The king I met

They say, “We only have what we give away”. If they are right, then I met a king last evening. Only, at the time of our rendezvous, he was in the garb of an attendant at a parking lot where my driver had parked the car, when I went to shop

My driver normally avoids parking lots; I normally try to coax him into using them, insisting that the ten rupees that he saves are not worth the inconvenience he endures and the fuel he wastes moving the car back and forth. Yesterday to my surprise, he readily agreed when I advised him to use the parking space; I attributed his assent to the fact that he was too distracted by the display of twinkling Diwali lights around us to argue with me.

I finished my shopping and was just about to get into my car, but was stopped short by what seemed to be a heated argument between the shopping space attendant and a person who obviously looked like a hawker. With intent to assuage matters, I went over and asked them what the issue was. The parking attendant’s response amazed me.

He said – “The entire pavement has been occupied by hawkers. This man came in just now. The only space left is in the parking area. My fellow attendants are not allowing him to display his wares as they are bothered about the income they would miss out on by letting him block a slot which they could have used for cars. I told them to take money from my share if need be and let this man earn his living. The earth belongs to all and all of us have a right to earn and eat. Who am I to deprive this man of the right?”

When I was a kid, I used to read about great kings and emperors like Harsha and Ashoka who shared, thus becoming immortal, and wondered if such kings still existed. Last night I got the answer.

I am glad I live in an Earth enriched by such great kings as the above three....