Minor Problem

"We are service providers, Raghu. We are not a charity organization. We are a business...", Hari shouted over the phone.
"Yeah, but I just had to fix a loose-connection of the power-chord, plus Mr. Ravi is also requesting for a waiver of the bill this time..."
"Raghu, "Helping Hands" is a support Not-for-profit organization. I also admire Mr. Ravi's principles and his cause. We could support them in other ways. But not this. This is our business, and we can't be lenient with collections..."
"er, Mr. Ravi is here, why don't you talk to him directly", Raghu said, and handed over the phone to Ravi, without waiting for Hari to respond.

"Darn", Hari said to himself.
"Hello, Mr. Hari, how are you doing?", It was Ravi on the other end. His pace was slow and even. A sign of the matured man that he was.
"Well, good, Mr. Ravi. Thank you. How are you? and how are the children?", Hari tried to be polite.
"By God's grace, everybody is fine. The children are real studious. You should visit them once and tell them about your business story, you could inspire them..."
"Will try to do that, Mr. Ravi, but what about this problem you wanted to discuss about?", Hari said, cutting the charity part out, curtly.
"Ah, Well, Mr. Raghu is here and solved our computer problem. As per our contract you should bill us Rs. 100 for the service. I'm wondering, since this turned out to be a minor problem, and since we have been doing business for a long time, if you could waive off the bill as a good-will gesture towards our organization. You know, being a non-profit organization, and being short of funds, every penny that you could save us would be of immense help..."
"Mr. Ravi, our organization could help you by other means, but you know, this is our main business, and am sorry that I won't be able to waive this off for you."
"oh, I see. Its okay, Mr.Hari. I understand your situation. Never mind. Anyways, thank you for listening patiently. But please do drop by sometime to talk to the kids."
"Lets see, Mr. Ravi. Thanks anyways. Talk to you later", Hari was curt and ended the call.

In the same hurried pace, he let the phone slip off his hands. His back sent out a pricking pain, as he bent down to retrieve it.
"Darn", he squealed, sliding down on the sofa.
"What happened?", his mom came running into the room, hearing the squealish scream.
"Its the back pain again", he said. "Its all the long hours in front of the computer", he reasoned.
"People in our age never used to work this hard and long. It used to be eight hours at office and back, and that was it. I wonder why you young guys sacrifice your health and personal life for work!", his mom was being philosophical.
Hari rolled his eyes over, indicating that he was not interested in the topic that his mom had brought up.
"Anyways, go meet Dr. Elango. He specializes in physiotherapy. He must be able to suggest a few exercises", his mom said, as she stood up and left the room, leaving Hari massaging his back.

X----------------X-----------------X

"Hi Dr. Elango, am Hari", he said introducing himself.
After the usual round of introductions, Hari stretched on his back on a cot close-by, as the doctor lifted his legs in various directions to determine the cause of the pain.
"Are you in a hurry?", Dr. Elango asked, noticing his terse muscles.
"Well, actually, yes, I have to be in office by now...", ranted Hari.
"Can you spare half an hour?", the doctor asked as if he wanted to talk to Hari about donations for a temple in his home-town.

"uh, well, of course, Doctor", Hari said, taken aback by the politeness of the doctor. To him, only doctors and scientists were more intelligent that computer engineers. And he knew Dr. Elango was a doctor of proficiency. The crowd outside was proof enough.

Sitting close-by, Dr. Elango, asked Hari to breathe in and out deeply for a few minutes, at a slow pace, meanwhile dictating some therapies for other patients to his assistants.

Soon, after Dr. Elango began his therapy and was done in twenty minutes. It was followed by a session of exercises.

"Do these exercises everyday, and you should be fit in 10 days. Its just a matter of posture. Sit straight...", Dr. Elango went into a series of suggestions to sitting right.
Getting down from the cot, Hari felt better as his spasms seemed to have vanished magically.

Hari relaxed for a couple of more minutes, in which time Dr. Elango vanished too, to meet his other patients.
Hari found the doctor, performing some kind of heat therapy for an aged woman down the hall.
"Doctor, how much should I pay...", Hari said, pulling out his purse.
"oh, nothing. its okay, it was just a muscle spasm, a minor problem. ", said the doctor, continuing to focus on his old patient.

Hari couldn't believe his ears.

"oh, it maybe because he didn't have to use any tools on me", Hari reasoned to himself, "I would have charged a bomb for spending half-an-hour with my clients, tools or no tools.". What was a minor problem to doctor was a major pain for him, and what difference the doctor could make. Thats the power of service-providers, he said to himself.

"...but doctor, your time really mattered to me...", dragged Hari.
"...Thats okay. No problem... call me if you have any persisting pain. I hope you do not have to come back to me", smiled the doctor, firmly refusing payment for half-an-hour of his services. He motioned to his assistant who brought him the doctor's card.

"uh... I'm a computer engineer... if you have , er, any computer needs, please do let me know... I could help you out...", Hari offered his card awkwardly.

"Ha, ha, ha...", laughed the doctor loudly, startling his patient, and turned to face Hari.
"You are here because you are a computer engineer in the first place, aren't you?", he laughed aloud again. There seemed something mystical about the doctors words, like the doctor was pointing out the intangible relationships their professions.

Hari stood there looking at the Doctor awkwardly.

"Thank you for the offer, Mr. Hari. But I sure know somebody you could help, if you really want to repay my services...", he said pulling another card from his pocket and handing it over to Hari.

Hari stood there, frozen in time, reading the card.

"Helping Hands", it said, giving an address that Ravi already knew.