Losing his job was a big blow to Nandagopal. Getting a job in a good company like the one he had been working in was difficult. He could get a job in a small firm engaged in service and repairs of electronic equipment. But, the pay would be less and the tenure of the job would also be uncertain.
Nandagopal discussed the problem with Satish and Anbu.
"Why don't the three of us together start an electronics service centre?" asked Nandagopal.
"Are you joking? Do we have the capital needed to start such a business? We can't even afford to hire a place" said Satish.
"We can use a room in my house for the activity. It has a window facing the street. If we keep a board outside the window, people walking on the street will be able to see the board. Though I reside in a rented house, I will be able to get the consent of my landlord for running a TV service centre at my house" said Nandagopal.
"What about the investment needed for buying tools and equipment?" asked Anbu.
"The showroom we worked for won't need the tools and equipment it has, since it has discontinued the repairing service. We can request the showroom to sell them to us , at a low price. If the showroom tries to sell them to others, it will be able to sell only at the scrap rate. The showroom manager is a reasonable person. We can convince him to sell us the tools and equipment at a price better than what the scrap dealers will offer. The showroom has also a fairly large quantity of spares in stock, which it won't be able to dispose of. If we offer to buy the entire stock over a period, buying in small quantities at a time, the manager will agree. We can also request the manager to furnish the contact details of the people who have bought the electronic appliances from the showroom. We can contact those buyers and request them to contact us for any service requirement."
"I don't think it will work out for me. I will go for a job" said Satish.
After thinking for a while, Anbu said, "I won't be able to invest any money. I will join with you in your venture. Depending on the revenue earned in the business, you can pay me whatever you think is appropriate. But, if I get a good job offer, I will leave. I will also leave, if I don't get sufficient income from the business."
Two moths passed since Nandagopal started his service centre, along with Anbu.
They didn't get much business in the first month. But, there was a considerable improvement in the second month.
Nandagopal was confident that in the next couple of months, they would be able to earn a substantial revenue.
But, they received an unexpected jolt in the form of the lockdown on account of the COVID epidemic.
"It is over. We cannot recover from this blow" said Anbu, feeling dejected.
"Let us see!" said Nandagopal.
"What is there for us to see? What is the basis for your optimism?" asked Anbu, showing his irritation.
"Anbu! Look at the situation this way. Now, there is a complete lockdown. People will be confined to their homes. They will watch TV more. Therefore, there will be a greater need for TV service. Some people who have kept defective TV sets unrepaired will be motivated to get the TV sets repaired. During the lockdown, all big shops and service centres will be closed. So, there will be more opportunities for small service units like ours" said Nandagopal.
Anbu looked at his friend with surprise and admiration.
As predicted by Nadagopal, they received a number of calls for servicing TV sets.
The two of them carried the essential tools and small equipment in a suitcase, went to the homes and repaired the TV sets on the spot.
After a few weeks, they ran out of some spare parts.
Nandagopal rang up to the manager of the showroom and requested him to supply the spare parts needed by them.
The manager not only declined Nandagopal's request, citing the lockdown restrictions but also vented out his frustration.
"Well. I could have sold all the spare parts to someone. I accepted your offer to buy the spare parts from us over a period, purely out of a desire to help you. Now, the spare parts are still lying with us. Because of the lockdown, we are unable to sell the spares either to you or to others. We are stuck with the stock. I don't know when the lockdown will be over. The resale value of the stocks would have fallen considerably by the time the lockdown is lifted. Our proprietor is going to blame me for the loss" he lamented.
Nandagopal and Anbu spent the next two days, feeling tense and helpless. People who had asked them to repair their TV sets called them up and expressed their concern about the delay.
"Sir, because of the lockdown, we are unable to get the spare parts. Please give us two more days" Nandagopal, pleaded.
"Just when I felt relieved that we have been managing things, new problems are cropping up" said Anbu.
Nandagopal called up the manager of the showroom again.
"Sir! Please have trust in us and give us the keys of the showroom. We will collect the keys from your house, open the showroom, take the spare parts needed by us and return the keys to you within an hour. We will also pay for them immediately. I assure you that We will buy all the spare parts within the next six months. You will not incur any lass" said Nandagopal.
After hesitating for a moment, the Manager said, "Okay. You can come to my house and collect the keys from me."
Six months passed since the lockdown had been imposed.
"Not bad. We have managed to run our business for six months, during the lockdown. I hope that we will be able to carry on" said Anbu.
When Anbu was carrying a TV set from a customer's house to the service centre, for getting it repaired, he was intercepted by a policeman.
"From where did you steal the TV?" asked the policeman.
"I didn't steal it. I am taking it to our service centre for repairing it, sir" said Anbu.
"It is still worse. Keeping your service centre open during the lockdown is an offense. Come with me to the station." said the policeman.
After receiving a call from Anbu, Nandagopal went to the police station..
He explained to the policeman how they had been operating.
"Sir, usually, we visit the customer's home and carry out the repair there. Only this time, it became necessary for us to bring the TV set to our service centre. When I say service centre, I am referring to my house. We do the service inside the house, keeping the outer door closed."
"Your partner was caught on the road, when he was carrying the TV set. Now, you have joined him on your own. I think both of you are going to be sentenced to six months' imprisonment, for violating the lockdown rules. Let the inspector come" said the policeman.
Presently, the inspector came to the station.
After listening to the constable's complaint and Nadagopal's explanation, the inspector said, "The lockdown rules have to be followed. Hereafter, don't roam about the streets, carrying TV sets."
He let them off, after warning them orally.
After they stepped out of the police station, Nandagopal told Anbu, "Usually, you will be upset, even if a small problem surfaces. But today, you are so calm!"
"I have been observing things for the past several months. We encountered one obstacle after another. But you have remained unperturbed. The obstacles have become scared of you and been running away. Hereafter, I am not going to be perturbed, either."
Even before Anbu had completed saying this, a police constable came running towards them from inside the police station. "Guys! The inspector is calling you."
"Just after my saying that obstacles have begun to run away from you, another obstacle seems to be showing up. Go and see what it is. I will wait for you here" said Anbu.
Nandagopal, came out of the station and joined Anbu after a couple of minutes,.
He told anbu, "The inspector has a TV in his hose that needs repairing. He couldn't find anyone to repair it. So he wants us to go to his house and repair it. He also told me that if anyone else in the police department requires repairing of their TV sets, he would ask them to approach us."
Seeing the worrying expression on Anbu's face, Nandagopal added, "He said that he would pay us our charges!"
Nandagopal then laughed aloud.
Section 2
Unfazed in the Face of Trouble
maduththa vAy ellAm pagadu annAn uRRa
idukkaN idarppAdu udaiththu
Verse 623
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