Some months before, I gave a loan to a neighbour. Actually he came to me and told how he was in a tight situation and needed money immediately. The guy is quite older than me and I felt very sorry for him. So I loaned him the money. The guy was too happy and promised to return me the money in one month.

Now three months have passed and there is no sign of the guy returning back the money to me. I paid a visit to his place but he was unavailable. I even called him but he never took my call. I don’t know what’s going to happen.

It makes me feel sad to see such people. It’s not really the money but the attitude of people that makes me feel so bad. I can’t help but admire my mom when I think about such crooked people. When my father left us, he ran away after taking loans from most of our neighbours. He just grabbed the money and vanished away one day leaving mom and his two kids at their mercy. My sister tells me that those were very hard days. We had virtually no money and everyday some neighbour used to come and warn us of dire consequences.

I was too small then but I remember one thing. Every month, my mom used to save some money and she eventually returned all the money that my father took from the neighbours. She specially went to every house, enquired the amount pending and returned it with a heartfelt sorry. My heart swells with pride when I think about my mom.

There was no need for her to do that. She could have easily shrugged it off or ran away with us to some other place but she chose to stay at the same place and return the money which someone related to her took away. There are very few people in this world who are like that.

I feel very happy that I am my mother’s son.

Let me take your leave now. Please take care. Bye.

The ‘common man’ visited his mom and hugged her tightly. In her old eyes and wrinkled face was a life led with honesty and truth. The common man was thankful to God. He knew that as long as there were good people like his mom in this world, the world will be a happy place