He arrived soaked to the skin; it was not the rains but his own sweat, after cycling for two hours and covering a distance of 30 KMs. He took his position in the ATM after quickly dressing in his uniform. It would be only after thirty two hours that he would start his strenuous journey back home. He would reach home at 7 PM and leave again at 7 AM the next morning.
“Even though I spend 32 hours here, I actually get paid for only 24 hours, two shift’s wage daily” he clarified with a faraway look, pain of regret writ clearly in his eyes.
“But, I’m happy to get engaged for two shifts, thanks to the lockdown, I now make 740 rupees daily” this time his voice tingled with hope.
In normal times, before the lockdown, he would work for 12 hours a day and make around eleven thousand rupees a month but now his monthly earning has doubled. The lockdown has worked in his favor.
“My other colleague lives quite far-off and with trains suspended he cannot make it here, hence the opportunity” Like the law of thermodynamics- energy can neither be created nor destroyed, it can only be transferred, his gain has come at the loss of his colleague’s.
“I will get a motor and battery fitted in my bicycle that will reduce the riding time by half and also be easy, just like a bike- I need to just sit like a king and accelerate” he added further after a brief pause “but it will cost me sixteen thousand rupees and I haven’t received my salary since the lockdown began”.
The mind play tricks and likewise we also play trick with our minds. I knew for sure that he must have been convincing his mind during the laborious rides that the ordeal was short-lived as he would soon get his humble cycle motorized and then there would be no pain. He had however bigger and pressing responsibilities towards his family and his comfort could wait, maybe for… forever.
“My elder son has just started college and has also enrolled in George Telegraph Automobile Training Institute; the total cost is 1.2 lacs and while the final installment of over 25 thousands is due next month I’m already reeling in debt of over 30 thousand”
He has two more children, one daughter and the youngest- a son.
“My daughter goes to Std XI, very responsible -she rides to school in her cycle. But the youngest one, studies in Std VI, is very naughty; he is sharp but is always in a lookout to play with his mates. Since I’m away from home most of the time, he finds it easy to loaf around” his voice had a tinkle of affection and a longing look on his face.
“Choulpur, my village, is a prospering one; many families have educated children and now working in well paying and respectable jobs. I and my brothers were though below average in education, all second and third division holders. I quit my education in higher secondary after flunking in English. I started with repairing radios but people stopped buying radios after the arrival of mobile phones, I had to shut my repair shop. I then started the job of embroidery, at one time did a good job, bought few machines but then technology changed, computerized embroidery with huge machines arrived, it produced faster, finer and cheaper products. My humble embroidery machines became redundant” he was lost for a moment, his mind perhaps transported to the times of hope and then despair.
“I was already married by then, though my father had divided the property among his sons, we are five brothers, the produce from the land was not sufficient to support my family. A little paddy cultivation and vegetables from another piece of land ensured food on the plate but I had to look for employment. I ended up as a guard in a shopping mall. The duty was arduous and exhausting, baring the brief and strictly monitored tea/food and bio breaks, I was required to stand all the time, scan all patrons, braving the scorching sun or unrelenting rains. Sitting even for a while was not allowed, during the rains, the common rain coats with holes would stink and make me wet. During night shifts, I was allowed to sit only after the last patron from the last show left. It was then that I would envy the security guard in the corner ATM- he was allowed to sit, that too in the AC environment”
It was lunch time for him. He consumed half the food from his Tiffin box and kept some for dinner.
“I start from home after a filling meal and carry this food for lunch and dinner. I will have Maggie for breakfast and lunch the next day and then have proper food only after reaching home” he said while carefully placing his boxes in his bag.
“We received 5 KGs of rice per head during this period from the Government, however the quality is not that good, and the rice gets messy once prepared. There are people in my village that gets flour and pulses as well but they have some different kind of card” He felt indebted for the free rice and there was no envy for the privileged class receiving more and variety.
Perhaps sensing my curiosity he continued “It was only after two years of persuasion that I was introduced to the agency that places guards in ATMs. It was only after 5 years in the shopping mall that I could get this job. It is nice job, AC environment and I can sit, though I’m monitored constantly by the camera but still far better”
While he posed gracefully for a picture he said expectantly “Now all hopes are on my son, just waiting for him to finish the training and start earning, a lot of my burden would be eased”
Shah Alam Modi had a bright vision of a pain-free future in his eyes, though insignificant for many but profound to him.
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