The Bonfire

How many of you know Mr. Laxman Naidu ? Well let me ask it this way, how many of you can work as a watchman for a colony like the one in which I live ?? Doesn't make sense,ain't it ?
It will , like it made to me when i came across this person last night.

I myself have watched "Rendezvous with Simi Garewall" a lot many times.I have liked the show a lot,especially a couple of episodes. But yesternight's rendezvous was the better than the best episode.

Last night after having my supper, I went for a regular walk on the roads of my colony, Owner's Court.Nothing was different,the same old trees,the same houses which appeared dimmly lit through the thick window glasses,lonely lanes with dry leaves. As I was on my way back home,I saw this watchman sitting next to a fire he lit.A bonfire,on a cold winter night is a delicacy.Here in Bangalore it is not that cold allthough,anyways i went upto the man and asked him if I could join.As per expectation he said,why not.I asked him about his native place,village,parents.Then when i asked him whether he was married or not,he gave me this very strange smile.Then he said,"I have a son of ur age". I told him I am 24, he said his son was 21.Then he started to tell me his story.What shocked me was his starting line,in a typical Vito Corleone voice,"When you have money,you fool around with life, and when you dont have it, life fools around with you".Yea, in perfect English language.I was shocked.

Then he continued,"I had a flourishing flower business one day.I used to be the biggest florist in KamanaHalli(some place in Bangalore,but a very famous place) and used to control the entire flower biz there.I used to spend a thousand bucks in a night,and now my salary is somewhat close to two nights expenditure then.Time plays bad jokes with you.When I got married, my wife used to tell me, dont keep such a huge friend circle.I told her.." , he started in Hindi and switched back to English," ...tu toh abhi aayi hai. In log mere saath saat saat saal se hain(They have been with me for the last seven years).", he paused and again started, "Aaj dekha jaaye toh meri wife hi mere saath hai , mere dost nahin.Strange isn't it? ." This seemed to be the voice of a man who has seen and endured a lot in his life.He started again,"Then after I came to the roads,I went to the same friends, but they ditched me , thinking I might ask for three four thousand bucks.Those people forgot how i used to spend on them.They would come and wake me at 5 in the morning and we would go on long drives.I sponsored everything.Who remembers that.They avoided me,and I realised that nobody is nobody's here".He took a short pause.Neither he nor I could speak,probably both of us dint know what to speak.Then he started again,"I had two options, either to kill myself or to live a life I had never imagined to live.I had no money.I had no idea what to do.People thought I would come to them to beg for some money.But sher(tiger) to sher hota hai na sahaab.Mein bhi socha ki coolie ka kaam karunga,lekin jaunga nahin un logon ke paas."

His words had some kilotons of determination in it. And later on he confessed he is happier the way his life had shaped up after this decision.His son couldn't complete college and now is a welder.His wife works as a maid in the nearby colony. And he now works as a watchman in Owner's Court.He lives quite happily now, and they dont sleep with an empty stomach.And above that, he has earned utmost respect in my heart forever.


Now you people would want to know how he lost his money.I even wanted to know the same.But probably it was something so shameful that he took no time to evade the question.What I could make out was probably he lost it in gambling or may be in a huge business investment.Anyways,I remember something related to gambling when I think about this. Golak , Dhiraj , dont you guys ?

Life,time,luck, call it whatever , but I believe it was a pure comeback and nothing else.Personally speaking I woudnt have been able to handle this kind of situation.Hats off to this man and his family for pulling it off.Allthough if not restoring the old life of theirs, this family and especially this man has lived like a true man.I can never imagine working like him.Yesterday I was very depressed with my problems.But then looking at this man's patience and will, I realised that most of mine,I shud say,our problems are really small and can be resolved with a lot of ease.That gave me a new kick.

At last I would like to say what my father used to tell me since I was a kid."Kaama kichchi bhi chhota nuhan."( No work is small or inferior.).I cant write the exact message,but the gist is,no work is inferior,whatever you do,do it with utmost passion,then only you will excel.Something like the famous lines in Lakshya, "kaam koi bhi karo achcha karo,scientist bano ,toh achcha scientist bano, tab jaake koi baat hai. Ghaaas kato ,agar achcha ghaas na kato toh kya faayada."

Sorry dad, I never followed you.