“My God, it’s raining cats and dogs today! I had to get flowers for pooja, and the rain won’t stop for another two hours!” Maa was worried.

“But Maa, Flower Aunty comes to our society every Friday evening. She must be here,” I said.

“I know, Tanu. But in such heavy rain, I don’t think she would have come.”

I ran to the balcony.

“Maaa! Come outside. Look! Flower Aunty is sitting there!”

“Oh! She has come. But she’s sitting in the open. How will I get the flowers? The rain is so heavy.”

I looked at her. She was sitting under a tarpaulin sheet, protecting her flowers with a transparent plastic cover. Her tiny umbrella wasn’t helping much.

“Why can’t she go to all the flats and deliver the flowers?” I asked.

“That’s not allowed, Tanu. She can’t go around the entire society,” Maa said.

“She’s not allowed… but I am,” I murmured.

Maa stopped. “What are you thinking, Tanu?”

“Maa, put a message in the WhatsApp group and ask everyone who needs flowers and how much. They can pay you online. We’ll collect the flowers from Flower Aunty, deliver them to everyone, and give her all the money before she leaves.”

“But how will you deliver them?” Maa asked.

“Leave that to me, Maa!” I said proudly. “Give me my raincoat and fix the umbrella to my cycle.”

Maa smiled.

“I’m so proud of you, Tanu. Ask her to move under the main entrance where she’ll be safer. And you take care too. Don’t get drenched. I love you.”

Soon, the orders started coming in.

And off I went—through the rain, on my little cycle, with flowers for everyone. 

Because sometimes, helping someone doesn’t require a grand gesture.

Sometimes, it just takes noticing.

And one thing was certain that evening—Flower Aunty wasn’t going home without her money.

*************************************************

Illustration Credit: Shivani Akant

*************************************************