A Glimpse of Humanity in the Night

In the distance, night lights flickered faintly. Through the branches, I could make out

the Coonoor railway station entrance. The road curved sharply, and another service

lane branched off toward a small colony. I took that road, heading toward a big building at

the right corner. There, in front of a small campfire, sat an old man—smoking

a beedi and nursing a cup of tea or something warm. Hope surged inside me.

Finally, a human being.