Three meetings (BH: D280)

May 12, 2012

I recognized Vignesh who had come next door to do the lighting decorations for tomorrow's marriage. He had been to our house and rather adventurously climbed to our sloping roof to do the lighting for my sister's wedding. Since he was precariously perched on the roof at that time, I couldn't bring myself up to a chat. He was on much flatter surfaces today. So we talked. He is from interior Tamil Nadu. He enjoys working in Thiruvananthapuram. It is hectic but he makes good money. 

"Oru veettukku naanoru kedaikum Saar. oru dinam moonnu veedu pannuveen!" (I get Rs. 400 per house. I can do three houses in a day) He remembered coming to our place all those months ago. He has been busy almost every single day since then. So didn't get a chance to go back home. 

"sila velai ellam romba thollai. Nethukku oru Muslim veedu. irupathimoonu thengu mele decoration pannanam."(Some jobs are difficult. Yesterday at a Muslim wedding. 23 coconut trees had to be decorated) 

"thengu mele yaaru povan?" (who climbs the coconut trees?)

"naane Saar" (Me only!)

One more coconut tree in our colony was slaughtered this morning. It won't get a chance to be decorated by Vignesh. It is interesting how people call the trees a nuisance when they are the ones started a life around the trees, decades after the trees had been standing their ground. I wonder what will happen if trees started thinking that humans were a nuisance in their habitat!

For most of the week, I had been enjoying the comforts of an air conditioned office. Saiju is traveling. While he got busy finding opportunities in the rapid tranformation of the Middle East from oil richness to becoming the educational capital of the world, I was tasked with studying his office operations to identify inefficiencies. 

I looked at the workings from the left and the right. Even from the top it looks good. I didn't dare to look at the bottom. Mostly because the office is overwhelmingly feminine. The most interesting personality in an office full of unique souls is a grand old man whom everyone lovingly calls "Appooppan"(grandfather). When I had first met him a couple of months ago, he was standing in a lungi with a towel wrapped on his forehead, sweating profusely, gripping a spade in the middle of a single handed yard cleaning operation around the office building using both hands. 

Today, late in the evening, after most of the staff had left, he wandered in a little upset that he couldn't find the accountant to claim his daily wage.I grabbed the opportunity for a chat. 

"Appooppante veedevideya?"(Where is your home?)

"Poovar"

"Veettil aarokke und?" (Who all are there are home?)

"Makanum avante randu makkalum" (My son and his two kids)

"Makan entha pani?"(What does your son do?)

"Wiringinte...avan kurachu naalu veliyil aayirunnu" (Electrician...he was abroad for some time)

"Gulf?" (Dubai?"

"O" (Yes)

"Monte makal school aayo?" (have you grandkids started going to school?)

"Moothaval naalara vayasayi. Ilayathinu ippo aaru masam. Njan veettil chelumbo moothathu vilichondu oodi varum. Athu ketta mathi ilayathu orakkam aanengilum unarum."(the older one is four and a half. The younger one is just six months. When I reach home the older one will come screaming. Hearing that the young one will wake up if she is sleeping)

"athu pinne angane aavande!"(that's how it should be)

He smiled and relaxed. 

"Ente mol ivide illa." (My daughter is not here)

"Evideya?"(Where is she?)

"Padikkan midukki aayirunnu. Ippo angu Gujarathila"(She was good with her academics. She is now in Gujarat)

"Kalyanam Kazhicho?"(After marriage?)

"Kalyanam kazhichu joli kitti poyi. Avalde bharthavu militaryil aanu" (She got a job after marriage and left. Her husband is in the military)

"Puli avide aano?" (Is he there?)

"O...avan pilot aanu...helicopterinte. ente bharyayude sahodaride mon thanne..mura cherukkan. nalla padippullathu kondu molku nalla joli kitti." (Yes, he is a helicopter pilot. He is my wife's sister's son. Since she is well educated, my daughter got a job)

"Entha joli?" (What job?)

He got closer to the table, took out his purse and showed me two old photographs. A young girl with braided hair over both her shoulders in sepia color and an serious looking lady, with specs, in black and white.

"Ithano cherumakal?" (Is this your granddaughter?) I asked pointing to the young girl.

"Alla...randum ente mol thanne. Ithaval patham classil. Ithu degree kazhinjappo"(No..both are my daughter's photos. This one is her when she was in high school. This is her after graduation)He then pointed to the visiting card on the other side of the purse. It had his daughter's name with her degrees "M.A, L.L.B" printed on it.

"Njan mannu vetti aanu avale padipichathu. Nannayittu padichu saare"(I did manual labor to send her to school. She studied well, Sir) His eyes glittered with pride. 

"Appooppan entha Gujarathil pokathathu?" (Why don't you go to Gujarat?)

"Enniku avidathe choodum thanuppum pidikoola. Avaru ente monte kalyanathinu vannirunnu. aaru varsham munpu." (I can't cope with the climate there. They had come down for my son's wedding. Six years ago)

The man was clearly missing his daughter. He had dedicated his life to her. Now, he was happy that though she is away, she is successful. He continues to do field work."Appoopan ethra vayasayi?" (How old are you?) I asked to break his train of thought."Kore aayi...ennittum angottu edukunilla"(very old...but I am still not going to the other world!) He laughed and then told me he was 76. 

Thinking about his daughter, when his eyes wandered to the ceiling, he had spotted some cobwebs. He immediately went out of the room, returned with a broom and swept the ceiling clean. I believe there is an incredible, unique satisfaction that comes from the knowledge that one has nurtured another soul to respectable social standing and a good life. The man was the living sample of that joy which I will never know. 

One of the guests was sitting like an odd man out, removed from the talkative crowd at the pre-wedding celebrations next door. Since Amma is acting as one of the hostesses, she tried to strike up a conversation with him. He was a new bank officer who had come to city in February from Delhi. Amma invited him home so that he could have some company instead of feeling left out in the crowd. 

He kept reiterating his disbelief how such a laid back, small city could be the capital of a state. He said his mother couldn't believe whatever he told her about the life here, till she herself visited. "It is a very difficult city of a vegetarian like me. There are very few choices. Besides, everything is closed here by 8pm. There is no night life except for cultural programs." He gave his assessment. Then he said he was surprised that schools didn't have uniform and girls could wear gold jewelry to school. I wondered which singular educational institution had triggered this whoppingly wrong stereotyping. 

"I told my mother that Malayalees like the color pink very much. The rice here is pink, the drinking water is made pink, the banana is pink."

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy had come next door to greet the bride. People stood around respectfully. Nobody asked him when the trash in town would be cleared.