Pinched of conscience
 

Anuki: This incident happened when we went to reserve the clothes for one of our office events and the clothing store was located in the heart of Wellawatte. I suddenly heard kind of a meek sound from distance, in seconds I turned and saw Samadhi's reddish face, I wasn't sure whether she was mad at something or someone.

Without having any second thoughts I took a few steps back where she was standing and saw a little girl who was dressed in rags were running to the other side of the road.

Curiously I looked at Samadhi and discovered that she too was watching the same way. Breaking the silence Samadhi said 'she pinched me' and instead of me giving a answer to her I just threw another question at her 'why'?

Samadhi: I couldn't believe it. Before we even got off the taxi, she came to us. She was around eight. At the corner of my eyes I saw her mother and a toddler. The girl came closer and asked for some money.

I involuntarily dug in to my purse, but then realize I may just be encouraging her to make a living out of begging. I put my purse back in my bag and joined Anuki. Although my friends were there, the girl didn't so much as give them a second glance.

At first she patted my arm and gestured with her up turned palm. Then, to my extreme surprise and embarrassment she grabbed one of my legs.

None of these did any of my other friend see because I was falling behind and one of them had already crossed the road. But the girl was not at all interested in any other person.

She proved to be relentless in her endeavour, but that's exactly why I was glad I didn't give her any money. And that's when she pinched me. When I told my friends what just happened, they were baffled.

Anuki, reading my mind, told me that if she could resort to such rash methods at this age, what will she turn out to be when she becomes an adult. Such people will only be a burden to Sri Lankan society.

Anuki: It's true that people do have difficulties in life but it is a tragedy to see the innocent growing minds are also been trained to be violent instead of, on the good qualities. People might say the parents or their families are not educated enough to teach what's right and wrong. In that case who is responsible for showing them the right path?

There are times we might have been broke than the beggars.

But what if all the empty pocketed people become violent? We sure did pity that girl, but who knows if the rest of the world will? Me and Samadhi hoped and prayed that the society would be fortunate enough to find solutions to overcome this poisoning of flowering minds, with