Of Trolleys and Bowls

Yesterday:
Location : Los Angeles
I walk down the road on my way to college and spot a person moving along a trolley. Its a woman, about 5' 6" wearing a green-checked shirt and worn out jeans. She wears brown boots that have four stitches in them. She is rummaging the trash can looking for plastic bottles and cardboard boxes. The only thing protecting her from the cold is her withered sweater and an olive green jacket that she has tied around her waist for now. As she collects each box, she places it carefully in her trolley so as to create maximum space for impending items. As I walk across she smiles at me and says good morning. And just as I cross her a face pops up from under the boxes in the trolley, its a kid, perhaps 5 or 6 years old. His face is all dirty betraying his lack of bath for the day (at least). He has a cookie in his hand and waves it at me showing his half-broken teeth. I wave back at him, smiling, and show a thumbs up as I walk across.

One Year Ago:
Location : Chennai
I walk from the Besant Nagar bus stand back home after escaping my classes for the day. Right opposite my house, near the school, there is (and has always been for as long as I can remember it) a green trash can. As I cross it, I see a woman with a wrinkled face and natted brown hair probing it hoping to find some plastic packets and cornflakes boxes that the people would have thrown. She is about 4'5". She has two bags, a dirty greased sling on her left shoulder into which she puts each box or dabba and the other bigger bag on her right shoulder from which an infant peers out looking wonder-eyed at the world around him. I can't help but smile that in this world there are still innocent faces that are goodness personified. The woman gives me a cold stare, I walk on.