MELTING POINT (Short story)

 

MELTING POINT

 

Most of the times, higher officials are very cunning! Particularly when subordinate officers are very smart and the situations to face are really tough! Even-though, it's a matter of pure escapism, they never fail to take the credits without shame! And I was forced to take the charge of conducting board examinations for five hundred diploma students, even-though I am not a smart guy!

Deadly preparations! From seating arrangements to staff allocation! Keeping secrecy of question papers to packing up of answer scripts! Uploading every exam detail to technical education board’s official website! Internet is the real villain most of the times, and I am sure, it is going to rule us some day! The ever expanding invisible net!

Anil, Dy. Superintendent and I, the Chief Superintendent… only we both were totally responsible for conducting the examinations! He is a wonderful guy with lot of intrinsic energy and I am a lazy writer, who searches for stories even in dreams! Somehow, we managed to assign twenty five invigilators and warned them not to allow any malpractice in their respective halls.

‘Premji, you have to be careful with that guy’

‘Why, Anil?’

‘He sleeps, even while riding a bike… Sure, he will sleep in classroom too,’ Anil laughed. ‘Managing idiots like him is a tough task’

‘That I will take care of’

Six glorious days were over and another six more to go.

‘So far, everything is alright,’ Anil told me while sitting inside Principal's chamber.

‘Sure,’ I told while breaking the wax seals from used green question paper bags. What a silly time-pass! 

‘Premji… even I too have a story,’ the brown sealing wax, bearing letters ‘T.E,’ told me. T.E stood for Technical Education and I am sure it will stand forever!

♥

Seven years back… I was reading ‘Brothers Karamazov,’

‘Started reading your Bible, again in the morning?’ wife teased me while handing over a cup of hot coffee.

‘This is not Bible… ’

‘Did I say that it’s Bible? I told ‘Your Bible!’’

‘You are right honey… this is my Bible… You keep one inside my coffin too…’

‘Premji… I have shocking news for you…'

'O.K.. Every wife is an expert in shock treatment!'

'Syam, managed to secure fourth rank in IAS…’

‘What?’

‘I.A.S… Indian Administrative Service… the highest position an Indian can achieve in Government service… Is it clear?’ she teased me.

She was right… The smiling face of my beloved pal was there on the front page of Keralakaumudi daily.... Syam… we hadn’t met for several years… where are you, now?

Suddenly my mobile started ringing… 

‘Premji… Syam here…’

‘Congratulations Syam.... Just now, I was thinking about you,’ I didn’t allow him to continue. 

‘It seems, PTA (parent teachers association) of our college wants to congratulate me tomorrow… you must attend the program with your wife’

‘Tomorrow is a working day… my casual leaves are over’

‘No excuses Premji… you must come…,’ he cut the phone call.

‘We should attend that,’ my wife told.

♥

The college auditorium was jam-packed with students. Beautiful girls and wonderful boys, it looked like a miniature heaven! Somehow, I managed two seats in the second row.

‘This is the same stage where I sang a group song all alone’

‘Are you crazy to do such a silly thing?’ my wife asked.

‘My team-mates betrayed me!’

College Principal, Heads of Departments, PTA Secretary, professors and beyond all Chairman of our College trust Mr. Madanappalli Rajagopal... dignitaries sat on the expensive chairs in the dais… Syam sat among them, like a humble rabbit among jackals. 

Principal welcomed Mr.Rajagopal for the presidential address. He showered words of praise on Syam boundlessly. He declared a cash price worth $1000 for Syam as he added glory to his college! Everyone praised him mercilessly and at last it was his turn to thank them all. He picked the microphone and made him comfortable to deliver the reply. He looked towards the Heavens for a moment and started talking… His words, did they resemble heavy hammer blows, he had suffered earlier?

‘Respected dignitaries on the dais, my teachers, friends and dear students… At the outset, I would like to thank you all for those wonderful words showered upon me. Thank you. I have nothing to say about my personal victory, for I know that every victory is momentary. But, this achievement is so important to me in a very personal level. Thank you.’

Heavy-hearted, he sat back and the meeting was about to get adjourned. But, in a quick move, College Chairman Mr.Rajagopal, picked up the chord-less microphone and announced for an open-forum, an interactive session between the students and Syam. He readily accepted it as it is the duty of every Government servant to motivate fellowmen for a better nation. 

‘Sir, tell us about your school days,’ a tall boy requested him and the whole auditorium patiently waited for his reply.

♥

Year 1994...

School days... Syam and I, best friends we are! We were classmates in a local school, where everything went on so smooth except the political interference by local parties. Students Union led by the left wing, and that of the right wing were the major players. They made hell a lot of agitations for the most needy as well as unwanted reasons. But, the saddest after-effect of it was, students started leaving Government schools for the locally mushroomed private schools, where teachers were from poor educational backgrounds. Only reason said for the migration was, no strikes were allowed there! 

Syam was the uncrowned prince of Right-Wing Students Union and his father Raghavan Nair, a highly revered teacher, was our Headmaster. Though Syam was quite friendly with everyone, he never cared for his father seriously and as a result, he ruined his life for the sake of silly student politics. He created hell a lot of problems for his father, that even PTA (Parent teachers association) never failed to utilize every opportunity to shoot poison-clad arrows toward him! Father and son, their relationship was getting worse every day! 

Why did he act like this? Nobody knew the answer except me.

‘He loves only her... praises only her... cares only her... She is so fair...,’ Syam told about his sister one day, while staring at his Sun-tanned dark skin.

'Syam... You are really handsome... That's why he had kept 'Syam' as your name...,’ I tried to console him. But, who cares?

My Dad, another teacher himself, and Raghvan Nair were close friends and they used to share all personal problems each other. They were very busy that time as SSLC (Secondary School Leaving Certificate) exams were about to get started form 12th of March. Raghavan Nair had to stay at least up to 6.30 PM every day to straighten up things during the examination days.

Exams started. Syam used to leave the hall immediately after scribbling something on his answer book. Maximum time he used to spend there was around an hour!

‘Syam, how are things?’

‘Premji... I think... I can secure that magical figure of 210 marks’

‘Just pass?’

‘Yes... Then I can join for third group, pre-degree course... You can write anything about history!’

‘Sounds funny,’ we laughed.

♥

Raghavan Nair passed away, on the third night exactly after our exams had started, due to a massive heart attack and Syam was thrown into the hot frying pan of life. No political stalwarts were there to support him... No income for him to maintain family expenses... Syam had to work hard from the very next day, immediately after the death ceremonies were over.

‘Syam... either you or your sister, may get a government job as your father passed away while was in service. I am going to nominate her for that based on dying harness... She has good educational backgrounds... naturally, she may get the post of a teacher...,’ his mother opined.

‘Sure... Mom... then, we need lesser dowry to get her married,’ Syam replied like a seasoned brother though he was just fifteen!

She joined for the post of lower primary school teacher in a nearby school soon, with the help of our local MLA who happened to be her father’s disciple. But, to make financial matters more worse, she eloped with her college-mate, changed her name and got converted into his religion. Syam had to work almost every day to clear the housing loans his father had taken earlier as his pension was insufficient enough to meet the expenses. Though his flower-like palm turned hard like rock, he managed to get back the documents pledged to the bank within two years. Of course, in the mean-time he managed to secure that magical figure of 210 out of 600 to pass SSLC.

♥

‘Sir, now please tell us about your Pre-degree days,’ a small girl with childish face requested among claps.

♥

It was a Friday afternoon and his mother was sitting alone in the veranda. 

‘Chechee... (elder sister)... You have a registered post,’ the postman told. ‘It seems like a notice send by an advocate’

‘You read it down,’ she said while putting her signature on the receipt.

‘It is send by your daughter... She needs the share of her Dad’s properties at the earliest... I am sorry Chechee... Now-a-days, it is impossible to believe young girls,’ postman told.

‘Will you inform that advocate to meet me?’

‘Sure... Chechee... today itself, I will do that for you,’

♥

Advocate Punchakkari Sukumaran Nair was one of her relatives. But, there is no role for friends and relatives in a lawyer's business life! He knew that better than anyone. 

‘Chechee, your husband’s property can be equally divided into four,’ advocate said.

‘Why four? There are only three heirs including me’

‘For your kind information... she has a baby girl now and naturally, she deserves two shares...,’ Punchakkari gave his clarification.

‘Then, let her have three shares... I am not going to take any of my father’s property,’ Syam said.

‘In that case, you won’t be able to retain this house where you live now... Is that OK?’ Punchakkari asked.

‘That’s OK... I will make a small shack and live there...,’ she pointed toward the empty land beside that house.

‘I am afraid, that’s not possible... Her husband will surely object... You know, sure it will affect their prestige,’ Punchakkari said in a melancholic tone.

‘Mr.Punchakkari... if that is the case, you find a way out?’ Syam, a seventeen year lad, asked him.

‘You better sell the one fourth share to her... One second... Let me call her husband,’ Punchakkari told while dialing her husband’s number.

‘What did he say?’ Syam’s mother asked.

‘He won’t be able to pay more for that piece of of land... Since it contains a Khabar... grave of your husband,’ Punchakkari told her painfully and she went inside and returned back quickly.

‘Give her the documents... Tell her to come and collect the key tomorrow morning... It will be kept on the door itself,’ she told calmly looking on Syam’s face.

Heavy-hearted, Punchakkari Sukumaran Nair walked near to his bike parked outside. One moment, he wanted to burn that fading document... ‘Stupid relations,’ He cursed his stupid profession for he saw his late mother on her face...

Syam took a rented house and soon his mother joined her husband. But, her last wish, to sleep beside her husband, left unfulfilled. He got the hardest of all slaps in his life on that evening when my Dad saw him in drunken state. And on the very next day, he was admitted to the nearest college by him. Syam was forced to stay with one of his rich relatives, running a big hotel in that town. Knowingly, he selected third group, for there was no need to attend college to get through! Soon, he was kicked out from there too as his daughter started suffering from ‘sympathy-love syndrome’!

♥

‘Then... Why did you select Malayalam language for B.A (Bachelor of Arts) degree?’ a boy around nineteen, who had the looks of an intellectual, asked.

‘Malayalam is our mother-tongue... We should not forget that...,’ everyone laughed though what told was quite serious.

‘Sir... I doubt... You did MA English with an eye on IAS?’ one MA student asked.

‘Nothing like that... That time, I was staying with a retired English professor... Food and stay on free of cost,’ he laughed.

‘Premji... your friend is pouring out pathos!’ my wife teased me.

‘Were you politically active in College?’ the final question escaped from someone’s throat.

♥

Syam had to end up in college hostel immediately after he was kicked out from the relative’s hotel. There, he understood the difference between left wing and right wing. Within no time, he became the torch-bearer of the left wing. They gave him food, shelter and dogma and everything! Blood soaked strikes followed him. 

The rise of a new dare devil student leader... My Dad was so annoyed to read the news about him in dailies... 

♥

‘Then, why did you leave politics?’ somebody asked.

‘I didn’t leave politics... By nature, man is a political animal’

‘That’s not a fair answer’

‘Yes... I know... I know,’ Syam closed his eyes. 'In every man's life, there is a melting point'

♥

It was a bright Sunday evening in March, 1999. I was standing near Saviour’s Bar in Thiruvananthapuram with my friends from College of Engineering Thiruvananthapuram. Unfortunately, they couldn’t make their promise. But, I could find him there inside the bar, along with his comrades, washing away the tedium of politics. 

‘Comrades, will you please excuse us?’

‘Sure’

Only we both were left there... Soon, silence encompassed us...

‘Bastard... Why do you ruin like this?’ I couldn't control my anger.

‘What did you call me?’ he shouted violently

‘Dirty bastard’

♥

The Bar staff threw both of us out. Ashamed, we both stood out, covered with dust and dirt all over.

‘Premji... Come... Let’s go to our comrade’s den,’ Syam invited me and I followed him as if nothing had happened.

♥

'On the very day, I left student politics... rarely attended classes... I did every kind of job to buy books and journals... The gap between left and right wing are so narrow now-a-days... When I completed BA degree, my lecturers - who congratulated me today - advised to get a job... than joining for MA English... They all knew that I wouldn’t be able to attend classes regularly... But, God appeared before me in the shape of Prof Jayendran... God bless him... He gave me food and English... Our beloved, Sri. Madanappalli Rajagopal was the chairman then time also... Neither cash award nor any sort of financial aid were given to me... No concessions... My victory belongs to none of you... It belongs to my father... for he sacrificed his life for me,’ Syam couldn’t control himself.

Madanappally Rajagopal sat on his chair like a statue made of ash! 

♥

‘Where is he?’ Dad asked Mom in the evening.

‘Might be, roaming out with his friends’

‘Anyway, don’t let him go out from here tomorrow onwards,’ Dad was bit uneasy. ‘Times have changed drastically... You know... Syam had started the habit of drinking... Bastard... When will he understand the real pain behind his father’s suicide...’

‘Suicide? What do you mean?’ Mom couldn’t believe her ears.

‘Yes... Raghavan Nair’s death was a suicide... He desperately wished his son to get through at least SSLC... One of his relatives, a high ranking army-man, assured him that if Syam could get through SSLC, he would put him in the armed forces... But, the shortcut selected by him was very risky... After all he was also a Dad!’

‘What was that?’

‘Breaking up of the wax seals of question paper packets, using a thin, special purpose knife... You know... Being the Head Master, he was in charge of all question papers for state level exam SSLC... He used to take out the question papers of the very next day, copy them and place them back safely by fixing the wax seal again by re-heating... that too late in the evenings... And he used to teach Syam, half of those questions in the night... But,’

‘But?’

‘Unfortunately, he was caught by the Dy. Educational Officer on the third day... But, he didn’t report that to higher authorities as he knew Raghavan Nair since childhood days... After all, he is also a father... Friend too... I was the only witness... We both are the only people who know his death was a suicide... It was a death of honour... A man without honour is a dead man! I got this letter on the third day after his death,’ father handed over an old blue inland to Mom. ‘But... Syam... when will he understand that?’

‘When did you come?’ Mom asked me in uncontrollable anger.

‘I didn’t go anywhere.... and I won't,’

 

Premji