Part III — My subway experiences

Most of these subway stories were related by Sri Chinmoy in 1972 and subsequently published in a small booklet. Two short films dramatising the stories have also been made.

Absent-minded hero

I bought a token and slipped it into the slot at one turnstile. However, in my unmindfulness, I was attempting to pass through an adjacent turnstile. Needless to say, my turnstile refused to move, but I failed to grasp the situation.

Suddenly a young man slapped me on the back in a comradely way saying, “Thank you!” and crossed through the turnstile in which my token had been deposited. Thus he escaped without paying for himself, and I was forced to buy another token. Unmindfulness exacted its retribution.

On another occasion almost the very same thing happened. Again I put my token into the slot of one turnstile and tried to pass through an adjacent turnstile. But this time an elderly man saw my difficulty. He put his own token in my turnstile, enabling me to cross, while he used my token to pass through his turnstile. This time unmindfulness called forth sympathy and genuine help.

From:Sri Chinmoy,My Consulate years, Agni Press, 1996
Sourced from https://srichinmoylibrary.com/mcy