The Last Drop

The Darkness was cascading down across the horizon which left me perturbed. It was a monotonous day of leaving the office late. “A Lady Associate was kidnapped and raped” exclaimed by a reporter on a TV News channel at the cafe. Being a lady that news made me concerned about my safety.

The Company’s cab picked me up from the gate and accelerated towards different addresses. My place being little far made me anxious, as I would be the last person to be dropped. Everyone was in a haste to reach home. The moment was frantic. One Sikh guy was sitting in the front seat. I asked him if he could escort me. Some people used to make excuses to avoid the last drop but he agreed. Though he knew that the cab would have to take an unusual detour to reach at my place first, yet he said to driver:
“Bhaiya, Madam ko pehle drop krdo and mujhe last mei kar dena”
“Brother, Drop the lady first I will take the last drop”.
It seemed that humanistic values were imbibed in him very well. He was working in the same building. His presence made me feel safe and the reason behind this was his turbaned identity.
The cab stopped and as I stepped out we shook hands as a notion of Thank you and a good bye. He remarked, “In 1756, Ahmed Shah Adbali invaded India and forcibly abducted thousands of girls. Baba Deep Singh freed them and they were escorted safely to their homes by the Sikh Soldiers. Because of the dare devil tactics and noble acts of the Sikhs, the captured women and children took to singing:
“Moreen Baba Kachh Walea Chhai Naheen Taan Ran gai Basre noon gai” (ਮੋੜੀ ਬਾਬਾ ਕੱਛ ਵਾਲਿਆ ਛਈਂ ਨਹੀਂ ਤੇ ਰੰਨ ਗਈ ਬਸਰੇ ਨੰੂ ਗਈ)
‘O’ brave Sikh wearing Kachera, liberate the enslaved Women, otherwise they would be taken to Basra.
In current scenario many Abdali’s are wandering to take the advantage of the women. They lure for the lust of the feminine and I am just following the footprints of my ancestors”.
The guy in the cab stared at me as if he was riding a horse and was preparing himself towards his next destination. A destination which I felt would mark the safety of another woman in that vicinity. A proud smile covered my face for his deeds and I cajoled myself thinking, humanity is still alive.