Gurugramwale: Stud’s sparkles

A shoeshine on his much-loved possession

School-dropout Rahul is a hardworking teenager who roams in Gurugram markets urging busy passers-by to get their shoes polished by him for Rs 20. He is usually ignored, he says. Whatever, the shoeshine boy has an indulgence in his life and he nurtures it indulgently.

Rahul admits that his stud earrings make his personality as powerful as a hero. (HT Photo)

“My two tops shine like chanda (moon),” he says, possessively touching the stud earrings on both his ears. Each is a set of four tiny white diamonds. “I got them for Rs 200 from Sadar Bazaar.”

Speaking slowly, as if weighing the implications of his words, Rahul says he got these tops despite the persistent reservations of his parents. “They thought I was throwing away the money.”

Although he denies getting style inspiration from film stars, Rahul admits that “these tops make my personality as powerful as a hero.” He isn’t sure, however, if the accessories are able to affect his daily life in any manner. The lad talks of the minutiae of his work—badgering the potential customers for business, the humiliation of being frequently rebuffed. “Sometimes people think of me as a bad character, as if I’m a chor (thief) or pocket-maar (pickpocket).”

Rahul smiles sarcastically, remarking, “Nobody notices my shiny tops.”