It was bone-rattling cold outside that day in dehradun. I had worn heavy winter clothes, not letting chilling wind touch my body. Finally, I reached at clocktower. Maybe my friend was on his way driving; so I decided to text him; to let him know that I have reached and where I was waiting, I decided to wait around the corner at tea stall where people were enjoying sipping their cup of tea.I couldn't resist myself and found sipping along with them. I was thinking about the beauty of Mussoorie—as they call it, which we were about to visit. It's been a while since last winter, but wait seemed a bit longer than I thought, as I lit up the ciggrate and thinking about what harm it can do to me, I was in a deep introspection as usual.

Suddenly from behind someone was knocking on my back. I turned to face him, and I saw an old man; as I sized him up he wore a blue monkey cap, winter scarf around his neck, a dull black winter-blazer and a gray pant, he had no shoes but slippers with socks, as I looked deep on his wrinkled-face his nose closely reminded a green faced witch on broom, but I found something different in his droopy eyes. He was selling packets full of groundnuts and asked me to buy one, I threw the ciggrate butt as it's been consumed.

"How much" I asked,

"Ten rupee a packet Sahaab" he replied,

I felt ashamed, when he called me Sahaab, "please don't call me Sahaab" I said, "I am age of your grandson".

"In business we consider customer as a God; you are my customer so you shouldn't be ashamed of anything Sahaab" he replied,

"Well, don't you think, you should be at home inside the quilt on bed sipping hot tea in this weather" I asked, I was just passing my time with no intention to buy anything.

"Yes, but if I go home I won't have money to buy myself a meal today".

"I am kind of self-dependent, you know".

'Oh sorry', I said with an apologetic smile. I was told by him not to feel sorry for him.

"You mean you are all your own".

'Yes', he said; "so can you please buy these groundnuts and help this old man to make the ends meet", he said with an smile on face.

Talking with him, I can feel no regret but joy in his voice. He was not sad but proud of himself that atleast he is not like the rest, proud that is not begging but working hard to earn, maybe he did some mistakes in his past days, when he was younger, maybe this was the reason everyone left him alone even his own children, when he needed them the most. I could see a glimpse of hope on his stoic face, it seemed to me that he wasn't a man who dwell on past mistakes.

"Okay, Give me two", I said not because I felt sorry for him but because I felt inspired by him.

I put my right hand in my trouser pocket and took out two ten rupee coins and gave it to him.

"That's all I could do for him." I thought.

Till then other side of the road I could see my friend crossing the road on his vehicle, Maybe he had read my text where I was waiting.

"Okay Uncle I have to go now". I said. "And Thank you." I finally said with heart brimful of tears.

My friend parked the vehicle beside me; as soon as I got on the vehicle he gave the accelerator and in no time old man left behind afar.

The old man turned away and went ahead asking the same to others.

Someone wisely said, "Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don't."

I thank that old man till this day because, he knew how to wrinkle your face with grin, when hard-times descends on you.