This is an old story. About 15 years old one...

I just joined at the college. New place and new people. I was a little bit careful on every moment.

Since I am bit shy in nature, it took long time for me to make friends. I was almost alone after the college and used to spend the evenings in library or in computer lab. Those times, the computer lab was a special place to spend the time. I had felt so happy about getting a special consideration since the lab-in-charge was a friend of my mother.

In the beginning I was just using internet for browsing on a seminar topic or to just check emails and was curious to see the picture forwards from my friends. One day as I was scrolling down the in-box, I got an invitation from my friend to a chat room.

I clicked the link and a new window with colorful page appeared. I was bit cautious of opening the page since the lab-in-charge was taking rounds observing the activities of everyone inside. I had to register to create an account I gave a silly nick name. I felt fear and distress in stomach. Still I decided to continue.

It said that my friend is not online. As I was planning to sign out, a pop up came saying 'hello' from an unknown person. I replied 'Hello' back.

"ASL?"

"What is that?"

"Age, sex and location"

I felt that question a bit rude. Before even asking 'how are you' or 'How was your day' How could a person ask all these personal things at first?

"Female, 17,Quebec"

"I am male, 50, Alabama"

"Hi, How do you do?"

"Hi..."

We chat for almost one hour on that day and I told him that I am studying in college and my subject is Biology main. He was curious about all those things and he said that he runs a business and now his son is taking care of the deals more so he can relax a bit. We said we will continue the chat next day as it was late for me to have dinner.

Next day we chat and it went on for almost 3 hrs. He told almost everything as true I could feel them. I told more truth than previous day. I could see that there is a trust building up between us.

As days pass by, We became good friends. He told about his health problems and other family issues. My eyes became wet when he lold about the hard times he went through his early life when establishing the business. I used to tell him about my silly issues.

One day I was very sad. The reason was a cheating from my friend. I became friend of another girl and we both used to go for shopping together. She used to have a big group of friends and I was just a silent person who mostly listen her stories than telling her any. I used to help her in preparing the assignments and she used to say 'thank you' in her sweet voice over and over. I thought that I had a friend finally. One da yshe asked me about my boy friend and I told that I don't have any. She told me that she saw me in computer lab chatting to some one. I was shy to disclose my chat friend's identity. She swore she won't tell it to any one. Believing her, I told about him and I told that we are just good friends and that's all.

The shock came on the next day as I entered the class room. Students have drawn funny pics of me with an old looking fellow and all were teasing me calling names.

I was on tears as I rush to the far away canteen. I didn't enter the class that day and I was scared that teachers also might know about this. This news might come to the ears of the computer lab-in-charge too. He might inform my mother and that is it. I might get a good scolding from her. More than everything I got hurt by the cheating of my friend or the girl whom I thought as my friend. I am a fool I thought....

I didn't entered the computer lab for next two days and spend my time in library,

In the library, I saw a man walking towards me. He was old and I saw the cleaning cloths in his hand. He came near me and started to clean the desk next to me. I was looking at the book without reading anything. I had a microbiology book in my hand. He lean over to me to smile and asked "Are you studying my child?"

"Yea." I was not quite sure about that answer.

The old man continued '' Good. Students usually forget that"

"Why are you sitting in cold? Did you had dinner?" He continued.

"I was about to go. " I smiled

"Hmm. May I ask something young lady, What is that troubling you? " His voice was bit husky and kind.

My heart-felt a comfort and I didn't know that tears rolled down my cheek. For a moment I thought of my father.

"Oh! What is that child? "He asked as he sat on a chair next to me.

I told about the events to him and he patiently listened.

"I got hurt badly about her cheating than regarding anything else. I had helped her a lot during the year and now she has done this just for fun. Can you believe it? How can someone break a trust 'just for fun'? " I finished with sobbing and covering my face with my hands.

He smiled "Dear child, Don't worry. This is how the world is. "

He pat on my back and continued "It takes great courage to follow the virtues and to keep the word. Not all are blessed. And God tests the one who are special all the time. When you do a good for another person, if he return the favour to you then what is so special? "His speech reminded me of parish priest.

He stood up from the chair next to go. Then he turned and told me "Remember this all your life, God sign under every good deed you do. When others deceive you, it is His style of signing the good deeds you do for His glory and not for a return favour from any". He smiled and walked away.

Those words were echoing in my brain. And those words gave a new insight. Every time a person, whom I have helped, hurts me, I could see the His signature with golden shimmer.....