LITTLE TINGS....MALAWI HOUSE BOY !

Little things ………..

When you sit back, relax, ruminate and masticate old instances, lingering thoughts, anecdotes and episodes,  you will be amazed to note that not big promotions, grand titles, fat bonus that have brought happiness in one’s life !!! Small….. Pretty little things that were done by so thoughtful people have brought in more joy in one’s life.  Wish to share a few ones!

 

MALAWI  HOUSE BOY

Malawi is a small land locked country in Central Africa. I had the fortune of living and working in the country for five years from 1995 to 1999. A very interesting stay interlaced with many interesting episodes and events. Overall it was very great experience and satisfying one.

There were three workmen known as” house boys” apart from Security Guards  attached to us, Fredrick Dua was one of them. He was a very shy person. He showed great dexterity in arranging flowers from our garden. He used to keep the house spic and span.  Showed keen sense to learn South Indian cooking by watching and taking notes whenever Jayashree, my wife  was cooking in the kitchen.

By mid 1999 I took up a new job in India and moved to Chennai as my father was sinking and we knew that his days were numbered. In Nov’1999 he breathed his last and left for his heavenly abode. After a fortnight we all resumed our office and the household was back to regular routine. Slowly all the relatives who had assembled for the funeral had left.

One day in the afternoon the telephone rang. From the ring tone I could make out it was an international call. From the other side I could hear Fredrick’s unmistakable nasal voice stating “ Moodi Banji Mama “ in Chichewava local Mawali dilect and followed by “ Pepani..Pepani”. I could understand  Fredrick had called me to condole the death of my father. Though I did not leave my Chennai phone No. with him, he had so thoughtfully borrowed the No. from my friends and made the effort to call me. I told him not to worry as my father was old, invalid for quite some time etc. He was not satisfied he called again in the night to speak to me leisurely. The amount he would have spent on the long distance overseas call from Malawi was nearly his one month’s salary. Despite that he made the effort to reach our family when we were mourning the demise of my father.

We must have received piles of letters and condolence messages. But his call is still ringing in my ears !!