Beyond the Waves
Sister Carmel’s heart began to beat very fast. ‘Kottaram’ – That was the name of her father’s house. Her expression changed. Her mind immersed in the thoughts about her father. She looked at Jacky carefully. Did he belong to Thamarakulam?
She handed over the mobile. Jacky quickly pressed Sharon’s number. When he heard her voice his face became as bright as a flower. He said “Sharon, this is Jacky. I reached here safely “O.K. Are you staying with the person called Daniel?”
“No. Now I am in Sister Carmel’s hermitage. Daniel Sir brought me here from the airport. I will stay here for two weeks. You should tell Koshy sir and aunty about me. I will call you in detail after buying a new phone. This is Sister’s phone Let me stop now”.
Sister sat looking at him with a smile. Her heart began to dance. Was he talking about advocate Koshy? Father had said once that his only son was studying for L.L.B. Is he my brother as I expected? Why did Jacky’s words touch me so deeply? She thought and decided to ask openly.
“Jacky do you belong to Thamarakulam in Mavelikara?
‘Yes Sister. It is a beautiful village in Kerala”.
“Tell me about your family”
“At home I have my parents and two sisters. My father and mother are engaged in masonry. I too know that work. My elder sister is married. The younger one studies nursing at Bangalore.”
“What is your connection with this Kottaram Koshy”?
“Kottaram is the house name. They are a rich family in the locality. Our forefathers were their servants. Koshy Sir is a famous advocate. His father is no more. He was also a well-known lawyer during the days of British rule. Both of them argued cases for the poor. Sharon is Koshy Sir’s daughter. She is a college student. Her only brother is in Germany”.
My family is very poor. It was Koshy Sir who helped my father financially for the marriage of my elder sister and the education of the younger sister. Many students are being supported by him.”
Sister who was listening patiently asked a question.
“What about Sharon’s mummy? What does she do?”
“Sorry. I forgot to tell that. Sharon’s mummy works in the Block office. She was a Hindu. Now she is a Christian. They are living gods for us. They are also responsible for my coming here”.
Sister was listening to all this in a detached manner. Jacky wondered why she was so quiet. She is thinking deeply. Did I say something unnecessary? No, I have only answered her questions
Sister asked doubtfully
“What is your real name?
“Hariharan”
“What! How did Hariharan become Jacky?”
“Sister, that is a story”.
“Story? Tell me.” Sister said eagerly.
Jacky began to tell the story with a smile on his lips. “We had a cow named Lekshmi. One day she broke her rope and began to run through the fields. Some beetle might have hit her. As it was a Sunday everybody was at home. Father ran behind her. I followed him. Lekshmi had run straight to the open field, lying after harvest. Koshy Sir was standing on the ridge of the field talking to some men. I jumped into the field and raced with Lekshmi. At last I made her surrender and brought her to the embankment. Koshy Sir had been watching our race with anxiety. He came forward and congratulated me, touching on my shoulder. He said “Ha. You are a clever fellow. Very skillful and efficient. You deserve not a cow but a horse. You are one who should control a horse. You are a real ‘Jockey’ who runs horses. My father and others laughed aloud. They called me Jacky instead of Jockey. Since then that became my name.”
With open eyes the Sister said. “Anyway Koshy Sir has given you a sweet name. It is a Christian name”.
He said “Yes Sister, it is a name marked by Christian spirit”
“Hariharan is also a spiritual name.” Sister added.
There was a smile on her lips. But there was tension inside. She looked at Jacky with sympathy and said. “Let us go for supper now. After that we have prayer and meditation. “Sister left the room. After changing his cloths and closing the door, Jacky followed her. It was only 6 O’clock in the evening. Do they have supper so early? When the sister entered the dining hall all the noises stopped suddenly. The women looked at her with respect. Now there are more women than at noon time. Jacky went to the other room as directed by the Sister. Sister talked to the women for some time and then disappeared. Doubt and anxiety raised their heads in Jacky’s mind. What is there for supper? Am I going to get the same leafy items now too?
Everybody in the hall is quiet. They will start their talks only when the sister leaves the hall.
Within a short time sister Carmel arrived with the supper tray. Jacky peeped at it with evident dislike.
He said. “Sister I could have collected it myself.” She answered No; men have no admission in the kitchen. It is our duty to serve our guests. Let me go and join them for supper. If you want more food I will send it. Now start eating”.
There are enough servants in the Kitchen. But this angel is not willing to trouble them at all. He looked in the plate and felt happy. There was rice, cooked vegetables and fish. As the sister is an Indian she knows my taste: he thought. The fish is boiled with no salt or spices. But it is a large piece. Jacky had read that the westerners do not eat hot and spicy peppers like the Indians. Don’t they know that pungency and sourness of the spices have medicinal value? Any way they use the pepper, ginger and spices from Kerala. He took the fork ad began to eat with it, without using his hand directly.
What confused him was a very large potato. The cooked potato stared at him. “It is enough to fill one’s stomach. It seems that potato is their staple food. I must get used to their ways. There is no meaning in behaving only like an Indian. If you have an open mind you can preserve your life and happiness anywhere in the world. Surrender oneself to the dominance of what is right.”
(Cont’d)
