My hero on Independence Day

That day my bike happened to break down on the road...

It rained all day in Lahore on August 14, 2013. The main roads in the city turned into ponds and in many cases, the footpaths were not visible.

Many of those who took to the roads to celebrate Independence Day had to face problems, as the vehicles got stuck in water and broke down. The Mall Road looked good that day — all the historic buildings were decorated while many commuters pushed their cars, bikes, etc, in the ankle-deep water, looking for mechanics to get their vehicles fixed.

That day my bike also happened to break down on this road. I got off the vehicle and started dragging it in the water — which made the process much more difficult. The eateries were all open but the chances of finding a mechanic on the road seemed slim — this did add to my woes.

As I was dragging my bike, a guy — in his mid-twenties, sitting on his bike parked on a footpath — offered to help me. He carried my bike, helped me get to the footpath and asked if I had a toolbox. He was wet, like many others, and only then did I realise that he was wearing the Honda mechanics T-shirt.

A bit relieved, I told him I did have my toolbox. I gave him the keys; he opened the side-box and took out the tools. In less than 10 minutes, my bike was ready to go. I was so happy that I decided I wouldn’t bargain with him and give him as much money as he demanded. He, however, refused to take any money, shook hands with me and once again sat on his bike, exactly where I first saw him.

Much to my surprise, I realised the guy was out to celebrate Independence Day. The way he chose to celebrate, however, was much nobler than the way many of us chose to celebrate it. He sat on the footpath aware of the fact that many people who were out to celebrate would need his help to fix their vehicles. That’s how he celebrated Pakistan’s 66th Independence Day.

I may never meet him again but he will always be a part of my memories forever, for making me realise the true spirit of Independence Day. He is my hero and I hope I am able to celebrate this occasion like him in the future.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 18^th, 2013.