it just so happened

Today i was going to meet a friend of mine. I was sitting in the bus, thinking something without realising that the old man sitting next to me was visually challenged. suddenly he asked the other guy to help him talk to someone which the other guy did, the old man's name is Mr D.P.Dubey. I  just ear dropped to his conversation over the phone, though i could not make out whom he was talking to. Mr Dubey started telling his story to the other guy. He is from bihar,he is here to get himself checked at AIIMS, hoping that doctors could help him. The day he was going to AIIMS, someone pickpocketed all his money n the poor old man was left with just two hundred rupees. The doctors asked him to visit on 22nd. Now he had not had food for i dont know how many days, he was all without money, going to meet an acquaintence hoping that he will help.After learning all this, i felt really bad n offered him money without realising that i've left my wallet at home.He refused, flatly refused to take any sort of financial help from me stating that his self respect would not allow him to do so. And i started wondering how a man, who has no money,without food for atleast a day,with almost nill hopes of getting any help keeps his self respect over n above everything. We everyday see these beggers, all fit n fine, asking for money sometime in the name of god, n sometime in the name of their plight. The whole incident shook me from inside, i felt like crying(though i say that emotions dont mean a thing to me). IS it really true that things like Self-respect,dignity,values have become limited to small towns !!!