This is a story of1954--
We had a washer man of middle age, wiry in physique, roving eyes, jovial by nature, ready to break in gesticulation on slightest of quizzing ,not caring for whiskers for days,keeping unkempt short peppered hair , always accompanying a short stick which he always kept horizontally , whenever he talked to mother . Papa had one pair of full pant & two pairs of bush shirt to mitigate his official chores so , mother was very particular in keeping his official attire well starched & ironed . Our washer man daily gave his presence with requisite dress of Papa in the evening .
His living quarter was in mango groves which was on the other side of big pond near our designated house near big grassy playing field . Water of this pond was used by him for washing & open green field for drying on make shift hangers which is common sight near washer men . The mango grove around his living quarter was full of monkeys , but he kept good equation with monkeys in dealing with them . After all human & simian race are to co-exist together !
Suddenly he made his absence & our discomfiture grew by days . We came to know after enquiry his scuffle with monkeys , so, doctor had advised him to take bed rest to surmount the scratches on his body & his mental trauma inflicted by monkeys . After one month he appeared well harassed & tired with his wife who was his companion also in washing the clothes . Mother was inquisitive to know his spoiled equation with monkeys. We got fits after fits of laughter by his actual narration of the event .
On the fateful day ,in the afternoon the hoard of monkeys came as usual to drink water in pond & after drinking water they had the habit of indulging in some revelry. For this taking one or two cloths from make shift hanger to tease washer man & this was their chief manifestation of revelry . Washer man effort of retrieving cloths from monkeys always broke into antics & jigs emulating them .His jig with his stick on both of his shoulders with bent legs & many other gestures pleased monkeys immensely & they were magnanimous enough to return the cloths.
Our washer man had the propensity of gesticulation in expressing himself .His keeping stick on both of his shoulders with bent legs having peculiar gait interspersed with narration was regaling everybody present . On this particular day monkeys were playful with Papa's shirt . Washer man lost his cool by seeing this audacious act of monkeys . How monkeys dared to lift Sahib's shirt from the hanger ! It was beyond comprehension for washer man for the moment He ran after them with his stick. First monkeys were perplexed by seeing such rebellion & ran towards mango groves Washer man was following them with his middle aged wife in tow .
Lo & behold ,some robust looking buxom monkeys counter attacked washer man , caught hold him, dragged him to a tree .Monkeys completely overpowered him & dragged him further to the trunk of the tree ,keeping his legs hanging in the air . During this commotion , washers man's wife started screaming & crying for help . Her breast beating shrill noise of shriek made people aware & they rushed to washer man's rescue but in the mean time washer man got umpteen rashes & thoroughly terrified . Monkeys dropped him down from the trunk with a long whimpering thud !
When I think over the whole episode in retrospect , come to conclusion , any first sign of rebellion of any race is mercilessly trampled !
We had a washer man of middle age, wiry in physique, roving eyes, jovial by nature, ready to break in gesticulation on slightest of quizzing ,not caring for whiskers for days,keeping unkempt short peppered hair , always accompanying a short stick which he always kept horizontally , whenever he talked to mother . Papa had one pair of full pant & two pairs of bush shirt to mitigate his official chores so , mother was very particular in keeping his official attire well starched & ironed . Our washer man daily gave his presence with requisite dress of Papa in the evening .
His living quarter was in mango groves which was on the other side of big pond near our designated house near big grassy playing field . Water of this pond was used by him for washing & open green field for drying on make shift hangers which is common sight near washer men . The mango grove around his living quarter was full of monkeys , but he kept good equation with monkeys in dealing with them . After all human & simian race are to co-exist together !
Suddenly he made his absence & our discomfiture grew by days . We came to know after enquiry his scuffle with monkeys , so, doctor had advised him to take bed rest to surmount the scratches on his body & his mental trauma inflicted by monkeys . After one month he appeared well harassed & tired with his wife who was his companion also in washing the clothes . Mother was inquisitive to know his spoiled equation with monkeys. We got fits after fits of laughter by his actual narration of the event .
On the fateful day ,in the afternoon the hoard of monkeys came as usual to drink water in pond & after drinking water they had the habit of indulging in some revelry. For this taking one or two cloths from make shift hanger to tease washer man & this was their chief manifestation of revelry . Washer man effort of retrieving cloths from monkeys always broke into antics & jigs emulating them .His jig with his stick on both of his shoulders with bent legs & many other gestures pleased monkeys immensely & they were magnanimous enough to return the cloths.
Our washer man had the propensity of gesticulation in expressing himself .His keeping stick on both of his shoulders with bent legs having peculiar gait interspersed with narration was regaling everybody present . On this particular day monkeys were playful with Papa's shirt . Washer man lost his cool by seeing this audacious act of monkeys . How monkeys dared to lift Sahib's shirt from the hanger ! It was beyond comprehension for washer man for the moment He ran after them with his stick. First monkeys were perplexed by seeing such rebellion & ran towards mango groves Washer man was following them with his middle aged wife in tow .
Lo & behold ,some robust looking buxom monkeys counter attacked washer man , caught hold him, dragged him to a tree .Monkeys completely overpowered him & dragged him further to the trunk of the tree ,keeping his legs hanging in the air . During this commotion , washers man's wife started screaming & crying for help . Her breast beating shrill noise of shriek made people aware & they rushed to washer man's rescue but in the mean time washer man got umpteen rashes & thoroughly terrified . Monkeys dropped him down from the trunk with a long whimpering thud !
When I think over the whole episode in retrospect , come to conclusion , any first sign of rebellion of any race is mercilessly trampled !
Classic work with literary touch. Keep on writing.
ReplyDeleteS.P.N.Singh
Classic work with literary touch. Keep on writing.
ReplyDeleteS.P.N.Singh