STORY-LOCK OUT

LOCK OUT I was working as writer in a rubber plantation in Munnar. Our only daughter was in the College . My wife belongs to a rich family at Kollam , but she loved me dearly and life seemed smooth and happy. So the notice of lock out by the Management, was bolt from the blue My wife Devu was thrifty and she used to invest in chit funds etc. I told her:” Do not tell your family. I have friends at Jamshedpur. I will go there and try to get some work. Give me some money for rail fare. I shall stay with my friend” At the time of departure she cried. It was the first time I left her alone:”Be brave; I shall call you there as soon as I get some work, eve that of a peon” It was my first travel to the North. I did not know Hindi, but there were Malayalees in the train and did not have any difficulty. My friend was waiting at the station. We talked about family matters and reached his flat. His wife is fair to look at and charming I her movements:”You are lucky”, I told him. For the time being, I got the job of a watchman in a housing Society. A one room shack was given for my stay. I informed Devu and she came with a friend known to us , leaving our daughter in her home. She was happy that we are united again. It was in her home that I first saw the sea. Whenever I felt , I went and watched the sea. Devu used to say:”If you like it here , you must try for a job here.” But I did not have much education. My father knew the Englishman who owned the rubber estate. So he managed to give me the work of the ‘writer’, which is management of the labour, keeping record of their salary, leave etc. Devu was very happy, as she loved the hills. She was very popular among the Union workers and knew in advance, about the impending lock out.”Why didn’t you tell me?” ”I did not like to cause pain to you; I thought I will bring you to my home and give you some work.” We used to go about the country side . I found that there were no grocery shops on this side of the rail. Even women would go three miles , crossing the rail to brig atta , vegetables , salt etc. “Why not open a shop here?”, I asked Devu. She wholeheartedly approved the idea. With the permission of the society, I put up a temporary room with asbestos roof . I engaged a local boy and stocked all items needed by people , including bangles and bindi. Devu used to come after cooking is over; now we lived in a similar room, behind the shop. I need not say the business prospered. Hearing our success story , my daughter came to see it personally. She is a commerce graduate and knows computer . She made soft ware for accounting on her lap top. At her instance, I bought desk top machine and now billing is done on computer. I gave strict instructions that if any item is returned as below quality, the money should be returned. Such things (very rare) are used at home. Message came from home that her marriage is fixed. As all of us cannot leave this place , I sent mother and daughter home.