50/-

'Ahh... Its 9:30! why the hell dint i get some change!', I muttered under my breath, frustrated.

I had been standing in front of this building, where I was supposed to attend a job interview in a short while, for fifteen minutes stopping every passerby asking for change of a 500 rupees note, to pay the auto rickshaw driver.

'OK! A bad luck morning!', thought I, owing to the fact that I had missed the bus even after bieng at the bus stop five minutes early! (the bus had managed to turn up earlier than usual) and a auto-ride in the heavy morning traffic and then, this annoyance.. and I was pretty sure that I was going to be late to the interview... 'I'm asking this one last somebody for change', I decided,looking at the guy who was coming, 'or I am sending this guy back with the 500..'.

“Excuse me..”, I called out.

“yes?”, said the guy, turning his black, radiant eyes towards me.

“I need a help.. Er... do you have change for 500 bucks?..”

He took out his shiny, brown, leather wallet and searched thorougly (ah, with the number of partitions and parts the wallet had, it definitely took searching!) and said “ sorry! I dont think I've....”

'damn it' I thought.. and said aloud “oh, its alrite...anyway, thanks!” and took out my note with a lot of pain and turned towards the driver.

I realized that the guy was still standing there. Wondering, what might have gone wrong, I turned to say something.. But the guy asked “ er.. you gotta pay the guy? How much do you need?!”

I was surprised, intrigued, relieved, all at the same time. “ 50 bucks!”, words came out of mouth even before I realized what the question meant!

“ Oh, cool.. I have change, I'll pay for you now, you can pay me back later...”...

'what! Well.. err... what do I do... he's a stranger, mmm.. no, i shouldnt be taking.. but 500? mm.. and he looks decent.. and ...' I was thinking.. and this guy probably read me..

He said again ,“Take it, fine by me!”. I was skeptical..

“Mm... May I have your visiting card please?” He was digging his wallet again.

I, now noticed the blue jeans, black (wrinkleless) shirt, the semi formal brown shoes, a red swiss knife hanging by the right pocket of jeans and you just couldnt miss the air of confidence, the swift, smart movements and a sudden feeling of relief..

I was almost lost for a second! He held his card out and as I took the card and was about to say something, he was talking again, “ its okay... gimme later.” said he, and thrust a fifty note into my hand .

I dint know how to thank him.. 'Thank god I met this guy!', I thought!

“Thanks so much!!”, I said with a sigh of relief and a big smile and turned to the driver to pay the money and once done, “I dont know how....” .. Damn! He was going! I called... “hey! Excuse me! the money! Pay back! Wait... I am ... what ... shit! No!” but yes, he was gone! He had not waited ; not until I paid for the auto; not to hear out my thanks; not even for the money!At the least, He hadn't even asked my NAME, for god's sake!!!

How could he trust me (nope, its not just 50 bucks! Nobody had offered me that till then!) ?! How was I just convinced that I should let somebody pay for me!?!!! How do I pay him back? What ..... i rushed into the interview hall with all these questions in my head...

Well...

Now, a week later, I smile, remembering the overpowering charm of his.. and looking at the appointment letter I recieved a while ago and the visiting card, I wonder, how should I pay back a favour thats more than just 50 bucks? 

PS: this is an incident that happened with a friend of mine. I am just portraying the other side.

PPS: The post I promised for valentine's day is still pending, I know :( Somehow, the mood is not right. But, it'll come!

PPPS: Please suggest a good title for this post.. I am so bad at it!