Crossroads

One person, homeless, in soiled clothes stands at intersection of two roads, stares continuously towards the road where palatial houses with beautiful flowered gardens are lined up. Mesmerized imagines himself inside those bungalows servants in queues, to serve masters, with best wines and mistresses, bejeweled, freshly serviced from parlors dining tables laid with tastiest food, excess later thrown in dustbins. Thought of food makes him come out into the present, with a jerk a pained cry emanates from his thin empty stomach he had not chanced upon to eat food for days now except for water which perhaps everyone could get free but not anymore, water is also sold nowadays. He is, no doubt, poor but surely owns some compassion for fellow beings but who values it in today's world? wants to earn his food, and other needs with his sweat but who employs people in tatters except for exploitation, perhaps? His attention gets drawn to other side of crossroads he hears a faint noise of continuous cries emanating from a lame man, in rags, like him who, with effort, is signaling for help a nauseating smell is emanating from the lame who apparently had not bathed, for long, for water is not anymore free. Ignoring the stench, he comes near the lame who indicates his utter state of thirst, through dry swollen lips he falls into remorse as he is also helpless a little less, maybe, he can still walk on his legs and seek necessities with effort, he procures a bottle of water for the lame. The lame man does not rise to drink it, alarmed he shakes him but alas! the lame sleeps like a drugged man, with no troubles his widely parted lips, however, betraying his peaceful demeanor still waiting for their thirst to be quenched. Disgusted, he prays god to transcend the lame to a planet where he has access to basic things such as water saddened, he slowly pulls himself back to the crossroad looks longingly to that side with palatial houses maybe he also wants to avoid the path of deprivation and tread the path of being provided for, a more meaningful path. When will they get right to live with dignity like a respected citizen? feels anguished that poor people themselves do not have answers to such simple yet important questions. Wonders what stops people of palatial houses to let arrangements succeed so that a helpless smelly thirsty hungry lame man need not go cold, waiting for water? when would humanity's collective consciousness be fully awakened?