Indigestible

The exam in class- VI in the upper primary school in our village in India was in progress supervised by one of our teachers. While answering the question paper , I noticed that a student sitting in front of me was cheating. I stood up spontaneously and directed the attention of the supervisor to what the cheating student was doing. The teacher stared at me in anger and shouted " Shut your mouth , it is none of your business." You can imagine why that scene is still live in my memory and why I remember the face of that teacher though 47 years have elapsed since it occurred .

I was attending the marriage of one of my relatives at the age of around 14 years or so . When I noticed bride's father shouting at a feeble man among the invitees , I went there to find out what was happening. The poor fellow had apparently gone there hoping that they would give him something to satiate his hunger as the signs of starvation were evident on his face. Instead of realizing the helplessness of that person and giving him something to eat, or at least dealing with him politely, my relative had no scruples to drive that poor fellow out of the function. I still remember the pale face of that helpless person while he was leaving the courtyard of the house where the function was conducted and the derisive laughter of the bride's father and lament on being compelled to be a passive spectator on such occasions.

Once one of my close relatives hired a carpenter to make table on contract basis. In those days carpenters were casual workers When the work was over, both my relative and the carpenter realized the amount of money agreed upon between them was disproportionate with magnitude of the time and energy spent by the latter and that he was entitled to some  more money in appreciation of the work carried out . But when my relative gave the carpenter exactly the contracted amount of money , I saw him imploring my relative to have mercy on him. Though my relative had not violated the terms of the contract and I knew that he was a person experiencing financial stringency, I do not know why I still feel that my relative had not treated the carpenter fairly.

The lady whom I saw searching for food particles in a garbage can in a city like London, the people sleeping inside  tunnels after laying a sheet before them prompting the passers by to give them some change in some European cities and the young men whom I saw in the oil rich Saudi Arabia that too near the holy Kaaba bringing the devotees the holy water of zamzam and laying carpets for prayers before them with an imploring look , are some other matters I sill find it hard to digest.

I will spare no efforts to preserve those memories related to incidents that occurred at a very early stage of my life as they continue serve as a deterrent and safety valve in my life. I am glad that my four children including the youngest one have learned to share the grievances of their fellow beings. Some of my close friends in India remind me that even after working 34 years in Qatar, I do not have a permanent source of income when I become physically incapable to work. Once when a broker approached me to buy a property , my children stopped me saying that God had given us more than what we deserved and wondered what else I needed.They  were indeed right, are there any other assets more precious than being blessed with such children?

By the Father