Light Tiffin

                                                               LIGHT TIFFIN

My life in construction site is full of adventures.  Making friendship with different personalities, take the good qualities and adapt them into my own life was my ambition.  One such person who made an impact in my life is M Ramakrishnan,  an Electrical engineer by qualification came into the construction field by chance.

Aban constructions were doing piping work for Cochin Refineries Ltd, Ambalamugal Division and Ramakrishnan has taken charge as site head.  He was staying in Luciya International Hotel near the South railway station where I was asked to receive him before coming to  site office.  Evening after my duty time went to the Hotel.  Reception desk announced to the room 501 by intercom that there is a visitor down.  I was asked to wait there for a few minutes and he joined the reception desk 5 minutes later.  The reason for not inviting me to his room first was understood later.

The restaurant was at the ground floor and I was invited to the restaurant.  He ordered all dishes in two sets,  mutton curry, chicken fry and chapati and so on.  I told him that I want only a cup of coffee and do not bother ordering all these items.  He replied that all these orders are for him alone and asked me to order separately if I wish to have anything at all.  When the ordered items arrived he asked  the bearer to place the dishes for two.   I was in a dilemma whether to accept or to run away. In a lighter vein he asked the waiter whether the ordered item would be taken back and winked at him.

He commanded politely to me ' have it sir'.  Let us have an introduction with a light tiffin.  Later on he was nick named as 'light tiffin'.  This was the first meeting I had with that broad hearted short man with bulging powerful eyes, thick smiling lips under bushy mustache, walking like a baby elephant with firm steps and a clear vision of the surroundings though not focussed.  Next day at the site office he made contacts with all site staff and technicians.  Very fluent in English tried to utter some Malayalam words though out of context,  but made an effort to learn the language.  Later on came to know that he was trying to speak from the book ' learn malayalam in 30 days'  which I saw on his table with other popular English fictions of  Frederick Forsyth,  Agatha Christie and P G Wodehouse, and some books on Management studies.  A voracious reader who finished a book within hours and passed on the book to his subordinates with an autographed signature.  I got maximum books from him and I cherish those collection of books in my library even today.

Teaching a job and in  planning a work he had a special talent.  He will take a blank sheet of paper and jot down the points to be completed chronologically with target time to be completed.   The legible handwriting, columnar charting of actions on draft worksheet before the advent of  computer aided spread sheet was commendable and worth emulating.  Slowly we became very close friends and our exchange of  literary works of new publishing of favourite writers  together with 'light tiffin'  became more frequent.  Our association and friendship was not without its adversities.  There is a redeemer group of spies in the group,  who seemed very close to MD and therefore secret messages on phone went to him on a day to day basis.

What has been reported to Boss is about the lavish spending by the site in charge, though for sure he has been spending his personal money.  All those fellows who have enjoyed his hospitality and 'light tiffin' frequently have become hostile by reporting the same to Boss.  Next site visit by Boss,  every one had one on one meeting with Boss.  My self and Ramakrishnan were put on notice asking us to report back to Head office in a months time.  I was asked to work under direct supervision of administrative staff at Chennai, Broadway office and Ramakrishnan was posted to a different site in Barauni.

However, we used to exchange our views by writing letters from different work sites.   These  letters written by my guide and guardian I still cherish more,   treasure it in my collections of letters.   After another year in Aban Constructions the misunderstanding with boss has become intense and from another construction site at Bongaigaon, Assam I was asked to resign unceremoniously,  without even offering me ticket for my return journey back home.   Another good samaritan K R Viswambharan came to my help.  I did not go to the site head or to my boss for help pleading guilty. Viswambharan was a friend from my first construction site of Mangalore Fertilizers site and was an ITI welder looking for opportunities in Bongaigaon for hi tech welding.  With my recommendation he passed test in Dowel Erectors, another  company engaged in piping contract in the site.   We worked day and night and we came to see me with his first month salary in hand.

He came to the site office to invite me for a celebration,  when I was in distress.  Hearing bout my situation his elation also become a misery.  He boasted that when you are drawing a monthly salary and allowance of Rs 450/  see I have earned first month wages of Rs 3000/=.Take away the entire cover if you want.  I took Rs 200/= from the cover and booked my return journey to Chennai.  That was the last association I had with Boss and the redeemer group of the Boss.

 ... to be continued...