No Smoking

He was not used to this new job yet. Life is full of ups and downs they say. He was the perfect example. Till two weeks ago, he was earning bundles of crisp notes for just tapping the keys of a computer. Anyone passing by would salute him with a "Good morning sir!" But now he tapped his walking stick upon the pavement and saluted every passer by with an outstretched hand, "Good morning sir! Spare a coin for this poor fellow..."

That morning, just as he finished blessing a little boy for giving him a rupee, he saw a gentleman coming up the street. He was tidily dressed, creaseless shirt and sparkling shoes. A fair lady was walking along with the gentleman while talking animatedly.

Between the gentleman's teeth there stuck out a white cigarette with a glowing red end.

The beggar gasped, "It's dangerous. He must be warned."

So just as the gentleman was about to cross him, the beggar cleared his throat, "Good sir! Can you spare a moment for this poor creature?"

Now clearly the beggar was improving. He had used the phrase 'poor creature' instead of 'poor fellow'. His voice too was gaining modulation and that necessary tinge of self-pity. But more than the voice it was the eyes of the beggar that riveted the gentleman and made him halt in his steps. The beggar's gaze fell upon the woman for a moment and then drifted downwards.

The gentleman, who was still puffing the cigar, reached within his coat for some change but the beggar's voice intervened, "No sir. Money is not what I seek. There is something I wish to tell you..."

And then looking up at the gentleman's face amidst the cigar fumes, he said, "Drop it sir. Its scent pollutes the body and soul. The pleasure it gives is but temporary. Agony follows. Please avoid it sir."

The gentleman was obviously not going to listen to the beggar's advice. But there was something unearthly about the beggar's voice that made the woman quiver and clasp the gentleman's hand. The gentleman removed the cigar from his lips as if he was going to drop it. But he gave a sardonic smile and put it back between his teeth.

The beggar smirked and spoke again, "The moment the thing caresses your lips you feel a limitless ecstacy, but eventually it sucks out your very life, your joy. I was once a gentleman like you sir, but its lure made me mad. The very same thing destroyed my life. Just chuck it."

The beggar's words, unearthly in sound though they were, fell upon deaf ears. The gentleman bent down and blew the fumes upon the beggar's face. The beggar clutched his throat and began to cough.

"My money. My cigarette", breathed the gentleman and swirled around.

The lady stayed back for a moment, eyeing the beggar with a mixture of fear and suspicion. Then she quickened her pace and followed the gentleman. Their animated conversation continued as before.

I had been as usual jobless and so had been silently watching the proceedings. But now taking pity upon the beggar, I went up to him and patted him on his back until his coughs subsided and spoke, "Why do you strain yourself asking passers-by not to smoke? These people wont quit the habit even if debarred by law. You made yourself a fool advising him..."

The beggar began to laugh. It started slowly like the sound of a scooter refusing to start and turned slowly into a high-pitched guffaw. Amidst fits of laughter, the beggar said, "The fool aint me... It was not the cigarette that I was talking of... It was the lady beside the gentleman..."