12-11-2024, 09:48 PM
By the time their mind reminded all theses thoughts, they reached Ramanathan sir’s house and knocked the front door.
Ramanathan: Haahn Muthu - Karpagam, come. How are you holding up? Is everything ok in your place.
Muthu: No sir! Our house were destroyed in flood and we have nothing left now!
Ramanathan: Am very sorry to hear this! But don’t worry, we are all here for you. Don’t think that you do not have a home and place to stay! I can arrange a stay for you in our colony itself.
Karpagam: Sir, we know about you, that you will definitely help us, but we came here for another reason (saying that she turned her face towards her husband).
Ramanathan: Do you need any money now?
Muthu: No sir!
Ramanathan: Then what do you need, tell me, I will arrange it.
Muthu: Sir, you know us for past 15 years. We have been working in this colony for very long time. You have helped us when we were struggling to find a job. We have come to Chennai with nothing except our 3 years old daughter. But now we have our own house in our native place, it’s all because of you only. We have been thinking to go back to our native place itself and spend our time with our grandchild, daughter who is living with her husband in the village next to our village. Well you know all these as you have helped us a lot for her marriage too. So, we are planning to go back to our native place today itself sir.
Ramanathan: Oh! (In a bit worried voice) I don’t know what to say. You were been a part of our family, and for all the families in this colony. So, it will be hard for us to sustain without you. I know it’s difficult for few days, but it will be ok after that. But, am happy for you that you are going to stay close to your daughter and with your grand child.
Muthu: Thank you sir!
Ramanathan: One minute! Just stay here (saying that he went inside the house and came back in a minute along with his wife Jamuna). Keep this!!! (He gave some amount which will be around Rs.25,000)
Muthu: Sir, no sir, this is not required!
Jamuna: Muthu keep it with you. Buy something for your grand child.
Karpagam: Thank you very much madam. We cannot forget all these.
Bidding good bye to Mr. and Mrs. Ramanathan, Muthu and Karpagam moved away from that house and looked at their right side towards Nilesh and Deepa’s house which is locked as usual, then they moved towards Saravana’s home. Once, they reached Saravanan’s home, Muthu knocked the door, Pallavi opened the door and came out.
Pallavi: Hello sister! Hi brother (Pallavi calls Karpagam as sister and Muthu as brother) How are you? I’ve heard that your area has been flooded with water!
Karpagam: Yes madam! Our huts were damaged and we do not have a place to stay. So, we are going back to our native place itself.
Pallavi: What? Why! You can stay at my home in the meantime, I’ll arrange it.
Muthu: No! It’s not that madam! We have been thinking to go back to our native and live with our daughter and grand child. So, we thought this is the right time.
Pallavi: Ok, we are going to miss you so much.
Muthu: Madam is sir at home?
Pallavi: No, he is out of station regarding his work. No problem, I’ll inform him.
Muthu: Ok madam! Thanks.
Karpagam: Bye madam!
Pallavi: Bye sister! Bye brother!
After bidding good bye to Pallavi, Muthu and Karpagam moved towards Prakash’s house and knocked the door. Priya opened the door and came out.
Priya: Haahn Muthu, Karpagam, come on, come in… (saying that she went inside the house).
Muthu: Madam! One minute…
Priya: First come inside both of you.
Muthu and Karpagam went inside the house, as they approached inside.
Priya: Sit down.
Muthu and Karpagam sat on the sofa.
Priya: How is everything Muthu? The rain was too heavy and it has been flooding all over the streets in your area.
Muthu: Yes madam! The flood has washed all our huts in our area and people are struggling for food and shelter.
Priya: Oh god! Am so sorry to hear. Wait for a minute, I’ll just be back (saying that she went inside the kitchen).
Muthu and Karpagam was looking each other’s face in a confused state. In a minute, Priya came out of Kitchen with few bowls, hot box and plates and kept it on the dining table and looked at them..
Priya: Come. Come and sit here, let’s have the breakfast.
Muthu: No madam! It’s ok.
Karpagam: It’s ok madam!
Priya: Come come… Let’s eat together. Am feeling so hungry… (when they both were looking at each other’s face, I went near Muthu and held his left hand with my right hand and held Karpagam’s right hand with my left hand and dragged them to the dining table).
They all sat and started eating tiffin. Muthu and Karpagam were starving as they do not have any food. Priya realised this and so wanted them to feed the food. While eating,
Muthu: Madam, we wanted to tell you something (said this and looked at Karpagam’s face).
Priya: Yes, what is it?
Karpagam: Madam, we are going back to our native place.
Priya: Oh! Is it… When are you coming back? Do you need some money?
Muthu: No madam! We are moving to our native place permanently!
Priya: What are you saying? You are going there forever? But why?
Muthu: Madam, we have been thinking this for quite a while. We wanted to live with our daughter and grandchild!
Priya: Ok. That’s good to hear actually! But I will be missing you both.
Karpagam: We are going to miss all of you as well madam.
Muthu: Madam, Prakash sir has not come to Chennai yet?
Priya: No. Due to heavy rains in Chennai, I asked him to stay in Pondicherry. He will come by next week.
Karpagam: Madam, where is Anand and Aravind?
Priya: They are sleeping!
They both had breakfast and were about to leave.
Muthu: Ok madam, we will take a leave.
Priya: Ok Muthu! Visit us here again and again.
Karpagam: Sure madam! We will come again. Take care madam.
Priya: Take care Karpagam. Bye…
All three of them came out of the house. Muthu and Karpagam were walking towards the exit gate and Priya is watching both of them from her door step. She closed the door and came inside the home. She sat on the sofa and starting rewinding her mind 15 years back.
Ramanathan: Haahn Muthu - Karpagam, come. How are you holding up? Is everything ok in your place.
Muthu: No sir! Our house were destroyed in flood and we have nothing left now!
Ramanathan: Am very sorry to hear this! But don’t worry, we are all here for you. Don’t think that you do not have a home and place to stay! I can arrange a stay for you in our colony itself.
Karpagam: Sir, we know about you, that you will definitely help us, but we came here for another reason (saying that she turned her face towards her husband).
Ramanathan: Do you need any money now?
Muthu: No sir!
Ramanathan: Then what do you need, tell me, I will arrange it.
Muthu: Sir, you know us for past 15 years. We have been working in this colony for very long time. You have helped us when we were struggling to find a job. We have come to Chennai with nothing except our 3 years old daughter. But now we have our own house in our native place, it’s all because of you only. We have been thinking to go back to our native place itself and spend our time with our grandchild, daughter who is living with her husband in the village next to our village. Well you know all these as you have helped us a lot for her marriage too. So, we are planning to go back to our native place today itself sir.
Ramanathan: Oh! (In a bit worried voice) I don’t know what to say. You were been a part of our family, and for all the families in this colony. So, it will be hard for us to sustain without you. I know it’s difficult for few days, but it will be ok after that. But, am happy for you that you are going to stay close to your daughter and with your grand child.
Muthu: Thank you sir!
Ramanathan: One minute! Just stay here (saying that he went inside the house and came back in a minute along with his wife Jamuna). Keep this!!! (He gave some amount which will be around Rs.25,000)
Muthu: Sir, no sir, this is not required!
Jamuna: Muthu keep it with you. Buy something for your grand child.
Karpagam: Thank you very much madam. We cannot forget all these.
Bidding good bye to Mr. and Mrs. Ramanathan, Muthu and Karpagam moved away from that house and looked at their right side towards Nilesh and Deepa’s house which is locked as usual, then they moved towards Saravana’s home. Once, they reached Saravanan’s home, Muthu knocked the door, Pallavi opened the door and came out.
Pallavi: Hello sister! Hi brother (Pallavi calls Karpagam as sister and Muthu as brother) How are you? I’ve heard that your area has been flooded with water!
Karpagam: Yes madam! Our huts were damaged and we do not have a place to stay. So, we are going back to our native place itself.
Pallavi: What? Why! You can stay at my home in the meantime, I’ll arrange it.
Muthu: No! It’s not that madam! We have been thinking to go back to our native and live with our daughter and grand child. So, we thought this is the right time.
Pallavi: Ok, we are going to miss you so much.
Muthu: Madam is sir at home?
Pallavi: No, he is out of station regarding his work. No problem, I’ll inform him.
Muthu: Ok madam! Thanks.
Karpagam: Bye madam!
Pallavi: Bye sister! Bye brother!
After bidding good bye to Pallavi, Muthu and Karpagam moved towards Prakash’s house and knocked the door. Priya opened the door and came out.
Priya: Haahn Muthu, Karpagam, come on, come in… (saying that she went inside the house).
Muthu: Madam! One minute…
Priya: First come inside both of you.
Muthu and Karpagam went inside the house, as they approached inside.
Priya: Sit down.
Muthu and Karpagam sat on the sofa.
Priya: How is everything Muthu? The rain was too heavy and it has been flooding all over the streets in your area.
Muthu: Yes madam! The flood has washed all our huts in our area and people are struggling for food and shelter.
Priya: Oh god! Am so sorry to hear. Wait for a minute, I’ll just be back (saying that she went inside the kitchen).
Muthu and Karpagam was looking each other’s face in a confused state. In a minute, Priya came out of Kitchen with few bowls, hot box and plates and kept it on the dining table and looked at them..
Priya: Come. Come and sit here, let’s have the breakfast.
Muthu: No madam! It’s ok.
Karpagam: It’s ok madam!
Priya: Come come… Let’s eat together. Am feeling so hungry… (when they both were looking at each other’s face, I went near Muthu and held his left hand with my right hand and held Karpagam’s right hand with my left hand and dragged them to the dining table).
They all sat and started eating tiffin. Muthu and Karpagam were starving as they do not have any food. Priya realised this and so wanted them to feed the food. While eating,
Muthu: Madam, we wanted to tell you something (said this and looked at Karpagam’s face).
Priya: Yes, what is it?
Karpagam: Madam, we are going back to our native place.
Priya: Oh! Is it… When are you coming back? Do you need some money?
Muthu: No madam! We are moving to our native place permanently!
Priya: What are you saying? You are going there forever? But why?
Muthu: Madam, we have been thinking this for quite a while. We wanted to live with our daughter and grandchild!
Priya: Ok. That’s good to hear actually! But I will be missing you both.
Karpagam: We are going to miss all of you as well madam.
Muthu: Madam, Prakash sir has not come to Chennai yet?
Priya: No. Due to heavy rains in Chennai, I asked him to stay in Pondicherry. He will come by next week.
Karpagam: Madam, where is Anand and Aravind?
Priya: They are sleeping!
They both had breakfast and were about to leave.
Muthu: Ok madam, we will take a leave.
Priya: Ok Muthu! Visit us here again and again.
Karpagam: Sure madam! We will come again. Take care madam.
Priya: Take care Karpagam. Bye…
All three of them came out of the house. Muthu and Karpagam were walking towards the exit gate and Priya is watching both of them from her door step. She closed the door and came inside the home. She sat on the sofa and starting rewinding her mind 15 years back.