A Man under the Street Light

  He was born to parents whose means of earning a living was selling bangles. His mother would make bangles out of raw materials. His father, carrying a basket full of bangles on his shoulders, would roam village after village to sell them. But the profit was not enough to make ends meet. There was extreme hardship for the family. They never had enough money to buy provisions that would last for the whole month. Nor had they have fields to grow grain and vegetables that would fulfill their requirements. It was difficult for them to get two square meals every day.

Ramlakhan was a single son to his parents. He was sent to school to become just literate enough to read and write. Until his adulthood, he was allowed to continue his schooling. He did well in his education, but along with his studies, he had to help his mother manufacture the bangles and his father sell them. Somehow he managed to pass his matriculation examination with third division whereas other boys in the neighbourhood, despite getting more time to study could not pass the exam in a single attempt. Seeing his interest in studies he was encouraged for further education, but his fate soon took a turn for the worst.

All of a sudden his father fell ill and became bed-ridden. The only source of income of the family had been rooted out. There was no one to help them. This misfortune landed the responsibility of bread-winning for the family on Ramlakhan's shoulders. The unsolicited development compelled Ramlakhan to do something new to help provide for his family. Selling bangles as his father did, was not suited to him because he never took interest in that work. As the situation worsened, he had to leave his studies. 

He went to Patna in search of a job, but in his short time there he was unable to find work. He talked to a rickshaw-puller who readily agreed to assist him in getting a rickshaw daily on the hiring-basis. Envisaging the crisis in his family he readily agreed to do so. Every morning he would get a rickshaw and in the evening he would return the rickshaw along with five rupees as rent.

He carried the passengers by rickshaw from the railway station to their destinations. He began earning slowly. He saved whatever money remained after having two meals a day. He sent the hard-earned money home for his father's treatment. His mother took her father to a nearby hospital where he was treated for tuberculosis. When his father began recovering, Ramlakhan felt a sigh of relief. 

In order to save more, Ramlakhan followed the same routine as other rickshaw-pullers who used to cook their food under the streetlight and sleep on the footpath. On receiving the news of his father's recovery, Ramlakhan felt a sense of happiness. Now he started to think about doing something different. 

One day while resting on his rickshaw, a thought occurred to him. Why could he not study in the evening, while others were gossiping or playing cards? That night he pondered over the matter seriously. He couldn't sleep. The next day after submitting the rickshaw he purchased some old books from a street hawker and resumed his studies under the streetlight. The others were surprised seeing him but came to terms with this new side of him in a few days. Seeing his interest in education the other rickshaw-pullers extended their hand to help him. They didn't let him partake in cooking meals so that he could get some more time to study. 

Ramlakhan managed to get some more time by coming early in the evening after earning just enough money that would fulfill the demands of his family. Gradually he completed his graduation in Commerce and started applying for government jobs. He did well in the written examination but remained abortive in the interviews. After attending two or three interviews he was upset about not getting through. He was dismayed. He thought about giving in. Many a time holding, his head with hands, he was seen pondering seriously over something. One day, Hussain, one of the senior-most rickshaw-pullers accosted him and nagged, Son, dont you put your hands over the head. It will cause your intelligence to evaporate.

Ramlakhan woke up suddenly and yelled, I feel like I'm already evaporated. I am left with nothing to evaporate.”

Hussain couldn't understand anything. He felt it better to keep quiet at that time. 

Later he asked his mates who were close to Ramlakhan, What happened to Ramlakhan? He is always in a pensive mood nowadays.

Do you know he is an intelligent student but his fate is not good? He cleared many written examinations for a government service but couldn't make through the oral test, the other rickshaw-puller said. 

Hussain nodded his head, pondered for a while and said, I will talk to him about this issue.

The next day, Hussain again went to Ramlakhan again and said, My dear son, dont be upset with failure. Every failure comes to teach us a lesson. So instead of becoming upset over failures gather their lessons. One day you will have a set of solutions.

The suggestion appeared as a wake-up call for Ramlakhan. He regurgitated again and again over what the old man said. He pondered over the mistakes he had made in each interview and gathered their solutions. Finally, Ramlakhan succeeded in getting a post of an auditor in a bank.