Holding a hand

It was sometime last month; I was meeting my friends in the afternoon. We had planned to go to the Japanese restaurant for some good Sushi. It was a nice afternoon chatting with friends, having some nice sushi, and later some dessert at our usual dessert parlor. And finally we had to decide to go home as there were trains and buses to catch. I was about to catch the bus number 47 that was at 7pm. As there was still some time, I decided to walk to the usual Tobačna stop though some other stop was closer. I feel more comfortable there and anyway it feels better to walk than to wait for the bus impatiently at the stop.

I was standing at the Tobačna crossing waiting for the traffic lights to turn green for me; when I suddenly heard someone talking hurriedly behind. Looking back, I saw an old grandma standing, talking in a loud hurried way. I was quite surprised. I had never seen a beggar there, that too one asking explicitly for money. I didn’t expect her to be one, but also couldn’t guess what the matter was. Anyway I couldn’t understand what she was speaking in Slovene; one of her hand holding some bag was extended and in the other she had a walking stick. I turned away feeling a bit strange and sorry.

The grandma was talking again, and this time I could hear the word ‘rokica’, a cute way of saying hand in Slovene. And then an idea occurred to me. Hearing the word ‘hand’ and from her gesture, I thought maybe she is asking for help in crossing the road. Still unsure and the traffic about to turn green I went to her, and gave my hand.

Getting me there, she excitedly started talking more, and from her gesture I understood she wants me to put my hand such that she can hold my arm for a better grip. The light had just turned green, and grabbing my hand the poor confused grandma hesitantly stepped down on the road. She was slow slow slow. I really had to make an effort to walk along with her. And all the time she was talking something from which I could only understand that she was coming from the market. As fast as she could talk, she walked as much slow. By the time we reached the middle of the road, the traffic was already red again. As it instantly doesn’t turn green for the cars, and as when it did turn green the cars seeing us were nice enough to wait a bit more, we finally managed to ‘cross’ the road!!

Reaching the other side, she was happy and was busy thanking me excitedly, and pampering me. ‘Hvala’ and ‘pridna’ (thanks and good girl) were what I could only get. Then she was saying something and searching in her bag, taking out a bunch of parsley or something and wondering, and searching again. I was standing there completely clueless, and trying to decipher what is happening. And finally when I got that she is trying to give me something for helping her, I politely said that I don’t need anything. Following another series of her saying ‘hvala’ and me ‘prosim’, I finally walked towards my bus stop.

There was still around 15mins for the bus to arrive, and I was just waiting, and saw her walking towards my direction. To cross the bus stop from the traffic she took around 10mins, something that anyone walks in less than 30secs. Such slow and poor was she. Walking slowly, sometimes holding the railing for the support, stopping for a min after few steps, she was visibly poor and slow. She turned towards the direction of some old apartment blocks and my bus also came.

On the way back I was thinking of her. Happy that I just didn’t ignore her because I couldn’t understand what she said but decided to go and see what she needs, I was smiling. I was happy to lend her a hand of support, to help her cross the road. It gave a sense of satisfaction realizing the happiness it gives to hold a hand. And at the same time I was sorry thinking of the poor old grandma, wondering how she is alone, doing all her work on her own. She must feel lonely and maybe that is the reason she was talking so much getting someone by her side. I was happy to brighten up her evening just for a bit.

That single act made my day perfect, complete, happy and satisfied.

I remember the grandma often as I pass the Tobačna stop and crossing almost every day. And then again on Easter Saturday I saw her. I was going with Blaž to the church. His grandma believes that the food must be blessed for Easter but is now too old to go on her own, so we were going instead of her with the basket of food to have it blessed. I was again talking about her, and then I saw her walking in the opposite direction with her basket of blessed food. At first I was not sure if it was her. And then I saw her similar bluish dress, her bag and headscarf, that same old friendly face, and I knew it was her. Also I saw her face brightening as she recognized me. Seeing her face in the daylight, I realized, even though she is old, alone, it had some kind of happiness, satisfaction and was having the friendly smile. I felt good thinking she is not so sad and poor after all. She smiled at us and said ‘Pridna sta’.. you two good ones, you just have to take the basket of food for blessing. And smiling she was again walking slowly on her own way.Her smiling friendly face made me happy again.

I think of her. And I hope to meet her again someday, help her cross, or just pass by, and smile at each other…..