397. A Trip to Paris

"Hey, Azhageasan! When did you come back from Paris?" asked Kanakasabai.

"Two days back. I had spent the last two days sleeping! I stirred out of my house only today!" replied Kanakasabai. 

"Yes. I have heard the term jetlag, I haven't travelled beyond Tirupati, though! How is your son at Paris?"

"He is doing well!" said Azhagesan, with pride.

"Does he know French?"

"He doesn't. He has started learning it only recently."

"How does he manage, then? People in that country may not speak English" said Kanakasabai.

"You say you have not travelled beyond Tirupati, but you are well-versed in the practices in various countries in the world!" said Alagesan, appreciatively. "Since he has gone to work there as a software professional, not knowing French may not be a problem at office. However, he has to learn French, to communicate outside the office." 

"It seems that going abroad and working there comes easy to your family! Several years back, your younger brother went to the U.S. He is settled there now!"

"Yes. He studied motor mechanism. He was working in an automobile manufacturing firm here. Recognizing his talent, his company sent him to U.S. to work in its factory there. Now he has settled there. When he went to the U.S, he  had had no knowledge of English. It was his technical knowledge that took him to the U.S" said Azhagesan. 

He suddenly snapped his fingers and said, "I just remembered one thing. My son has sent some articles through me for his friends. I have to hand them over to them. He has given me a list with the name of the person and the article to be given to him. Just wait. I will bring it."

He went inside and came out with a sheet of paper in his hand. He gave the sheet to Kanakasabai and said, "My son read out the list for me. I want to make sure that I remember the list correctly. Can you please read out the list for me? When his friends come here to collect the articles, I want to hand over each article to the right person, without any mix up!"

"What, Azhagesan! Your younger brother went to the U.S, by virtue of his technical knowledge, even though he was not highly educated. Your son has been working in Paris, after studying Computer Science. But, you have still not become a literate person!" said Kanakasabai, smiling.

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 40
Education

Verse 397 (in Tamil):

yAdhAnum nAdAmAl UrAmAl ennoruvan
sAndhuNaiyum kallAdhavARu.

Meaning:

When for a learned person, any country or any town in the world will be a place of his own, why is it that one remains unlearned throughout his life?

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

Verse 398
Verse 396