"How are we going to manage? We have two school-going children too!" said Sukanya. She felt like crying.
Till a few months back, Alagesan's family was living a comfortable life. At least, that was how Sukanya had been thinking.
Alagesan didn't tell Sukanya about his business traversing a downward path since the past few years. Alagesan was in the grip of the blind faith held by people facing difficulties that somehow everything would be resolved soon enough.
However, the inevitable had happened. At one point of time, Alagesan realized that he won't be able to continue running his business, with the losses mounting day by day.
It was only after he had decided to wind up his business, did Alagesan realize how disastrous his financial status had become. He had lost every thing, including the house he owned. He had to vacate his house and hand it over to the bank which had enforced the mortgage against his dues to the bank.
He sold all his movable assets including his wife's jewels. There was hardly anything for him to take along, while moving out of the house.
"What are we going to do?" asked Sukanya, feeling desperately concerned.
Alagesan felt overwhelmed by the concern and sense of shared responsibility that reflected in his wife's asking 'what ae WE going to do?' rather than 'what are YOU going to do?' in an accusing way.
'"Don't worry! I will go for a job and take care of the family" said Alageasan.
"I have no doubt that you will. I am asking about finding a place for us to move in after vacating this house. We don't even have the money to pay the rental deposit for the house we rent."
"That is the problem troubling me too. But one good thing is that we don't have household articles to be packed and carried in a transport vehicle. We can pack our clothes in a suitcase and walk out" said Alagesan, with a wry laughter.
The realization that Alagesan, despite being in a heart-broken state, was trying to be humorous only to mitigate her own grief made her agony even more accentuated.
"He requested you to reduce the rent by one thousand rupees. You could have agreed to his request. He would have been a good tenant. Why didn't you consider his request?" asked Sumathy.
"Why should I reduce the rent? The rent we are asking for is lower than the rent prevailing in our area for a house like ours. Don't worry. We will get some other good tenant" said her husband.
"If you had agreed to reduce the rent even by five hundred rupees, he would have accepted."
"Why should I do so?"
"How are you, Anbu?" asked Alagesan.
"I am fine. You are my cousin. But it has been several months since we met. We have been seeing each other only in the family functions of our relatives. I don't even have your phone number. I got it from Murugan" said Anbu, speaking from the other end.
"Yes, Anbu. I didn't have your number either."
"Let me come to the point. I heard that you have sold your house, due to some problem in your business and that you have been looking for a house to rent."
"Yes..."
"If you won't mistake me, I will make a suggestion. I have a house that has been vacant for some time. I didn't intend to give it for rent. You can stay in that house for some time."
"Thanks, Anbu. But..."
"I understand your situation, Alagesan. For the time being, you need not pay me any rent. We can talk about the rent, once your financial position improves, or, you can rent another house and move out."
"Anbu! I am overwhelmed by your kindness. This is a great help from you. I don't know how to express my feelings of gratitude for your gesture. I will be taking up some job soon. After that, I will pay you the accumulated rent in installments" said Alagesan, his voice choking with emotions.
"There is no need to talk about it now. After all, I am only letting you occupy a house that has been lying vacant. You may come to my house any time and collect the key from me" said Anbu.
"Well, when a prospective tenant asked you to reduce he rent by one thousand rupees, you were adamant about not reducing the rent even a bit. Now, you are giving our house free of rent to your cousin. You even told him that you didn't intend to let out the house!" said Sumathy.
"As you have mentioned, I am only helping my cousin. When a relative faces a problem, should we not go to his rescue? Alagesan wouldn't have accepted my help, if he had known that I was losing the rent by asking him to occupy my house. That's why I told him that I didn't intend to let out the house" said Anbu.
Section 2
Assessing Before Acting
suRRaththAr kaNNE uLa.
Verse 520
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