TWO FACES (2)

Hi readers! Thank you very much for supporting the first part of this post. Sorry for offering you such a lengthy post. I was unable to shrink it. New readers are requested to kindly proceed to the previous post to understand this post better.

Previous post

 

We came out of the railway station to catch an auto. Drivers were already aware of the place. One of them picked up and dragged us to his auto without even letting know the cost of traveling. Chandru sat in the front. Suganya went and sat on the window. Deepa went and sat in the corner with Charan. I sat next to her and Mohan sat on my left in the entrance. Except Deepa, everyone was involving in cracking jokes and making fun of several things. We asked the auto-driver about the venue. He said he knew. Hence, we didn’t mind it and continued talking. Finally he halted the auto and asked us to get down we complied. Chandru opened his wallet to pay him. I didn’t allow him to pay.

“Yesterday only you paid. Let me pay now.” He said and prevented me from paying the auto-driver. Others also stopped me when I tried. He paid rupees sixty for the journey. We thanked the auto-man and started walking inside. Something was strange; something was different in the place we could feel. We didn’t find in the beginning. Both Mohan and Chandru found that we had been wrongly dropped. It took a few seconds for us to confirm with the watchman. Before we decided to reach the auto-man, he started his auto and flew. The watchman said it was Sangeetha hotel and not Free-mason club. He said it would take ten minutes to reach the venue by walking when we asked about the distance. We were not aware of the route. We clarified with another man and came out and started walking on the road. By the time, the couple had already started their wrangle. Deepa was scolding Mohan for his carelessness.

“You were simply making fun in the auto without even noticing the route.” She yelled to him.

“Don’t blame us since you were not talking anything. Why did you fail to notice even when you’re very quiet and conscious? You could have watched it carefully. Right?” He replied.

I didn’t know whether to enjoy their argument or to stop. I tried to do both. We crossed the road and began walking on left side of the road. None of us knew the venue. Mohan was holding Chandru on his left and me on his right. I was scared of vehicles. All of a sudden a guy came and held my hand.

“Are you all going to car rally?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Come with me.”

“How did you find us?” I asked him.

“We were asked to wait in the bus-stop to pick if anybody came. I saw you coming. Hence, I ran from bus-stop to pick you up.”

Another volunteer came and helped our girls to the venue.

We were given token for our breakfast after entering in the hall. Once again we lost both Deepa and suganya along with the kid Charan. Fortunately it was in the hall. Mohan was little upset for leaving Deepa alone. His spot of bother was about bags and Charan. She was having everything he worried. I told him not to worry and asked him to eat. Finding them in a crowd was not a good idea I guessed. Moreover, I thought somebody would surely take care of everything. He felt sad for unable to contact over the mobile for she was having that too. Narmadha came to us. We asked her to find those two girls. She came with the news. They had also finished their breakfast. We finished our breakfast and found them and Charan. Needless to say, Deepa was angry and upset.

“Why did you leave us? You could either have carried Charan or these bags with you.”

We explained our situation. But, Mohan got what he was supposed to get from her.

All of us were allotted drivers except Mohanraj. The director of the foundation came and asked him.

“We have got drivers and cars. Hopefully, you will be allotted in a span of time.”

“I am not going to take part sir.” He replied. We were shocked.

“Why?” He asked in a tone of surprise.

“I have participated thrice. But, this is first time for her. Let her participate.”

“Let her participate! Who said no to that? We’ve got car. You participate!”

“We’ve got our kid with us. So, let me take care of him and let her participate. I am going to travel with her in the same car.” He declared. None of us was able to speak against his decision.

“Hey. I can manage with Charan. You go and take part.” Deepa said.

“Let it be.” He replied.

I didn’t know what to ask. And, simply asked why for the sake of asking him.

“Whoever participates whoever wins is going to be the same. Then why should I take a separate car? It will be fine if I go with her. I will take care of the child and she will participate without any trouble.” He told me. I had nothing to say. What he said was very convincing to me. Both Mohan and Deepa sacrificed a lot each other in two years. Like many, theirs was also love marriage. But, the only difference which I could mention that they didn’t fall in love with each other. On the contrary, they chose their life partner to live for one another. Falling in love is different from choosing one’s life partner.

The rally was about to begin. My driver Mr. Avinash didn’t turn up. As I mentioned in the previous post, I had got confused with his last four numbers. Having no other option, I made a try. First dial went to someone he said wrong number. Second attempt also flunked me this time I understood it was wrong number. My third attempt gave not reachable result. I dialed with fourth possible number. An old lady picked up. I confirmed it was not Avinash. I had to talk since she attended the call. I said sorry and hung up. Even Narmadha couldn’t help me for his number wasn’t register anywhere. I went to the organizing committee and they said his number was not there.

It struck ten o’clock. The rally began and car number one was sent. Everybody left the hall including my friends.

“Hi!”

A tall man approached me by tapping my shoulder. I said hi without even recognizing his voice.

“I don’t know your name! Do you remember our previous car rally? You’re Bhupesh’s navigator. I am Nandhu, his friend, participated with another navigator.” He said. I didn’t talk to him last time but remembered his name very well.

“I know sir.” I stood up.

“Sit down!” He softly pushed my shoulder. I felt like hearing his voice from the sky when I stood for a second. It sounded even far while sitting.

“Bhupesh sir called me yesterday and told about your arrival. I gave him our director’s number to contact.” I said.

“Yeah. He only let me know everything about the venue. By the way, have you got allotted with the driver?”

“Yes sir. But, he didn’t turn up yet. I dialed him but unable to reach him. He didn’t give any other number here. I don’t know what to do now.” I said.

He asked my car number and went out to check whether there was any car with number twenty seven. “Car number twenty seven is missing Vinoth. It hasn’t come I think.” He Returned and said.

A visually challenged girl was sitting with me in the hall without drivers. The organizer was allotting her driver. Meanwhile, the organizer asked me

“Your driver didn’t come. Right?” He asked.

“Yes, sir.” I replied.

“Do you know your car number?”

“Twenty seven, sir.”

“Keep waiting. We will help you getting a driver.” The organizer said.

Mr. Nandhu went and talked to him.

“Excuse me sir? I am Nandhakumar. I haven’t got any navigator yet. Moreover, I know him very well. He was my friend’s navigator last time. If possible, can you allot him for me?” The organizer signaled yes. Nandhu turned to me and asked.

“Your name…”

“Vinoth, sir.”

“Yes, sir! Write it down. Driver name is Nandhakumar and the navigator is…” While he was about to utter my name, somebody came and held my hand. I stood up. He shook his hand with me.

“May I know…?”  A young lady (volunteer) rushed and tried to ask him.

He ignored her and answered me.

“Vinoth, this is Avinash.” I went speechless and moved with hesitation. They stopped allotting and asked my driver.

“Are you Mr. Avinash? Car number twenty seven?”

“Yes.” He said and started taking me.

I turned my visage towards Nandhu sir while walking out.

“All the best Vinoth!” He shouted.

I felt relieved and walked with Mr. Avinash to the car.

It was already ten-twenty. We had only six minutes to begin. He took me to the car without wasting a second.

“I called you but…”

“Mine was switched off. I will give you my other number today.” He replied. Fortunately, I didn’t tell him the story of four wrong attempts.

“Yes I am late.” He said without even letting me asking him any question.

“Sorry sir. I am unable to bring anybody with me. I asked my relatives but…”

“Forget about it. I’ve brought my assistant with me. He’ll take care of everything.” He said and made me getting into the car. He started it and stopped it behind car number twenty six. There was a guy sitting beside me. I didn’t talk to him and waited for him to begin something. Mr. Avinash didn’t let either of us begin our conversation.

“Vinoth, this is Thaman.” He introduced him to me and introduced me to him in Hindi.

Then, we said hi to each others.

They gave us the Braille sheet and time card. Avinash and Thaman were conversing in Hindi. Avinash and I were communicating in English. Thaman and I were communicating in Tamil. I explained the written script to Thaman in English as it was written. He seemed understood nothing. But, I understood something. Mr. Avinash didn’t know Tamil. I didn’t know Hindi. Thaman didn’t know English to understand the script. And, we were asked to start our rally.

Please click the following link to know about car rally.

Car rally!

The first fifteen kilometer didn’t trouble us. Everything was perfect till then. Thaman remained a passive participant in the rally. I should not say like this. Only Avinash and I had to struggle. Unlike my previous rallies, it appeared a serious script to me. In my previous rallies, I just read the script and made them write it down. The rest of them took care of the rest. First time we missed the route. Not a big mistake it was. But, it put an end to the time calculation. Thaman suffered even to recognize routes. He was asked to clarify the routes with people. But, he miss pronounced, which made Mr. Avinash angry. He started rebuking him. I told Thaman to ask the route for Sundaram Medical Foundation. Thaman pronounced it as medical shop to the pedestrian. Mr. Avinash got angry and shouted at him the word ‘medical foundation.’ We asked Thaman to concentrate only on the marshal. He did it with fear. Usually a car must have four people for a rally. One will be an escort to the navigator and other will be for the driver. We understood the situation. I started reading the script slowly and very carefully. He was driving the car. I kept on asking him ‘where are we’. I was noticing every turning of the road with my other senses. Fortunately, we missed no marshal in the route. I felt really happy for my cent percent guidance, which I didn’t give in my previous rallies. My mind didn’t slip out even for a second. I gave my best. Mr. Avinash gave his best though he was a debutant. Forty kilometers of journey had come to an end. We successfully finished our rally.

“Wonderful guidance Vinoth! I didn’t expect this much. We made it. That guy is a useless fellow. But, we made it. Very good.” He appreciated me.

“Yes, sir. I never expected that we could manage only with two of us. My last rally wasn’t like this. I finished reading within half an hour. And, let others do the rest. But, this time I am completely satisfied. I feel happy for giving active contribution throughout the rally. Thanks a lot.” I replied.

We went to rest room. This time I was waiting for him outside. He came out and left me with Thaman inside the hall for lunch. Thaman was with me till I finished my lunch. He was the one who was with me even after that. Mr. Avinash came after my lunch. I didn’t know where really went. He was praising me with other participants. He kept on repeating the sentence ‘My navigator was simply awesome’ whoever discussed on car rally with him I heard.

I have noticed; I have heard. Sometimes travelers do not trust their visually challenged navigators. But, my driver Mr. Avinash didn’t do that. He trusted me throughout the rally. He trusted each and every word of mine.

“Had your Lunch?”

“I had sir. What about you?”

“I will go have now.” He said. I was shocked not of his words but of the smell which came from him.

“Has he smoked?” I asked myself and sensed the smell of a cigarette.

Mohan was calling me to find me in the hall. It was little tough to us to get each other. Somehow, he came and found me.

“Everybody is here?”

“Except you, everybody was here.” Suganya said.

There was a girl calling us over the microphone to perform something on stage. People were shouting at one another’s names. Some of them willingly went and revealed their talents. Somebody uttered Chandru’s name in the crowd. He went, sang a couple of songs and came back.

“Who is going to come now?” She was screeching over the microphone.

“Vinoth!” Mohan started shout at my name.

I softly told him to keep quiet. He didn’t care me and kept repeating my name. That host heard it and started uttering.

“Who is Vinoth?”

No evince from my visage. I kept myself unmoved as if someone was called.

“He’s Vinoth! He’s Vinoth!” Mohanraj pointed out me. A girl, who was standing beside us, noticed me. She came, held my hand and started dragging me to the stage.

“These people are making fun of me! I don’t know what to do on stage!” I kept on insisting. She was not in a mood to listen to me. Her grip was quite firm but not her yank, yet I moved with her.

“Come and perform something on stage. I know you are lying. Don’t feel shy.” She was telling while dragging me. We’ve almost reached the stage.

“Ma’am. Please ma’am. I know nothing. Let us go back. Please ma’am.” I told her softly.

“Nobody knows anything here. Don’t worry. Just come.” She came near and whispered. Then what happened? I was left with that host. A guy was singing at that time. I had nothing to do on stage.

That guy finished singing. A man got the mike and announced.

“Dear navigators and drivers, the prize list is put up on the notice board outside. One of you from each car can go and check. We are going to begin the valedictory function soon.”

“They are going to begin. Let us run.” I told the girl who accompanied me. I went and held her hand to escape. Simultaneously, that host held my left hand and pulled me back. The girl who accompanied me left my right hand.

“Where are you running? You can’t escape now. Tell. What are you going to do now?” She asked me.

“I know nothing ma’am. In fact, I am scared of stages. I’ve never been on stage before. My friends have put me in trouble. I thank my driver Avinash and escort Thaman for making this rally wonderful to me. I feel happy for thanking them. Other than that, I really don’t know what to do.”

“Everybody definitely would possess some talent. So, expose your talent. How can you say you have nothing?” She asked.

“I never said I have no talent. I say I don’t know how to perform on stages. In fact, I’ve never been on stage before. I write well. Becoming a writer is my aim. Writing is my talent. I will write about this rally also.”

“Okay sir. I am not old enough to wish you. Still, I wish you to become a good writer in the future.” She said.

I left the stage. The girl who accompanied me was still standing to take me to the place where I was before.

“He’s prevaricating! He has written many poems and articles! He has composed songs and released them! He was a leading male singer in his school days! He has sung in many orchestras! He has done paper presentations! He has conducted some training programs! He has gone for guest lectures and seminars! He has played key-board! But, now! Now! He pretends as if he knows nothing. Above all, the biggest lie is stage fear! Which he doesn’t have at all!” Mohan said to the girl.

“I Guessed! Then why are you doing like this?” She asked me.

“What he says is truth which I never deny. But, what he said was once upon a time. Now, I am way much away from everything. My mind is completely blank.” I replied to her.

“If you wanted me to sing, please let me know a day before. I can’t do anything on the spot.” I told Chandru. He said okay.

Not only that, I had been thinking of results.

“It’s time for prize distribution!” The organizer announced and started calling out name from different categories.

“Totally sixty-seven cars have participated. Thirty-three cars have been registered in Free-mason category.” He said and gave me a shivering shock.

“Now, finally, the list of prize winners in Free-mason category.” He said after distributing prizes to the other categories.

“Third place goes to…” He said some name which was not mine.

“Second place goes to…” That name also was not mine.

Finally, he announced the winner of the Free-mason category.

“Shall we go Vinoth?” Avinash came from somewhere in the crowd and asked me.

I didn’t know how to reply him immediately.

“What are we going to do here after? We shall move. Shall we?”

I informed my friends and got ready to go with him.

“Please stay here and get your certificates along with participation prize.” The announcement came from the mike.

Meanwhile, the girl who took me to the stage came and tapped my shoulder and said something which I didn’t hear and didn’t recognize her too.

“What?”

“Congratulations.”

“For what?” I asked her with surprise.

“You’ve spoken well.”

“When did I speak?” I asked her with confusion.

“No, that time,” She paused. I understood and felt sad for insulting her. I know it’s not fare to offer hand to a girl for a hand shake without her consent. But, I stretched my hand. She shifted the cover to her left hand and shook her right hand with me. She said bye to me and left. Mr. Avinash came back.

“Shall we leave Vinoth?”

“Sir? They are offering participation prize and certificate. Shall we go after getting them or shall we go now?”

“Okay. We shall receive them and leave.” Everything got over within five minutes. They asked us to get our certificates; I informed my friends, came out with Thaman to get my certificates and reached our car.

Mr. Avinash started chiding him nearly for three minutes and came to me.

“Vinoth? Can we take a snap if possible? Can you come out of the car?” He asked me in a most polite manner. Without any word I jumped out from the car. He guided me to the other side of the car.

We stood beside the number twenty-seven. He wanted to take a snap along with the certificate. He yelled at Thaman to take the certificate from the car. He shouted at him to go back to take snap for a better view. Mr. Avinash stood on my write. He held the certificate and asked me to hold the other end. There were some clicks from Thaman. That’s all. Our photo session got over. I wanted to take a snap with Thaman but, dropped idea soon.

“Vinoth? You will take this certificate to your home. Right?”

I was confused of his question. Fortunately, I perceived the intended meaning behind his words and replied.

“Do you want this sir?”

“It depends.” He said after a minute pause.

“Please take this with you sir!”

“Really?”

“Yes sir! Please take this certificate with you!”

“You have no problem?”

“No problem at all! Please take this certificate and keep it with you!”

“Thank you Vinoth! Cause, this is the only memory I can take it with me.”

We got into the car and traveled towards central railway station.

“Vinoth, next time please bring somebody with you. He’s a useless fellow.”

“Okay sir. How many penalty points we got?”

“Thirty-eight. And, the first prize was only with nineteen penalty points.”

“No problem sir. We managed really well. Moreover, there were thirty-three cars in our category. Not only that, we were only two to manage everything. For me, this is one of the best car rallies I ever had in my life.”

He listened to me. Again, he started scolding Thaman for something in Hindi. Since their conversation took place only in Hindi, I couldn’t grasp anything from them. At the same time, I was little upset for his treatment against his assistant.

“Sir, you drop me near the station. I go to the station with Thaman.”

Our car came to central railway station. Mr. Avinash dropped us, shook his hand with me and said bye. He shouted at Thaman for something and went. Even his sayings sounded like shouting whenever he was engaging in a conversation with Thaman.

Thaman came out of the car and murmured in Tamil I could hear.

“I thought of taking a snap with you. But, dropped the idea in the end.” I told Thaman while walking to the railway station.

“Thank god you didn’t do. Else, that’s all. He would have agreed at that time. But, after that, he would have scolded me like anything.” He said and continued,

“Tension party brother.”

I didn’t want to say anything for it may spoil my name. I felt it was none of my business. Interfering between an officer and his assistant was not a good sign I thought. I compelled Thaman to have a juice. I felt like buying for him. He refused in the beginning then accepted after my insistence. We talked a lot in that half an hour. The time was enough for us to share about our families. Thaman has completed his twelfth and got into military. He told about his time-table, nature of work and everything.

“I’ve seen many officers scolding their assistants. But, he could have avoided before me.”

“No, brother. He’s such a great man. Tension is the only problem he has. Other than that, none can blame him. He was disappointed on our today’s loss I think. He has done many good things to many people brother. Commanding officer is his rank. There are five districts with two hundred and seventy people under him. What he says is a final word. What he takes is a final decision. Sometimes he drinks, sometimes he smokes. Now a days, it has increased. He belongs to Maharashtra. He recently lost his son who was doing his tenth or ninth. From then on, he started drinking a lot. He has a daughter too.”

“Yes. I found him smoked in the afternoon. How did his son die?”

“Some fever I think.”

I didn’t know what to say.

“He had been praising you whole night. Living without vision is very difficult he said. He said that he felt happy for being with you. He asked me to come today. I said I can’t manage with English. He said it was not a big deal. He was quoting you as his inspiration.”

He said and asked me finally,

“How did you become blind?”

How did I become Blind?

I narrated the long story short.

He got down, the train departed. I reached home and unlocked my mobile. There was a message from Mr. Avinash. He has sent me while we exchanged our numbers I understood.

“Dear Vinoth had a wonderful car navigation rally with you, and thanks to you. It was one of the most memorable days in my life. May god bless you Vinoth, with my best wishes and complements, Kernel Avinash Peter.” I read his message and chatted with him for a while.

My curiosity forced him to read his What’sapp status.

“I saw a lot more with a blind navigator than what usually meet with my eyes.”

The end.