India Is Great

   Petro slightly pushed aside the tattered curtain and peeked through the broken glass of the window. Smoke from the bomb explosion last night hadn’t subsided yet. Charred vehicles lay strewn across the street. There should have been complete silence after the Russian military played grim reaper to the city Ukrainians the night before. But he could still hear the whistles from the rockets launched to destroy God knows which part of the city. He released the curtain and walked across to where his eight months pregnant wife was laying down. It wasn’t a peaceful sleep; the small couch wasn’t comfortable he knew. Even in her dreams she must be crying, screaming for help, scared to death.

   A single drop escaped from the corner of his tear glistened eyes and he sniffed. When will it end? He had never imagined his first baby would have to arrive in a bomb shelter instead of some elite hospital. No, he cannot let that happen. He was just a few miles away from the borders of Poland. The country had earlier granted protection to many Ukrainian refugees. If they could make it till there, they will be safe. He has to take the risk. If he didn’t chance are the next bomb could drop overhead killing the trio. He bent forward and kissed his wife on her forehead when his stomach growled. Guess, before a bomb the hunger was going to kill them. This time he couldn’t fight back his tears. They hadn’t eaten in two days; they were fortunate the abandoned house they had taken shelter in still had water running in the pipes. At least, they weren’t thirsty yet. But they needed food. He could have tolerated the hunger for one more day, but his wife could not. As soon as he sees a rescue vehicle they would have to leave.

   Hours later, he heard a vehicle incoming. Petro rushed to the window. He thanked the almighty. It was a rescue vehicle.

   “Babe, wake up, come on.” He patted on his wife’s shoulder. “Get up, we need to leave, now.”

   His wife opened her eyes slowly but couldn’t move. The weakness had taken its toll on her.

   Petro didn’t waste any time to help her stand. Instead, he carried her out in his arms. Two of the men jumped out of the mini truck and helped Petro and his wife climb up the vehicle.

   A few minutes later Petro asked his co-passengers if they had any food.

   “Sorry, man.” One of them replied.

   “Brother, we all are hungry.” Another said. “But don’t worry, soon we will have something to eat.”

   “How?”

   “We are heading towards a place a few miles from here. We have heard the owner is distributing food for free.”

   “This is bullshit.” Petro didn’t agree with what they said. “We are in a war zone, there is no electricity, no water, no food, no medicines, heck even the hospital has been bombed. We have literally no place safe to go and you say someone is distributing food for free.”

   “I hope you are wrong, brother.” One of the fellow passengers replied.

   Hours later, they stood in front of an Indian restaurant, where hundreds of people waited in queue as an Indian man handed them food packets. Petro noticed he didn’t take or ask anything in exchange. Instead, he smiled and joined his palms to each of them.

   While his co-passengers rushed to join the queue, Petro carried his wife in his arms and walked toward the end of the line.

   The Indian man noticed him and rushed toward him. “Sir, is she okay? What happened to her?”

   “She hasn’t eaten in two days and am afraid she won't be able to stand in the queue.”

   “Sir, please follow me.” He said joining his palms. “Let’s take her in.”

   Petro did as asked. Inside, the man took them to a small room.

   “Please, lay her on the bed while I get something to eat for both of you.” He didn’t wait for Petro to reply.

   A few minutes later, he returned with two trays filled with Indian food. “Sir, please eat.” He put the tray on a small table beside the bed. “If you need anything else, please let me know. I will try to help as much as I can.”

   He was about to leave, when Petrov said. “Can I ask you something?”

   “Yes, go ahead.”

   “How do you manage to feed so many of them free of cost?”

   “Yeah, I should take money, but I will not.” He smiled. “Not in this time of crisis.”

   “But there are people taking advantage of this situation.”

   “I am aware of it. But, sir, you see in my country, India, we believe in ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’, which means guests are gods. And I can’t let gods leave my house hungry.” He laughed. “I can’t even charge them money.”

   Petro was shocked to hear what the Indian man said but he thanked God that because of him he and his wife weren’t going to die of hunger.

   He saluted and hugged the man before taking the first bite of his food. In his mind he chanted ‘Atithi Devo Bhava. India is great.”