Camaraderie and Solidarity

I was in a very long queue at a traffic light junction. The lights changed several times before I could get through. While waiting I observed a group of physically challenged individuals, two of them on wheel chairs wheeling along on their own unaided, three others using crutches and a couple more walking unaided but obviously physically challenged themselves. They were casually moving along the pedestrian curb on the other side of the road and in the same direction as I was, hence I could observe them moving along while I was moving and waiting for the lights to change.

The curb that they were moving on was not quite wheelchair friendly, or was not properly maintained, or both!! One front wheel of a wheelchair became stuck onto something, perhaps a depression, a gap, or a break on the curb. I could see that guy struggling to free his wheelchair. The others had moved forward not realizing that he was stuck. One of them turn around and saw his friend needed help. All of them, except for the guy on the other wheelchair, turned around and hurriedly tried to help their friend. It was at this time that I observed all of them being truly physically challenged as their hurried movement revealed their physical conditions. They managed to free the wheelchair and they clapped their hands in unison, pleased that they have helped their friend, while the guy on the wheelchair clapped, said something and nodded to all his friends. One of them was looking at my direction. I clapped my hands too and he acknowledged me with a huge smile, a nod and a wave of his hands.

This incident brought memories swarming in my mind. Not too long ago I posted something I received from a friend. It was a race of physically challenged children. During the race one child fell and cried. All the others, including the one who was leading stopped, turn around and help the friend up, consoled him and then all ran together to the finish line. The claps by the audience were the loudest then.

Yet another memory I recall was an incident many years ago. I was still a student in college. I had stopped for a meal at a food stall. I observed a one legged beggar going around from table to table. Some waved him away, some politely some roughly and others dropped something into his tin-can. Suddenly I realized that the beggar had fallen down onto the floor and on his back, a couple of tables away from me. How he fell I did not see. Perhaps on his own or perhaps shoved by an irate someone!! I saw that he was struggling to get up. Not a single soul got up to help!! I immediately went to him, held both his hands and pulled him up, wedging my leg onto his only leg. I helped picked up his things, coins and all and handed to him. He said thank you in a most humble manner and I saw the melancholic look in his eyes. A look of agony and despair!! I even saw the look on the other diners, as though saying to me why waste your time and energy and bother with him. Ohhh my!! That was like some 40 years ago and I can still remember the incident very well…. things will be different now?….. or would they? Nahhhhhhh…. I do not think so…. its none of my business attitude that prevails always….. huh!!!

MKI Ramblings Unlimited
Petaling Jaya