Security under Scrutiny_Chapter 4:The weird watchman's past

"It was not Velu's fault to have not told us about his past " told Sindhu aunty to my mother.

 " Of course it is not something that he could gloat or brag over" she continued.

 My mother stood on our doorstep nodding off her head to emphasize that she paid heed to the slant news brought up by Sindhu aunty this morning. My mother considers it morbid to interfere or encourage gossips of any such kind. She never encouraged any judgemental speculation about anyone especially the ones that have passed many ears and retold many times by many curious creatures.  Though my mother was apathetic about such issues, Sindhu aunty and Vijaya seemed to be resolute about it and went on interminating and chatting incessantly. I too, never was so inquisitive about the gossip, whenever such people occupied the pyrol I went into the bedroom and continued with my business or whenever I dint have one I acted as if I was busily indulging with some household chore.

When Vijaya interposed to say "poor Velen… he was always considered Neela(Vijaya's daughter) as his granddaughter" while gossiping at our doorstep once while she paid an occasional visit to our neighbor Sindhu Aunty's house for household chores. 

Their talk ranged from height tech political gossips to trifle deets such as what the next door Kamala thinks about the newly released movie and her opinion on the director’s shot and actors' performances.  "Who cares? How does it matter!" I would brush it away even when one or two sentences were declared in a high pitched note, which pierced tho I tried to turned deaf ears to such irrelevant conversations. But the very mention of Velan brought back the pleasant encounter  I had with him.  

I still remember 18 years back when I was doing my pre schooling, we moved to our newly built house. We were one of the earliest occupiers of this community housing. While we were getting used to our new environment, I had very little entertainment to indulge in. The large square grilled windows which were unusually big always caught my attention. It also exposed most part of the other community housing  along with the security room and the roads  . Soon seeing the trespassers and   devoting myself to view the happenings outside became my hobby during boredom. At times I noticed some trucks which bought the amenities indicating that one of the houses getting occupied in the colony or a lorry which brought in drinking water or a group of workers who trooped in for construction work. Very often I was very much enthralled by the locomotive street vendors who screamed his product in a captivating musical note.  I mimicked his musical screen and hit a chord after he finished his. I then bent down to hide myself behind the wall to obscure the origin. The vendor reversed his head along my direction with an amusement and marched his way. The only privileged vendor who got away from my  mimicry was the balloon vendor. He blared a unique note which he made up by rubbing this finger with a long unique balloon. I never tried to mimic this guy as I found menial time to do so while I was busy persuading my father to buy me one. One such day while I was ready  to mimic the vendors on the road, I noticed the security room occupied by a lean ,old aged white haired guy in a new security uniform. I took a noticeable look at his partially edentulous mouth when he was introduced to my father and wondered if he had lost some teeth due to age or someone purposefully knocked it out?..

" I am Velaudham sir, I am employed as a watchman here! You can address me as velu" he said to my father considerately

“Very Well Velu! Where do you stay?” he asked inquisitively.

“Here only sir” he said pointing to the security room right opposite to our house window in which I enjoyed mimicking the vendors.”I will be here 24 bar 7! You can call me if you need any help!”he said meekly.

“Very well! Thank you Velu! But where does your family stay?” my father asked gently.

“I don't have a family! I have no one! “ Velu said remorsefully.

“Don't worry! Now that you are here ! you can consider this your home! And our community association is more or less like a family! Welcome onboard” said my father grandly as though he has been recruited for a manager’s post in an MNC.

 From the next day on, Velu was very committed to his job. The only thing he was evasive about was when someone questions about his place of origin, the work he did before taking up the security job. He usually becomes very cautious when these topics are brought up and answered in monosyllables or deviated the course of conversion by changing the topic. I lost to some extent my freedom to carry on my sight seeing process and emulating the vendors on the road. From a brave mimicker who astounded the vendors I was reduced to a silent watcher! Velu’s employment did impact mimicry talent. Every morning while the whole world traipsed in and out hastily,got ready after an elaborate morning routine and hurriedly left  for work , Velu lazily got up from his chair after a partial sleep stretched himself, and cleaned his remaining tooth for half an hour with the neem stick which he plucked from a newly planted tree near our home. It seemed as if he inserted the stick purposefully and quivered it inside the mouth this could have caused his tooth to shake and fall out. I confirmed the theory behind his partially edentulous mouth! It made me feel wonderful to have come with a very realistic proposal. He went into the common bathroom and came out after an indefinite time wearing another set of uniform. He smeared the ashes into his forehead and muttered something under his breath closing his eyes.During holidays, I scrutinised Velu closely. I sometimes thought we were the only hastless calm creatures on the planet alive who had no commitments to hurry. On nights he held a long thick stick, tapped it on the ground, flashed his torch and walked like a phantom and made sure the place was safe.

During common holidays such as republic day and independence day, he made the arrangements ready by implanting a thick rod to hoist the flag and wrapped the flag with the flowers and made it ready to be hoisted. The oldest member of the association was given the honour of hoisting the flag. Most of the time the flag got stuck and everytime Velu helped the old man with the hoist allowing the flower to fall on the old man’s head and tied the rope to the hoist rod and sang the National anthem with a vigour. He took the pride in pinning the national flag to his chest and feasted on the extra samosas and chocolates after distribution. He never demanded any holidays during the festivals and celebrated with us. He bribed us for more sweets and  chocolates on our birthdays and was given his share of special meals during an auspicious occasion in any household. Soon he became a big hit among the children.

He was a part of everyone’s household, took care of his important chores like turning the motor on and off , enquiring about the visitors, and guarded our household.He whiled away the afternoons by blowing a cigarette in solitude immersed in deep thoughts or sometimes spontaneously rolled into afternoon naps unintentionally.

After 18 years of his service he rested in peace on a fateful day because of a cobra bite. He was bitten by the serpent many times before and cured himself by his first aid medication. He had neglected this bite which had cost his life. Everyone mourned for his death. Velan’s voyage came to an abrupt end that day. His money in the bank account was transferred to Vijaya. He had left the will for her. Vijaya was the sweeper, housekeeper in our community housing. She had been employed ever since the first brick was fixed in to build the housing community.

“Well it has been a year since he had passed away, what is the talk about him now?” i substantiated. My mother after a brief head nod excused herself and withdrew unobtrusively.

“What is it maa?” I enquired. She gave me a surprising backstory which I was not ready for.

“You know , Velaudham? Our watchman?” she asked me .

“Yaa ! what about him” I replied.

“ He seems to have a past! Vijaya found out while collecting his will. He had a family photo in his locker.” she continued.

“Vijaya went on to collect her money from velu’s will, she realised another part of will , whatever he has earned , went to some other women, Kannatha.Eager to know who was it, Vijaya has investigated the authorities for Velan’s permanent address which led to the old women’s hut in North Chennai. She happened to be the legally wed wife of Rowdy Ramesu” she said.

“Who is this Rowdy Ramesu? From where did he drop into the storyline all of the sudden?” I exclaimed.

“ Rowdy Ramesu is the real name of Velaudham. He is also called cycle chain Ramesu alis rowdy Ramesu. He has been the biggest rowdy, spun cycle chain and led a powerful life terrorising people in North slum. He was a goon and was a henchman who developed into a don.He served 7 years of jail for a death crime.”she said.

“Well ! did he kill someone?” I asked curiously.

“ I don't know. Maybe he was framed. Lets not judge him. Once he was released he did construction work before getting employed here” she said.

What? I could not believe this filmy backstory. How could the meek looking thin , partially toothless  old man whom we enjoyed playing pranks with be a Don? 

“Is it all true Mother? “ i asked her.

“I am not sure! That's what Vijaya says. There is no one to ask about his past. Maybe someone slandered him. Anyway he is nomore. What's the point?” she brushed it away and engaged in her routine chores as though nothing happened.

I couldn't digest the fact that almost for 18 years our safety was in the hands of a rowdy. And a criminal took charge of watching over our housing! Moreover he was the best security we had ever had! Oh !then was it true that his tooth were knocked down in some riot or commotion?  I wondered about it sitting near the window grasing upon the unoccupied security room.Just like how Siddhartha was enlightened under bodhi tree and emerged as Buddha..... Our Ramesu got enlightened in our colony and emerged to become Velaudham alias Velu alias Velan.