A curious case of Ramanath Iyer

On last Friday evening around 9:30 PM, I was just coming back to my apartment. As I was just walking in, I saw one elderly person (in his late 50's) and a girl standing in front of our apartment with some luggage. I was little puzzled, when that gentleman started calling me. I thought he wanted to know some address, but the case was different.

He introduced himself as "Ramanath Iyer" and narrated a story. It seems, he works in Emirates and settled in Chandigarh. His wife passed away recently and he had gone to Rameshwaram (alongwith his daughter) to perform the last rites of his wife. On the way back, they lost a baggage which had money and all other important belongings. They came in search of a relative in Bangalore to get some help, but unfortunately that relative no longer stayed here. It seems, his daughter had some exam (he was telling something about NASA exam) on Monday, so, he wanted some "financial help" in reaching his hometown - Chandigarh. I don't think this kind of story is new to any of us. We have met many such people on the road, asking for some help. I have always neglected them, but for some reason, looking at the father-daughter duo, I somehow felt bit too moved to ignore them. He was speaking good Hindi, English and Tamil. Looked very decent. Little confused, I called some of my friends in the apartment to join me and talk to Ramanath Iyer to evaluate if he is genuinely in trouble.

Friends came, talked to Ramanath Iyer. Same story was narrated in different languages. It was difficult for us to either neglect him or get convinced. We tried to ask many questions, but sometimes, you feel bad to interrogate so much on a person who is already shattered. :-(

Benefit of doubt, we decided to help him. Collected around 2000 Rs, handed over to him and sent the father-daughter duo in an auto to the railway station. Mr. Ramanath Iyer has taken one of our address and has promised to refund the money as soon as he reaches Chandigarh.

Whole night I was thinking, if we were duped? Was he in a real need? Anyways, we will come to know about this in few days, if Ramanath Iyer contacts us or not.

Having lost our air tickets and other valuables (like camera, bangle) once, I exactly know how it feels to be "money less" in an alien place. Anyway, I consider this Ramanth Iyer case as "closed" now, unless Ramanath Iyer is genuine and contacts us to refund the money :-)