It was breakfast time when I arrived my home and our home was open, I mean the main door was open. I dropped my Hand Bag and went to the kitchen my sister was in the kitchen I said Hello in Kannada and went to the Prayer Room where she would be. Just looking at me she said what happened and gave me a small smile. Nothing has happened I had to see you so I have come I said. She was happy and told me to take a bath do puja have breakfast and we will talk she said.
I did what mother told and finished my breakfast and was sitting in the Hall reading the local English News paper when there was sound of a car horn and I knew it was my uncle my fathers own brother who would horn say hallo to us children and go away we were living in his house which my father had purchased. He was a busy man who would come and go from 140 KM from our house where he had a big house and was running big business in that city. I went out and saw him sitting in the car he saw me and got out of the car and stood there as usual. I went out calling him Dodd appa, Dodd appa,( uncle, uncle ) and when I was near him he gave his big smile and was dressed in his style which was a dress made for him in Royal style but not really Royal this had White long Coat but not a usual coat. He had not seen me for a year so he asked me what are you doing now. I told him that I was working in a Mill as Gov't of India trainee, in the mill that was allotted to me by our college since 5 months and in another 1 months I would be completing 6 months and my training will be completed. Which is the mill you are working my uncle asked, when I told him, Oh that is my friends mill. I asked if he knew my Director he said we are both Master Masons. I was surprised and blurted out and told him to give me a letter to our Director to fix me in any of his mills. He said sure and went inside his car sat down opened his brief case pulled out his letter pad wrote something in a jiffy and put it in a envelop sealed it and told me to give it to the Director. By now sisters were standing near me my father was on his duty and my mother usually remained inside seeing him but would not come out. That was the practice. My uncle got out of the car with a box of chocolates to all of us and said bye bye to all of us he waved looking at my mother as my mother waved her hand standing at the main door inside the compound he got in the car. The driver started the car and he was gone.
Holding the envelop in my hand I went in to my home, my mother was standing inside the main door my sisters and my little big brother had disappeared with the Box of chocolates. What is that letter and what happened she asked. I told her the whole storey she asked me if I will get the Job I told you wait let me go back and I will let you know. She said you go but let me know what happens. I said I will.
The next day I had a good meal made by my mother went to some Dilip Kumar's Film with one of my sisters and arrived the next day at my lodge which was a Room in a house near the mill and met my room mates and asked them if any thing had happened to me after my tiff with the Mill Manager.
They said it may be nothing, but you can come to the mills they said.
The next day I went to the Mill and stopped at the Main Gate to see and ask the Time Keeper who was in charge of our attendance register and asked him if my leave was marked in the register. If it was not marked and left blank there it would be trouble but when he showed me my name in the register of attendance it was marked in Red with a tic mark. I knew it was informing the accounts department not to pay my stipend of Rs33 for 3 days this I expected and cycled my way to the department. It was some distance we had to walk and not bike but we trainees went with a AIR telling we were Gov't Trainees. Went in the mornings as no one was present in the main office or security at 6:55 AM.
We must be seen in the dept at 7:00 AM so we all assemble at one spot and move from there on where ever we want to go. I usually take one round of the Spinning Department spending one hour and then rush to the canteen for breakfast which would be Pongal & Tea costing Rs.0.25/- Here I went and sat next to my senior trainee and asked him if anything had happened regarding my tiff with the Mill Manager. He said nothing had happened and said that we would be completing our training in the month and management would not bother to do anything which might complicate matters for them.
After breakfast I would come to the department where the Chairman would come and sit in the chair meant for a staff of the mill to record the days production for 8 hours. This report for 24 hours would go to Spinning Superintendent concerned our mill was the Junior (SS for superintendent) here I was maintaining a set of documents to record my work done daily. This was seen by the Technical Assistant of the SS and he would sign in his green Ink Pen. I was the only person to keep the log in this dep't by the staff. I would write what I had seen from 7:00 AM to 8:00 AM and again go after where ever I wanted and come back and again write for 9:00 to 10: AM till I would complete the day.
On this day I left the dep't at 10:00 AM and came near the Head Office where the Director's Office was located. I stood in the Time Keepers office waiting for our Director to come which was always around 11:00 AM and Chairman at 11:30 AM. The Time Keeper asked me why I was standing in his office. I showed him my uncle's letter envelop and he saw the LOGO of my state in the center and that of Free Mason Lodge on the left and asked me who gave the letter I showed him the name of my uncle which was below the LOGO of Free Mason. He asked me who is he?. I said he is the friend of our Director. Is it a letter for your JOB. I said Yes. The Both The Huge Main Double Gates Swung Open and Director's Car went to his office portico.
The Time Keeper said wait for 5 minutes and go, meet the office Boy and tell him that you have to personally give the letter to Director but don't give him the envelop. I went telling him thanks for the Tip. Met the office Boy and told him I have a letter to the Director and I have to give him in person. He said he will give it, I said no I will give it. He went inside and came out and told me to go in and give the letter and held the door open which was a VIP message. I met the Director and told him who I am and gave the letter. He opened the letter read it and told me to convey his compliments to my uncle and asked me few questions about the mill and finally as to where I would like to go and join. I said I would like to work in Kamala Mills. He said that SS would talk to me. I thanked him and came out of his office looking back at him he was seeing me, I bowed my head saw him smile and the door closed automatically as I was out.
I came back and told The Time Keeper what had happened he said you have done a good Job that Kamala Mill is Managed by a very senior person and very nice person he is also qualified from Bombay you are under good care he said. I asked him what would happen to my RED tic mark he said I will tell some body who will look in to it.
I came back to meet my senior and Junior Trainees and told them what had happened. There was some silence but there was no news.
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