I finally decided to catch a movie that I desperately wanted to watch today.
I decided to go for an afternoon show, as I knew the chances of getting a ticket were high with summer in its full glory now.
My mother is not so comfortable with escalators as arthritis has affected her reflex action. So we decided to take the lift. Once inside the lift, I saw a man with a walking stick and grey hair. He resembled some one I knew but for some time I was not sure if it was indeed Rajesh. As I was pondering, I saw an assuring voice asking him to step aside. It was his wife, once I saw her, I realized it was him. 13 years had passed since the day he had hired me as a fresh graduate. Time had taken a toll on him but his wife was as elegant and beautiful as ever.
Rajesh was never the one who would take the help of a walking stick.
I recalled the day approximately 13 years back when I was awaiting my results. I got a call from a equity broking company for an interview. When I reached there I was led in to an office where Rajesh was seated along with another young chap.
He was smartly dressed and talked like a thorough professional in impeccable style. He was the CEO there and I was wondering how did he make it to that post at such a young age.
After interviewing me he stood up to rush to meet some one. The moment he stood, I was shocked. He was limping badly, for a moment I thought he would have hurt himself. When he walked past me I could not believe what I saw. He was maimed.
Rajesh is from Delhi, and a gold medalist from one of India’s top management schools. Polio struck him at a young age on his right leg. His disability never came in the way of his academic and professional achievements. I asked one of my fellow colleagues why he has to limp, he can use crutches. Rajesh never liked crutches. He would limp but never touch crutches.
I went across and said hello. But he did not recognize me. I asked him to give it a shot but still he could not. Then I had to tell him, he gave me my first job break.
He said he suffered a stroke last year; he apologized for not being so clear and audible. He was struggling to speak. The stroke opened the doors for walking stick to enter his life. He told me he was on his own, consulting with one of the leading business channels.
I recalled the image that he portrayed when I first met him. Life always holds surprises. He managed to bat the first googly that life threw at him and that too for a six.
He never allowed his disability to come in his path to success. He is married to a lovely lady, theirs was a love marriage and is blessed with a son. Now life has thrown a second challenge, but he decided to bat that as well, this time with the help of a walking stick. A walking stick was a small compromise for him to take on the bigger battles that life had rewarded him via stroke.
At times we are adamant of not stepping back in our fights, but some times a small compromise is necessary. To understand and accept it one needs intellect and Rajesh is blessed with that.
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