2. GOD BLESS YOU
By the time our delayed train reached and I got down with my father and baby Lavanya, it was
past midnight. It was cold, dark and foggy. My husband, Manas, who was to receive us, was
nowhere in sight. Soon the platform became deserted. Then, a strong built man approached us
and offered to carry our bags. He wasn’t wearing the usual porter’s red shirt and tag, and though
I was tired, my father decided to hire him. Leaving Lavanya and me with the man, my father
went to look for Manas. I took a closer look at the man and felt apprehensive. He was big hairy,
his face was covered and his eyes looked bloodshot.
Just then Lavanya, who had been sleeping in my arms, awoke and turned to look at the porter.
He gave a playful smile and held out his arms. I thought she’d start crying and held her closer.
But she smiled back and twisted herself out of my arms into his.
Now I was really scared. What if he ran away with my baby? He must have sensed my fear and,
even before I reached out to take Lavanya back, he handed her to me. Turning around, he
mumbled that though everyone was scared of him, my innocent baby had accepted him. His eyes
had tears in them. I didn’t know what to say. At that moment, my father returned with Manas.
The man picked up our bags and walked towards the cars park. After having put our luggage in
he walked away. As we followed him, I asked Manas to pay him a little extra. But, having put
our luggage in the car, the man refused to take payment from us. Coming up to me, he placed his
hand on my baby’s head for a moment as if to say, ‘God bless you! And walked away.
Answer the following questions briefly:
1. Describe the appearance of the strange man who approached the author.
2. Describe the different attitudes of the author and of baby Lavanya towards the strangers.
3. What brought tears in the strange man’s eyes?
4. What help did the man render to the author?
5. Choose the most appropriate option:
A. The author was apprehensive when a man approached her as:
(a) he was scary looking (b) her father was not with her
( c) he was drunk and had bloodshot eyes (d) her husband was nowhere in sight
B. The man handed the baby back to the lady as:
(a) he feared the baby would start crying (b) she reached out for the baby
(c) he realized that she was scared (d) his eyes had suddenly filled up with tears
C. ‘Apprehensive means:
(a) appreciated (b) fearful (c)happy (d) sad
D. Find a word from the passage which means the same as “spoke unclearly”:
(a) offered (b) disembarked (c) mumbled (d) twisted
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