I'm extracting a story that had come on the ToI about an act of kindness that had received an equally magnanimous response. The venue happens to be the Sabrina Hotel on the Pattambi Road in Perinthalmanna of the Malappuram district of Kerala.
For Technical Engineer, Akhilesh Kumar, it had been a long day in Perinthalmanna after an official meeting - 'mechanical and tiring', to put it in his own words. He'd returned to the hotel where he was put up, took a table in its restaurant and ordered a plate of 'Malabar parathas' and chicken curry. It was then that he caught a pair of eyes, looking through the window, at the food being served.
He gestured the other - a lad of 10 - to join him. The undernourished lad reluctantly walked into the restaurant, holding the hand of a little girl, his kid sister. Kumar had asked him as to what they'd eat and the boy pointed at the fair that he'd ordered for himself. Kumar ordered food for his little guests. The girl, till then silent, nudged her brother and gestured towards the wash basin. Both had marched hand in hand to wash their hands and rejoined Kumar.
He watched them eat and during the meal he learnt that the boy was a rag picker and his six year old sister accompanied him. The children left the restaurant soon after having their food. Kumar had felt thoroughly refreshed seeing the children, leave contended. He finished his supper and the waiter brought the bill folder and on opening it, the bill had caught him off guard!
Instead of the amount, it had two sentences in Malayalam viz. "We don't have a machine to bill a humane act. All the very best!"
Epilogue.
(a) Akhilesh Kumar, recently, had chanced upon a mobile phone photograph of the restaurant bill that he'd clicked almost three years ago. He works in Dubai these days.
(b) He, then, posted it on the Facebook's 'Right Thinkers' site and ever since, it's been abuzz having notched more than thousands of 'shares'!
(c) The cashier - the author of the bill - is yet to be identified!
Tailpiece.
Mallus can be nice and charming too!
For Technical Engineer, Akhilesh Kumar, it had been a long day in Perinthalmanna after an official meeting - 'mechanical and tiring', to put it in his own words. He'd returned to the hotel where he was put up, took a table in its restaurant and ordered a plate of 'Malabar parathas' and chicken curry. It was then that he caught a pair of eyes, looking through the window, at the food being served.
He gestured the other - a lad of 10 - to join him. The undernourished lad reluctantly walked into the restaurant, holding the hand of a little girl, his kid sister. Kumar had asked him as to what they'd eat and the boy pointed at the fair that he'd ordered for himself. Kumar ordered food for his little guests. The girl, till then silent, nudged her brother and gestured towards the wash basin. Both had marched hand in hand to wash their hands and rejoined Kumar.
He watched them eat and during the meal he learnt that the boy was a rag picker and his six year old sister accompanied him. The children left the restaurant soon after having their food. Kumar had felt thoroughly refreshed seeing the children, leave contended. He finished his supper and the waiter brought the bill folder and on opening it, the bill had caught him off guard!
Instead of the amount, it had two sentences in Malayalam viz. "We don't have a machine to bill a humane act. All the very best!"
Epilogue.
(a) Akhilesh Kumar, recently, had chanced upon a mobile phone photograph of the restaurant bill that he'd clicked almost three years ago. He works in Dubai these days.
(b) He, then, posted it on the Facebook's 'Right Thinkers' site and ever since, it's been abuzz having notched more than thousands of 'shares'!
(c) The cashier - the author of the bill - is yet to be identified!
Tailpiece.
Mallus can be nice and charming too!
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