ROSES! ANYONE?

I heard a soft knock on my car window at the signal that day. A sweet girl with well oiled hair and a toothy smile asked me if I would buy her roses.She was only about seven years old but had a good sales pitch.I promptly bought a bouquet from her and rolled up my windows.I could see her hurriedly walking to a lady who was feeding a small baby,probably her mother.Some words were exchanged and she came back on the road to search new buyers for her roses.

I was knowing that these kids used to hang around at grave yards where roses were laid on the tombs of dear departed ones.As the mourners returned back,the kids would steal the roses and wash them and arrange them neatly to sell them on roads!

Still,I bought the roses which would probably be never carried home and would wither down on the back seat of my car.I bought them to give her the joy which could not be achieved by giving her just the money, without the roses.She was too proud to beg. She was a righteous rose seller who eked out a humble living.She saw nothing wrong in stealing the roses from the grave as she reasoned that they had served the purpose of the mourners who never knew about this recycling of roses.

I frequently buy such stuff from traffic signals be it a small toy or a drawing book or an already read novel or a duster napkin for wiping my clean car! I feel happy to see the smiles on these small entrepreneurs who chose this strange path for a living.At least they work hard and are self reliant.You can see a micro business centre at the traffic signals.

So, next time when a small cute girl comes knocking on your car window selling roses, Please buy them and see her walk off with a sense of pride !