People and Principles.

My company moves me to different states in India every 3 to 4 years. This time I land with my wife, Nalina, in Chennai. On the third day of our arrival, a Saturday morning, we want to start cooking.  My friend, Vikki (name Vikraman but he likes to be called Vikki) offers to take me around the vegetable and fruit market of the town.  

I am amazed to find so many wholesale and retail vendors in one place with plenty of varieties and different prices. Vikki stops in front of a small retail vendor and introduces me to Thayamma. We exchange smiles and greetings.  She listens to our requirements from spinachs, carrots and potatos to oranges, bananas and pineapples. We don’t speak a word to Thayamma’s suggestions…so green and fresh are her home grown products. After filling our bags, she quotes the price.  When I draw the rupee notes from my wallet, Vikki signals me to wait. He bargains with her and in the end succeeds in getting a huge reduction from what we are supposed to pay. He has that victorious grin on his face and Thayamma, a glint of sadness. 

That evening, we join Vikki and his wife to a dinner at a classy restaurant in a 5 star hotel. Nice chatting and good food in dim light and soft music. When it’s time to leave, Vikki refuses I share the bill.  He announces it is his welcoming treat  and settles the bill with his credit card. When the waiter brings him back his card, he gives him a big tip watching us with the corner of his eyes. The waiter’s face is beaming with gratitude.

That night when I talk about ‘the Thayamma incident’, Nalina is not happy. She makes me understand the plight of these poor people whose only resource is hard work. Bargaining and reducing their profit margin which is already small is a disrespect to their hard work.  I realize my mistake and promise to set it right next time I buy from her.

Thayamma recognizes and welcomes me to her stall. I buy a lot of fruits, pay the amount she quotes, then offer her a few more rupee notes.….<Thayamma, this is for what I bargained last time, my wife won’t be happy if you don’t accept this>. She refuses the amount gently but firmly. Her words ring in my ears…<what I agreed is agreed. I would never go back in my commitment. I am already pleased that you didn’t reduce the price this time. Give my blessings to your wife>. Thayamma becomes one of our close friends. Nalina and I always go to her shop until I get transferred to Mumbai.

20 years pass without our noticing. Here I am on a business trip to Chennai. I want to meet Thayamma and so, reach the town market. The entire place has changed, replaced with a high rise supermarket complex. All new faces, some of which even don’t have the time to listen to my question. Nobody knows about Thayamma and her stall. 

With a heavy heart, I go to that famous restaurant where we dined with Vikki and his wife. When I order idli and vada, I find the waiter’s face familiar. Yes, he is the one who received that big tip. I strike up a conversation with him. The tips he received from the customers helped him a lot in ensuring his son’s higher education. His son is now settled in Canada as the MD of an MNC . When I ask him why he is not living with his son’s family, he replies to me it is his decision despite the repeated requests of his son and his daughter in law. He is contended with his life, loves his job and will continue to work until he is allowed. He spends time with his son’s family when they visit him every 2 years. He wants life to be that way for him. 

I return to Mumbai. When I reach home, Nalina opens the door and hugs me so tightly I feel the time I spent without her in Chennai disappear in a second. I kiss her on the forehead.

Two days later on a Sunday after noon, after our lunch, we sit on our sofa in our living room. We discuss the present and the future.  On the TV, a young lady is sharing her experiences on how she became a successful entrepreneur.  She attracts our attention when she declares it is her mother, once a vegetable and fruit vendor in Chennai, is her role model who helped her to reach this position. She extends her hands and invites her mother to join her on the set. The old lady, proud of her daughter, with tears rolling down her cheeks, climbs the steps of the set….it’s Thayamma.

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Note: I have written this story at the request of my friend/sister Ebenezer Prabha who suggested me the theme. May I invite you to connect with this amazing humanitarian, if you have not done so.