Adieu Binoy!

Got the sad news that Binoy, all of 38 yrs, the driver-cum-peon of the Jan Shikshan Sansthan (Kollam) had passed away. He had hung himself to death at his house. He leaves behind his wife and two small children. His family life was not smooth and there used to be frequent fights between him and his wife, which took its toll, I'm told.

Adieu Binoy! Om Shanti! Sadgati.

I shall recollect my brief yet good association with the youngster. On taking over as the Chairman of JSS (Kollam) in Nov 2015, he used to chauffeur me whenever I used to visit Kollam on official duty. The white Toyota Qualis and Binoy were my inseparable companions on those trips and he knew that I was a stickler for time. 

Soon after my taking over the organisation, I'd got a call from my dad's sister, Varadamma appachi, who was staying at Kavanad, Kollam one day asking me to help out a poor chap - an excellent driver and who was badly in need of a job. And she'd ended her conversation by saying and I quote, "I'll feel safe if he were to drive you around".

Consequently, I'd spoken with the boy and had my first journey with him, behind the wheel, from Thiruvananthapuram to Kollam. He, indeed, drove well, was never rash and drove with a relish. His countenance that satisfied me was that he genuinely enjoyed driving and drove with pride, when he had the chairman on board!

On such trips, I used to ask him about his family because he had got married soon after he'd got the job and a few months later, his wife was in the family way. They belonged to the fishing community in coastal Paravoor and seemed to be doing well till an accident, one evening, turned his world upside down. 

He was on a personal errand on his mobike when he was hit by a car around 2000 hrs, one evening and the culprits did not have the basic courtesy of tending him and providing medical aid (Using the organisation's reach and our contacts, we were able to help the police nab the culprits, subsequently). Binoy was badly hit, was bedridden for almost five months at the Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram and at the time of discharge from the hospital, he had steel rods in his right leg which had assumed a hideous appearance. The leg gave him trouble during his last days, I'm told.

Throughout the period of hospitalisation, his requirements were looked after by the organisation and he'd recouped well and got back to work.

I still remember the manner in which he took care of me and Sasi, the director used to tell me that he felt comfortable because he was with me. 

Will miss you, Binoy and you've given me a lot many good memories. I'm still baffled as to why you had to take your life, which I consider as an act of cowardice. May you find eternal peace and here's wishing that God gives adequate strength to your near and dear ones to tide over these difficult times!

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 10. After finishing my work, I'd driven to the Geeyem Motors in town to have the front-bumper-liner of the Chevy tucked in properly.

Had returned by lunchtime. Naveen, my customer-service-advisor, is poised to leave for Poland for work. Had congratulated the lad. He was still feeling sorry for the heavy expenses that I'd incurred on my car - for repairs - in the previous months.