The rail-girl !!

The train was surprisingly overcrowded today. The only problem with pasenger cars is that uncouth plebians flood it with the stink of their breath and jarring cacophony of native songs. Somehow, Abhi & i managed a seat beside a crumpled piece of bones. My face was twitched in a sneer and i looked misreable.Suddenly, my glance met a pair of beautiful brown eyes. It was a little girl of about 5years age. She was staring at me,perhaps because of my typical grump, and i got mortified. Her mother was lying prostrate beside her. From their clothes and appearance i could make out that they were from a very poor family,yet no grouch and such a peaceful snooze.
The train sped away from the station.One pecularity about Indian trains is the train of hawkers that come selling almost everything. A couple of them passed by us,one with 'jhal-muri' &another with ripe guavas. The lil gal looked expectantly both the times but dared not wake her mother. Later, i bought 'mungfali',marketed as 'time pass'. We started cracking the shell and munching the nuts, when i saw the gal giving it the same expectant look. I felt empathetic and offerd her some. To my surprise she denied it with a refined gesture, and turned her face away from us. How can a 4 year old kid, born into such a family be so cultured and stifle the pangs of hunger and desire with such mannerisms.
I wondered what her life would have been, had she been born into a rich family. She would be dressed in 'giny&Jony' sucking on a lollypop while patting her barbie. But, here she is dressed in soiled clothes, held together by safety pins. God knows if she'll ever see the face of a school. Heaven forbid any abuse to such a sweet little thing,given her circumstances.
The silence of this gal was very poignant. Her age was about 4 years old but her psyche was that of a 15 year old. My cousin is 12 years old and he still needs chocolates in tiffin and horlicks in milk, things perhaps this lil gal has not even heard of.
How often do we appreciate the child of a beggar or a wage-earner. Seldom, perhaps never. But, the same toddler if adorned by gaudy raiments and smelling of baby powder,seems so cute.Even professional photographers use a poor child's face only when they have to capture a catastrophe.
The train slowed down as it reached its final destination. The lil gal woke up her mother.The mother did'nt even bother to wash her face. They gathered their belongings which were 3 polythene bags full of muri(puffed rice).She gave me a sweet smile before leaving. I felt so desperate to help her somehow. I wondered, how much love i would have given her had she been my lil sister.But, even before i could wave her or smile back she was gone, lost in the multitude.