Created & Authored by: Anup D.
On one sunny afternoon in a hot summer month, a homeless/ poor looking man approached a house carrying a bag full of shawls (a hot woolen cloth worn in extreme winters) on his back. An old man sitting in the hallway saw him approaching towards his door, he got angry and also disgusted to see yet another salesman (Two salesman within this week have already disturbed his afternoon sleep by knocking on his door trying to sell their useless things. The old man had cursed and yelled at them they left immediately)
Before this poor man could come close to knock his door, the old man shouted from his hallway
Old man: Go away, I’m not interested.
Poor looking man: Good to know that sir, just want to know what are you not interested in?
Old man (yelled again): Whatever you have to sell
Poor looking man: I’m not a salesman since you are not a buyer yet.
Old man (angrily): Who the hell are you then?
Poor looking man: A messenger
Old man (not interested to even replay): Anyways, f*uck off – go to another door
Poor looking man: We made a good start sir, your neighbors said the same Initially and finally they felt really happy after talking to me.
Old man (Now confused, since he never expected this of a salesman): Why are you carrying such a big heavy bag of shawls on your back anyways in this summer month, who on earth would buy them this time- you idiot
Poor looking man: So I can get rid of them one by one, enjoy this journey and make a living as well alongside
Old man (now frustrated): So you are a salesman
Poor looking man: I won’t mind changing my profession and become one, if you are changing your mind sir
Old man wanted to get rid of this man, so he could have a peaceful afternoon. He told him what he thought would have a no a comeback reply.
Old man: I’m on my wife right now, is that good enough reason for you to leave.
Poor looking man: That’s exactly the reason I have come here.
Old man (Got up from his seat in frustration because he did not expect this answer and now walked toward the door, opened it and asked): What the hell do you mean?
Poor looking man: In case you are planning to have another baby, I might help you save a penny for your kid’s in future. In case you are thinking of family planning, saving a nickel to buy condom might not hurt either
Old man (Got angry first but could not even stop admiring the poor man for his spontaneity): Why the hell are you selling shawl in this summer anyways, are you out of your mind – you must be a bad salesman
Poor looking man: I thought to myself I must visit your neighborhood and see if they can reap the benefits now by buying something they could use at the right time in winter. I thought to come out and extend this message to you as well.
Old man (Still irritated): What made you think that I’ll buy?
Poor looking man: I never had any assumption, but I had a strong belief that people generally don't notice whether it's winter or summer, when they're happy and I’m a good observer and I see lot of happy people in your neighbourhood. I learned once that you are an average of five people that surround you, so I was confident you are one happy soul too. Please correct if my understanding is in correct?
Old man (Not sure how to react): Then why did others tell you to f*uck off as well Initially?
Poor looking man: Pardon me for saying this sir, but sometimes everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves, I just became in this instance the means for those few to self discover.
Moreover no one kicks a dead dog, but since they tried to kick me initially by using those kind words – which meant I was not dead yet and thus it was good enough reason for me to talk to them once than leave.
Old man (Felt a slight guilt- to use those rude words without knowing this guy): So that is what you are doing with me now?
Poor looking man: I’m just attempting to open the doors to give and share first and that may help me hopefully receive if you accept.
Old man: Accept what? Share what? Nothing-You just came here to sell me something, so you can make a buck from me and receive my money.
Poor looking man: I can say with full sincerity that I am happy. I'm happy because I'm doing what I like doing, and Yes I’m proud this helps me earn my living.
I came to share this happiness with only those someone who wants to receive it, what good is my music otherwise if my audience is deaf.
Old man: I don’t need what you are selling, so thank you.
Poor looking man: Sure, most of your neighbours had the similar situation and feeling too. But they felt really happy to add another one to their collection, “variety is the spice of life” is what someone told me after they purchased. I felt happy to be able to help them feel this way. My words may die, but good thoughts may live-cos they travel far.
Old man (Thought for a while and then said): Why should I buy from you though anyways, even if I feel like buying?
Poor looking man: With due respect to you sir, I’m indifferent if you will accept to receive it or someone else, I must do this anyways regardless. But I do feel strongly though that you will be left with a feeling that you will cherish for long with my purchase, I may not be able to compete on price that someone else may offer you, but I would genuinely respect you accepting to buy this from someone else only who may share the same happiness.
Old man: I don’t trust the door salesman like you
Poor looking man: I agree with you and I may have done the same and I will let you make your own judgement on that and me. But I heard one saint tell me once outside a temple that, “we’re never so vulnerable than when we trust someone - but paradoxically, if we cannot trust, neither can we find love or joy “
I accept my responsibility of contributing for making the world that we live in today -where it’s easy to trust a known God than to trust an unknown future and people.
Old man (Speechless): You look wise; I’m thinking to change my mind, but I’m still not sure to commit to buy something.
Poor looking man: You always have two choices sir- like I did. It’s either our commitment versus our fear.
Old man: What you mean “like I did”?
Poor looking man: I was once a rich man sir, but sometimes choices we make are not the best- I lost all my money, but still the beauty of these choices anyways is that these are things which makes us human.
I had two clear choices to either commit myself to rise up again or to give up and surrender when I had all the reason to, sometimes risking starving to death is better than giving up. I believe one day I would be able to look in the mirror and judge myself not of who I was at the peak of my richness, but from the distance I have been able to travel when I was thrown to the ground.
My father once said there were two kinds of people in the world: givers and takers. The takers may eat better, but the givers sleep better, thus I consider myself as a messenger who is here to share and give some happiness.
Salesman is now dead
Check his room, its blood red
His eyes have seen it all
From the dying to the child crawl
They’d been awake like those owls
Which witnessed nights where wolves were silent and only the moon howls
But, no matter how tough his battle may have seem
He rose from ashes and again started to dream
And now his state of mind is naturally so awesome
He just touches a bud, which becomes flower and blossom
Old man: Pack me 5 new shawls for every member of my family; I’ll get the money from inside.
P.s
If you're trying to achieve something, there will be roadblocks. Everybody has had them, it could be people, it could be situations, and it could be resources. But obstacles don't have to stop you, have a sense of humour to deal with them. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Just figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it, you’ll feel proud of distance you have travelled from point to started, sometimes the winning does not count, a will to win is all what matters.
Sometimes If you talk to a people in a language they understands, that goes to their head, but If you talk to them in their language that goes to their heart.