The Sri Lankan Fable

It is just amazing how when you start talking to people, you get so many new stories and new experiences to hear about. This really brings a new perspective to life as sometimes we get so bogged down by our own problems without realizing what others are facing in the world. This is one such story I heard during some recent turmoil that I was experiencing in my personal life.

I am currently working in a retail store in a gulf country which consists of a lot of employees from different countries like Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Kenya, Philippines,  Indonesia and of course, India. And majority of the employees here are Muslims and being a Hindu, I was outnumbered and couldn’t relate with them. But I lucked out on language as the Sri Lankans spoke fluent Tamil (my mother-tongue) which made it easier to mingle with them.

One such colleague of mine was a guy named Sanath. Sanath was a guy who was happy-go-lucky and in whose company anyone would get excited. He was a salesman handling request of customers while I, as a trainee, was learning the whole store operations. So, last week, we were sorting the clothes in the boys section and I happened to ask him a routine question , “Maccha, do you have a girlfriend?” For which he replied, “Yes, I have a girlfriend and we have been together since 6 years.” This impressed me because maintaining a relationship for 6 years is a big deal in this era.

He went on to elaborate saying that he had tried to get out of it a few times but the girl didn’t leave him. It somehow didn’t sound true to me but I knew if I heckled him now, I won’t get to hear the whole story. So I kept mum as he went on to tell how it started .They knew each other from school and she was a Christian. Sanath being a Muslim was a bit of a problem to her because she was scared her parents won’t accept him. But, he was surprisingly well received at her home especially by her father.

Sanath then went on to describe the girl’s father. He said that the guy was a really nice man. He would do a business of 1.4 million daily and would distribute a majority of the money among the needy and also the youth for their spending and daily needs. Sanath also had the privilege of receiving this money and bought all sort of gadgets money could buy. Sanath also mentioned that he got along well with him. He invited Sanath to drink with him and they would have a good time discussing stuff from Tollywood cinema to politics of Sri Lanka.

Sanath also described that he never hesitated asking him money on his own accord and he will give him the money without hesitating. Such was the man for whom money was a means of keeping people happy and not a matter of status or personality. He even asked Sanath to go to the gulf after he finished his bachelor’s degree. Sanath was hesitant as he had everything he wanted right here, the girl he liked, a great future family and no dearth of money. But, later calamity struck in the worst possible way and on the worst possible day.

Sanath was on a vacation in Pondicherry and he was enjoying his time with his friends. The next day was his birthday and he couldn’t be at a better place. That night he got a call from his girlfriend, he was expecting an intimate talk including some loud wishes but what he got was hysterical sobs. He was shocked to hear her so distraught. She revealed to him that her dad had suffered a stroke an hour ago and now, he had breathed his last. Sanath’s world had come crashing down on a day when everything was supposed to be perfect and beautiful. A day that his girlfriend was supposed to remember as his birthday will also be remembered as the day her dad had died.

Sanath immediately moved to the gulf and joined the company he is currently working for and whenever he is faced with the memory of his late friend he rotates the nokia phone his friend had bought for him as his first. No matter how many phones he buys after this, that gadget will occupy a special place in his heart.

P.S: A shout out to my bro in the U.S (of Amrikka), Rishabh Mehta (of ‘The Soulmate’ fame). Man, you are going to rock that interview on 21^st. Best of Luck Homie!