On the day he was on fire...



Today for the first time he decided to finish some work. No it was not due to any pressure, it was due to apathy. He used to see her across his office everyday, begging on the street. He always gave her a coin without fail.He would then proceed to buy two vada-pav for office.

He had joined the office twenty years ago, fresh out of graduation. He wanted to change the world. He wanted to do something different. So what he was a clerk in a government building, he still was someone.

On his first day to office, he realized he was no one, soon he realized his work didn't matter. "As if the people will go to some other office," said a senior officer shamelessly on his first day of office.

"13922125 people living in this city," said another one, with almost accurate data, but then he realize this senior was googling something on the very slow VGA monitor and the statistics turned up, "And we are just 200 managing all that data. As if anyone cares..."

So his grand plan to change the world spoiled and the only thing changed was his attitude. He got a stamp from the wife about being 'Sarkari', his father and mother were proud about him. But he was not. He was never proud, until today when the saw the beggar again.

She wasn't begging today but eating a vada-pav. "Why you not at your spot today," he asked politely.
"Bless someone up there," she said, "Pointing to his office in the building...for years I was waiting for them to pass the pension cheque for my sons death. He was in the army you see, serving for the country, killing for the country. Dying for the country. You would think it means something but no, it was all stuck in those red tapes. I kept visiting them to release my sons money but they kept on delaying it. I lost my house, my dignity and everything I own. Finally when I was losing hope, today morning something miraculous happened," she smiled toothlessly, "Now I am no longer upset about my life, so I am celebrating."

He looked at her and though for himself, his job was mundane. His job was boring, but it was changing life at many level, his job was going to change the world from today onwards. As he walked the flight of his office, he decided he would be the best person to do the job. As he crossed another flight of stairs, a group of colleagues came running down from top floor, "Run..." they screamed, "Someone torched out entire office..."

Somewhere on the street, the old woman flicked the match box on the street and walked away, never to be found again.

Author's Note: Story is entirely fictitious and all the characters are in no way related to anyone. Any resemblance to any person living, dead or alien is merely a coincidence. Not sure if this is a funny story or a tragedy. Whatever you feel like in the end after reading this should be considered its genre.

Like Short Stories? Sidoscope has a bunch of them for you to read and enjoy. Love funny articles? We got a bunch of them too. Happy reading.

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