I'd returned from my evening walk after paying up the shop that I'd bought a bunch of bananas yesterday but didn't have the change to pay for. The young lady even made the remark that I couldn't have rested well because I owed Rs.60/- .......and it was a fact! On reaching home, my first act was to scan my cellphone for missed calls as is a usual habit and noticed that there were three calls from a particular number.
Something told me that the caller was desperate to get in touch and so, I dialled the number and felt so nice to know that it was Chandradeep, the barber who was on board the ship Sagardhwani, while I was in command. Actually his elder brother, Ramjit and he used to do the duties of the ship's barber alternatively every six months and the entire lot of us were very satisfied with the way they conducted themselves, offered their services.
They came from the rural interior of Uttar Pradesh, had cultivable land where they alternatively grew potatoes and pulses depending upon the seasonal diktats. While massaging post haircut, they used to tell me about the agricultural activities, that they undertook, in a fair amount of detail. What I remember about the disarmingly simple duo was that the two of them complemented each other to the tee and loved and toiled for their joint family without any sign of acrimony. Both of them were good at massaging and hearing their stories, their apprehensions during the process was education of a different kind!
They used to continue to be in touch with me much after I'd relinquished command of the ship and they used to come home for doing the needful, while I was at Kochi. But ever since I'd shifted to Guruvayur, the communication had dwindled and today was the first time that he'd called and hence, the excitement.
He'd left Sagardhwani soon after because he didn't feel comfortable with the new lot and he was currently freelancing in Bombay but found it difficult to make both ends meet. Ramjit was back home, restricted in movements with severe arthritis. His son had just finished class 12 with a pass class and he was seeking his professional placement in a suitable institution after which he wants to come to Guruvayur to set up shop.
Tailpiece.
His expectations are scary and I only hope that I do not let him down, I'm able to do something!
Something told me that the caller was desperate to get in touch and so, I dialled the number and felt so nice to know that it was Chandradeep, the barber who was on board the ship Sagardhwani, while I was in command. Actually his elder brother, Ramjit and he used to do the duties of the ship's barber alternatively every six months and the entire lot of us were very satisfied with the way they conducted themselves, offered their services.
They came from the rural interior of Uttar Pradesh, had cultivable land where they alternatively grew potatoes and pulses depending upon the seasonal diktats. While massaging post haircut, they used to tell me about the agricultural activities, that they undertook, in a fair amount of detail. What I remember about the disarmingly simple duo was that the two of them complemented each other to the tee and loved and toiled for their joint family without any sign of acrimony. Both of them were good at massaging and hearing their stories, their apprehensions during the process was education of a different kind!
They used to continue to be in touch with me much after I'd relinquished command of the ship and they used to come home for doing the needful, while I was at Kochi. But ever since I'd shifted to Guruvayur, the communication had dwindled and today was the first time that he'd called and hence, the excitement.
He'd left Sagardhwani soon after because he didn't feel comfortable with the new lot and he was currently freelancing in Bombay but found it difficult to make both ends meet. Ramjit was back home, restricted in movements with severe arthritis. His son had just finished class 12 with a pass class and he was seeking his professional placement in a suitable institution after which he wants to come to Guruvayur to set up shop.
Tailpiece.
His expectations are scary and I only hope that I do not let him down, I'm able to do something!
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