Chapter I
But things just don't seem to ever work in her favour. Time went by and she kept waiting for the bus to show up...to feel little better she decides to listen to some music to sooth her.. Tracks by Michael Buble and John Mayer indeed does the trick! However, the bus still is not there.
Nina, now gets fidgety and paces up and down the platform, bumps into a few hurrying lot, and meekishly apologises. She sees the vegetable vendor, aged between 35 and 45 ( she is very bad with guessing anyone's age!) sitting in the corner, with the same disguted frown. '' Must be the heat''. Nina thought. It is infact intolerable nowadays. The city was never like this.... it used to be much cooler and pleasant. One could easily manage to remain outdoors with even an umbrella. But now, Sunscreens, sunglasses, and umbrellas even if used together don't create much of a difference...
She glances around...... her head dizzy with the heat... throat parched with thirst... and discomfort radiating out of her body...sees similar expressions on others too. Women, school children, old couples, young men - all waiting....
Then suddenly, Nina saw her. From a distance , she did not look any different. Clad in a neatly tied Saree, she was busy in a conversation with an old man- wait a minute.... Nina had seen him before... oh yes... in the same bus..... and found something very odd.... he was very old and looked very lonely... but he always smiled! Never a frown could be seen on his wrinkled face. Nina turned towards the lady again. She was still busy conversing... but there was something really extra ordinary...
There was a happy aura.... she could immediately feel it.... She looked so happy and peaceful. It was so good to see so much satisfaction and happiness at that hour of the day. She definitely belonged to the lower middle class, that could be understood from her attire. But still she looked so much at peace with herself and her surroundings.... She had this lovely vermillion bindi on her forehead, and that big happy smile. Nina, never knew, how this lady was going to affect her life.....and change it forever.....
10:05 AM: the bus came... people pushed , shoved and finally got on to the bus.Nina too managed a seat after wrestling herself with the other ladies. The same ordeal, sigh! Nina just could not wait to reach her office and get started with her day.
The lady, was sitting much behind her and hence Nina forgot all about her....
Chapter II
Nina, a Marketing Manager at a business firm always tried to start off her days with a positive note. Getting up on time, having breakfast and making it on time at the bus stop. However, things always do not work in our favour. Nina, too, had a handful of these happy start to her weekdays... Crowded buses, the heat, tension about her future studies, worry about her ailing parents, troubled job.... all seem to rule her mind. One good thing however, that brings happy moments are about her boyfriend. She completely adores him, and shares a very healthy and transparent relationship. But mornings are terrible ! The whole 2 hour journey always seem painful and endless.....
Nina managed to reach the bus stop at 9: 30 am. She feels happy. She will definitely not be late for work. Waiting for the bus , she scans her surroundings swiftly and recognises some fellow travellers. Everyone seemed lost in their thoughts.... just waiting to get started with the day- after all it is much dreaded Monday! There is still 4 more days till weekend. Nina is pretty relaxed.... she has some important meetings planned for the day, coupled with some job interviews- she is hopeful that she will get something better soon.... Not that her collegues are impossible, the work atmosphere is just too lax . Things work at a snail's pace on certain days, and there is no decorum too. She is sure that she will get something which she desires, and get to work in a better managed workplace.
Lost in her thoughts, Nina barely missed her..... The smiling lady. There she was again, waiting among the lot for the bus to come.... the same lovely smile adorned her face and it seemed to cheer the people instantly. Nina thought how wonderful to see such pure happiness among strangers. She realised then, happiness is not what we want to get, it is something which is always around us.... we just should be able to see it.....
She slowly observed that the smiling lady had developed this wonderful bond with all the passengers... she never ignored a single person- always making sure to smile and greet everyone- even sometimes fight with the bus driver who speeds off ignoring few of the waiting lot. She even made sure almost everyone got a seat. How selfless and caring.... sometimes even lending her ear to listen to someone's domestic problems- and all this she did her wonderful smile! Nina, found it very strange yet admiring that such an insignificant figure could affect so many lives.... and it was not only Nina.... all the people longed to see her walk through the platform.
Her day, her week, infact her entire month went extremely well. She clinched some crucial business deals, got some interesting interview calls and has never again missed her bus! Nina prays each day and thanks God for the wonderful life she is blessed with... and silently thanks the Smiling lady too for showing her the way..... Nina did get to sit next to her a couple of times, and even had a conversation.... but never got to know her name...
But lately, things aren't the same....
The smiling lady seemed to have disappeared... it has been almost a month and she has not come to the bus stop. No one knows why but she is just gone... but Nina is positive that she will see her again....after all Nina needs to thank her for all she had done unknowingly.
Nina managed to reach the bus stop at 9: 30 am. She feels happy. She will definitely not be late for work. Waiting for the bus , she scans her surroundings swiftly and recognises some fellow travellers. Everyone seemed lost in their thoughts.... just waiting to get started with the day- after all it is much dreaded Monday! There is still 4 more days till weekend. Nina is pretty relaxed.... she has some important meetings planned for the day, coupled with some job interviews- she is hopeful that she will get something better soon.... Not that her collegues are impossible, the work atmosphere is just too lax . Things work at a snail's pace on certain days, and there is no decorum too. She is sure that she will get something which she desires, and get to work in a better managed workplace.
Lost in her thoughts, Nina barely missed her..... The smiling lady. There she was again, waiting among the lot for the bus to come.... the same lovely smile adorned her face and it seemed to cheer the people instantly. Nina thought how wonderful to see such pure happiness among strangers. She realised then, happiness is not what we want to get, it is something which is always around us.... we just should be able to see it.....
She slowly observed that the smiling lady had developed this wonderful bond with all the passengers... she never ignored a single person- always making sure to smile and greet everyone- even sometimes fight with the bus driver who speeds off ignoring few of the waiting lot. She even made sure almost everyone got a seat. How selfless and caring.... sometimes even lending her ear to listen to someone's domestic problems- and all this she did her wonderful smile! Nina, found it very strange yet admiring that such an insignificant figure could affect so many lives.... and it was not only Nina.... all the people longed to see her walk through the platform.
Her day, her week, infact her entire month went extremely well. She clinched some crucial business deals, got some interesting interview calls and has never again missed her bus! Nina prays each day and thanks God for the wonderful life she is blessed with... and silently thanks the Smiling lady too for showing her the way..... Nina did get to sit next to her a couple of times, and even had a conversation.... but never got to know her name...
But lately, things aren't the same....
The smiling lady seemed to have disappeared... it has been almost a month and she has not come to the bus stop. No one knows why but she is just gone... but Nina is positive that she will see her again....after all Nina needs to thank her for all she had done unknowingly.
