The day (02-09-2015) had arrived for me to proceed. We
picked out the file from the bag, which was filled with certificates. It was
not heavy to carry. At the same time, I had to carry some expectations and
excitements with me.
We walked down the road towards our destiny. Erode had got
more vehicles than my village to pass us. None seemed to be familiar except the
lord Ganesh who was sitting on his vehicle (mouse). My father stopped me in
front of him and asked me to pray. I had never been good at prayers. I used to
have several things to ask but, when I go and stand in front of gods and
goddesses, I would forget everything, and that day was not an exception. I had
many things to pray but, nothing had struck inside.
“You know everything. You know what to do for me. Thank you
for everything.” I finished and walked with my father to the Erode regional
office, which was located near to the temple. We had enough time to enter in to
the temple. The temple priest invited us.
“Are you outsiders?”
“Yes sir.” My father replied.
“Why did you come here?”
“We have come for certificate verification, in Indian
overseas bank.”
“Is it for him?”
“Yes sir.”
“Is he appointed?”
“No sir. He’s called for that. Today everything will be
decided we suppose.”
“Very good! May god bless you!” he said and gave a rose to
me to keep in to my pocket. Then, he investigated him about my family. The
conversation lasted for nearly fifteen minutes. We decided to leave the temple
with his blessings and left.
We entered in to the regional office. A person guided us to
the first floor. Some of my friends had told that certificate verification
would consume much time. We met the officer and told the purpose of our
arrival. He asked us to sit inside.
“Do you have all the certificates with three sets of photo
copies?” he asked. We had all the originals and two sets of photo copies. My
father ran to take the rest after making me sit inside. Some young guys and
girls were there. A girl suddenly asked me.
“Where are you coming from?”
“Near to Chennai.” I replied.
The officer came in after 10 minutes, and asked us to take
the certificates.
He was rejecting some candidates due to their certificate
insufficiency and asking them to go and come back. Most of them had come from
other districts. He was rejecting some guys for the second time.
“How many times should I tell you? You should be very
careful in producing certificates. The community certificate should be in a
prescribed format. Each and every certificate is essential. You don’t have many
days. you should get appointed before 14th of this month, or else
you will be terminated without any notifications! Keep it in your mind! Listen
to me carefully! See, that girl is coming for the second time and that guy is
third time! Commuting 300 to 400 kilometers is not easy right?”
“Where are you coming from?” He pointed out a girl.
“Coimbatore sir.”
“You?” This time he pointed out a guy.
“Thoothukudi sir.”
“You are coming for the third time right? Did you bring your
community certificate as per the format?”
“Yes sir.” He gave him to verify.
“This is not the actual format! Take the order copy and see
the format. No other go. Try to get it soon and come back as soon as possible.”
He returned it. Some candidates had failed to bring some certificates. He was
upset with them and asking them to bring soon. While verifying, he began,
“Please note. You should produce the following certificates.
tenth and twelfth standard mark sheets, degree certificate, provisional, all
the semester mark statements, consolidated cards, community certificates, two
character certificates, one identity proof and a PAN card. Each and every
certificate must have three sets of self attested photo copies. One is for us,
one is for the branch and one is for the head office.” He finished. But, I went
semiconscious. I had applied for the PAN card which didn’t reach us. I
deliberately kept my semester mark statement at home, thinking that
consolidated mark sheet alone would be enough. I thought that the degree
certificates alone were enough and deliberately kept my provisional’s at my
home.
I was scared to the core. My father didn’t turn up. I began
calling him.
“Here the printer is not working properly. I will come
soon.”
“Daddy! He came and started verifying!”
“I will come soon.” I cut the call. All of a sudden there
was a call to my mobile from an unknown number.
“Hello?”
“Sir? Is this Mr. Vinoth? I am from courier service. Have
you applied for PAN card? I came yesterday. But, you’re mobile was switched
off. Where should I come now?”
I apologized and told my address to him.
“So, we have two new comers to join today. Is there anybody
to verify their certificates?” He told and readied himself to move. I didn’t
know what to do for my father hadn’t come yet. He stood up, pushed the chair.
There was a ‘creak’ sound in the hall. Someone had opened the door it seemed.
Somebody tossed some papers at me. Everyone must have looked at him. But, I was
the only person recognized him.
“My father!” I said to myself and sighed. He was heaving.
“What happened?” He spoke through his breath.
“Daddy, they are asking provisional, semester mark sheets
and PAN card which we didn’t bring.”
“Remove your coolers first!” he chided. I complied
immediately.
He took all the certificates and placed it on his table. I
stood up.
“Visually challenged! You can sit sir. By the way, how can
he work?” He asked my father.
“I’ve learned computer sir. Any job related to computer can
be done sir.” I said and still standing.
“You can sit sir.” He said again. I was afraid of his next
words.
“He will definitely ask us to come again with provisional,
individual mark sheets and PAN card.” I said to myself and sat. I thought a
while to tell him the truth before he insults us. But, he was even earlier than
my hesitation.
“For him, order copy alone is enough.” He declared.
I lounged with the huge relief.
“Thank god! Thank you so much! I need not come again! I need
not come again to Erode! The 396 kilometers of journey has come to an end! Has
come to an end!” I said to myself. With an extreme joy, once again I bellowed
to listen to him.
“Everything is okay sir. No problem. The community
certificate is matching with the format. He’s posted in the main branch.”
“Main branch?” I was about to ask.
“Ground floor. He’s appointed in Erode regional office. Here
only! All the very best! Just fill the form and join now.”
“What?” I was about to ask but the question came like a
rocket to my throat and fell like a thunder in my heart. Once again I lounged.
But, not with relief. Even the breath became a burden to me at that time. The
officer gave us a form to fill and left the room. My father ran behind him.
I could find no difference between that form and my mind.
Both had to be filled. Both had contained several questions. I was not fit to
fill them I understood, and anxiously waited for my father’s return.
“He says he can’t do anything.” My father said and sat
beside me.
“And, he asks us to proceed to the central office, located
in Chennai, to get transfer if they give.”
“Will they give?”
“He’s not sure of that, and told us to come back soon if
they don’t give transfer.”
“What to do now?”
“Let’s leave.”
“I want to meet him.” I said.
“I also felt the same, will meet and leave.”
My father took me to his cabin.
“Yes sir.” He turned towards me and continued, “You just go
to the central office. I think they may offer you transfer. Else, try to come
on 12th or 13th of this month. Your father said you know
none here. We shall decide them later. Now you go and explain them your
difficulties.” He said, shook my hand and patted on my shoulder. My father
asked his mobile number and got it from his office staff.
“Got the job?” Ask the priest when we went to the temple. My
father told everything. He gave his number and asked us to save it in the name
of Ellai Mariyamman Koyil.
“Don’t panic if they don’t give! Come here! I will take care
of him! Erode is a good place! Amma (mentioning the goddess) is with us! I’ll
arrange everything for you! Don’t worry.” He said and sent us with an
unexpected expectation. We felt really happy for getting a good soul in Erode
but, not wished to meet him again.
I tried memorizing the root, knowing that I would certainly
forget.
“Daddy?” I called him. He seemed upset, very upset by the
result. When two people suffer together, one must promptly come out to console
the other. I thought I could come out soon. Without anticipating his reply, I
continued,
“I decided. I can’t quit this for any cause. Let’s go to the
central office as he said. But, I am not sure of my transfer. It’s not going to
hap.”
“So?”
“Erode. Let my life continue in Erode. We’ve no other
option. If this is going to be our plight, we must be prepared for that. It’s
not the journey of 396 kilometer; in fact, it’s a journey of +396 days. I can’t
wait too long. If Chennai says no to me tomorrow I should say yes to Erode.” He
had been reluctantly hearing me. Our subconscious minds had brought us to our
temporary lodge. We packed everything and decided to leave. Rs. 400 was
refunded to us by the in charge after receiving the key.
“Is there any train to Chennai now?” My father asked.
“It is sir. At 2:00 pm.” He replied. It was not even 12:30.
We walked down the road, got the bus to the railway station, found a hotel, ate
with no hunger and proceed to the station.
Train came at 1:45 pm. Alappuzha express via Chennai. We
knocked the disable coach.
“We can’t let you inside! Guard has told us not to let
anybody in.” a passenger refused. He seemed physically normal. My father showed
my face to him but he was not willing to open the door. There was a woman
shouting at him to open after seeing me but, he didn’t. We stood out and waited
for the guard. He came and let us inside. Usually, I don’t complain. But, at
that time, I asked the guard to chase the others except people with disabilities
and their escorts.
“Who refused to open the door for him?” He yelled at
everyone.
“No sir. I didn’t notice him; his father was concealing him
behind.” The reply came from the passenger who refused us. Usually, my father
gets angry during these times. But, at that time, I was even earlier.
“No sir! He saw my face! I removed my glass even! Not only
that, I peeped through the window and requested him. Ask the lady! Ask the
lady! She insisted him to open the door after noticing me but, he remained
artificially deaf towards her. Check him sir! Check him whether he’s disable or
not.” I hurled my bag on the seat.
“No sir!” he began saying something.
“Take your disability identity card. You should have opened
the door the moment you saw him. Take your disability certificate!” The guard
rebuked.
“I am a cancer patient sir. I have cancer.”
“Get up. Take the bag. You are not supposed to sit here.
Stand in the door step.” The guard ordered him.
“Sir. I am…”
“Stand in the door step!” The guard went harsh this time. He
obeyed, the guard left the coach, the train departed.
I thought this journey would become a relief to my previous
pains, but, forgot to expect that it would offer me a new pain. The train was
moving towards Chennai and, I was moving towards Erode. I didn’t know the
reason for disbelieving his words on the central office.
“Daddy you make all the arrangements there. I try to come
twice in a month. You need not come for it may become very expensive. No one is
needed for me. I will get someone there. You can’t come and stay with me. Mom
should not be with me. And, brother too.” I had been repeating this sentence to
him while traveling.
“Despite getting job, we’re not able to feel happy. Right?”
I snickered and asked him.
“Do you laugh? I am wondering here.”
“What to do then? Can I cry for this? Nothing is going to
change for us and, we must change ourselves for everything.” The 5 hours of
journey was not sufficient for me to think of myself in Erode. Eventually, we
had reached home at 9:00 P.M. My mother was still ill. My relatives had come
and to take care of her. We didn’t tell anything to anyone except my brother.
Both my father I didn’t want my relatives to know anything till everything gets
completed. I rushed to the terrace with my mobile. As usual, I informed
everything to my sister over the phone. My brother and father came after a
while. My brother. Started searching for recommendations while I was talking to
my sister.
“Nothing will work out.” I shouted at him.
He stopped dialing and began listening to me.
“We should not do anything silly here anna. They have asked
us to proceed to the head office tomorrow. Lemme do according to their
prescribed rules. Don’t allow anyone in, which may create unnecessary chaos.”
He seemed convinced, said okay and went down. My father followed him after some
minutes.
“Come down soon, and you should sleep well tonight. Tomorrow
we have to go. Let’s see what happens” He said while descending.
I heard, but, didn’t reply to him.
That terrace looked strange to me while walking. My mind
engaged in comparing that night with the previous night.
“This may be my last night in this terrace. How many poems? How
many stories? How many articles? How many guests? How many conversations? How
many memories? How many pains Took place in this terrace? The meditation, the
tears, the stammering, and everything is going to end. Yesterday the night was
in Erode, Today its here, and tomorrow? Let it come. Let the day come! The
absence of my father, the absence of my mother and the absence of my brother
will make much difference in my family. Fortunately, it is not going to happen
in my departure. I know; I know very well. My presence and my absence will not
make any difference, at any place, and at anytime.” Disposing myself from the
terrace, I descended towards my next day.
To be continued!
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