Not all superheroes wear capes. Some, like this Mumbai-based cab driver, simply do the right thing at the right time and help change someone's life forever.
The photographer from Humans of Bombay came across one such man who happened to be a cabbie and has been driving for the last 35 years.
The unnamed cab driver, now endearingly referred to as 'chacha' by Facebook commenters, details an incident when he noticed a young woman walking home at around 12:30 am.
"It was one of those dingy lanes where there aren't a lot of people. I noticed her, because she looked very anxious and when I looked behind her I saw these 2-3 drunk fellows whistling, and calling her names," he says on Facebook.
He was across the street and noticed the men chasing her. So, as a reflex, he began honking incessantly to create a distraction. His idea worked. "The noise created enough alarm, because they were startled and immediately ran away in the other direction," he says on Facebook.
But that's not all. Once the men ran away, he crossed the road and offered to drop the terrified woman home.
He's been driving his taxi for 35 years, but this is the one night he can never forget. Especially after what the woman did for him once he dropped her home.
We'll let you read his post in its entirety to know how she thanked him for his help. All we'll say is that it's people like him who help make this world a beautiful place to live in.
This Facebook post has gone viral with over 2,000 shares and 28,000 likes. People on social media are calling him a hero and justifiably so. “We’re lucky to have people like him in Bombay. If we can’t reduce the number of miscreants, we can at least increase the number of such angels! Let’s stand up for each other. And a big thank you to him,” wrote a user.
Read his full post here.
“I’ve been driving this cab since 35 years now. I’m old, but I still have to support myself. Over the years there have been so many experiences — I’ve seen the best and worst of this city. Sometimes, people like you will talk to me, atleast make me feel human and then there are others who come and scream at me because they’re in a hurry and there’s too much traffic.
A few years ago, at around 12:30 am one night, I noticed a young girl, not over 25 walking from the bus stop, possibly towards her home. It was one of those dingy lanes where there aren’t a lot of people. I noticed her, because she looked very anxious and when I looked behind her I saw these 2-3 drunk fellows whistling, and calling her names. They then began to actively chase her and I was still across the street — so as a reflex I decided to start honking continuously.
The noise created enough alarm, because they were startled and immediately ran away in the other direction. I crossed over, and told that girl that I would drop her home — she was so terrified, she had gone completely pale.
We drove in silence for those 2-3 minutes….her house was just around the corner, but when she stepped outside, she caught both my hands, started weeping and thanked me over and over again. Even though I said it’s okay and that I would have done it for anyone, she insisted that I wait outside while she went in to get something.
She came out with a tin of rasgullas and told me to take them home to my family — I thanked her and left. I barely knew her for 10 minutes, but I don’t think I’ll ever forget that night.”
