430. The Landlord's Advice

Looking at Anbu, who was still standing there, after paying the rent for the month, his landlord Sivanandam asked him, "Yes?"

"Sir, I will be vacating my room" said Anbu.

"Are you getting married, or are you moving to a better place?"

"Neither, sir. I have resigned my job. I don't know when I will get another job. So, I am not sure whether I can pay you the rent regularly. I am planning to stay with some friend till get a job."

"Please come in" invited Sivanandam. 

After Anbu came in, Sivananda asked him to sit on the sofa and then said, "I don't know much about you. You have rented a room in my house and you have been paying the rent regularly. Therefore, I have a good impression about you. Let me see whether I can help you in some way. Why did you leave your job?"

"I had some differences with my proprietor. So, I had to leave."

"I know that you were working as a machine operator in a small firm. What was the issue between you and your proprietor? You can tell me, if you don't mind" said Sivanandam.

After hesitating for a moment, Anbu said, "I was working as a machine operator in an engineering unit. We get orders for manufacturing various parts for machines. We have to design tools for the parts and then manufacture the parts using the tools. We had an Engineer who had been designing the tools for us. About a year back, he left our company. When he was designing the tools, I observed and learnt certain things. After he had resigned, I tried to design the tools and I found that I could do it well. My proprietor was very happy. Rather than recruit another engineer, he encouraged me to design the tools. He promised to give me a good rise after watching my performance for six months. But even after one year, he didn't keep his promise. He gave me only a marginal rise. That's why I resigned the job."

"Did he not try to stop you?"

"He asked me to stay. But he didn't agree to give me arise. He said, 'you are not an engineer by profession. You learnt tool designing only by working here. I am already paying you more than what you deserve.'"

"How are you going to search for a new job?" asked Sivanandam.

"There are many such firms like this in our city. I will try to get a job in one such firm."

"If you join another such firm, the same experience may get repeated. I will suggest one thing. Please ponder whether it is feasible. Why don't you take up tool design as a profession? Approach the firms that require tool designing services, project yourself as an expert, seek an opportunity to design some kinds of tools and quote a price. By doing this as a job work for various firms, you may be able to earn more than what you could, by working for a salary. You can offer to design the tools by using the facilities available in the firm that gives you the order, so that you don't have to set up your own unit immediately. Since you have the talent, you will definitely get opportunities. After some time, you will have an image and a reputation as a reliable and expert tool designer. You don't have to depend on any particular firm."

Anbu didn't say anything. Many questions were reverberating his mind.

"From what you have told me, I infer that you have an aptitude for your line of work. For the next one month, don't look for a job but look for opportunities for tool designing. You don't have to vacate the house now. I will defer the rent for the next two months. If you don't get any offer in the next one month, you can then vacate the house" said Sivanandam.

When Anbu met Sivanandam for paying the rent for the next month, he told Sivanandam, "Sir, your suggestion has been working out very well for me. I have got three orders this month and my earnings from these three orders are more than the salary I had been earning, when I had a job. I am confident that I will keep getting orders and that my earnings will increase. I am grateful to you for your suggestion and your magnanimous offer to defer the rent, in case I couldn't get orders soon enough"

"From what you had told me, I assessed that you have good knowledge in your field of work. It is my firm belief that people who have knowledge can achieve things. That is why I wanted to encourage you. By the way, how is your former proprietor? Are you in touch with him?" asked Sivanandam. 

"He called me up and asked me to join back his firm. He offered to pay the salary demanded by me. I told him that I am not working for salary now, that I am doing my own business and that I have my own customers. He got annoyed and cut off the line" said Anbu, smiling.

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 43
Wisdom

Verse 430 (in Tamil):

aRivudaiyAr ellAm udaiyAr aRivilAr
ennudaiyarEnum ilAr.

Meaning:
The wise have everything. The unwise have nothing, irrespective of whatever they may possess.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'vIttukkArarin yOsanai' by the same author.)

Verse 431(Soon)
Verse 429

1106. From Legs to Shoulders

"It appears to me that God has created different parts of your body from different elements!''

"Oh, you have started this again! Ok, go ahead!"

"He has made your legs from the stems of the banana plant."

"Lyricist Kannadasan has already used this description in his song:

'Your legs look like a banana plantation.

Your eyes wander there like a pair of bees'

He has even mentioned how your eyes feast on my legs!"

"Your hip has been made out of a dumb-bell."

"What a simile! Is this supposed to be flattering?"

"You know how a dumb-bell looks! It is wide above and below and narrow in the middle. Your hip is also shaped that way. And above that..."

"Enough talking about my hip. What next?"

"Then, your face. It is the full moon itself. If we dig two small oval-shaped tanks in the moon and have a fish swim in each, we have your eyes."

"My God!"

"See how you are exclaiming 'my God' on realizing how God has created you from various elements!" 

"Will you end this?"

"I will stop after mentioning the most important thing."

"No. I am scared thinking which of my body part you are going to talk about!"

"It is not what you think. It is about your shoulders. Do you know of what material your shoulders are made."

"Considering that you have been leaning on my shoulders for hours together, you seem to think that my shoulders are made from a tree!"

"Your line of thinking is correct but your conclusion is wrong. I am a salesman. Everyday, I meet hundreds of people, talk about my company's product, trying to sell it and end up becoming frustrated at the end of the day at the failure of my efforts. To add insult to the injury, I get a dressing down from my boss for my failure to reach the target. And then I come to meet you, physically and mentally fatigued. But when I lean on your shoulders, I become instantly revitalized, both physically and mentally. When I lean on your shoulders, I get fully recharged and then emerge as as a robust, enthusiastic and excited man. I have heard that only nectar has he power to revitalize people. So, I am convinced that God has made your shoulders out of nectar."

He leaned on her shoulders, pressing his head against them.

She didn't feel any pain.

Thirukkural
Section 3

Love

Chapter 111
The Joy of Being Together in Love

Verse 1106 (in Tamil):
uRu thOrU uyir thaLippath thINdalAl pEthaikku
amizhdhin iyanRana thOL.

Meaning:

Since whenever I embrace her shoulders, they give me a feeling of new life being injected into me, her shoulders should have been made of nectar.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'mUlapporuL' by the same author.)

Verse 1107 (Soon)
Verse 1105

429. A Decision Taken in Haste?

"We have been running our dyeing factories in this region for the past fifty years. Now, some people say that the effluents from our dyeing factories pollute the river and they ask us to close our factories! There are more than one hundred units in this region. More than five thousand people are employed in these units. If the dyeing units were to be closed, these five thousand families would be on the street. We will fight this move. No one need to be apprehensive."

After listening to the speech of the President of the Dyeing Units Association, there was a big applause from every one.

"But all of us have received notices from the Pollution Control Board" pointed out Rajangam, the Proprietor of one of the dyeing units.

"We should not feel threatened by these kinds of notices. In a neighbouring village, farmers have been protesting for more than ten years, seeking the closure of a chemical unit, whose effluents, they allege, have polluted the ground water. The government has not acted against that chemical factory!" said the President.

After a few days, Rajangam called a few senior employees of his unit for a meeting.

"We have been facing stronger and stronger opposition from environmental groups day by day. It appears to me that we cannot carry on this activity for long..."

Rajangam was interrupted by an employee, who said, "Sir, but your association has assured you that it won't allow anything to happen to the dyeing units. No dyeing unit is going to close down!"

"But I am going to!" said Rajangam.

"What do you mean, sir?" asked another employee, shocked.

"Sir! You are a businessman. After closing this factory, you can take up some other business to sustain yourself. What will we, the poor employees, do?" asked another employee. It appeared that he was on the verge of breaking down.

"You are right. I am going to start another business. And, I am going to employ all of you in my new business."

"Can you be more specific, sir?"

"I will outline my plan. After executing the orders on hand, I am going to shut down the dyeing unit. I will sell the machines, demolish the factory building, construct a new building and start a textile showroom. Fortunately, I own the land. It is situated on the main road. If we procure clothes from various places at low prices and sell them, keeping the profit margin low, I think the business will run profitably. Thirty people are working here. I am not sending out even one person. I will offer jobs to all of you at the same salary you are getting now. After the factory is shut down, it will take a few months for the showroom to be set up. But all of you will get your salaries without any break. However, if some people want to go for other jobs, it will be their wish" said Rajangam.

"Can you accommodate all of us in the showroom? Moreover, the showroom job will be different from the one we have been doing all along."

"Yes. The job will be different. You should be prepared for it. Now, you are working in the factory, with your clothes getting soiled by the dyes and chemicals. But the textile showroom job will be a white collar job. It may be physically less straining too. Ten people will be employed in the showroom. Five people working in the office now will continue to work in the new office. We need five people, who can travel to various places to scout for good quality clothes at a low price and procure them. Five people will work as salesmen, selling our clothes to various shops in small places."

"That makes a total of twenty five people. Five people will still be left out!"

"No one will be left out. I have plans for the remaining five also!" said Rajangam, smiling.

He didn't want to tell them that he expected that five or six people who won't accept the new arrangement, would leave him and go for other jobs.

"Sir! If you don't mind, I will give a suggestion. Why don't we wait for some more time. As anticipated by the Association President, the government may permit the dyeing units to continue to function" said a senior employee.

"The present trend is to give more weightage to environmental issues, even at the cost of development. The government may prolong taking a decision on this for some more time. But it won't allow us to continue our business indefinitely. When there is a risk of floods, we should get ready to move to a safer place before the flood comes and washes everything away. Once the flood hits us, we will have neither the time nor a place to move" said Rajangam.

The owners of the other dyeing units thought that Rajangam had taken a hasty decision, acting prematurely.

Within a few months of Rajangam shutting down his dyeing unit and starting a textile showroom, all the dyeing units were permanently closed, because of the government order.

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 43
Wisdom

Verse 429 (in Tamil):

edhiradhAk kAkkum aRivinArkku illiai
adhira varuvathOr nOy.

Meaning:

Those who have the wisdom to anticipate what is to come and safeguard themselves will not be stumped by a terrifying calamity.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'avasarappattu eduththa mudivu' by the same author.)

Verse 430
Verse 428

1105. Discovering Hppiness

"What is the story you are going to tell me today?" asked Vimala.

"You have just completed narrating a story!" said Ganesh.

"That's a story we both have read together. Usually, at the end of the story we both read together, you will narrate a story. I asked about it!"

"Oh, are you referring to my leaning on your shoulders and talking about my love for you?" 

"Yes. You are on dot!" said Vimala.

"What should I do? Not having a mind to take leave of you, I keep leaning on your shoulders. Lest your shoulders should feel the pain of my head resting on them, I keep talking to you, hoping that diverted by my talk, you won't feel the pain. You call it 'narrating a story!'"

"Your talk is always interesting. Listening to your sweet words, I don't feel the pain. I described your talk a story because it was so interesting. You think it is wrong?" asked Vimala.

"It is not wrong. But what I am going to narrate today is not a story, but a true happening" said Ganesh.

"Ok. Tell me. It is good that you say something true, at least once in a while!"

"During my childhood, I would often lie on my mother's lap. After I grew up, my mother asked me to stop that habit. I told her, 'Mom, lying on your lap makes me feel happy.' My mother told me, 'You have become a big boy. Hereafter, you can't lie on my lap. Find something else that will make you happy.' After that, I would ask my grandpa or grandma to tell me a story. I derived happiness listening to the stories narrated by them. As I grew up further, I discovered other things like talking to my friends, playing, reading books etc. that made me happy. Now..." 

"Now what?"

"Nowadays, it is your shoulders that give me happiness" said Ganesh.

He then lifted his head from her shoulders and looked at her face. He inhaled the fragrance of the jasmine flowers that adorned her tress and exclaimed, "Ah, what a fragrance!" and then pressed her shoulders with both his hands.

"Don't press so hard. It hurts. Even when you were leaning on my shoulders for long, it didn't hurt!" said Vimala.

. 

Thirukkural
Section 3

Love

Chapter 111
The Joy of Being Together in Love

Verse 1106 (in Tamil):
vEtta pozhudhin avaiyavai pOlumE
thOttAr kadhuppinAL thOL.

Meaning:

Just as a thing we like gives us pleasure whenever we want, the shoulders of this girl, whose tress is adorned by flowers, give me pleasure.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'magizhchchi aLikkum vishayangaL' by the same author.)

 Verse 1106 
Verse 1104

428. To Contest or Not to Contest

A few months after Saravanakumar, a legislator belonging to the ruling party, was shot dead by the Maoists*, a bye-election to the constituency, which became vacant on his death, was announced by the Election Commission. 

Within a few hours of the notification of the election, an announcement was received from the Maoists that they won't allow holding an election to the constituency.

The next day after the election notification was issued, the ruling party announced its candidate for the election.

With the Maoists having issued a threat, all other political parties, except the principal opposition party, announced that they won't contest the election.

Shanmugam, the leader of the principal opposition party, was known for taking bold decisions, even under adverse circumstances. He had an illustrious history of facing many challenges in his political career. People were awaiting his decision about contesting the bye-election.

Chief Minister Bharanikumar, who was also the leader of the ruling party issued a press release, which said.

"In view of the threat issued by the Maoists, a tense situation prevails in in the constituency where the bye-election is to be held. This constituency was held by our party. We have lost our member to the violence of the Maoists. If the opposition leader decides not to field a candidate for the constituency, our party candidate would be elected unopposed, without the need for an election. The violence from the Maoists will be averted. I hope that the opposition leader will take a good decision in the interest of people's welfare and the need to maintain peace."

Though in the past, Shanmugam had responded to such statements from the ruling party with strongly-worded rejoinders, this time, for two days, there was no response from him to this press release 

After two days, Shanmugam met Chief Minister Bharanikumar at his office.

"What have you decided on my request?" asked Bharanikumar.

"I accept your appeal. We will not put up a candidate from our party" said Shanmugam.

"Thank you. It was graceful of you to have come in person to convey your acceptance!" said Bharanikumar, pleasantly surprised.

"I could have conveyed my acceptance through a statement. I came in person to make an appeal to you."

"Please tell me" said Bharanikumar, becoming wary of what his appeal could be.

"You should withdraw your party's candidate also!"

"What for? If we do so, the election will be cancelled. The Maoists would get what they wanted. Is this our objective?"

"Ok. Your party candidate is declared elected unopposed. Will the Maoists allow him to function as a member of his constituency? Will they not make an attempt on his life, when he visits his constituency?"

"Of course, they will. But the government will give protection to the legislator."

"Can you say with certainty that he won't be killed in spite of your giving him high security. What is your level of confidence?"

"We can't avoid doing something for the fear of the Maoists" said Bharanikumar.

"We need to fear certain things. If you receive an anonymous telephone call that a bomb has been planted in your office, will you not run out of the building? We have to fear what is to be feared. In the present state of things, we cannot ignore the threat of the Maoists. If there is an attack on a legislator belonging to your party, common people on the spot will also be affected. You should bear that in mind. It is in the best interest of every one that for some time to come, that constituency remains without a member to represent it. The only practical approach is to do things by taking into consideration the threats issued by Maoists, till the time we win over them, either through confrontation, or through dialogue" said Shanmugam. 

*Maoists are armed insurgents, who have no faith in elections. 

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 43
Wisdom

Verse 428 (in Tamil):

anjuvadhu anjAmai pEdhaimai anjuvadhu
anjal aRivAr thozhil.

Meaning:
It is foolish to not fear what is to be feared. Fearing what is to be feared is what the wise men do.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'thErdhal viyUgam' by the same author.)

Verse 429
Verse 427

96. The Police Complaint

"Yes, please."

"I want to give a complaint."

"Against whom?"

"Against my younger brother."

"What did he do?"

"He threatened to kill me!"

"What is the issue between the two of you?"

"There is a dispute about the border between my paddy field and his. He shifted the border one feet inside my land. When I questioned his action, he brandished the sickle he was holding and threatened to hack me."

The Police Inspector was silent for a minute. He then said, "Please write your name and address and the name and address of your brother on a sheet of paper and give it to me. I will conduct an enquiry."

"Sir, you should arrest him immediately."

"Will your brother be at home this evening?"

"Yes. But why wait till the evening? Come with me, now. I will show his house. We two are residing at adjacent houses."

"I will come in the evening. Will you be home?"

"Yes. I will wait for you."

When Subbiah returned home from the fields in the evening, he asked his wife, "Did any policemen come to my brother's house?"

"I didn't see any policeman. But a gentleman clad in a pant and a shirt has come to your brother's house. He has been talking to your brother for quite some time."

Subbiah wondered who the person visiting his brother could be.

'Perhaps, knowing about my complaint, my brother had called a lawyer to his house, for consultation!'

After a few minutes, there was some movement outside Subbiah's house. Subbiah saw that someone was standing outside the door of his house.

'Who is this person? Is he the one who had been to my brother's house? Why has he come here?'

Only after going near the door, Subbiah recognized the person standing outside his house as the Police Inspector!

"Sir, it's you! Since I saw you in the uniform at the station, I couldn't recognize you immediately!" said Subbiah, in an apologetic tone.

"Can I come in?" asked the Inspector.

"Yes, of course. Please" said Subbiah, again in an apologetic tone, realizing that he was standing at the door, blocking the entrance and moved away, giving way to the Inspector to enter his house.

After the Inspector came in and took his seat, Subbiah asked him, "You had been to my brother's house?"

"Yes. I met him and talked to him" said the Inspector.

"But you have not arrested him!" said Subbiah, showing his displeasure.

"Sir, be patient. I cannot arrest a person on the basis of a complaint given by another. Suppose, your brother gives a complaint against you, can I arrest you?"

"Did he give a complaint against me?" asked Subbiah, angrily.

"Not at all. I don't think he will ever do that. He has a lot of respect for you. He always refers to you in a reverential way."

"But, he threatened to kill me! You want an eyewitness to substantiate my allegation?"

"There is no need for that. He admits that he threatened to kill you."

"Why didn't you arrest him, then?"

"I can arrest him, alright. But before doing so, I wanted to have a word with you. That's why I have come to your house."

The Inspector then turned to Subbiah's wife and asked her, "Madam, can I have a glass of water?"

"Oh, I am sorry. In my anxiety, I forgot to offer you anything to drink. Will you have a cup of coffee? Or, do you prefer buttermilk or tender coconut?" asked Subbiah, his voice showing his embarrassment for neglecting to be hospitable.

"No. Thank you. I drank a glass of water at your brother's house. To maintain the balance, I will have one glass of water at your house also!" said the Inspector, smiling.

A smile appeared on Subbiah's face for the first time, since the conversation had begun.

"You said that before arresting my brother, you wanted to have a word with me. Where is the need for it? Have I not given you a complaint already?"

"Yes. But, I need to check with you about two things. Your brother told me that his speaking to you menacingly was done in a fit of anger and that he subsequently regretted it. He said that he would apologize to you for his words. If you accept his apology, there will be no need for me to take action on your complaint" said the Inspector.

"You said there are two things. What is the second thing?"

"If I arrest your brother, will it resolve the border issue?"

Subbiah was silent.

"Tell me, sir, which is more important to you, resolving the border issue or getting your brother arrested."

Subbiah did not answer.

"I think your father was a person who liked to think differently" said the Inspector.

"How do you say that?" asked Subbiah.

"Your father had named the two of you after Ganesa and Subramanya, the two sons of Lord Siva. But he named you, his elder son, Subbiah, after the younger son of Lord Siva and your younger brother, Ganesan, after the elder son of Lord Siva. That's what made me wonder that your father liked to think differently!"

Subbiah laughed out aloud. "Yes. Several people have made this observation."

"I think your father would have expected both of you to be always together" said the Inspector.

"It is not as if I was looking for a chance to fight with him. When I questioned my brother about his shifting the border inside my land, he threatened to hack me with the sickle. That is the issue."

"He is ready to apologize to you for his impulsive action."

"Will his apologizing to me solve the border dispute?" asked Subbiah.

"I raised this point with your brother. He said that because the mud partition was washed out in the rain, there could have been a mistake in his relaying the mud partition. He says this has happened to many people and that the border can be fixed by engaging the services of a government surveyor."

"If it is done that way, I have no problem" said Subbiah.

"The issue is resolved, then. Your brother will come to your house, apologize to you and then talk to you about fixing the border" said the Inspector, getting up from his seat.

Subbiah did not give any reply.

"What are you thinking, sir? Do you still have any reservations?" asked the Inspector, somewhat perplexed.

"I still have a doubt. I have heard that policemen would talk authoritatively and harshly. I came to the police station, only after some initial hesitation. But you spoke to me so patiently and pleasingly and resolved the issue. I am wondering whether my perception of a policeman as a tough and authoritarian person was wrong!" said Subbiah, the broad smile on his face indicating his happiness and satisfaction.

Thirukkural
Section 1
The Path of Virtue

Chapter 10
Speaking Pleasantly

Verse 96 (In Tamil)

allavai thEya aRam perugum nallavai
nAdi iniya solin.

Meaning:

Pleasant words, spoken with the objective of promoting goodness, will cause harm to recede and virtue to grow.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'subbiah koduththa pugAr' by the same author)

Verse 97 (Soon)
Verse 95

427. The Country Girl

Aruna felt very happy, when her childhood friend Chandra, who had been living in her native village, came to live in the city in which Aruna had been living.

The two friends met quite often and spent time together, chatting, going out to shops, temples, theatres etc.

Aruna was excited to showcase the various landmarks of the city to Chandra, who had been mostly confined to the village all along.

Chandra was amazed at looking at the several landmarks of the city like shopping malls, high rise buildings etc, which appeared to be wonders to her.

Aruna went to a jewellery shop with Chandra. Aruna had subscribed to a jewellery savings scheme run by that shop.

After paying the installment for that month, Chandra showed various sections of the shop to Chandra.

After coming out of the shop, Aruna asked Chandra, "How is the shop?"

"Appears quite big. What do you gain by subscribing to a savings scheme of this shop?" asked Chandra.

Aruna listed the benefits that included the valuable gift given by the shop at the time a person joined the scheme, the bonus that would be added to the total amount saved at the end of the scheme, which would be more than the interest a bank would pay on the recurring deposit for the same period and the benefit of buying the jewellery for the matured amount, without any making charges etc, at a price lower than the market price.

"Oh, impressive! But how does the shop afford to give so many benefits to the subscribers?"

"They offer these benefits only because they can afford it. All the shops offer these kinds of benefits. But no other shop offers so many benefits as this shop does."

"That's what is surprising to me!" said Chandra.

"You can also subscribe to this scheme" suggested Aruna.

"I don't feel safe enrolling for this kind of a scheme. I think you have taken a risk in subscribing to this scheme!"

Aruna was somewhat irritated that Chandra thought it fit to comment about her decision. But she didn't say anything.

When Aruna went to that jewellery shop next month to pay the subscription, Chandra accompanied her, as she did the previous month.

After Aruna had paid the subscription amount, both of them came out.

"If someone discontinues the subscription before the maturity date, will the shop refund the amount paid till then or will it allow the person to buy jewellery for the amount accumulated in that person's account?" asked Chandra.

"It won't. But why are you asking this question?" asked Aruna, surprised.

"I feel that something is not right. I find that compared to last month, many trays are empty!"

"So, what? Jewels in those trays would have been sold. Does it not mean that the business has been good?"

"If the jewels have been sold, they should have replaced them with new stocks. Normally, shops don't keep trays empty" said Chandra.

Aruna did not reply.

After two months, that jewellery shop was closed, without any notice. All those including Aruna, who had subscribed to the jewellery savings scheme lost their money.

Aruna realized the bitter truth that while she, who considered herself a well-informed and intelligent person, had not been wise enough to perceive what had been happening, Chandra, whom she considered an ingenuous country girl, had been sharp in observing the changes in the shop, reading the clues and sensing that something was about to go wrong.

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 43
Wisdom

Verse 427 (in Tamil):

aRivudaiyAr Avadhu aRivAr aRivilAr
ahdhu aRigallAdhavar.

Meaning:

The wise will know what is coming ahead. The unwise won't.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'thOzhikkuth therindhadhu' by the same author.)

Verse 428
Verse 426

1104. Change of Weather

"Why are you being so difficult? This is December. And this winter is colder than it would usually be. I am lying down covering my body with a heavy blanket. I have not even switched on the fan, but you insist on switching on the a/c! If the a/c is switched on, I will have to sleep outside!" said Nikhil."

"Go out and sleep!" said Karthik.

"Hey! This is my house!"

"What if it is? I am your guest. You should give priority to your guest's needs."

"I can give priority to the guest's needs, not to his crazy ideas. Just get into the street and walk along the street. See whether there is a single house where the a/c is switched on."

"If I ask you to switch on the a/c, because I feel it is warm here, you are asking me to check out whether the a/c as been switched on at other houses!"

"Last night, you asked me to switch off the fan saying that you were feeling cold. What has happened to you today?  You went out during the day. Maybe something happened to you, when you were out. Where did you go?" asked Karthik.

"I won't tell you" said Karthik.

Karthik though of the incident that happened that afternoon.

Learning that his uncle's daughter Kamali who was studying in another town, had come home, Karthik went to his uncle's house to meet her.

He had a chance to speak to Kamali alone in her room for about an hour. Since it had already been decided by the parents of both that the two would be married to each other, Kamali's parents had no problem about Karthik meeting Kamali and talking to her in private.

Kamali's room was on the first floor. Since there was an open terrace above that floor, her room was hot. Though it was winter, Chennai would be hot during the day time.

There was an air-conditioner in Kamali's room. But it was not functioning. The fan was running.

When Karthik was conversing with Kamali, he told her, "I am feeling cold. Will you switch off the fan?"

"You are feeling cold? I am feeling hot in spite of the fan running. Are you having fever?" asked Kamali, surprised.

"Initially, I was also feeling hot. But as I was sitting near you and talking to you, the climate seems to have changed from being hot to cold" said Karthik.

Kamali stared at him in disbelief. However, she didn't switch off the fan. Till the time Karthik was sitting with her and talking to her, he was feeling cold.

'When I told Kamali that I was feeling cold and asked her to switch off the fan, she didn't. Now, when I ask my friend to switch on the a/c since I am feeling warm, he refuses to oblige me. I wonder what has happened to these people!' thought Karthik.

Thirukkural
Section 3

Love

Chapter 111
The Joy of Being Together in Love

Verse 1104 (in Tamil):
nIngin theRUm kuRugungAl thaNNennum
thIyANdup peRRAL ivaL.

Meaning:

It sears when I move away, it chills when I get near.

Where from did she acquire such a fire ?

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'veppa nilai mARudhal' by the same author.)

Verse 1105
Verse 1103

426. Discount Store

"Sir, the world is changing. We can survive only if we adapt ourselves to the changes happening around us" said Karthikeyan, Sales Manager.

"There is no need for us to change!" said Murugappan, the Managing Director.

"Sir, your policy of not giving any bribe to the government officials is laudable. You have been steadfast in your policy all these years and running your firm successfully. But, during the present days, the virus of bribe has spread to all sectors. Even the senior executives of the firms distributing our products are asking for commission from us. We can add this commission to the selling price. They won't mind."

"Are we not paying commission to our distributors?"

"Sir, you know what I mean. The commission I have mentioned is the bribe the executives like the Purchase Managers ask for themselves, in return for their favouring us by choosing to buy from us, rather than from our competitors. Even the proprietors of small distribution firms ask for commission so that the could earn some tax free money, though they know that would end up paying a higher price for the product by our adding the commission component to the selling price."

"When we have been following a policy of not paying any bribe to anyone, how can we pay bribes to the executives and proprietors of firms? Even if we call the payments commissions, they are only bribes!"

"Sir, as a Sales Manager, I face the problem, when our distributors ask for commissions. Our sales executives complain to me about the challenge of getting orders without paying commissions, when our competitors have been offering this kind of commissions. Even a small consumer buying a soap in a shop expects at least a small rebate in the selling price. Our distributors asking for commissions is similar to this."

Murugappan was silent for a while, apparently reflecting the points made by Karthikeyan and then said, "I appreciate the merit in your argument. I will think about it."

Karthikeyan felt relieved that Murugappan had shown signs of relenting on his stubborn stance.

After a week, Murugappan told Karthikeyan, "As you had pointed out, now there is a tendency among people to expect rebates, discounts, rewards etc, when they buy a product. It is true that we should adapt ourselves to the changes taking place in the world around us. But, it doesn't mean that we have to give up our principles and values."

"But you said that we should adapt ourselves to the changes!" asked Karthikeyan, feeling disappointed.

"Taking advantage of people's clamour for discounts, we can start a discount store. By selling to the consumers directly, without routing through distributors, we can offer attractive discounts to the buyers. This will also lead to increase in sales. We don't have to resort to dishonest practices. I spoke to our auditor about the financial aspects of this proposal including the investment required and the profitability. He says that for thirst two years, we may have to struggle but that after that period, we will be able to earn as much profit as we have been earning now. Our sales executives can be employed in our store, if they are willing to work there. We can also sell our product to those distributors who won't demand bribes from us. There are prospects for expanding our business in a big way, by opening new stores after a few years!" said Murugappan, sounding excited.

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 43
Wisdom

Verse 426 (in Tamil):

evvadhu uRaivadhu ulagam ulagaththodu
avvadhy uRaivadhu aRivu.

Meaning:
Wisdom consists in adapting oneself to the way the world moves.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'murugappanin pidivAdham' by the same author.)

Verse 427
Verse 425

425. Venu's Friends

Both Venu and Giri joined that company at the same time. The batch of fifty executives recruited by that company were given training at the head office of the company, located in Chennai.

The training consisted of class room sessions in the conference room and on-the-job training at various departments. The training had a duration of two weeks.

All the fifty recruits were young men and for most of them, it was their first job. All the men found the two week period highly exciting.

Since Venu and Giri were seated next to each other in the conference room, they became intimate soon.

By nature, Giri was an outgoing person. He would talk to anyone including strangers and get acquainted with them. Venu, on the other hand, was reserved. He moved closely with only a few of his batchmates.

After the training was over, ten of the recruits, including Giri and Venu, were placed at the head office. The rest were posted to different branches in the city and in other towns

Neither Venu nor Giri hailed from Chennai. Both of them together rented a room and shared it. 

During most of the weekends, Venu would go out.

"Where do you go every weekend? Do you have so many friends in Chennai?" asked Giri.

"I have befriended only a few of our batchmates. Apart from that, I got close to some of our seniors, whom I met at the head office during our training. They are the ones whom I visit during the weekends" said Venu.

"Where do you go? To movies?"

"I go to to movies with a couple of them. Others are living here with their families. They invite me to their houses. So, I will go to their houses."

"Interesting! You have got quite a few friends within a short time!" said Venu, surprised.

"What about you? You were moving well with many of our batchmates. You should be having a lot of friends!" asked Venu.

"I move with a lot of people, alright. But, not all of them can be described as my friends. I have only a few friends, but I don't meet thems quite often. Mostly, I speak to them over phone" said Giri.

After a few months, Venu's habit of going out during the weekends became less frequent.

"Why have you not been going out in the weekends to meet your friends, nowadays?" asked Giri.

"I don't know. I find that the interest I had earlier to meet my friends has declined. I think they may also feel the same way about me. Some of them who appeared to be my close friends earlier, seem to have become somewhat distant now" said Giri.

"What about me?" asked Giri, laughing.

"You have always been close to me and you will continue to be so. Why do you ask this question?" asked Venu, feeling a little hurt by Giri's question.

"Don't I know that? I only asked this question in a lighter vein" said Giri, holding Venu's hand.

"During the training, you moved well with many of my batchmates. But, you don't seem to have many friends now!" asked Venu.

"I move well with all, but I will become intimate only with a few. I get to know every one, and over a period of time, understand what kind of a person each one is. I will select whom I want to be my friends and develop my friendship with them. Six of my batchmates are my friends. Three of them, including you are in Chennai. The remaining three are at other places. I will meet my other two friends in Chennai now and then. But I keep talking to all of my friends over phone. You know our batchmate Kannan, who is in Trichy? He has invited me for his sister's marriage to be held in Trichy next week. I am going to attend that marriage" said Giri.

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 43
Wisdom

Verse 425 (in Tamil):

ulagam thazhIya thotpam malardhalum
kUmbalum illadhu aRivu.

Meaning:

Wisdom consists in befriending many (good) people. The state of the friendship not being ebullient in the beginning and fading over time is wisdom.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'vENuvin naNbargaL' by the same author.)

Verse 426
Verse 424

95. First Day At Work

The three day training program for the newly recruited Customer Service Executives was concluded with an address by the General Manager of the company. During the course of his address, the General Manager said:

"During the last three days, you would have learnt about your duties and responsibilities. From tomorrow, you will be sitting at the branch in which you will be posted, interacting with the customers, eliciting their needs and fulfilling them to their satisfaction. As you know, your attire plays a big role in making an impression on others. From tomorrow, when you come to the office, you should be wearing a tie. If someone doesn't know how to wear a tie, I can teach them right now!"

There was a big laughter from the trainees. 

The next day, five Customer Service Executives posted to that branch reported for work. One of them, Paranthaman came to the office without wearing a tie. His dress was also rumpled.

"What happened?" asked the Branch Manager.

"Sir, when I was coming to the office by my scooter, there was a small accident. I fell down from the scooter. The tie was brushed against the ground and got soiled. My pant and shirt also became dirty. I got my dress cleaned with water. That's why my dress looks rumpled. I couldn't wear the tie because it became soiled. My house is quite far from here. It will take a long time for me to go home and get changed. If you permit me to be without the tie just for today..." said Paranthaman.

"Okay. Go and attend to the work. The General Manager may visit our office in the afternoon. I don't know what he is going to say!" said the Branch Manager.

When the General Manager visited the office in the late afternoon, he observed that the five new Customer Service Executives were sitting in the counters and attending to the customers.

After entering the Branch Manager's cabin and taking his seat, the General Manager asked the Branch Manager, "How are the new recruits doing?"

"They are doing well, sir" said the Branch Manager, weighing in his mind whether he should tell the General Manager about one executive coming to the office without wearing a tie.

"Why is the queue in front of one counter longer?"

"I don't know, sir. It has been like this since the late forenoon. I went to the people standing in that line and suggested to them that they could join one of the other queues which were shorter. But they said, 'it is okay' and continued to stand there. A few people standing in the other lines also keep joining that queue."

"Who is the executive attending to that counter?"

"Paranthaman. He..." said the Branch Manager.

Before the Branch Manage could complete his sentence, the General Manager stood up from his seat saying, "Let me go and see myself" and walked to the particular counter. He stood near the counter and observed the activity going on there. The Branch Manager followed him and stood behind him.

The executives sitting at the counter could not see the duo, since they were hidden by the queue.

After a few minutes, the General Manager returned to the Branch Manager's cabin, followed by the Branch Manager.

"Something odd, no something funny, no something interesting!" exclaimed the General Manager.

"Sir, I think you are referring to Paranthaman, the executive sitting in that counter not wearing a tie!"

"Why does he need to wear a tie?"

"Sir?"

"Did you observe that executive - what did you say his name was, yes, Paranthaman? He is talking to the customers in a polite and pleasing manner, with a smiling face, displaying patience and taking care to not hurt the customers. Seeing this from a distance, other customers are switching over to that queue. During the training, I told the executives about the importance of the attire. But his politeness and pleasant manner of speaking have given Paranthaman a personality that a tie or suit can't give" said the General Manager, his smile showing how highly pleased he was.

Thirukkural

Section 1
The Path of Virtue

Chapter 10
Speaking Pleasantly

Verse 95 (In Tamil)

paNivudaiyan insolan Adhal oruvaRku
aNiyalla maRRup piRa

Meaning:

Being polite and talking pleasantly are the ornaments one should wear. The other ornaments won't count.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'vElaiyil mudhal nAL' by the same author)

Verse 96
Verse 94