ji Maharaj also answer my prayers for him in due course of time, Amen!
With Prayers
Gurcharan
