‘Kirukka’ ─ that was how people called him. He wore a dark brown half sleeve shirt with a torn collar and pocket. With a single button and a pin, he managed to keep his shirt over his body. His pants were no better indeed. The right side was always folded up to the knee. The seam of his pant had given away in many places. Apart from his dress, the only property he had was a steel plate and an aluminum tumbler. He carried these with him wherever he went.
He wandered aimlessly during the day, laughing and shouting at the people. Sometimes people offered him food or money. The hotels and tea shops gave him their left over. But the thing he liked the best was half smoked beedies, which was always in store with him. People however praised him for his memory, for he could well repeat anything he hears. On many occasions, he had been the cause of fights. He would shout something he had heard somewhere, and this would start a fight elsewhere.
Govindan, a fat man in his late forties was having a chat with the tea shop owner, “Make a tea for me and make it a little strong. I don’t know where I am going to find all the money. It’s hardly two months for my daughter’s wedding and the court has postponed my land suit. Today we received a letter from the medical college saying that my son has been selected for the MBBS course and that I have to pay twenty five thousand rupees before this month end. I don’t know what I am going to do”.
By then Kirukka had also come to the tea shop and Govindan looked at him and commented, “See this idiot, he doesn’t have any commitments or worries. He keeps roaming about and gets his food”. The shop owner gave Govindan his tea and threw a rusk at Kirukka and said, “Now run away from here”.
Kirukka now walked towards the church gate. People had gathered for the special mass. Just then two cars arrived from the opposite directions and stopped at the church. The men got out, saw and waved at each other. They walked towards each other.
“Hello, how are you?”
“Fine, how are you?”
Fine, how is your computer business going?”
Kirukka approached them and stood near them. He shook his head then and there, as if he too was involved in the conversation. The mass had started and the loud speakers started blaring. The men once again shook hands and went inside the church. Kirukka now focused his attention on the loud speakers. He came closer to the loud speaker and stretched his ears. He then dug a finger into his ear and again placed his ear on the loud speaker.
It was almost dusk when Kirukka started walking back in the direction he came. He was passing the hotel when the server-boy called him. “Yeh, you Kirukka, come here and clear off this garbage. There is some idly for you”. Kirukka laid down his plate and tumbler and cleared the garbage from the hotel. He then had his idlies.
Having had his dinner very early, he took out a half smoked beedi and lit it. He stood in a relaxed position with a beedi in one hand and the other over his hip. A couple of children gathered around him and he immediately picked up a stone; they ran away. He finished his beedi and laughed at the people passing by. Suddenly he got serious and started his shouting, “How is your computer business doing; It’s going well but I am planning to venture into DTP and AutoCAD. Do you deal with compact discs?. Yes, I am importing CD’s from US and Japan. Well I’m buying a laser printer from Germany, my bank is negotiating”.
He stopped his speech suddenly, and starred at a fat boy walking down the road. Kirukka soon started shouting at him, “See this idiot, he doesn’t have any commitment or worries. He keeps roaming about and gets his food. See this idiot”. He had already started repeating it for the second time, when he saw Govindan stand beside him. Govindan slapped him and said, “Rascal, who do you think you are, I’ll break your bones and throw you to the dogs, be careful”. Govindan then walked away.
Kirukka quickly sat down and starred at Govindan over the corner of his eyes. He saw Govindan disappear at the far end of the lane. He got up and did his favorite marching. “Left, right, left..….left, right, left……attention”. He then brought his right fist close to his mouth and spoke through it; “Jealousy, greed and desire are the cause of misery and worry. Shed away all these and start a happy life, for happiness is the ultimate wealth of mankind”.
He stopped his speech midway and stretched his arms as if tired after a heavy work. He turned his plate down for a pillow and laid down. He saw the moon and waved his hand, “Come, come, come fast; there is idly for you”.
