Most powerful thing a homeless man ever said to me.

I’m going to Applebees!”

“I’m going to get myself a hot meal.”

He said this as he smiled.

It was a half-edentulous smile, but the happiest one I had seen in a long while.

I had met him about 10 days ago, while I was traveling to Bangalore.

He’d asked for some money as I was coming out of a grocery store.

I’d only had a 50 rupees in my wallet, so I gladly parted with it.

He’d said he wanted to go the Dollar Store and buy some food.

I’d felt sad as I watched him walk away.

I went to the ATM, withdrew 500 rupees, tracked him down in the Dollar store, pretended to shake his hand, and gave him the money.

I watched him slowly get the bill out of his hand, and stretch them out, incredulous.

He gave me a hug.

He hadn’t had any hot food in days.

We exchanged a fist bump.

“Pay it forward,” I said.

He nodded and smiled.

He followed me to my car. He had a lot to say. It was clear that no one had listened to him in a long time.

He talked about life, about India, about Modi

He thanked me a million times.

We said goodbye a million times.

Then we finally went each our way, and he disappeared into the night.