Prabhakaran chettan, all of 74 years, passed into the mist of time a couple of hours after midnight. He was the first among my generation from my father's family - the eldest of five siblings of my dad's eldest sister, Sarasamma aunty. His father was in the police, who'd his own fights with my paternal grandparents over his wife's share of her family wealth. The upshot of the turbulent relationship was that, neither he nor his siblings ever got the benefit of the upbringing by their maternal grandparents - a tremendous loss about which I can vouch for! The father had passed a diktat that none of his kids would go anywhere near their mom's folks!!
To make matters worse, his mother had a problem of a weak heart that took its toll as she passed away in the mid '50s(immediately after my parents' marriage and I've only seen her in photographs. She's indeed very pretty!) and Prabhakaran chettan was, then, in his teens and was grappling with a tempestuous relationship with his dad. Something had snapped deep within him and he became the quintessential rebel of the family - he'd long given up on going to school and started doing all sorts of sundry jobs. And then, marriage happened. His wife, a smart young lady from a financially not so well off but loving family, finally brought about a semblance of stability into his life. Together they sired four children but sadly, they don't get along well even to this day.
I've always looked at Prabhakaran chettan's life with dismay. Here was a gentleman from a good family, who could have reached unimaginable heights in life but frittered it away for some unfathomable reason or the other - or am I being harsh on him as it's the external circumstances that threw him out of gear? And so he worked as a farm labourer much to the consternation of the family and he didn't seem to have any complaint or ill will towards anyone for that. A simpleton to the core, he used to be very fond of me and my sisters. Whenever I used to fetch up at home on holidays or on leave, he used to make it a point to come and meet me, to spend time with me. He was a good listener and used to hear my stories from the school, the Academy and at the workplace with awe, sometimes guffawing at my foolish escapades and the stories of my running fights with some of my friends! He'd told me rather apologetically that he's unable to call me to his place because he didn't have the wherewithal to look after me despite my telling him that such aspects never bothered me.
I'd met him, last, about four months back. He'd lost his eyesight by then and had made me talk about myself, as usual, holding my hand all the while and laughing innocently and genuinely at my PJs! I saw that he'd a remarkable resemblance to my dad, whom he used to adore and revere.
A simple man who never hankered for anything, was contented with what he'd and had no complaints or ill will towards anyone for his state of being and he was a wonderful human being.
RIP Prabhakaran chetta, I shall miss you! May chechi, your children and grandchildren have the strength to tide over your irreparable loss.
Tailpiece.
As I drove into town late in the evening, I was witness to a bad case of tailgating. A youngster, seemed to be in his teens and was with his friend, drove into the main thoroughfare from a side road at full clip narrowly missing a huge 'SUV' in the swerve. The enraged suv guy, picked up speed, overtook the small car and tapped its bonnet with his left quarter causing a loss of paint and dent, before scooting off.
Another case of road rage that seems to be in vogue and quite common, these days!
To make matters worse, his mother had a problem of a weak heart that took its toll as she passed away in the mid '50s(immediately after my parents' marriage and I've only seen her in photographs. She's indeed very pretty!) and Prabhakaran chettan was, then, in his teens and was grappling with a tempestuous relationship with his dad. Something had snapped deep within him and he became the quintessential rebel of the family - he'd long given up on going to school and started doing all sorts of sundry jobs. And then, marriage happened. His wife, a smart young lady from a financially not so well off but loving family, finally brought about a semblance of stability into his life. Together they sired four children but sadly, they don't get along well even to this day.
I've always looked at Prabhakaran chettan's life with dismay. Here was a gentleman from a good family, who could have reached unimaginable heights in life but frittered it away for some unfathomable reason or the other - or am I being harsh on him as it's the external circumstances that threw him out of gear? And so he worked as a farm labourer much to the consternation of the family and he didn't seem to have any complaint or ill will towards anyone for that. A simpleton to the core, he used to be very fond of me and my sisters. Whenever I used to fetch up at home on holidays or on leave, he used to make it a point to come and meet me, to spend time with me. He was a good listener and used to hear my stories from the school, the Academy and at the workplace with awe, sometimes guffawing at my foolish escapades and the stories of my running fights with some of my friends! He'd told me rather apologetically that he's unable to call me to his place because he didn't have the wherewithal to look after me despite my telling him that such aspects never bothered me.
I'd met him, last, about four months back. He'd lost his eyesight by then and had made me talk about myself, as usual, holding my hand all the while and laughing innocently and genuinely at my PJs! I saw that he'd a remarkable resemblance to my dad, whom he used to adore and revere.
A simple man who never hankered for anything, was contented with what he'd and had no complaints or ill will towards anyone for his state of being and he was a wonderful human being.
RIP Prabhakaran chetta, I shall miss you! May chechi, your children and grandchildren have the strength to tide over your irreparable loss.
Tailpiece.
As I drove into town late in the evening, I was witness to a bad case of tailgating. A youngster, seemed to be in his teens and was with his friend, drove into the main thoroughfare from a side road at full clip narrowly missing a huge 'SUV' in the swerve. The enraged suv guy, picked up speed, overtook the small car and tapped its bonnet with his left quarter causing a loss of paint and dent, before scooting off.
Another case of road rage that seems to be in vogue and quite common, these days!
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