So, I was walking in a busy street along with some of my friends, and then a man comes requesting for my mobile to make a call. It seemed like he was really needy of a phone, atleast based on his face looks, but there was no way I could trust him. What if that person just takes my mobile and runs away with it once I give it to him? So, I was hesitant and didn't give him my mobile.

That person went away. After that, I've started getting obsessed with thoughts like, "What if he was genuinely needy of a phone?". I don't know and I had no way to trust him, Should I have been kinder? or was it a good thing that I didn't give my mobile by being alert and careful?

I guess I have started trusting strangers very less after this horrible incident that happened to me. Well, it was really a shocking and devastating incident that I can never forget in my lifetime, that I also of course don't want to re-visit! Once I was waiting for a bus at bus stand at around 11 PM in the night, I was just roaming, trying to enjoy the cool night Breeze, without realising I've ended up at a place with minimal crowd and some 4-5 member gang surrounded me, I was robbed. Inspite of my cry/shout for help, nothing useful happened, since noone was there in the vicinity! Thankfully, they did no physical harm to me but they stole my mobile!

In today's smart world, everything is in that little device, your smartphone, and those thieves stole that thing only, so, I had literally no clue what to do then, without my mobile, my bus ticket was in that, I don't remember any bus number or anything, I literally was in desparate need of a phone, rushed here and there in full worried face, asked from enquiry counter in bus station about the bus, and somehow caught and boarded the correct bus at last!


Honestly, that incident took a big toll on me mentally and I've always been afraid and hesitate to go/travel anywhere alone all the time till now! I constantly feel that I'm being watched by someone or some group of people to trap me and steal my things like mobile etc., I don't know if this scary and uncomfortable feeling doesn't leave me all through my life! Wish it wouldn't happen! That night after my mobile was stolen, some person was kind enough to give me a mobile to call my parents and explain them the situation (I sometimes regret for calling them at that time and getting them tensed as it took big toll on their mental health as well, that they're worried everytime I travel alone) when I was seeking help.

So, I don't know, I want to be kind for those in need but at the same time, I do need to be vigilant coz I can't afford to lose my mobile or my things everytime! So, I'm eternally confused about handling such kind of situation where either you gotta be vigilant or to be kind, compassionate and empathetic towards needy, since the line between being vigilant and being empathetic is sort of blurry in some situations!
© Pramod