Life Abroad - Part 12:
COUNTERING TIGER KITTENS!
Student life in London was not a bed of roses two-three decades ago
being confined to ‘room accommodation’, moreover the Sri Lankan
landlords who rented out rooms were far and few between. In ‘confined’
lodgings sharing of the kitchen caused more than one problem. Primarily
one had to be very clean and tidy and the cooking had to be selective as
English landladies or ‘housekeepers’ could not bear the strong aroma of
curry! Equally, it was a different case when it came to foreign students
who had to put up with the nauseating smell of ‘fish and chips’ which
was alien to their oriental olfactory organs! Things have changed since
and these days of course Indian and Sri Lankan restaurants are crowded
with Westerners whose taste-buds prolong for spicy food.
In the morning rush students hardly had time to waste except gobbling
down two slices of toasted bread with butter and wash it down with a mug
of tea or coffee. Colleges always offered warm food at subsidised rates
from their cafeterias but many preferred to economise by mainly being
‘baked beans on toast ‘fans’ or to be contended with a ‘hot dog’!
Ceylon Students’ Centre
For those who lived in London area, The Ceylon Students Centre at
Sussex Gardens in Paddington offered an excellent opportunity,
especially during week-ends. Subsidised by the Sri Lanka government, the
Students Centre offered spicy rice and curry and free tea for Sri Lankan
students.
‘The Ceylon Student Centre’ was the only convenient and economical
place in London which offered board and lodging for those on a budget.
Managed by the Sri Lanka government, responsibilities of running the
place had been delegated to a Diplomat (Warden) from the High Commission
and it functioned with a staff of two-three kitchen hands.
A good meal of rice and curry (served on a plate) cost a nominal sum
of 15 pence for students, but seemingly the price went up to 35 pence
later. Non students (of Sri Lankan origin) had to buy a separate meal
ticket at a higher rate. An oversize kettle full of prepared milk tea
stood on a table at the disposal of customers for consumption after
meals - as many cups as much as they liked! A special menu with yellow
rice or buriyani attracted a lot on week-ends and on Sundays
particularly.
With all such facilities and conveniences, the place once managed to
earn a bad reputation for ‘lost property’ of those who visited the
Centre! Such news became so widespread that at times warnings from
parents and guardians came all the way from home with strict
instructions to avoid the Students Centre like a plague!
Cynosure
Despite all such adverse publicity, The Ceylon Students Centre became
the cynosure for Sri Lankan students at the beginning and later for all
Sri Lankan expatriates to build up new friendships with fellow
countrymen and to renew old friendships of those who had met in Sri
Lanka before. One distressing incident that records in the history of
the Student Centre could be the committing of suicide inside a bathtub
by a particular High Commissioner’s wife by cutting her wrist with a
sharp instrument and lying in a pool of blood and water until two
employees at the High Commission, a Sinhala and an English, had to pull
the body out of the bathtub when alarmed.
During the height of LTTE activities (in much later years) groups of
Tamil youths (who appeared to be sympathisers of the LTTE) from the
South East Polytechnic (South East London College for further Education)
Lewisham had organised an intimidation programme and arrived at the
Students Centre in bus loads during lunch time on a weekday while only a
handful of Sinhala students were enjoying their meal.
At first they took the Assistant (Resident) Warden by the scruff of
the neck, held him against the wall and threatened him. Next they
marched towards the luncheon hall to have a meal jabbering in Tamil
aloud (which was translated by someone who was fluent in Tamil) as :
“Eat these bastards’ food and f………. them”!
No nonsense attitude
The outnumbered few Sinhala students who were enjoying their meal
peacefully had to behave like frightened mice as the Tamil majority was
stronger and the ambient became somewhat apprehensive. The message about
Tamil youth invasion of the Student Centre and the harassment to the
Assistant Warden (Coomasaru ) spread like a wildfire to the Sinhala
patriots in and around Paddington area when ‘Shelton’ (an ex private
soldier of the army who served as cook for the Centre for several
years), appeared on the spot within minutes of hearing the disturbances.
‘Shelton’ was known as a ‘no-nonsense man’ when it came to injustice,
and it was believed to be that his outspokenness alone cost him the job
at the Students Centre earlier. He left the service and ventured into
his own business first with a mobile delivery-service of Sri Lankan
spices which he later developed into a mega business and became well
known as an entrepreneur with his own shops and running around in a
Jaguar motor car!
To everyone’s consolation, ‘Shelton’ entered the dining hall just in
time ranting and raving like a lion after hearing about Tamil students
manhandling Coomasaru.
In a fearless manner and a commanding voice he threw a challenge to
the whole mob who were making a din inside the dining hall in the crème
of Sinhala to come forward ‘face-to- face’ with him if they had any
grievance. The hustle and bustle that prevailed for sometime instantly
subsided and the whole area was transformed into what could be described
as an abandoned cemetery. The protestors simply put their heads down and
concentrated on their meal!
The news about the ‘Tamil students invasion’ of the Ceylon Students
Centre had travelled fast to South East London where the majority of
Tamil students lived at the time. Being very enthusiastic about after
hearing of the news and to support their colleagues many started
travelling by bus from Lewisham to Paddington where Shelton with another
pal parked his vehicle near a Praed Street bus stand, in front of the St
Mary’s Hospital, and waited like a cat waiting its prey!
When unconcerned Tamil students got off from the bus in Paddington,
Shelton very politely approached them and generously offered a lift to
the students centre in typical Sri Lankan hospitality as if he was going
there to have lunch! The Tamil supporters who were unaware of what
exactly had taken place at the Students Centre a little while ago
innocently got into his car one by one at a time for a free ride but
once inside the vehicle they were taken to an isolated spot and treated
them physically with a bonus! Finally protestors realising their
misfired plan scattered all over from Paddington area at rocket speed.
On a different occasion, during Sri Lanka Vs England cricket test
match at Lord’s Grounds, ‘Shelton’ sold packets of short eats from his
food outlet when a group of arrogant looking Tamils approached him. The
leader of the group picked up two packets and enquired about the price.
When the price was quoted the guy simply shouted at Shelton saying: “Too
expensive man! And who the hell you think who wants to buy this rubbish
anyway”? Shelton with his usual obliging grin said: “If you don’t like
it, please leave them on the table, no one is forcing you to buy
anyway”! At which point the Tamil chap bashed the food packets on the
table forcefully making a mess of everything.
In a split second, before one could say Jack Robinson I, who stood in
the queue behind the Tamil guy to buy a bottle of pickle from Shelton’s
food outlet at that very moment, saw Shelton’s right hand moving at
flying speed (from behind the counter where he was standing) and landing
a heavy punch on the trouble maker’s left cheek without uttering a
single word.
The flummoxed guy went into a daze, did a comatose ‘about-turn’ not
realising where he was or ‘coming or going’ ! His supporters showed a
clean pair of heels from the scene, so did he on a slower pace.
This happened at a time when the LTTE aggression back at home was at
its height and sympathisers of the terrorist movement were acting as
appointed agents who started to coerce money out from innocent Tamil
folk and Tamil businesses in London.
At a time when Sri Lanka was lagging behind in communication to
counter adverse publicity generated from London while terrorist goons
were beginning to raise the ugly head of terrorism, Shelton was regarded
as a brave and patriotic son of Mother Lanka.
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