204. The Missed Message

The end of the month was nearing. There was a sizeable gap for Sekar to reach the monthly target. 

As Sekar was wondering how he was going to reach the target in two days, the Branch Manager called him over the intercom.

Sekar knew that the Branch Manager had called him, only to talk to him about his having not reached the monthly target. He walked towards the Branch Manager's cabin, feeling low in spirits.

When he came out of the Branch Manager's cabin after half an hour, he was even more depressed.

Only after returning to his desk and sitting down did Sekar realize that while going to the Branch Manager's cabin, he had left his mobile phone on his desk, forgetting to take it with him.

He picked up the phone and checked. There were no new messages or calls.

After lunch, Sekar called a number of prospects, using the office telephone. No one seemed to be interested in taking up an insurance policy.

By 5 o' clock, Sekar felt exhausted both physically and mentally. Devoid of all energy, he sank in his seat.

His mobile phone rang. It was his friend Sudarshan.

"Did you meet the gentleman?" asked Sudarshan.

"Which gentleman?" asked Sekar, perplexed by the question. 

"Did you not read my message?"

"What message? I didn't receive any. When did you send it?"

"At about 1 o' clock. A person known to me wanted to take an insurance policy. He was planning to pay an annual premium of three lakh rupees. Since I was in a meeting, I sent his number to him, asking you to contact him."

Even as Sudarshan was talking, Sekar located the message sent by Sudarshan. 

Ok. I will call him" said Sekar and ended the conversation.

It was clear to him that when he had left his mobile on his desk and went to see the Branch Manager, someone, hearing the notification sound for a new message, should have clicked his phone and read the message. That was how the message was not highlighted when he saw his phone, leading to his missing the message.

He called the phone number given by Sudarshan and introduced himself. 

"Well, you came in the afternoon, got my signatures on the forms and took the cheque for the premium. What do you want now?" asked the person on the other side of the phone, showing his annoyance.

"Sir! My friend Sudarshan had referred you to me. My name is Sekar."

"Yes. I told Sudarshan about my plan to take a policy. He said a person from your company would contact me. He told me your name. But, I didn't remember it. Someone from your company called me up, came to my house and got the policy. Just a minute. He gave his card. I will check...His name is Thanikachalam."

"Thank you, sir. Sorry for the disturbance" said Sekar and ended the conversation.

He was struck by a mix of anger, disappointment and helplessness.

He remembered that Thanikachalam was sitting at the adjacent desk, when he left for the Branch Manager's cabin. Hearing the sound of the notification of a new message, he would have taken his phone, opened the message and read it. Seeing a golden opportunity, he would have taken advantage of it.

This was not the first time that Thanikachalam indulged in such practices. There have been complaints against him already about his stealing prospects from other insurance agents, using unfair means. But, till now, no action was taken against him, since the allegations against him were not proved.

This was the first time that he crossed paths with Sekar. 

Sekar cursed himself for keeping his mobile phone on his desk, while going to the Branch Manager's cabin. He felt a surge of anger against Thanikachalam, for depriving him of an excellent opportunity, at a time, when he was struggling to reach his monthly target.

If he complained to the office against Thanikachalam, people would laugh at him. He couldn't produce any evidence against Thanikachalam. 

'There is no way I can punish Thanikachalam. I am helpless. God should punish him. May Thanikachalam meet with an accident while riding his bike and lie on an hospital bed for a couple of months!'

'Oh, what a heinous thought!' He checked himself immediately.

His mobile phone rang. It was his wife.

The moment he picked up the call, she began to lament in a loud voice,"I have lost the golden chain of eight sovereigns worn by me on my neck. When I was walking on the street, a person riding a bike snatched my chain." She began to cry.

Sekar was not sure which was the overwhelming emotion felt by him - anger or grief.

"Why did you roam on the streets wearing an eight sovereign chain? Will you always remain stupid? Did you give a police complaint?" he asked, venting out his anger, even while suppressing his tone, since there were other people nearby.

"It happened just now and I called you immediately. Please come home immediately. You need to come with me to the police station."

Sekar disconnected the call, even before she had completed the sentence.

'Oh, God! Why are such things happening to me?'

He recalled his thought a few minutes back, wishing that Thanikachalam meet with an accident and lie on an hospital bed. 

'Is it because I had wished something bad for another person that a bad thing happened to me? Is this a case of instant justice?' 

He sat on his seat feeling depressed, not knowing how to cope with the situation.

His mobile phone rang again. It was his wife again.

"I am coming. Why do you call me again?" he burst out in anger.

"You don't have to come. I got back the chain" said his wife, calmly.

"Got back the chain! How?" asked Sekar, unable to believe his ears.

"The security guard of a nearby house saw the chain snatcher pulling the chain from my neck. He seems to have served in the army. He intercepted the chain snatcher, by blocking on his way. The chain snatcher dropped the chain and rode away. Thank God, I don't have to go to the police station. Only thing is that the chain has to be soldered..."

He didn't hear his wife any further.

'Oh, God! What has happened? Even for wishing something bad for a person who caused me harm, I received an instant punishment by way of the loss of a chain. But, relief was also given immediately. Perhaps, this incident was intended to be a warning to me. Is it conveying me the message that I shouldn't wish any harm, even to a person who has harmed me?'

He wonderd.

Thirukkural
Section 1
The Path of Virtue

Chapter 21
Dread of Evil Deeds

Verse 204 (In Tamil)

maRandhum piRan kedu sUzhaRka sUzhin
aRam sUzham sUzhndhavan kEdu.

Meaning:

One shouldn't wish any harm to another, even unconsciously. If one does, righteousness will decide to inflict harm to the one who harbours such a wish.

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'thavaRa vitta seydhi' by the same author)

Verse 205(Soon)
Verse 203