Adieu to RGO

I may have been at the Registrar General's office for around six months. I made many friends whom I bump into even now here and there. C.T. left us early - I never thought he would leave us so soon. Incidentally, C.T.'s family members were good friends of my wife Manel's family. They were at Dehiwala and it was at Dehiwala that I met Manel too - but that's another story to which I will come round to later.

There were several unforgettable characters at the RGO. There was Mr. Weerasinghe, our chief clerk and head of the division - very punctual, very neat and very kind. He was like a father to us novices. If he was displeased with us for some reason or another, he would only clear his throat and we took that signal quite seriously.

Then there was a Mr. Mendis from Moratuwa. He was nicknamed 'Health King' - I found out why, later. The very first day I reported for work, a toothy young chap who was my neighbour, swung his well combed head towards Mr. Mendis and asked me a funny question.

"How do you like his health?" he asked me. I must have looked pretty confused and Mr. 'Wellcombed' must have noticed my confusion and he whispered in my ear "You know, last Christmas he was crowned 'Health King' at his home town, Moratuwa at the annual carnival..." "How did they find out he was so healthy?" I whispered back. "Just look at him, he looks so 'healthy' - that must be how they found out." Replied my friend with absolute conviction. I had a second look at Mr. Health King.

Ladder of success

I did not see anything very special about the man except that he was a neatly dressed rather small made man who was fair in complexion and rather good looking. I smiled at Mr. 'Wellcombed' and let it go at that. A rather unusual thing at the RGO was that older men were always looking at the more smart young chaps - chaps who showed promise of going up the ladder of success - with unusual interest. No, it was not any 'unholy' interest, but genuine interest.

They were looking for likely suitors for their daughters at home. This was a well-known secret and the young chaps who were 'not in the likely list' enjoyed the pampering fun. After all we were the Registrar General's office, where lots of marriages were registered and this peculiarity had to be understood in that context!

I had been applying for other jobs - of a more permanent nature - in the meantime and one day I received another registered letter, this time from the Education Dept. I had applied for the job of English Assistant teacher and this letter has called me for an interview at the Dept. in Malay street.

I went for the interview and two weeks later I received yet another registered letter. I had been appointed English Assistant Teacher to a school in the Nuwara Eliya district - a place called Dehipe, Padiyapelella. So it was time to say goodbye to my friends at the RGO. No, there was no farewell party or anything like that. Those were lean days and after all I was only a temporary clerk. But one afternoon I was summoned by none other than the Registrar General himself - one Mr. Watson.

I did not know why I had been summoned by the head of the Department - I certainly did not think it was to say goodbye. But so it was. Mr. Watson very courteously showed me to a chair and had a little chat with me. "So, young man, I hear you are leaving us?" He asked me with a broad smile - he had a rather mischievous smile. I don't know why I always got bosses with mischievous smiles and playful laughter.

Now when I think back, I feel it was a bit of good luck. "Yes, sir, I have to." I told him. "You don't have to, young man. We can still keep you if you would like to continue with us." Mr. Watson said with a twinkle in his eye. "I like teaching Sir, I have a little experience too." "Teaching experience? At your age?"

Good luck

Mr. Watson was obviously taken aback. "Yes Sir, with my father. He had been a teacher sometimes." "Ah, then that's different. And where are you going to teach?" "In the Nuwara Eliya district Sir, it's a place called Padiyapelella." 'That's upcountry alright. It can be pretty cold there. I am sure you'll fall or a 'Udarata Menike!" And he laughed. Mr. Watson was enjoying this conversation. How sweet of him, I thought. "I am not sure about that Sir. But I will do my very best in the new job Sir." I told him honestly. "That's very good.

That should be the spirit, young man. You have been doing good work here too. So they say. Anyway, I wish you good luck. Do look us up whenever you come to Colombo." And he shook my hand warmly, patted my back and wished me good luck once again.

Big boss

I am not sure whether this kind of thing happens in Govt. offices today - a big boss taking time to either welcome or say goodbye to an absolute novice, a temporary clerk. It may be that those bosses of yesteryear were not as stressed as the present lot and they had plenty of time for this sort of indulgence. Or, it simply may have been part of the personality of the man.

In my rather long career in the Public Service I have met several such bosses - T. P. de S. Munasinghe, Justin Samarasekera, V. C. De Silva, H. R. Premaratne, M. R. Fernando (all of the PWD) and M. J. Perera - the veteran civil servant, at the Rupavahini Corporation. They made you feel comfortable, gave you confidence and gave you praise when such was due.

Of course some of them such as Justin Samarasekera, Premaratne, V. C. de Silva and M. J. Perera were theatre enthusiasts too and that helped. Mr. Samarasekera never failed to bring, me a gift of a useful book on the subject of theatre, whenever he travelled abroad. M. J. Perera never failed to congratulate us whenever we came up with a good program at Rupavahini.

In any institution there are 'kelankarayas' (tale-carriers) who carry tales to the 'Minister' - especially if you happen to be honest, hard-working and popular. Good bosses always defend such persons and they do not bend over at the very sight of the Minister!

I had not travelled beyond Kandy and had no idea where Dehipe, Padiyapelella was. After perusing a map I found out that the place was on the Kandy-Ragala road and that it was 24 miles into the hills from Kandy. I took the news to Nissanka Aiya and he very kindly offered to accompany me in a pre-visit to my new place of work - Sinhala Primary School at Dehipe, Padiyapelella.

Long distance

So one Sunday morning we set off to Kandy by train from the Fort railway station. In those days the long distance trains ere not crowded as now. We travelled second class. My Nissanka Aiya was entitled to railway warrants of that class. We got corner seats and we enjoyed our ride to Kandy.

By the way, what has happened to all the 'Vade Karayas' and 'Kurumba Karayas' (sellers of Vade and Young Coconuts) at Ragama and Polgahawela stations? Of course, I have not travelled by train for ages. Maybe they are still there. Perhaps even more 'modernized' versions of them. But I doubt if the Vade is still as tasty.

Nissanka Aiya and I arrived at the Kandy main bus stand around nine that morning. We boarded a Ragala bound bus and took our seats. It was sunshine in Kandy and I was wondering why most of the passengers wore mufflers, sweaters, shawls and such warm fare. Even the driver of the bus a round-faced, cherub looking man sat, his head swathed in a green coloured woollen muffler. Very soon, we were to find out why.

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