Usually, when Ramanathan started reading the morning newspaper, he would get his morning cup of coffee. But that day, even after he had completed reading the newspaper, coffee didn't arrive,
"It has been nearly an hour since I got up. I still have not got my morning coffee!" shouted Ramanathan, throwing the newspaper away, in anger.
"The decoction has been percolating slowly. What can I do?" answered his wife Ponnammal, from the question.
After some time, she came to Ramanathan, with the coffee cup in her hand. After handing the cup to him, she said, "Learn to control your anger!"
"You take so long to get me the coffee and you have the temerity to advise me!" shouted Ramanathan.
Ponnammal went back to the kitchen, without saying anything. It was only after that it struck Ramanathan that he could have chosen to not answer her. After all, she had given him the coffee!
In the office also, many things happened to irritate Ramanathan. He vented his anger on his subordinates, using strong words of reprimand on them.
He wouldn't have known that one of his subordinates told a colleague of him, "Never step into the boss' cabin even by mistake. He will pounce on you like a mad dog!"
Even after coming home in the evening, Ramanathan was in an irksome mood.
With every one insisting that he or she be attended to on priority, the young man was catering to every one.
Even after coming home in the evening, Ramanathan was in an irksome mood.
"Did you yell at every one in the office?" asked Ponnammal.
"When a person is tensed due to pressure of work, he can't help getting angry. You won't understand this" replied Ramanathan.
"Even if you get angry, you could avoid using harsh words that would hurt others."
"I don't need to take advice from you. Mind your own business" yelled Ramanathan.
After some time, he left home. Before leaving, he said "I am going out" in a voice loud enough to reach his wife, who, was in another room. He went to a nearby Xerox Service centre, but didn't feel the need to tell his wife where he was going.
After some time, he left home. Before leaving, he said "I am going out" in a voice loud enough to reach his wife, who, was in another room. He went to a nearby Xerox Service centre, but didn't feel the need to tell his wife where he was going.
'She won't ask me, 'Where are you going?' For some time, she will be wondering where I have gone and when I will return. Let her be!'
The young man running the Xerox Service centre was managing the shop on his own, having no employee to help him. Apart from offering services like making out Xerox copies, print-outs and scans and doing laminations and spiral binding, he was also selling stationery items like pen, paper etc.
About half a dozen people were standing in the shop. Some of them were there for getting services like making out xerox copies and some were for buying stationery items.
With every one insisting that he or she be attended to on priority, the young man was catering to every one.
"Sir, you asked for five pens. Here are they... Fifty rupees... Sorry, I don't have pens costing five rupees. I have only pens costing ten rupees... Taking xerox of all these pages will take time. Please leave these and I will take the copies and keep them ready. You may collect them at 8 p.m... Yes, the shop will be open till nine...You want A4 sheets? How many? Just a minute..."
"I just want to take xerox copy of one page. How long should I wait? Can you not make out one copy and send me off?" said Ramanathan, his voice showing his impatience and irritation.
The young man turned to him, with a smile.
"Sorry, sir! I have to attend to people who came before you." He then turned to another customer and said, "Sir, if you don't mind, can I make out one copy for this elderly gentleman and then take up your job? Thank you, sir!"
He then asked Ramanathan, "Please give me the paper, sir!" got the paper from him, made out a copy and returned the papers to him.
Ramanathan gave him a ten rupee note.
The young man said, "Sorry, sir. I don't have the change. Don't you have one rupee? If you don't have, it is fine. You can pay me later, when you come this side."
He then turned to the next customer.
As Ramanathan was returning home, he was thinking about the young man running the Xerox centre.
'Even when he is under so much pressure from the customers gathered at the shop, he manages to keep a smiling face and speak to the customers in a pleasing way. Will he be like this from the morning, till he closes the shop in the late evening? How is he able to do this?
'Compared to that young man, who is under constant pressure, I have no pressure at all. I became tense for a small inconvenience of my not getting my coffee in time, in the morning. And I became tense at the office even for trivial reasons. Hereafter, I should restrain myself from venting my anger on others and using using harsh words that could hurt people' reflected Ramanathan.
After reaching home, Ramanathan told his wife, "I went out to take a Xerox copy."
"You can go wherever you want. Why should I care?" said his wife, in an irritated voice.
Thirukkural
Section 1
The Path of Virtue
The Path of Virtue
Chapter 10
Speaking Pleasantly
Speaking Pleasantly
Verse 99 (In Tamil)
insol inidhInRal kANbAn evan kolO
vansol vazhanguvadhu.
vansol vazhanguvadhu.
Meaning:
Anyone who knows that sweet words yield pleasant results will not use harsh words.
(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'xerox kadai' by the same author)
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