The Coversation worth a thought

My neighbour's grand children had come down from USA for their summer vacations. Its been 3 years they had not visited there "nain-amma" (dadi ma)!

My aunt told me how the kids are not liking India one bit. All they wanted to do was stay home and play in the lil play area aunt has! (Well, my neighbour aunt runs a pre-school and so has a nice kiddie play area too.. )

I made friends with the lovely girls and we kinda got along.. Just a day before they were leaving back for states.. we happened to have a conversation that went this way:

Kid: Do u like India?

Me: Yes, I do.

Kid: What do u like abt it?

Me: Well, its a beautiful country with wonderful people and an amazing cultural heritage sweety!

Kid: May be.. But i do not like India/Hyderabad much.. Its so dirty and trashed everywhere. And its smells so bad too.

Me: No Darling! its not all that bad you know.. I agree the trash is all over the place.. but it aint that bad.. trust me..

Kid: I do not think so! Also, I have some old people knocking at the glass windows at every signal on the road.. Who are they? they are so dirty and carry a baby who is always sleeping in so much noiseee...Who are they ? And why are they that way?

Me: They are the under privileged sweetheart.. they are known as beggars! Its a very hard life they are living u know!

Kid: Okay! Why doesn't anyone do anything for these people.  You know, I have not seen even one beggar in US..

Me: I am sure there are.. But much lesser than in India dear. :)

Kid: Why doesn't someone do something abt the trash and the roads and all..

Like all the conversation i ever had with my dad on this topic.. i decided to answer the same to this lil kid..

Me: India is a very big country and a huge population.. getting things in order will take a while but it is in process!

Kid: How large is India?

Me: Its very large. almost 30 odd states and 7 UT ( the last i remember was 25 states and 7 UT.. now i have lost count!)

Kid: U knw USA has 52 states and yet not even one state looks half like Hyderabad and India in its Trash and smelliness....

Me:(speechless!)