Conscience : a short story

Arun was in need of money. He had a brother admitted in the hospital.
As everyday, he boarded the 8:30 fast local to CST. In appearance he was a very humble bodied man in loose shirts, which characteristically did not match his trousers. A first class misfit he was, used to travel in the first class just because he availed the company first class pass facility and that travelling in second class would only make his appearance look worse.
Ravi, his co-traveller, unlike arun, was a well to do (a normal first class traveller) person. Today arun had decided he would speak to his boss or colleagues (or worse both) about his dire need of some loan. In retrospect he thought , had he accepted bribe, had he walked the normal (otherwise immoral) path, he would be doing well enough to not see such a day when in dire need of money he has no idea where it is going to come from. Would it be enough? Would it suffice?
All of a sudden there was a cry. Some guy was pick pocketed in the main alley of the train. It was of course an easy proposition for an experienced hand at pick pocketing. Crowded train, a fully stuffed leather wallet, begging to be freed from the tight grip of jeans: chickens don’t come thicker.
It takes only one person’s judgement, the first accusation, and the accused is given no chance of an explanation or a trial. After all they wont get a better person to dump the anger of the bad morning tea or some pungent remarks of their better halves than that accused. For a person who looks like arun it is very easy to be that accused. What tells you? His appearance. And there they were, pouring their fists at his bespectacled brown face. And he took it all without a word. He would have bled badly had it not been Ravi arriving on time and getting him away from the angry crowb ( dats crowd and mob).
“ why did you not tell them it was not you? I know it wasn’t you who did it? Why did u keep quiet?” To this arun replied “I happened to think had I been the pickpocketer, my problems would have been solved so easily. All the money I need was there...........................


I had borne all the fists for having let that thought come to my mind."