Insane? Who?

We share the same locality and of course the same street too. The similarities end just there. The major difference between the person I am addressing and myself is that I have a roof for shelter and she doesn't. A lady of about 60 years she is, has dwelled on the same street since God knows when. I have been residing in that locality for about an year now, I see her everyday at the same place. She is insane- or so is considered. In rags, unkempt hair, muttering to herself always, unperturbed by the attention or stares she gets from the people walking past the road, she is all for herself, harmless to others.

God knows (does he?) what runs in her mind, I am sure though that she has created a world of her own. At as early as 6 in the morning, one is sure to catch her rinsing her hair with the water from the public water tank on the road. Off she goes with an old bisleri can refilled with the water from the same tank and a back-pack. She can then be seen only in the evening at about 6 in the same roofless place. Well, one might say what's so special about the person I am addressing when there are millions of people without a roof to sleep under and a square meal to eat. Well, she is indeed special.

She is an INDIVIDUAL. Not many are, me included. How can I call myself an individual when I depend on so many to lead my life? She takes care of herself, her food and her safety. Not sure what she does for her food, but the ascertained fact is that she is a woman of abundant self-respect. The other day, as I was walking towards home, I saw this woman walking slightly ahead of me. Just then a lady with a bagful of groceries, who seemed just out of busy provision shopping, walked past me, paused for a while in front of the insane(?) lady and offered her a rupee or two. Instant rejection from the old lady for the money offered and a heavy flow of unclear words showing her disapproval stunned the lady who offered the money. The latter told me that she only sympathized with the old woman and wanted to help for her food and was shocked at the response in return to the pity she expressed. No doubt, I was awe-struck! When we see teen-aged and people in early twenties adopting to begging as an easy means to money, this old woman flatly refused a volunteer’s help!! Isn’t that what we call self-respect??!! Hats off.

She is an Environmentalist. She does her bit to keep her shelter, that is the road where she dwells clean. Once when she saw a person spitting on the street, she instantly took him to task. Most certainly, he was embarrassed to be taking lessons of decorum from an ‘insane’ woman. He would never commit that mistake again, I believe, rather, hope so.

And after all this, people call her insane or mentally-challenged? To hell with them! Insane? Mad? Crazy?- She who knows that she has to earn her bread, she who knows that she has to keep herself and her surroundings tidy, she who knows how to manage from looking obscene even in those rags, she who minds her business and most of all, she who lives a dignified life and she who whenever possible, reforms people too ? Just wondered how low she considers all the insane people around!

“Ma’am, You have certainly made an impression on me. Please don’t consider me insane too. I have made an attempt to distinguish sane from the major insane rest!!”