Who is actually poor?

We don't need any reason to celebrate. It was my 18th birthday, so how would we have not celebrated my special day. I decided to go for a dinner with my friends. I was very happy as my day went so well and I still didn't know how the night would be. It was 7 pm when we all gathered at N block, Connaught Place. We planned to go to the most popular restaurant of the place.
While we were deciding, a poor girl came to us. She must have been nine or ten years old. Her clothes were worn out and there were no slippers on her feet. She was in a bad condition.
'Bhaiya, give me some money. I am very hungry,' the poor girl said to me.
'Hey, go from here. Don't disturb us,' Abhay, one of my friends said.
She asked again. I was deep in my thoughts as to what should I do but then I recollected that there is a gang of few people who compel such children to collect money. I thought not to encourage them.
I came out from the train of thoughts and said 'I don't have change, please go from here.'
She left the place without saying anything again. I was thinking again and again about what had just happened. I was okay because we see many poor people daily roaming in our city, but I don't know why I was feeling low somewhere in my heart. I didn't let those feelings dominate my happiness. I came out of the series of such thoughts and said 'Let's go guys, we'll have fun tonight.'
We went inside the restaurant and ordered the food. I noticed that Riya, my best friend was not there. I looked around the whole restaurant but couldn't find her.
'What happened, what are you searching for?' Shivani asked me when she saw me restless.
'Obviously Riya, who else!,' Abhay said to tease me.
They all laughed. They think that Riya and I like each other.
'Where is she? ' I asked.
'That is a surprise, Kunal,' Rohan replied. 'You will have to wait for some time,' he continued.
'Okay!'
We were gossiping when there was a call on Rohan's mobile. I could see his mobile screen flashing "Riya calling". 'Okay, we are coming,' he said on the phone.
I don't know what they were planning, but whatever it was I was very excited.
'Let's go guys, everything is ready,' Rohan said to us while getting up from his seat.
'What happened? , Where are we going?, What is ready?' I put forth a series of questions.
'You just come with us,' Shivani said.
We went to the first floor of the restaurant. It was very dark there. I knew it was a surprise for me. I was excited to know what they had planned for me. The very moment when the lights switched on, I was dumbstruck. I was almost in tears. The whole restaurant was decorated beautifully. A collage of my photographs with my friends was framed and hanging there. All the moments which I had spent with them till date were running in my head by seeing those pictures. Riya was already standing there. I hugged all of them.
'Thank you so much guys, you people are the best. I love you all.'
'But when did you do all this?' I asked them, surprised.
'We were planning this for one week. We booked this hall in advance for this special day,' Riya replied with great happiness on her face.
'Thank you so much guys. I am so lucky to have friends like you.'
'Okay, so let me ask them to get our ordered food here.' I said.
'Chill Kunal, it's already done,' Abhay said. 'You just come with us,' he continued.
'As you say.'
We sat on the table near the window. Everything was so beautiful inside and outside too. A beautiful cake was kept on the table with the candle's flame flickering over it. I was seeing how people outside were enjoying, everything seemed to me like heaven.
While enjoying that scene, I saw that a girl was sitting on the roadside. On seeing her clearly, I noticed that she was the same girl whom we met outside the restaurant. In that heaven like scene, that was very disturbing and heartbreaking. She was sitting in a very depressed mood. I could not stop myself and stood up from my chair to go to that girl.
'What happened Kunal, cut the cake,' Riya said.
'Sorry guys, please wait, I will come back in a few minutes.'
'But Kunal...'
They tried to stop me, but I ran off from that place and went near that girl. She was in tears. I went close to her and asked 'What happened, why are you crying?'
'Nothing,' she replied.
'You can tell me, maybe I can help you.'
'Last year on this day, one boy who is like me, saved my life and we became friends from that day. He is like my younger brother. Today, our friendship has completed one year, so I wanted to make this day memorable for him. But being poor, I am not able to do anything for him.'
I was so keen on listening to her, that I didn't come to know when I sat beside her, involuntarily.
'What did you want to do for him?' I asked.
'His clothes are torn off, so I wanted to gift him new clothes,' she replied. 'I have not eaten anything for last five days, but still I am not able to collect enough money to buy new clothes for him.'
After listening to her, I was in tears that how a little poor girl sacrificed her food to gift her friend new clothes even when she herself was wearing torn clothes. Then I thought of my friends who were waiting for me to cut the cake. I compared us with these children and then realized who actually is poor because I knew, my friends would not have done anything like this for me, ever. In that conversation, the little girl made me realize that how rich she was, rich by her heart, emotions and feelings. Her sacrifice for her friend made me feel very poor in front of her. I decided to do something good for both of them.
'Where is your friend?' I asked her while wiping my tears.
'He might be somewhere around.'
'Okay, call him and come along with me.'
I took both the children to the restaurant because that would be the real celebration where such people could also get that happiness which we people enjoy with money. I made them cut the cake because more than my birthday, it was their day. I could see how happy they were and I was much more happier than them. My friends also understood and supported me. We gifted both of them new clothes and some gifts. With this, my birthday was made extremely beautiful and I learnt a new lesson of life, which was my best gift.

Reviews

[hcarson]

Loved this. Very simple yet very true and something wesee everyday yet conveniently blank out. If everybody could be as quick tounderstandas the charactorin this story then maybe there would be just thatbitmore happiness in the world. Look forwardto reading more from you :)

[Kunal Upreja]

Thank you so much for such a nice review. :)

[richieb]

Kunal, you tell a beautiful story. You showed how the poor can be taken for granted, we view them as a piece of the scenery forgetting their suffering and hardships. A little tenderness can move mountains. Many Blessings, Richie B.

[Kunal Upreja]

Thank you so much for reading and reviewing my story, means a lot to me.. :)

[Solar]

A most moving story - in giving one receives so much more!

[Kunal Upreja]

Yeah :D
Thanks for ur precious tym :)

[David M. Marek]

well done. in a very short span of time you have managed to tell a concise story, and even better, touch my heart. look forward to more of your writing.

[Kunal Upreja]

Thanks a bunch :) thay means a lot to me.. ll write more n more..:D

[venika]

well done....... i appreciate ur feelings..and u have expressed them very well.....:)

[Kunal Upreja]

Thanku venika.. :D