Delivering Smiles – A Photo Story

Every day, I meet hundreds of people of different races and colours. To me, they strike as hungry people. While some hail abuses, some tend to recognise my hard work and some reward my service. However, today, something I never expected happened. Like any normal day, I received an order from a customer. It was a sunny morning. Bangalore is seldom affected by humid weather. Otherwise, it’s a mix of all seasons, a bit higher on the colder side. I accepted the order and rode to the location, and it just took me 10 minutes to reach it. It was a house nestled amidst a residential locality. It did not come as a place that would house eateries and cafes. On a serious note, that’s how people start things in Bangalore. Even a 1 BHK apartment can end up being a bootstrapped start-up. The house had a corridor decorated with multiple shades of green and colourful flowers. The interiors were simple, the walls hoarded a lot of hand-painted stuff. On the right side of the entrance gate, there was a nameplate called, Chaya’s Bakehouse. The wooden plate almost seemed hidden under the leaves of a money plant. I rang the bell and enjoyed the aroma of the bakehouse. The scent of the baking bread started flooding out and within no time, the entire place was filled with a warm smell. A young lady opened the door. She looked ready for the day. Her hands still had traces of the dough. She accepted the order and started to prepare. While I was waiting for the order, I got lost looking at those wall paintings. It was one of those moments where you ponder for a while and swim in a pool of nothingness. After a brief fifteen minutes of aromatic solace, the order was ready. A lot of effort had gone into the packing and the customer had requested a smooth delivery. I picked up the order and reached the location in no time. The house almost seemed hidden. It had a small gate and a narrow passage that led to the house, which was behind. It was a two-floored independent building. Before I could knock on the door, a young guy invited me to come to the first floor. He lowered his voice and asked me to step inside for a minute. He took the parcel and asked me to accompany him downstairs. I was getting late for the next order, and I asked him if it was OK if he could continue. The guy offered to pay the extra money and asked me to join him since it was his grandfather’s birthday. As much as I found it to be a sweet gesture, I was also getting late. I agreed, hoping I could leave soon. We went downstairs and surprisingly, there were no guests. The guy did not have to knock on the door as it was open. The guy entered the room and greeted his grandfather with a loud cheer, ‘Happy Birthday, Grandpa. I have something for you. The old man was not prepared for it, and he instantly smiled while not moving an inch. Before he could gather some strength to get up, the guy surprised him with a cake and a hug. It was a heartwarming moment. After a while, he introduced me to his grandfather as his friend. I never saw this coming, but the guy tried to distract him by saying I had come from a different city to celebrate his birthday. The old man thanked me and blessed me by placing his warm hands on my head. I had no clue what was happening, but that gesture from him felt like a breath of fresh air. I felt light. A while later, we left the room and the guy thanked me for my time and, as promised, he offered me some extra money. I denied it instantly and instead thanked him for making my day. After leaving the place, I was filled with mixed feelings. I was happy, curious, and sad at the same time. I could not contain these thoughts for long. So, I took the liberty of dropping a message to the guy. “Your grandfather is lucky to have a grandson like you. But if I may ask, why did you lie to him about me? I asked him out of curiosity. The guy was kind enough to give me a reply within no time. ‘Thanks for joining us. You could have disagreed, but you stayed. That was so sweet of you. To be honest, he is not my grandfather. We are not related to each other. He is my tenant and his son abandoned him after knowing his father was diagnosed with an acute case of Alzheimer’s’. Although he does not remember anything from his past, he strongly believes I am his grandson. So, I decided to keep it that way and became a part of his reality. Only after checking his belongings, did I find out his birthdate and decided to celebrate with someone he never knew, so that it would not stress him. Sorry for not bidding you a proper goodbye, I had to hurry up to spend some time with him. Thank you so much for what you have done. I wish you all the best and hope you deliver more smiles and bring joy into the lives of many people. I couldn’t believe what I had just read. Every drop of tear that I shed was filled with gratitude. The guy had not just made my day but had instilled a lot of perspective into my life. I was filled with immense pride that comes after making people happy. I got ready for the next order hoping I could deliver more smiles. Written by Vishal Komara