It was Shawn’s first day in Calcutta and he was angry and frustrated.  Calcutta had defeated him.  Two hundred rupees wasted in rickshaws that took him nowhere he wanted to go.  A dozen calls wasted trying to confirm an airline reservation.  Sweat wasted going from hostel to hostel trying to find a cheap one that had room.  Blood wasted to a hundred mosquito bites.  He was defeated.

He sat down on the stairs next to a small shop, put his elbows on his knees and dropped his face sullenly into his hands.  When he straightened back up there was a small and very old looking man staring at him closely.  "Damn beggars," was his first thought.

"You need some help?" asked the man in accented English.

"No.  I’m ok." replied Shawn.

"My name is Pradeep.  This is my brother’s shop here," said the gentleman.  "I have a place around the back, why don’t you come in and have some tea with me?"

Shawn started to refuse, but something about the warm smile on the old man’s face made him change his mind.  "Sure, that would be great."  He lugged his backpack up on to his shoulder and followed Pradeep through the narrow side streets and up a steep stairway in to a small apartment.  In the apartment there were six children sitting on mats scattered about the room.  The only furniture was a small table with a TV set and a cabinet with a glass front containing numerous pictures and small figurines of Deities. 

Pradeep said something to three of the children and they ran from the room emerging moments later with a small table and two metal chairs.   Pradeep gestured for Shawn to have a seat.  When they were seated Pradeep said, "I heard you talking on the phone and it sounds like you are having some kind of trouble."

"I’ve spent the last three months trekking in Nepal and India, and I was supposed to go back to Minneapolis tonight but the airline says I didn’t confirm my reservation and the flight is full.  The earliest they can get me out of here is Wednesday." 

Pradeep smiled.  "That is good then.  You shall have five more days to spend in Calcutta." 

Just then one of the children entered with a plate holding two metal cups filled with steaming tea and set the cups on the table in front of Shawn and Pradeep.

After taking a sip of sweet, milky tea Shawn continued, "Sure, being in Calcutta wouldn’t be a problem, but I hadn’t planned on staying this long and I don’t have enough money for another five days in a hotel.  Plus, I can’t seem to find any hostels that have room."

Pradeep’s smile widened, "You see, then things are even better for you shall be able to stay here with us."

Shawn was shocked.  "No, really, I can’t do that.  This is your home.  You don’t even know me.  This isn’t your problem."

Pradeep thought for a moment.  "We can make it a trade.  You said that you are from Minneapolis and I have a brother in Minneapolis.  When you go if you could take a letter and a packet of tea to him from me then it will be a great help to me.  Sending gifts to America is very costly."

Although Shawn was a bit uncertain, he finally agreed, and for the next five days Pradeep showed him an India he had not seen in his three months of Trekking.  He went to a naming ceremony, ate curd rice from banana leaves and met Pradeep’s friends and neighbors.  He played "kabili" with the children and listened to chanting in the temples.  He sat through a very bad Hindi movie without understanding a word and enjoyed it for the company.

As Pradeep said goodbye at the airport, Shawn asked, "Do you have the tea and the address of your brother so I can take it to him?"

Pradeep laughed and handed Shawn a small packet of tea.  "You are my brother in Minneapolis."

Shawn felt himself start to cry and said, "When I sat down on those steps I was thinking that here I was stuck in India 16,000 miles from my friends, but I was wrong.  I was only five feet away from one of them."