The Gubbare Wala

One thing you surely can enjoy in almost ever nook and corner of Delhi is Gol-Gappe or Paani-Puri's. I too was enjoying them while waiting for my friend at one of the sweetshops. Suddenly i heard "Gubbare le lo. 20 rupiye ke 2 lelo" and the voice was so soft that i thought these can come only from a child. I turned back and was really astonished to see a very little boy of age 7-10 selling balloons.

He had a very small cycle in which he had a long bamboo stick and attached to them were the balloons, toys, balls all the typical things that you can find with a balloon-seller. After finishing with the gol-gappas my mind went into thoughts about the little boy. This i suppose will happen with everybody unless he comes from a place where all balloon-sellers are child. I was full of appreciation and respect for the child who at this small and tender age was helping his family. I was still looking at him and suddenly my chains of thoughts were taken over by a new thought of taking his photo. I took my phone and tried to take his photo, on seeing me doing he turned his face backwards, and this happened for 3-4 times. I was unable to take his photo and then i went near him still unable to speak with him and wondering how to start conversation with him. On seeing me near to him, he asked that if he could see his photographs. Up to this moment nobody has come and he had not done any selling and he was free to chat with me. I told that he has turned his face back and the photos will not be of any use. After this he agreed to take his photographs, which I eagerly did and then showed to him. After this he asked me for how much rupees i had bought this mobile? I wondered what to tell but i told him for 2000-Rs i had bought it which again i lied, fact is that I had not the courage to tell him . He asked me that if he will save 2000 will you buy the same mobile for him. This took me by surprise and again i was left with no answer. I asked him whether he studies or not and proudly he told me that yes he goes to school. Early in the morning at 6am when i suppose most of are in the comforts of our beds, AC's he reaches his school. He told me that at 1:30 pm the school is over and he reaches

his home. In the meanwhile he also told me that he hadn't sell anything today, and it will be difficult for him to buy milk and sugar for today.

For sometime i was again speechless and thoughts about extremes in this world were revolving around my mind. Still what surprised me was that he did not asked me to buy anything from him. I asked him about his family and there was his mother, baddi amma, and little sister. On asking about his father he told he has died. He told me that very little time is left for him to play but Sunday is his day and he plays on that day. Some people had come now were asking him about the prices of the balloons and balls. I saw him answering and people bargaining with him. He has to sell yet he was convincing, he had mastered the art of selling at a age where one is still learning the spelling of market. He demonstrated how a plastic toy(chicken)

walks after he had winded the key. A few persons started inquiring about other items he had and he was answering to all of them. All were appreciating & full of praise the little gubbare wala and his skills. I thought of buying gol-gappas for this child and put my hands in my pocket where I could find only 2 coins of 1 Rs. If this was seventies then only i could have bought him the gol-gappas. Now my friend had come and i told him about the little gubbare wala , he told me that everyday the boy come at this place and sells his items. I asked my friend that if he will buy him the gol-gappas which i could not, he agreed and told that in coming week he will do this. We both went away, leaving the boy behind selling the toys, balloons and lots of unanswered questions in my mind one of which was : Will my friend buy the promised gol-gappas for that boy ? Why don't we have a Forbes list for them like "Women Enterpreneurs Of The world" and many more unanswered questions