Saar, You made my life!

In a typical Oriya accent, a plumber in my residential campus stopped me in the valley park and said " Saar, aapko mera beti kee shaadi main Behrampur /Odisha aana padega!" And I was amused. Why a plumber asking me so gracefully to travel to his remote village in the Indian state of Odissa and be in his daughter's marriage? Then he reminds me how 3 years ago, I changed his fortune with a small help, and I could recollect the day when more he said while stopping me in the campus park. 

On that fortunate day, the gated community in-house plumber had come to my flat to attend water leakage in one of the taps. The man, almost in his fifties or sixties I believe, looked very sad and did not wish me post finishing his job diligently and leaving my apartment – I being over breakfast. Usually, I get curious to know the reason for somebody not smiling or looking so sad, and so I stopped him and asked the reason for this change in his otherwise-cheerful behavior always in the past. He said he is going through the toughest phase of his life, and he continued when I kept asking more, as I love talking and digging more on why/ how/ where/who/ when…, a typical sales behavior I have inherited from my long sales career. He has 2 sons sitting idly in remote village of Odisha and daughter in her Class XII exam. Two sons, one graduate B.COM and another Diploma in Fire & Safety, but no jobs for last 2 years and roaming in the village aimlessly while this man as a responsible father, more towards old age, is not just worried about career of his sons, but also impending expenses likely to be incurred for his daughter’s marriage, and all that while his own salary being very meager. I could see the tears welling up in his eyes as he continued his painful narration to me.

As always, My inner conscience said “ Don’t ignore! The man needs a helping hand. Try something if you can”.

White chatting with him and consoling that God will do good to him also and nothing to worry, I quickly dialed HDFC Bank one of the Branch managers in Bangalore I knew and asked him to consider a candidate BCOM but very smart & passionate, looking for a job. The branch manager, as usual due to my personalized relationship, could not say No to me and wanted to interview the candidate next week. Moved on to another phone number on my cellphone, the General Manager of one of the most reputed builders from South India at MG Road Bangalore office , and asked him to consider a job for a Diploma guy in Fire & Safety – and honestly spiced up a bit telling that the candidate has a good attitude and wants to learn on the job. Thank God, even he could not say No to my persuasion. And there and then I negotiated their minimum salary also to be given during probation to avoid any disappointment to them later in a city like Bangalore.

Done with networking over breakfast, asked the plumber to quickly get his sons to Bangalore next week with their resumes for interviews lined up. His happiness was touching the sky as if he was all sure that some magic was happening in his life and his sons got the jobs almost. From my place itself, He called up his wife to share the news and asked both his sons to be in Bangalore without fail. All in sweet Oriya language, and I could understand few of the many words he spoke to his wife. Sons travelled all the way to Bangalore, they appeared for the interviews as lined up, and got offer letters also to join immediately from the same week. And I just forgot the incident thereafter.

Three years down the memory lane, this man beaming with all happiness stops me in the park, says “ My one son has been promoted and put into Car Loan Disbursement section of HDFC Bank in MG Road and with higher salary, his other son after 1 year of Fire & Safety job with that reputed builder, got his VISA and settled in Dubai - now sending money for his sister back in India, living in Odisha village, whose marriage is on the cards.

Now, This plumber, so obliged he felt, came searching for me with radiant face, “ Saar aapko meri beti kee shaadi main Odisha aana padega. You made my life!!”

To ponder, many a time, we do not realize that God has given enough potential to all of us to change lives of others. There are millions out there who just need our encouragement, sincere hand-holding or an honest effort to help them smile or rise from where they are today. Best Inspire them to dream bigger so that they try. We are too busy in our own world, personal saga and never realize that each one of us are blessed with immense potential to inspire and impact others’ lives. Most of the time, it costs us nothing but an attitude to help. In this case, it was just 2 phone calls from me in the nick of time – that’s it!!!  

And if we do, those moments become priceless for them who feel the impact of our honest efforts.

Let us all create and celebrate all such golden moments in our life as much and as many….God will keep blessing us with more happiness in return.

 SJ @ Resolute AI / SimpliWow

PS: No offence to Oriya language at all. I love the language and have enjoyed visiting multiple places of the beautiful state of Orissa in the past. Hope to visit soon again.