What is "Important"?

The little girl was standing near the front door of her house for quite sometime. Her mother found this somewhat intriguing. Only two-years old, she was a chatterbox and would be continuously asking questions on all and sundry things around her. When not asking questions, she would be explaining things in her own way. But today it was different. She had fallen silent and standing at the door. The mother thought some enquiry would be in order.

"What are you looking for?" 

"It is time for dad to come home"

"Your dad knows the house. He will come. You need not wait there"

"I know that. I am waiting for him and something else"

The mother was not aware of the discussion that took place between the dad and his daughter that morning. 

"Dad, do you return from the office by the same road every day?"

"No. There are three or four different routes from my office. I take one of them."

"Are there any shops on the way in any of the routes?"

"Of course there are. There are many shops on the way."

"Do any of those shops sell chocolates?"

"Yes, some of them do."

"Can you bring some chocolates if you find a shop on the way, today evening?"

"Yes, I will."

"You do not go in search of a shop. If you find a shop on the way and they sell chocolates, you can bring some."

It was this "something" that dad was likely to bring that had excited her and made her wait near the door expectantly.

Dad arrived a little late than usual. The girl waited for sometime. There was no sign of chocolates. "Were there no shops on the way today?", she asked mildly. Dad remembered about the chocolates only then. "Sorry dear, I was busy in the review meeting with the General Manager today. I will get it tomorrow", he said. The child hid her disappointment admirably and kept quiet.

She waited on the next evening as well. Dad came late and was visibly tired. No sign of chocolates. "Were there no shops on the way today as well?", she asked after sometime. Dad remembered the chocolates only then. "Sorry dear, today I was busy with preparation for Executive Director's visit. I will remember tomorrow", he said. The little one did not understand General Manager's review or preparation for Executive Director's visit. She did not get her chocolates. That was important for her, but dad had other important things.

Dad was now aware that what was small for him was important to the little one. He picked the chocolates and put in his briefcase on the onward commute to the office next morning. He did not wait for the return journey. The little one will today surely get what was important for her! 

*****

Lakshmi finished all her normal duties on the festival day. Working as a domestic help, she had to finish work in the regular houses before returning to her own house and start preparation for festival that day. She finished additional work assigned to her as well as it was an important festival day.

"Everything is done. Can I go now?", she asked.

The lady of the house was preoccupied with the visit of her sister and brother-in-law on the festival day. They were living in a far away country and were coming here after twenty years. She was in her own world when Lakshmi asked the above question. She looked up at Lakshmi and wondered why she was asking this question. "I am finished and leaving. Please lock the door", were her usual words. Today she sounded differently.

"Yes, you can go. Do not forget to come early tomorrow", said the lady of the house. She felt that Lakshmi appeared disappointed when she left. The excitement of arrival of her sister flooded in and cut off any more thoughts about Lakshmi.

Lakshmi asked the same question on the next day. Lady of the house thought for a moment. She realised that she had forgotten to bring the new saree for her for the festival. The practice of several years was broken this year due to her preoccupation with sister's visit. Sister's visit was important to her, but the annual new saree was important for Lakshmi. That was something she looked forward eagerly as the festival approached.

Lady of the house realised this now. Lakshmi got her new saree on the next day. 

*****

We all have many important things to do every day. We are preoccupied with those important things. In the bargain, we forget what is important for someone else around us, but delayed and denied by us due to something more important to us!

Now, what is "Important"?  Both. Aren't they?

Father and Daughter atop Mount Santis

Switzerland is a popular tourist destination and millions of travelers from all over the world visit this country every year.  It is one of the most peace loving countries and its policy of armed neutrality has stood the test of time. The country has not been in a state of war for the last two centuries, since 1815.  Thought it houses the second largest office of the United Nations, it joined United Nations only in 2002.  Important organizations like ILO, WHO, WTO, IOC (International Olympic committee) and UNHRC function from this country. Mother nature has smiled liberally on Switzerland and one of such bounties is the Swiss Alps mountain range.

Mount Santis is one of the mountains in the Swiss Alps and is about 80 kilometers from Zurich.  The scenic drive from Zurich to the foot of the mountain takes less than two hours.  There are two ways to reach the summit from the foot of the mountain; the adventurous can go hiking which takes four hours or by a cable car that takes ten minutes.  The cable car trip costs 45 Swiss Francs or 36 Euros.  The cable way was installed in 1935 and and the ten minute ride is thrilling and exciting.  The rise of the car in the last part to the 2502 meter (8209 feet) high mountain top is breath-taking and when one looks down from the cable car, the true emotion is fear!  (Pictures of the observatory given here is taken from the net).  There is an Observatory building at the top of the mountain with a 123 meter (403 feet) high transmitter mast.  This building also hosts a souvenir shop, cafeteria, restaurant and conference hall as well.  Visitors and skiers throng these places.  There is a Hotel by name "Berggasthaus" which literally means "Mountain Guest House".  This hotel is now run by the fifth generation of the promoters. The hotel takes up contracts for hosting marriage ceremonies, family celebrations, social functions and conferences.  The advantage of getting married here is that the couple need not spend money to reach Switzerland for a honeymoon since they are already there!

We reached the foot of the Mountain and stood in the line for cable car tickets.  It was then that I first spotted the daughter and her father.  The father was well past seventy years and the daughter was around thirty years of age.  He was apparently sick and his every step forward was with a lot of effort.  Strangely, he was holding a stick in his left hand and she was holding his right hand and helping along.  We reached the ticket window, bought our tickets and were led to the cable car straight away.  We were lucky to get a spot in front of the cable car cabin and got an unobstructed view of the surroundings as the car moved to the top of the mountain.  Once on top of the mountain, we made a round of the observatory building and tower and had a view of the surroundings.  The signboards indicated a view of the six countries in 360 degrees; Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, France and Italy.  The weather changed dramatically in a few minutes and it suddenly became windy and misty.  We moved inside the restaurant for lunch.  They were there again; Daughter and her Father.

She helped him to sit on the chair, holding the chair in one hand and him in the other.  She opened her handbag and pulled out a small towel to wipe his face since he was sweating despite the cold weather outside.  Once he was comfortably seated, she moved to the food counter and got two trays of lunch.  A bib was taken out of the handbag and tied around his neck.  She encouraged him to eat the lunch and finished hers quickly.  Hard items were cut by her into pieces since he could not do it himself.  Sitting next to him she helped him to his lunch for the next half an hour.  There were long gaps between two spoonfuls and yet she did not take the easy way out by feeding him.  It did not look life father and daughter any more; it was rather a child and his mother.  Food particles stuck to his shirt despite the bib.  She patiently cleaned all that and led him slowly to the large glass window to explain the surrounding view.  When they came back to the table and he sat for the second time, he smiled at her.  It was his first sign of expression in an otherwise blank face.  She patted him on the back and waited for their turn to enter the cable car on the return journey.  We returned to the foot of the mountain in the same cable car.  She helped him to his seat in the car and drove away.

There was an argument the other day about loving daughters and sons.  Someone mentioned that daughters love their parents and always take care of them.  Another disagreed and said that sons too love their parents equally.  Someone else mentioned that the sons love their parents to the extent they are permitted to do so!  The discussion was probably more emotional than rational.  After recalling our encounter with the daughter and her father on Mount Santis, my vote would go to the daughters, right or wrong or whatever.                            

The Drunkard's Daughter

The years spent in Middle School (5th to 7th year of education) were indeed wonderful days. General economic conditions in the early 1960s were difficult.  Aftereffects of Indo-China war of 1962 and Indo-Pakistan  war of 1965 had added to the misery.  As students, in the age group of  11 years to 14 years for most of us, we were hardly in a position to understand that.  We lived in our own world and school days were merry days and playful as usual.  Lunch break at 1.30 PM was eagerly looked forward to by all my classmates and I was no exception.  Students coming from nearby houses would run home to have a quick lunch and return to school for post-lunch classes.  Those staying away from the school had to perforce stay in the school compound and eat lunch from the boxes brought with them in the morning while coming to school.  Of course, there were many who did not have the luxury and practice of having lunch.  They were used to food only twice a day; before coming to the school in the morning and in the evening after returning from the school.  This had its own advantage; they never suffered from indigestion and related ailments.

For the children staying back in the school compound during lunch time, there were other activities.  Playing cricket or football was one of them.  There was no practice of giving pocket money to children in those days mainly because the pockets of the parents themselves did not have any money in them.  There were a few kids from relatively affluent families who carried small change in their pockets.  They had  attractions just outside the school gate abutting the main road of the town.  Two carts carrying items for sale beckoned them.  One of them carried groundnuts and uppukadale (salted chana) and the other laden with cut fruits available in the season.  Uppukadale and Groundnuts were acceptable, but we had strict instructions not to touch the cut fruits.  The threat of cholera was always lurking round the corner.  My mother's advice was soft and firm.  If any child in the family is tempted to eat any fruit sold on the cart, she should be informed.  She would arrange for getting the item and serve it at home in hygienic conditions.  If the instructions were violated and someone fell sick, she would not take care of them.  The threat was enough and there was no need to test her resolve.  We understood her perfectly and she ensured that the instructions were always complied with.

The cart with cut fruits was tended by one Hanuma.  He would procure the seasonal fruits like Guava, Mango, Jack fruit, Papaya and Watermelon.  Pineapple and Apple were also seen but rarely.  Mother's instructions were not to touch them; there was no ban on watching him clean and cut the fruits.  He was an expert in his trade and probably worth an award these days when everything is measured and awards given away.  He had his tools - knives of different sizes and shapes to handle the variety of fruits ranging from the hard and thorny jack fruit to the softer fully ripe papaya.  Processing activity of cutting and arranging the fruit pieces went on simultaneously with the sales activity of handing over the cut pieces to children, collect coins, count them and store them below the gunny bag table cloth.  He did brisk business during the lunch break and moved away to the nearby bus stand once the children got into their classes.

Hanuma was a hard working man and was always involved in some work or the other.  He had a small plot of land by the river side and grew vegetables there round the year.  After harvesting them for the day's sale he would proceed with other errands like sale of cut fruits.  His wife Ramakka carried the vegetables basket on her head selling them from house to house in the morning.  The quality and freshness of the vegetables ensured that there was no carry over of inventory for the next day.  Between them they earned a decent wage.  But the one weakness of Hanuma ensured that the family always lived in abject poverty.  Drunkard and inebriate are terms for a person who drinks hard liquors habitually. Drunkard connotes willful indulgence to excess. Inebriate is a slightly more formal term than drunkard.  Dipsomaniac is the term for a person who, because of some psychological or physiological illness, has an irresistible craving for liquor. The dipsomaniac is popularly called an alcoholic.  Hanuma was probably all of them.  He loved his family but it appeared he loved his evening drink even more.

Ramakka suffered silently and somehow managed the family affairs.  All her efforts to bring round Hanuma failed.  One evening she appeared before our house and wanted to see my father.  He had just returned from school and took his usual place in the front yard.  Their conversation went on like this:

"Swami, Hanuma's drinking is killing us.  Why don't you help me?"
"How can I help you, Ramakka?"
"Hanuma respects you a lot. Please advise him to give up drinking."
"I have advised him many times.  Every time I talk to him, he promises not to drink again.  But he does not stick to his promise.  His friends are not good.  He also cannot resist the evening drink."
"Then what is the way out for me?"
"We have to keep trying and hope for the best.  By the way, who is that girl hiding behind you?"
"This is our daughter Saraswati, Swami."
"How old is she?" 
"She is six years old, Swami."
"Have you admitted her to school? All children at this age should attend school."
"What will she do with school, Swami?  She helps me with household work and selling vegetables.  That is fine with me.  Hanuma also wants the same."
"Do not talk nonsense.  Do not spoil her life.  Bring her to school tomorrow.  I am the headmaster.  I will admit her to the school.  Ask Hanuma to meet me in the morning."

Hanuma duly arrived in the morning.  The discussion went on like this:

"Swami, It seems you wanted to see me."
"Yes, Why have you not put Saraswati in school?"
"What is the use of school for us poor people, Swami.  Moreover I cannot pay school fee."
"No need to pay any fee.  I will get her fee waived by the Government.  I will get her free uniform from Headmaster's quota.  I will also arrange for books from some other students who are promoted to the next class.  You have no excuse.  She should be in school by the time I reach there."
"Swami, should I really do it?"
"Yes, otherwise I will get you arrested by the police for violating government order."

Hanuma was afraid of government and police.  He did not even think of checking with someone.  He complied with father's orders.  Saraswati was admitted to first standard at school.  She was better than average in studies.  She passed her examinations every year.  By the time she came to High School, I had left the town and was working in a far away city.  On one of my home visits I learnt that father had arranged for her learning typewriting and shorthand in the local "Institute of Commerce". The Institute head was persuaded to give her a slot in the early morning class when the attendance at the institute was thin.  No need to mention that the fee was waived by him.

The last I heard of Saraswati was that she had secured a job as a Stenographer in the State Government and working in a building near Vidhana Soudha (State Secretariat). That was thirty years ago.