Fascinated by super heroes mostly from abroad, we seem to have completely forgotten about the real heroes around us. Maybe because this is age of Ultron where normal human beings are less visible.

Abdullah Shah, a teenager, owns a rickshaw; I hired him for his services today. When I reached my destination I asked him: “do you know what day is today?” He replied, “it’s Friday.”

“I am not asking about the day, tell me the date?”

“I don’t remember dates, sir.”

He was least interested in my inquiry. It was stupid of me to ask the next question but I went ahead and asked it: “do you know significance of 1^st May?” He gave me such a blank look in response that I felt embarrassed. I paid him the rent and walked away. I passed by many other 1^st May heroes like security guards, boys at workshops, street hawkers selling their things on carts; you can take a tour and see with your own eyes, they don’t have any idea about the importance of 1^st May, at all. 

There are uncountable Abdullah Shahs in our immediate surroundings who are not even aware of the term, “basic human rights”.  Though, we definitely love to enjoy the day off in the name of their “human rights” but we hardly waste a second on giving a thought to this thread which keeps the whole fabric of our society intact. How ignored and marginalized is the class which is the sole machinery on which everything runs thanklessly. 

Imagine a life without those who construct the homes in which we live, the roads on which we drive, the buildings in which we work. Imagine a life without the maids, drivers, cooks, gardeners. Imagine a life without those who clean up our mess deep down inside the gutters. I know, you can’t even imagine.

Why we are we failing to see the superheroes in them? They work so hard that even the most “adventurous” of our days are less tiresome than their normal routine days. So, what’s with this date? Why is there a holiday on 1^st May? How did it start? Is it effective? From how long are we paying tribute to our laborers on this date and for how long will they keep living in misery? Trust me, nobody from the top to the bottom gives a serious thought about this. Serious thoughts aside, politicians are ripping them apart and we are all dead and blind witnesses.

All the superheroes of my country who are literally paying with their sweat and blood to drag this fractured country don’t need our testimonials and tributes, they don’t want our revolutionary and sentimental posts on Facebook, they don’t want a day or a date. The only thing that they need is our attention – not for a single day but for 365 days a year.

If anyone is trying to find a meaning and purpose in their life, it’s in front of you. They are not educated, we are. They never went to school, we did. More than speaking on their behalf, we should think and act on their behalf.  Only we can bring their rights back from spineless politicians and heartless clerics. Let’s make every day, a labour day.