“Obsessive Compulsive Disorder” (OCD),……….. Thats what the psychologist calls it. A mental dysfunction which causes a person to be preoccupied with some event or activity, 24X7, until and unless they actually do it or get involved in it. Only when the person’s behavior crosses the so-called ‘limits’, can he/she be called ‘abnormal’. But even among the ‘normal’ ones, especially perfectionists, such behavioral symptoms are present very much, but in normal dose.
Seventy year old Annakutty was one such perfectionist with a substantial share of OCD in her character, yet normal. A lady belonging to the upper middle class strata of the society, the honorable wife of a rich business magnet, the mistress of his house and the boss of their ten kids and three servants.
The story happens on a fine Monday morning. The business-magnet-husband left home early as usual in pursuit of new career milestones and the kids for school. ‘Queen Anna’ sat with elegance leaning on her arm chair in the middle of the drawing room, controlling the three servants around her who were engaged in household chores, with her fingertips. She kept shouting for the smallest of the delays in carrying out her instructions as the servants stood obediently with their eyes and ears open, alert, waiting for their mistress’s next orders, taking due care to avoid a frown on her face.
‘PU-DHUM’ !............ Annakutty and her servants were startled to hear something fall, on the backyard. “Janu. Go and check what happened”, ordered Annakutty. Janu put down the broom in her hand and ran to the backyard. She soon came back and said, “A dry coconut has fallen to the ground, Kochamma (mistress). The glowing sun of this summer is coming a bit hard on the coconuts. I think we need to get the mannan soon. Otherwise it can be dangerous. The dry coconuts which fell down right now, came from the tree around which, the kids usually play hide and seek. What could have happened, if it fell down while they were playing there” ?, elaborated Janu.
Annakutty nodded her head in appreciation of her illiterate servant’s logical thoughts. Without thinking much, she ordered: “Bhaskaran. Go get that mannan Keshu here, right now”. Bhaskaran replied with a fear of displeasing his mistress, “Ayyo Kochamma ! Didn’t you know what happened to Keshu recently ? A month ago while climbing a tree in contractor Kunji Pailo’s backyard, he fell down and broke his hip bone. He has been advised bed-rest for two months, by the doctors.
“What the hell” ?!, thundered Annakutty. “These idiots never prove useful when we need them the most. Other than him, I don’t know any other mannan. Do you know anyone” ? All three servants hung their head down, angering their mistress further. Suddenly she noticed a young man walking through the road, as he was passing by the main gate of her house. He was a young, dark complexioned six footer with specs, wearing a not-so-attractive shirt and an old mundu. But he had a pen on his shirt pocket and was holding a book in his right hand. Seeing him Annakutty didn’t wait to give orders to her servants. To avoid missing him, she herself came out and clapped her hands, calling out to the young man. “Hello son ! Over here. Can you spare a little time for me” ? The youngster was surprised. The gentleman came near her and asked, “Yes madam ! Why did you call me” ?
Without the slightest hesitation Annakuuty asked, “Son. Do you know how to climb a coconut tree” ? The youngster was taken aback as he replied with a smile: “No mother. I am a teacher by profession. I came here to take Hindi tuition class for a couple of school-kids in the locality”. The three servants who were present in the scene burst into laughter hearing this. They soon stopped when Annakutty glared at them with hostile eyes, as she continued: “Sorry son. Seeing your worn out mundu and your overall appearance, I thought you might be a mannan”. The man felt insulted and ashamed of his attire. But he kept smiling at the honest opinions of the old woman, as she said, “You see ! I also know Hindi. So please help me taking that into consideration”. She soon expressed her need and the youngster immediately replied “no” in a polite manner.
Annakutty was not willing to let him go off. Her 70 years age and experience had made her o good orator and mind-manipulator. “Come on, my son ! You are a teacher after all. A positive mind is what a teacher needs. Why don’t you at least try climbing ? Without courage and optimism, how and what are you going to teach the next generation ? You should take it as a challenge”. The youthful mind of the man, sensitive to challenges, at last decided to take it up, as he asked the servants to get a piece of cloth to tie his legs to help him climb. Annakutty laughed to herself, out of satisfaction, because the mind game she played is going to fetch her what she wanted.
The young man soon tied his legs and with the help of the servants, he climbed a few steps up the tree. Tragedy struck him halfway through, as he slipped and fell to the ground with a loud thud. He wailed at the top of his voice, wriggling on the ground with pain. His cries shook the whole locality, as the nighbours ran to the sight. Annakutty too was shocked. She immediately ordered her servants to help him get up. One of the neighbours sensed a fracture in the young man’s ribs and he, along with Annakutty’s servants, arranged an ambulance and took him to the nearby hospital. A frightened Annakutty called her husband from office and explained the incident. He too rushed to the hospital, offering all financial help for the most modern medical assistance to the youngster. Nobody had doubts regarding the financial credibility of the businessman, as the society knew, how full his coffers were and how astronomic his bank balance figures were.
The young man’s parents too reached the hospital in no time, crying aloud. They decided to stay in the hospital with him as the doctors advised him, complete bed-rest for at least four months. In the evening, a perplexed Annakutty, reached the hospital with a basket full of fruits in her new Ambassador car, accompanied by the driver. The young man’s relatives stood up with mixed feeling of displeasure and respect when she entered the room in the company of her car driver. The welcomed her, but nobody, not even the young man’s parents expressed any anger or frustration as they were afraid of the fame and influence of her rich family, on the society.
The young man’s face and ribs was clad with cotton and bandage. He greeted Annakutty with a wry smile. The real comedy was yet to happen. Annakutty came and sat near the young man’s bed and broke silence prevailing in the room, as she said in her self styled way of speech: “Don’t worry son. All these are experiences in life, which will definitely help you in your life forward”. The youngster and his relatives looked at each other in total confusion and anger, seeing the cold approach of Annakutty. Realizing that she soon made enquiries about the young man’s current health-position to his relatives and fled from the scene, leaving the fruit-basket there.
When Annakutty left, the young man’s mother came and sat near him and asked, wiping her tears, “Did you understand, what that lady meant when she said this is an experience, which will help you in future” ? The young man laid dumbstruck on bed, trying to think of an answer, overcoming the pain in his ribs. The mother said, “You fell into the trap of mind games, which she played to make you climb the tree. So the lesson goes like this:
Let your logic, guide you
NOT EMOTIONS
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Theme
Saji
Script and dialogue
Unni
Graphics
Josey
hi i liked the effort of saji and family
ReplyDeletemore stortes r expectd from them.