The bus ride
Nelum Kulunuthilak
That day I got into a bus from the Pettah Bus Stand to go to Galle,
my Home Town as one of my cars was in the garage where I had put her for
a new paint and to put some new seat covers.
Though I had the opportunity to ask my driver to come and fetch me
from Colombo as well as the means to hire a car from Colombo to Galle, I
did not do so because I wanted a bus ride for a change as I had not gone
by bus for the last couple of years or so. I did not prefer an A.C. Bus
as it was fully covered and did not give me the opportunity of viewing
the passing landscape.
Scenery
I comforted myself in a corner seat of the bus which gave me an
opportunity of viewing the greenery of the roads overtaken by the bus
which opportunity was not afforded to me when driving a car.
The morning breeze was refreshing and it fanned my chest and face
giving me a feeling of freshness. Gradually when the bus was nearly full
the conductor gave the signal to the driver to commence the journey.
My seat was shared by a young boy who was busy reading the daily
Paper. The paper was fully opened and though I had the chance of peeping
into it and gathering some news by reading the headlines I did not do so
because my preference was to watch the scenery on either side of the
road.
I was deeply engrossed in enjoying the picturesque scenery and when
the bus stopped at Thurstan Road about five or six students including
three female students got into the bus after having a word with the bus
driver. Some of them had Tills in their hands and the sound of the
rattling coins woke me from my sweet slumber and to listen to their
speeches.
“Mother, father, brother, sister, we are students of a Campus and due
to a strike organised by some of our brothers and sisters the Campus has
been closed indefinitely.
The strike was organised to ask for security of jobs on obtaining a
Degree but that went unheeded by the Authorities and as a result or a
forceful agitation the Campus has been closed down indefinitely - we
cannot use the Library as the Campus has been declared out of bounds and
our examinations have been postponed indefinitely.
This has created a big problem to us - we are unable to go to our
home towns - one reason is without completing the Degree - and if we
leave the boarding houses presently occupied by us the lodgings would be
given to others at a higher rate.
To send us for higher education our parents had mortgaged their
properties and pawned their jewellery with the hope that once we
complete our courses and obtain employment we would settle all the loans
but now the situation has come to a situation where we are unable to
complete our studies and obtain the Degree leave alone a job.
At the boarding houses occupied by us we are not provided with meals
- only lodging and in one small room we share with four students with no
beds and only two small tables and two chairs.
We have to undergo much suffering and in the campus cafeteria we
usually share one cup of plain tea with three others leave alone the
meals. This is our plight dear mother, father, brother, sister. So
please help us in some manner to get over our hardships until we return
home after completing our examinations.”
The students started walking down the passage of the bus shaking
their tills and one of the female students came to me and held her till.
At once I recognised her as a batch mate of mine at the Maha Vidyalaya.
Her face looked haggered and withered - so was the dress worn by her and
a pair of bata slippers to cover her feet. So were the clothes worn by
the other students.
When my glance fell on this female campus student my mind ran back to
the past when I was a student at a Maha Vidyalaya in a remote village in
Galle. My father was not living, he having died of a car accident
leaving my mother and sister to fend for themselves. The only property
we had was the dilapidated house where we lived.
Empty stomach
My mother used to prepare string hoppers and hoppers early morning
and sell them to the nearby boutique to feed my sister and myself both
of whom were school-going. It was with the utmost difficulty we managed
with the meagre income earned by my mother daily and it was a normal
routine for us to skip a meal or two every week.
The only person who helped us was my mother’s younger brother who did
odd jobs as a Labourer and spent all his daily earnings on our education
and feeding us. He did not get married as he had thought that if an
outsider came to the family there would be chances of cutting off the
assistance given to us by him.
I still could remember how I came to school walking about 3 miles
over paddy fields on an empty stomach. I walked bare-footed through the
Paddy fields as I wanted to save my pair of shoes and it was only in the
vicinity of the school that I washed my feet in the nearby water stream
and put on my shoes as my mother did not have the money to buy me
another pair of shoes.
I studied hard in the night with the help of the kerosene lamp and
passed my Ordinary Level Examination obtaining Eight Distinctions and
the Principal of the school called me and commended me.
Thereafter undergoing further hardship by studying late at night
mostly on an empty stomach I passed the Advanced Level Examination with
four A passes and I had the clear opportunity to continue my higher
studies.
The Principal of the Maha Vidyalaya surrounded by the Teachers who
taught me summoned me to the Office Room and commended my achievement
and advised me to pursue my higher studies for which I replied with half
a smile as I did not want to displease them - I was not keen to join any
University due to my family commitments.
My mother was over-joyed to hear of my results and in fact wanted to
mortgage the house and property which we live and send me to continue my
higher education to which I said a polite ‘No’ without causing a pain to
my mother’s wishes.
To the astonishment of the Principal and the Teachers who taught me
but with due respect and thanks to them I decided to forego higher
education and joined a Hotel School for a Twelve months course where I
learnt all the culinary.
Thereafter I applied for a post of a Cook in a Hotel and on my being
selected to the post of Cook I worked very hard and after some time.
I was promoted as a Chef and whilst working there I got an
opportunity to go to Middle East as a Chef. Serving for six years in the
Middle East I returned to my country to look after my mother, sister and
uncle. With my foreign earnings I managed to buy a plot of land and
build a small hotel for tourists and with my contacts abroad my Hotel
business flourished in no time.
I had several vehicles and there were about twenty people working
under me all of whom I looked after well. So within six years I had
established myself well looking after my mother, sister and uncle very
well.
I had no immediate plans of marriage as it was my duty to see that my
sister is married and settled down before me. And I also persuaded my
uncle to get married which he did and I provided him with a good job in
my hotel as well as Quarters for his family in the hotel itself.
All this enormous wealth could not have been earned by me had I opted
for a University education. I never regretted for not pursuing my
studies and I was right in taking the decision and joining the Hotel
School. Had I opted to join a University my plight would have been the
same as the students who got into the bus doing a ‘honourable begging’.
University career
When I decided to sacrifice my University career for the sake of the
well-being of my sister, mother and uncle I still could remember how
this batch mate of mine, Sagarika, came to me and advised me to continue
my higher studies.
She told me that one day I will regret it and that she will be a
University Graduate holding a prestigious position in the Government
Service whereas I would be a cook in a Kitchen of a Hotel throughout my
life.
I was not keen in holding a prestigious position nor did I want to
obtain any initials after my name. My only wish was to look after my
mother, sister and uncle well.
The memories of my past were cut short when the Till held by Sagarika
was before me. I took a Two Thousand Rupee note and forced it into her
Till. She looked at me with a smile and I thanked God that she did not
recognise me! |