140. Vasanthi's Suggestion

"What is the need for me to attend the association meeting?" asked Kannan.

"It is an opportunity to get to know the other occupants of our apartment block" said his wife Vasanthi.

"You may attend. I don't want to come."

"You can be there just for a few minutes and leave the meeting, giving some excuse about another commitment."

Kannan grudgingly agreed to his wife's suggestion.

They had bought an apartment in that building only recently and moved there. 

Vasanthi had got acquainted with several other occupants of the apartment block within a short time, but Kannan had not even spoken to his immediate neighbours. Even when someone greeted him or smiled at him, while running into him in the pathway, Kannan wouldn't even notice it and would be looking elsewhere.

Kannan was a postgraduate in the field of bio-technology and was working as a scientist in a biotech firm. Even at home, he was mostly engaged in reading a book or doing something in his computer. If Vasanthi spoke to him, he would respond. Otherwise, he won't talk much.

Sometimes, Vasanthi would share with him something interesting that she had read in a magazine or saw in the TV. He would listen to her, with an occasional terse comment. 

Vasanthi knew that Kannan was not interested in the matters she talked about and that he was listening to her and responding occasionally, only to make her feel good.

If Vasanthi wanted to go for shopping, or a movie or visit their relatives, Kannan would accompany her.

Vasanthi considered Kannan's aloofness a lacuna in his personality. She learnt from Kannan's office friend Seenu that Kannan maintained his aloofness in the office also. Seenu was the only friend Kannan had. Vasanthi would sometimes think that it was a relief that Kannan had even one friend, given his introverted and inhibited  nature.

The meeting of the apartment owners' association got over in half an hour. The apartment block had 72 apartments. The secretary of the association expressed his desire to be relieved of his position. The meeting was conveyed only to select a new secretary. With no one coming forward to take the responsibility, the meeting got over within a short time.

After returning home, Vasanthi asked Kannan, "Why don't you become the secretary of the association?"

"Me? Are you being serious? How can I take up that responsibility" asked Kannan, surprised by the suggestion.

"Of course, you can. You are well educated and intelligent. You have the capacity to think deeply about any issue and decide. Managing the association's affairs is not so difficult. There are some chronic issues, of course. If you rectify them, then things will begin to move smoothly. You can definitely resolve these issues" said Vasanthi.

"Vasanthi! You know about my nature. I don't socialize much. I don't move with people. How can I take up the responsibility of managing the affairs of the building that involves interacting with people, talking to them, convincing them etc?"

"I am asking you to take up the responsibility, only to make you move with other people. Don't think that I am advising you. You are better informed than me in all matters. You are well educated, intelligent, knowledgeable and capable. Is your keeping aloof and not moving with people not a shortcoming on your part? Should you not fill this gap in your personality? If you become the secretary of the association, you will have to interact with other occupants and other people like service providers. You will be able to shed your inhibition, even without making any conscious effort and become a stronger person" said Vasanthi. 

Kannan looked at Vasanthi for a minute and then said, "If my boss wants me to do something, how can I say no?" and laughed.

It appeared to Vasanthi that the transformation had already begun in him.

Thirukkural

Section 1
The Path of Virtue

Chapter 14
Possession of Propriety 

Verse 140 (In Tamil)

ulagaththOdu otta ozhugal pala kaRRum
kallAr aRivu ilAdhAr.

Meaning:

Those who don't know how to act agreeably to the world, even if they have learnt many things, are still ignorant.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'kuRai onRu kaNNA' by the same author)

Verse 141 (Soon)
Verse 139