133. Family Background

On receiving the phone call from the school in which Gunaseel was studying, Gunaseel's mother Manjula sent a message to her husband Swaminathan, who was in his office and hurried to her son's school. 

As she entered the school, Swaminathan's car also arrived there.

Both the parents together went to the Principal's cabin.

The Principal received them with a tight expression on his face and asked them to be seated. 

"Where is Gunaseel?" demanded Swaminathan.

"He is lying down in the room. I think he will become sober soon. Before that, I want to talk to you about him. Are you aware that your son has been drinking?"

"What do you mean, sir? Gunaseel is a boy of impeccable character. I could not believe what you conveyed to me over phone. We want to see him first" said Manjula.

"I was also shocked to learn that a student of ninth grade has drinking habit. But, some students have confirmed to me that they have seen him in the liquor shop, a few times" said the principal.

"We have not groomed our son that way. He might have been influenced by the company he has been keeping. He should have got into this habit, because of his association with some undesirable elements" said Swaminathan.

"The liberal allowance you give him every month as pocket money might also have been a reason!" quipped the Principal.

At that time, a teacher entered the Principal's room, bringing Gunaseel with him. Another boy also came along with them.

Gunaseel, who walked into the room, presenting the appearance of having been woken up from sleep, looked at his parents through his tired eyes. 

"How did you get into this habit? No one in our lineage had this habit!" asked Swaminathan, angrily.

Gunaseel didn't say anything.

"Who is that boy?" asked Manjula, pointing to the boy, who came along with Gunaseel.

"He was the one, who found Gunaseel lying unconsciously on the side of the road and brought him here" said the Principal.

"So, Gunaseel had drunk in the company of this boy! Did I not say that our son should have been spoiled because of his association with undesirable boys?" asked Swaminathan. "Don't you have a system of screening to ensure that only boys with a good character and background are selected?" he added.

"This boy doesn't study in our school" said the Principal, tersely.

"How did you become friends with him?" Manjula asked Gunaseel. "Moving closely with street urchins has made you take to drinking and adopt it as a habit!"

"Madam! You are completely mistaken. Your son didn't drink in the company of this boy. During the lunch interval, your son had gone to the nearby liquor shop, bought some liquor and drank it. While walking back to the school in an inebriated state, he fumbled and was about to fall down. This boy, who was walking on the road, saw your boy's condition, rushed to him, held him on his hands and prevented him from falling on the road. Judging that Gunaseel was a student of this school, by looking at his uniform, he brought him here. I asked the boy to be here till you came, so that you could, if you wanted, ascertain the facts from him. Why do you blame this boy for the wrong committed by your son? Is this the reward you are giving him, for going to the rescue of your boy who was about to fall down and get hurt?" asked the Principal, his tone conveying his unpleasantness with both the parents.

The boy showed signs of saying something and after hesitating for a few seconds, said, "My father is a drunkard. But I don't drink."

Thirukkural

Section 1
The Path of Virtue

Chapter 14
Possession of Propriety 

Verse 133 (In Tamil)

ozhukkam udaimai kudimai izhukkum
izhindha piRappu Ay vidum.

Meaning:

Class is determined by propriety of conduct; impropriety will lead to

being considered part of an ignoble class.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'nalladhoru kudumbam' by the same author)

Verse 134 (Soon)
Verse 132