The Real Kalam

On the last day of the three-day training program for bank employees, entertainment and solo-acting programs were arranged after lunch. The organizer of the program introducing a young guy dressed in jeans and a T-Shirt said “This is Mr. Naveen, one of the famous theatre artists in this city. In a few moments, he will perform a solo act “I want to become a Kalam”. At the corner of the stage, there is a donation box. At the end of the play, you can drop your donations in that box.”

After a few minutes, Naveen came on the stage wearing a multi-colored rag torn short and a torn Pyjama. Naveen’s play showed a poor and intelligent kid who loses his father but struggles to continue his studies while working. All the employees were moved by the amazing performance.

After the performance, the organizer of the play dropped an Rs. 100 note in the donation box and this had now become a standard for others. Others started donating similar amounts in the box. Naveen collected almost Rs. 10,000 and went away in his car. On the way, he found a boy dressed like Naveen in the play. He was trying to sell candies at the traffic junction to the bank officers and was requesting them to open their car windows. But no one was sympathetic to the boy’s plight. In this process of selling the candies, the boy fell on the footpath.

Naveen helped the kid and asked him “How much are these candies?”

“Each one costs Rs 5. But If you buy 3 of them, I will give them for Rs. 10.”

“How much will you sell all the candies for?”

“Why are you joking, sir? But if you take all of them, I will sell for Rs. 200.”

“Here, take Rs. 500.”

“But Sir, I don’t have…”

“Keep the money. Even if it was for an act, I just lived like you for a few minutes. I can understand your difficulties. But since you do not know acting, a real Kalam can earn only this much in this world!”