When we were sitting on a table waiting for the Dwakra women to come and join us, this  beautiful girl silently stood behind us posing for a pic. When I asked her to sit with us on the  bench, she was reluctant. She would just stand there and shy away. For almost 30 minutes I  became a clown for her, trying to make her laugh. Told her something about myself  expecting that she would say something about herself too. But she  didn’t say a word. When I just stopped looking at her and faced Krushi, she tightly held my hand and jumped into my lap. She didn’t let the grip go. After which she told me a lot about herself. To our surprise she spoke English quite well. When I asked her what she wants to do in life she said ,” I want to become a doctor. It will come or it will not come I am thinking”. WoW! Where there is man there is hope. That’s the best part of this game. I made her write these sentences in my notepad which I am gonna cherish forever.

Another hour passed by when Rekha, the volunteer from Samata who accompanied us, asked  us to shift to the place where the meetings of Self Help Groups (SHG) are generally held. I said  my Goodbyes to the girl (didn’t know it wasn’t required then). When I started walking away all  of sudden this girl comes running and she held my hand tight again, this time even tighter.  “My old home this is”, Amrita said pointing to an abandoned house. I realized that she wasn’t  able to walk at my pace. So I reduced my speed to match hers. And I felt good. In a land of strangers for once I belonged. “I will once tell you how my new house will be? “ I immediately said yes. “One portion it will be. One balcony there will be and round door it has”. Man she killed me. Then I sketched on the floor to show her how my house will be :P.

For the next one hour throughout our meeting with the SHG members, she was there with me still holding me tight. Mostly silence did the speaking for us. She came along to the bus stand to bid (the final) adieu.

“Good Journey”, said she with a tender kiss on my cheek.

In a land of strangers I felt good. I felt home. I belonged.

That cute little smile, a red rose in her plait, that silver ring, gold-tinted bangles and a tender kiss. She killed me.