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32. Souls in the Heart... Part 3

Sep 26, 2024

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Some sad events linger in my memory. A boy who used to sit beside me wasn’t a very close friend, but he was quiet and lovable. Sometimes, we had to wait outside the school compound for the bus to arrive. One day, a senior and well-liked driver, after sounding the horn, was backing up his bus. This boy, who was playing nearby, didn’t hear and was run over. The next day, during the prayer meeting, the driver stood with his head hanging in shame and remorse. My side was vacant in class, and for a few days, I was scared of sitting alone, imagining a ghost beside me.


Then comes the boy I fondly remember as one of my best childhood friends. He was the son of a very senior government official, and I used to sit next to him. He was very intelligent, kind, helpful, and well-behaved—the top student in the class. On a few occasions, he even took me to his house and cared for me. He had a significant influence on me, especially academically. We lost touch after I moved to Chennai. When the alumni website was launched, I reached out to one of the ladies managing it and inquired about him. I received shocking news: he had become a doctor, moved to the USA, and was murdered. What a great loss to the world.


Talking about this period, my thoughts turn to a girl who was another top student in the class. Unlike the ever-smiling boy, she always had a frown, a distinct air of dislike, and was uncommunicative and rude. Yet, she had the respect of the class for her academic achievements.


There was also a boy who used to hang out with us, the son of a jawan in the army. He was physically challenged but still played cricket with us. The mouth organ was one of my favorite musical instruments, and I had an expensive one that I often played for my friends. It was a piece of envy for everyone. One day, it disappeared. All my friends pointed fingers at this boy, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask. And that was the end of the story.


Then there was the old man from the typing institute in Madras I mentioned earlier. He took a great liking to me. Sometimes, when I couldn’t pay the fee on time due to family circumstances, he was empathetic and patient. He always encouraged me to apply myself and do well, and I did. During the couple of years I was with him, he gave me many valuable pieces of advice.


Next, my advertising company Manager. How do I look at him? He was very fond of me at first but then began to harass me. He knew I was attending the institute to learn accounting and commerce, which he didn’t like, believing that my attention would be distracted from work. Without minding the expense, he would drop me off in a taxi at a particular place and wait until I caught the bus to where he lived, just to ensure I didn’t go to the institute. And what did I do? I would get down at the next stop and walk back! He paid me a good salary, but I worked 12 to 14 hours a day.


In a way, he was an interesting person. A good cricketer who had played for his university as a wicket-keeper and batsman, he eventually moved into the administrative side of cricket. He had wonderful contacts and was the designated manager for any visiting international cricket team. For every match in Chennai, he would publish a book of statistics and articles on cricket, which was very popular. Yet…


It’s worth recalling that he was also instrumental in my getting the bank job. There was a rule in his company that required one month's notice for resignation. When I got the bank job, there was pressure to join immediately. My mother accompanied me to his house, and upon our request, he suggested I give a predated resignation letter, which he accepted.


How do you classify him? Good or bad?


I’ll stop here. Maybe I’ll continue reflecting on some other people who influenced me in the later part of my life.


To be continued... 33. The Virgin Clouds - Grapes Beyond Reach

Sep 26, 2024

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