A lot many jobs have been lined up during the ten days out here, while fulfilling social commitments. It would have been difficult for me but for the smart moves by the caretaker of our ancestral house. Vijayan has tremendous patience, enormous goodwill among the people and a disarming persistence in his endeavour.
He was touched by the new clothes, handed over to him and his wife by mom this morning, on the occasion of onam due next week. He'd got along a worker to clean up the facade of the house despite pouring rain. I'd also pitched in by passing buckets of water up the gangplank to reduce their workload - and weren't they thankful? It's onam, mind you and we, Malayalees, stop working towards the run up.
The overgrown grass and the wild brushes, within the immediate vicinity of the house had to be clipped and removed. Sivan, another resourceful worker, was co opted for the job and within no time, he'd beautified and made the surroundings tidy. What saddened me was that no sooner had he got the wages for his efforts, he'd headed for the nearest toddy shop to have his tots and I saw him sprawled on a bench in front of a closed shop in a drunken haze. I was on my walk, a trifle past sunset. Vijayan was instructed to ensure that he got back to his house though he said something to the effect that the wife would give him a rough time as she brooked no nonsense and he'd eventually incur his wrath for reaching him safely(?) home!
Tailpiece.
The leaking faucet is yet to be fixed. And what about the cleaning of the overhead fresh water tank?
He was touched by the new clothes, handed over to him and his wife by mom this morning, on the occasion of onam due next week. He'd got along a worker to clean up the facade of the house despite pouring rain. I'd also pitched in by passing buckets of water up the gangplank to reduce their workload - and weren't they thankful? It's onam, mind you and we, Malayalees, stop working towards the run up.
The overgrown grass and the wild brushes, within the immediate vicinity of the house had to be clipped and removed. Sivan, another resourceful worker, was co opted for the job and within no time, he'd beautified and made the surroundings tidy. What saddened me was that no sooner had he got the wages for his efforts, he'd headed for the nearest toddy shop to have his tots and I saw him sprawled on a bench in front of a closed shop in a drunken haze. I was on my walk, a trifle past sunset. Vijayan was instructed to ensure that he got back to his house though he said something to the effect that the wife would give him a rough time as she brooked no nonsense and he'd eventually incur his wrath for reaching him safely(?) home!
Tailpiece.
The leaking faucet is yet to be fixed. And what about the cleaning of the overhead fresh water tank?
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