After 24 Years, Ramu Heads Back to His Village

 Something in me has gone soft. Or so I think. Ramu, the next door dhobhi, has lived next door for almost 20 years as I know. He says he has been here for 24. Dressed in his trademark shorts and a mischievous smile on his old, wizened face, Ramu is always up for a conversation. He has the energy of a ten year old, nay, eight year old.

Akela and Ramu

I would call out 'Ramu' and he'd come running with an 'Aye'. He never said no and always has a smile and something nice or nonsensical to anyone he comes across. 'Ela unnaru Anjali amma?" he would ask Anjali with great love. He has the same love for dogs, cats and talks to them in the same manner.

He would be at his work ironing clothes, beedi in his mouth. At night he would go off for a drink and get nicely drunk. Many a tantrum he would throw at his wife (their tiffs grew worse in recent years). He would sleep out in the cold and cough like crazy and I'd wonder if he would survive. But he would survive and was back on his feet again, smile on his face, beedi in his mouth.

Clean the tank, get a mason, get a carpenter, clean the car, iron the clothes, trim the plants, water the plants, receive the courier, fill air in Anjali's bike...anything we needed, he was there. Rarely he would ask for money and I would give him without hesitating. Just for that smile and energy and always being there he was worth his time in gold.

So it came as a surprise when he suddenly said, 'I am going back to my village saar. I won't be coming back.' I was shocked. When? I asked. This evening. I had to go out and was disturbed all through and when I got home I looked for him. He was still there. I realised for all the work, for all the loyalty, for all his good energy, I never had one picture of him. I called him and he came and in his typical ways stopped to pet Akela.

'Entamma Akela, tinnava?' he asked. (Did you eat Akela?') Akela wagged its tail and went to him. He petted it. It was a beautiful moment epitomising the spirit of Ramu, giving love wherever he goes. not thinking transactionally, always happy, always young at heart. I asked him to pose and he posed with Akela.

I asked him why he was going away and he told me matter of factly that his wife wanted to go back. I told him Shobhs was upset at his sudden going. He turned emotional too and said it pained him to go after all these years where he got so much love. For a moment his eyes grew moist. And mine did too. There's so much to learn from him - his smile, his child like nature, his loving and giving nature. Wonderful stuff. So happy to have met Ramu in this life. There will never be another quite like him. Wherever you go Ramu, have a great life and my best wishes are with you.