My husband and friends usually have a small Independence Day celebrations, where they hoist the flag and distribute sweets to celebrate India’s freedom. It is a small gathering of all the youngsters in the vicinity. This year also the celebrations were on full swing…the flag was hoisted and sweets distributed. All of us were just around, enjoying our holiday and distributing sweets to passersby and shooting proud glances at the national flag.
Then slowly one by one people started leaving, wonder whom the pole was attached to…its started slanting…Proud glances changed to ones of dismay. Before hands could rush to stop the “leaning pole of the national flag” it was gathering too much momentum, crashing on a passing by car!! Screams and shouts rendered the air. The organizers of the celebrations ran for cover…so did I
Contrary to all emotions, the man at the wheel, got off his car and examined the damaged bonnet of the car. The crowd waited to see the drama unfold. That’s when he made the unexpected comment.
“Thank God the National Flag dint touch the ground, what a shame it would have been. The car can be repaired.”
This is what it means to be a Proud Indian. This gentleman refused to be compensated when the “organizers” approached him later in the day.
