Our insensitive Dealings

There was a rich couple who was arranging a big Birthday party at their house. 

So they went shopping at the market where everything was of high cost and fixed price.  They wanted to maintain their level of standard, so didn’t mind paying for it. 

After purchasing all they needed, they called a porter to carry everything and drop it at their home.  The porter who came was of an old age, not very healthy looking, his clothes were torn, looked as if he was not even able to meet his daily needs.

They asked the porter about the charges for delivering their goods at their home. 

The old porter quoted just a Rs.50, a well below the market rate for delivering goods at couple’s home in his cart. 

Yet, the couple argued and bargained with the porter and finally settled for Rs.30. 

The porter was struggling to make meal even for one time, so he needed anything he can earn.

The couple was very happy thinking how well they bargained with the poor porter.

They paid him Rs.30 in advance, and left after giving the porter their address for delivery.  

They reached their home and hour passed, two hours passed, but the porter still hadn’t come to deliver their stuff.  

The wife started to get angry at her husband, “I always tell you to not trust such people, and still you never listen to me.  That person who is not even able to earn to feed himself, you handed him everything we purchased for our big party.  I am sure instead of delivering at our home, he must have disappeared with everything.  We must immediately go back to the market to inquire and then to the police station to file the complaint against him”.

They both left towards the market.  On their way near the market, they saw another porter.  They stopped him to inquire about the old porter and noticed that he was carrying their stuff in his cart! 

The angry wife asked him, “Where is that old thief?  This is our stuff and he was supposed to deliver it at our home.  It seems you poor thieves are stealing our stuff and going to sell it”.

The porter replied, “Madam, Please calm down.  That poor old man was sick since last month.  He wasn’t even able to earn enough to have a single meal of the day, what to speak of medication. 

He was on the way to deliver your stuff, but being hungry & sick, he couldn’t gather the strength to go any further in this heat of the noon”. 

“He collapsed on his way & fell down dead. While dying, he handed me Rs.30 saying his last words, “I had taken an advance for this delivery, you please take this and deliver to this address”.

“Madam, I was just on the way to complete old man’s last delivery at your home”, the porter said.

Upon hearing this, the husband had tears in his eyes, and the wife felt so ashamed, that couldn’t even able to look up.

Lesson :

Our life is so self-oriented that we have no feelings towards the pain of others, and increase their pain further through our self centered behavior.