The Boy with the Stolen Stories...

I was waiting for a friend outside a metro station when I noticed this boy- couldn’t be older than 14 or 15- selling books on a small mat laid out on the pavement. He had maybe 20-30 books, not a huge collection, mostly old and worn out. But one book caught my eye instantly.

It was this book by Prajakta Koli. I’ve been following her since the time I first understood what YouTube really was, and this book had been all over the internet recently. But the condition of this copy? Honestly, terrible. Wrapped in a plastic cover, barely looking presentable, its corners looked like someone had kinda torn them apart while snatching it.

Curious, I asked the boy about it.

“Didi, bohot purana book hai na… isiliye aisa dikh raha hai...” he said.

But I knew it wasn’t. This was a new release. So I half-jokingly asked,

“Par yeh toh abhi-abhi market mein aaya hai, aisa kyu lag raha jaise tune chhin ke laaya ho?”

He looked at me, smiled, and lowered his eyes.

“Le lo na didi, mehnat se jugaada hai maine.”

He asked for the original price- no discount, no negotiation. I offered him 150/- rps. He agreed instantly, no second thoughts. As I picked up the book, paid and was about to leave, I told him softly,

“Dhyan rakhna… pakda mat jaana.”

And with a small grin, he replied,

“Kisi ko batana mat.” 

I mean, okayyyyy.... 

In this city, where people in the same building don’t recognize each other’s faces… where a hungry boy selling flowers stops by a café, staring at tables full of food and laughter- but no one spares even 10 rupees to him… where help is rare, and everyone’s just busy surviving... whom would I even tell? About this boy? 

About how he possibly steals books, sells them, and smiles through it all?

Who would care enough to find him if he ever gets lost?

Who decides what’s right or wrong when the city’s too busy to even look?