Nurungukal…3..

Ichirivettam..7….As we returned home after a social visit, I was surprised to see two constables and and a few of our neighbours waiting for us in front of the house. There were  four bunches of banana and a young man standing half naked between the police men. The sight of the police made my heart to skip one or two beats. I manged to be composed and enquired about the purpose of their presence. In their typical tone the senior one asked me whether  the banana bunches were from my field. I replied I am not sure. They confirmed that it was so, as the culprit who was standing with them had already admitted it. They examined the field which was nearby and confirmed the submission. As usual they asked for my statement, which I gave reluctantly. Because I pretty well knew the way it will be dealt in a court of law.

     I knew from them how the young thief was caught red handed. After cutting the bunches from our field he took another four from a heap collected by a trader in Kalpetta and ventured to sell them to the same trader. The trader had marked his bunches which the thief failed to notice. On seeing his marked bunches the trader cunningly informed the police and the thief  became a sitting duck. It made easy for the police to take an admission about my property. I was told that the bunches will be produced before the court and the value will be paid immediately, after the initial proceeding are over.

       As I knew the futility of pursuing such cases, deleted the whole episode from memory. After a lapse of three or four years I was summoned to appear before the magistrate  to record my submission. I was trying to visualise the events  with some nervousness which is usual  with any one, while waiting for the call. But just before entering the witness box, to my relief the constable on duty refreshed my memory about the sequence of events. I was satisfied with my performance in the box, as I saw the smile on the face of the constable. When I was about to  leave the box the magistrate asked me whether I have collected the cost of the banana bunches from the police. With all my innocence I blurted “no”, which invited a furious reprimand from the magistrate to the police. I once again looked at the constable who had suddenly lost his smile, became tense and was wiping the sweat. I just walked out without turning back and till date did not bother about the cost money …dum dum dum…..pi pi pi..

Nurungukal..3..

Ichirivettam..6..She lay completely wrapped from head to foot with plaster. motionless, on the foot path of Indiranagar in Bangalore. Passersby through notes and coins into the cloth spread in the front. A man and a girl in rags sat begging with folded arms, occasionally wiping their tears. On enquiry I was told that the lady met with an accident and is immovable. I felt pity and gave fifty rupees, which the man, with shivering hands accepted and touched my foot. While returning from my evening walk I saw him carrying her on his shoulder and hurrying away. It made me shudder and with a throbbing heart I contained my feelings. Days passed. While shopping in Majestic my attention was once again drawn by the trio . The scene was similar to the one in Indranagar. Once again my sentiments rose and offered another fifty rupees.

        The trio encountered me once again. This time it was on the foot path adjacent to the Mysore bus stand. There was a heap of notes and coins in the cloth and the man and the girl sat enacting the usual scene. I just looked at them with a smile and once again through a fifty rupee note. But this time for their ingenuity of their profession. Never again I have met them. Probably they are in pursuit of other tricks…..dum dum dum ..pi pi pi… 

Nurungukal..3..

Ichirivettam..6..She lay completely wrapped from head to foot with plaster. motionless, on the foot path of Indiranagar in Bangalore. Passersby through notes and coins into the cloth spread in the front. A man and a girl in rags sat begging with folded arms, occasionally wiping their tears. On enquiry I was told that the lady met with an accident and is immovable. I felt pity and gave fifty rupees, which the man, with shivering hands accepted and touched my foot. While returning from my evening walk I saw him carrying her on his shoulder and hurrying away. It made me shudder and with a throbbing heart I contained my feelings. Days passed. While shopping in Majestic my attention was once again drawn by the trio . The scene was similar to the one in Indranagar. Once again my sentiments rose and offered another fifty rupees.

        The trio encountered me once again. This time it was on the foot path adjacent to the Mysore bus stand. There was a heap of notes and coins in the cloth and the man and the girl sat enacting the usual scene. I just looked at them with a smile and once again through a fifty rupee note. But this time for their ingenuity of their profession. Never again I have met them. Probably they are in pursuit of other tricks…..dum dum dum ..pi pi pi… 

Nurungukal..3

Ichirivettam..5….Two weeks ago we spent two days with our daughter-in-law in Mahe. Her brother invited us for a dinner. On our way to his house we stopped to check the air in the tyres of the car. The air filling shop was opposite to a bar and it was very crowded as usual in a Sunday evening especially after the closure of bars in Kerala. We noticed a young man sitting on a stack of old tyres, with a tense face. His eyes were red hot and was he was sweating. He got up with much effort and staggered to the man who was unfolding the long pipe to fill air. It was sure that the young man was under the influence of a heavy booze. Next thing we saw was the young man being pushed to the floor. He slowly returned to the original position virtually crying and pleading. Then slowly curled up like a tired dog.

          My son who listened to their conversation said that the young man under the influence of alcohol had given the key of his bike to a stranger in the bar and now the vehicle is missing. He was persistently pleading to the other for help to retrieve the vehicle which irritated him ending in the tussle. 

          We left the spot leaving him in slumber….dum dum dum pi pi pi….

Nurungukal...3..

Ichirivettam..4..This incident happened many years ago,  at Nagpur railway station. The bright Nagpur oranges tempted me to purchase a few from a hawker. It was very cheap when compared with the price in Kozhikode. I gave him a fifty rupees note . He had no change to return the balance. Requesting  me to wait he disappeared into the busy crowd in the station. The time ticked past and there was no sign of him. The final whistle was blown and the train with a hoot started moving. I jumped into the compartment at the last moment and, standing at he door scanned the entire stretch of the platform. There was no trace of him. As the train was passing the name board I caught a glimpse of him happily enjoying a joke with his friends, confirming my apprehension..dum dum dum pi pi pi….

Nurungukal..3

Ichirivettom..3..It was by luck my grand daughter noticed the little kitten which lay curled under the car. Otherwise it would have been crushed to death. Perhaps it would have been strayed or discarded by some neighbours. The brown stripes on its white body looked cute and gradually it became their pet kitten. As I watched my grand daughter playing with it, I told her to scribble a note about its pranks. She came out with a beautiful description which reflected her flair for writing and observation. And asked her to write on anything which she found interesting. Yesterday when I asked about the progress she happily told that so far she had completed fifteen such narrations. I am eager to read them now. I hope a young writer is budding. !!..dum dum pi pi pi.

Nurungukal…3..contd…

Ichirivettam..2….He lay crumpled, emaciated,wrinkled in a corner of a dark room. His nails have grown and curled up. We called him Chettayi. A small man. We have seen him moving about briskly making short steps and always smiling. On that day I had accompanied a team of palliative workers during a home care visit. I was shocked to see him in his present condition. A foul smell came out from the room. One of his sons who was mentally not o.k. was walking up and down in front of the house. He resisted our moves to nurse his father. His wife sat in a helpless mood on the veranda of their thatched house. We had no option but to abandon the mission on that day. Next day we managed to remove him to a nearby Govt. hospital with the help of a doctor and police. Although he died a few days later, we were sure that he departed with a smiling face.

      Look around there are many such Chettayis in your neighbourhood who throng for your care…dum dum pi pi pi…