By: Sathya Narayana

I know him for the past thirty years;
a door-to-door flower vendor;
short, lean, dark with gullible stares
and a basket around his shoulders.

‘How much do you earn? ‘ once I asked
way back in the eighties, if I’m right.
‘Enough to fill half belly! ‘ he laughed
‘Yet I am happy and content.’

Few days ago, I lost my way
in the gossamer of our town lanes
when I found him in some grimy alley.
Asked, ‘ Are you selling here your jasmines? ‘

‘I live here Sir.’ with a smile he said
‘In fact I can live only here
with the profit my flowers yield…
hand to mouth, same life from years.’

‘You look worried sir! ‘ he added
‘I endured this life for years.
I can’t even shed tears.’ he chuckled
‘Severe water problem here! ‘

Well! I started looking askance
Is this the place for a humble man
who pours into our lives fragrance
a dirty lane near a sewer line? ! !

(NOTE: On average a door-to-door flower vendor earns Rs.30/= to Rs.50/= per day as per my survey)