It happens only in India

This is a cliche that everyone uses to highlight strange things that happen only in India. Of the many such strange things the most striking one would be the fact that we Indians sometimes go totally out of our way to help a complete stranger. This is specially true when it comes to giving strangers directions to places. There are stories that people actually went along with the stranger all the way to where he wanted to go just coz he asked for directions. We Indians are basically very helpful at heart.

I got truck loads of this help when i needed it the most. It was on Good Friday and my family and i were on our way to church. There was a heavy downpour all of afternoon and the evening and the roads were flooded. We were on our way and my driver accidentally drove our car into a pit. He couldn't see it coz it was dark and moreover the pit was submerged in water. The front left wheel of our car fell into the pit and we were unable to drive out of it. There was no traction because of the mud and our car was a front wheel drive. It was kind of a slum area where this happened. All of a sudden, from no where people standing by came in droves to help us out of this predicament. They teamed up and literally lifted our car out of the pit and onto the road. None of those guys were actually strong or well built, it was just teamwork and total coordination. The "Team" included young kids in their teens, guys in twenties and even old people.They gave it one shove and our car was on the road. I was elated and so were they, they clapped and whistled while we drove away. I couldn't contain my joy. I only heard about such things happening but to experience it first hand was amazing. We got all the more help coz the people around were my dads patients. It was still pouring heavily but people did not hold back. It was an example of good will that people had on my dad. It was a moment of pride for me.

One more striking feature in this whole fiasco was the fact that my mom was standing on the road in the rain and a 10 year old kid had the mental maturity to actually give his umberella to my mom and stand in the rain himself. His presence of mind was out of this world. I just could not stop clapping and cheering these guys when they were putting it all out in helping us. They found my way of cheering them up very strange but i didn't mind it. I shook hands will all of them and thanked them for the help they offered. They were happy that i acknowleged their help.

This is one experience i will cherish throughout my life.