The Honest Man

A True Story

While going to a friend’s house, I couldn’t resist my temptation of buying some chocolates for us from a betel shop that came on the way of village Baideswar. My wife and in-laws were in the car. I said the driver Gutu; “Stop the vehicle here; I will purchase some chocolates from the shop”. The car stopped, I got out of it and went to a nearby shop. I told the shop keeper to give me chocolates of fifteen rupees and I handed over him a twenty rupee note. He asked me curiously about the destination of my journey although I had no acquaintance with him before long. I replied with a smile, “I am going to the village Karabara where my friend resides.”

I started talking with the shop keeper for a few minutes and by the by I forgot to get back five rupees from him and left the place hurriedly. My mind was preoccupied with a mournful event which had occurred in my friend’s house ten days back. My friend was in a state of agony and bereavement losing his loving father.

I got into the car and told the driver to drive soon as we were getting late. Karabar is two kilometres away from Baideswar College where the shopkeeper was running his shop. My car was running on the road towards Karabara and the speed limit was almost 45. Hardly had we reached Karabara, when the shop keeper appeared suddenly before us, chasing by a motor cycle .I became astonished and got perturbed to see him again there. But surprisingly, the shop keeper beckoned us to stop the vehicle. With a smiling face he said, sir; “Take the balance amount of rupees five which you have forgotten to receive after purchase.”I couldn’t believe my eyes having seen such an honest man, who could spare Petrol cost of 2 kms. to return me five rupees for the sake of his honesty and integrity.

I thanked him and bestowed blessings upon him, for his honesty to the pie, which he had shown me on that day. Honesty and integrity the good qualities of a human being are rarely found in men at the present age. Man has been so much hypnotised and mesmerised in the modern machine age, that he has forgotten all good qualities like honesty ,integrity, love, sympathy and fellow feelings. He wants to exploit others, cheat others for self interest and enjoyment as a result of which the honest man has become the worst sufferer today.