.
Yesterday Patridge Publication, a Penguin
company wing rang up to me to hear an English man to agree for my book
publication. I heard it without any commitment. I am now in the mid of my
autobiography that is likely to be scripted in a form of a novel. I don't know
how far I will be able to pluck the scented flower from the garden. Let me now
turn back to what I left during the golden moment of my life as I would love to
call it through.
The organisation that not only blessed me with
resource to look after my family but has gifted me with a dependable partner,
my wife. I have been blessed with two male kids keeping a difference of eight
years between the two. They are grown guys but have not yet found their own
place to sustain in a tough competitive world despite acquiring academic
qualifications. Yet they have their own stories to tell and I may be a
dependable listeners of their stories during my jobless days at home.
I met her in the office as a colleague and soon
became a good friend of her. The friendship later turned to a family of our
own. The day she put her steps into our home, I trusted her with everything to
look after well being of our family where I shall have no say. Even the money I
signed to draw per month but received by her I was not aware of besides looking
at the quantum of pocket money in the purse on a daily basis. The rest was her
duty to do all and she did it to the best of her ability to manage in length
and breath of the family needs. I felt a great amount of relief to build my
knowledge base and its exposure here and there in the print media. In the race
of the life, everyone in the family almost forgotten the day of my superannuation
was nearing.
The better half is expected not to feel better
while she would be entering the office, stay there and leave regularly without
her trusted companion who will be away from her because of the retirement of
her spouse. Yet the life has to go on one way or other as the earth goes on
moving round and round. My lady was undoubtedly a moneyed person, but she never
ever moved an inch in life without consulting me. Such a trust, such a
dependence one has hardly found elsewhere. Hence, the days at home for a long
hours without her during those days of superannuation would made me feel
uncomfortable too as she would be unavailable for her daily office duty.
Attending all my needs without waiting for a call from me will not be visible
during her absence at home and I shall be missing her in various ways. Hence
the half of my heart will be at the home and the rest be with her wherever she
moves out of her own home.
The love I gained
and lost during my tenure of service may haunt me the most during those
superannuated days. In a moving train, passengers get up and get down to each
rail station only to reach the destination. In the movement, one gets touches
of many but do we recall and feel for all those touches? No. But few touches,
yes, they come to our memory. The touches were able to touch my heart what I
honestly admit and shall never deny those beautiful moments of life. The faces
came in front of me and admired me and loved me much are unforgettable.
A bright and
energetic black young guy was able to enjoy affection of a man called Pinaki
babu, a die hard communist used to attend the office from Asanshole. He found
his youth in me. He would put forward my case always ahead of others in our
association. Pinaki da left the job and left the world prematurely. But the
love and faith he had for me cant be erased from the mind. Another Subhas da
(Roychowdhury), a pro-Indira Gandhi communist too liked me than many others in
the office. The lesson for simplicity in the life style from Subhas da is to be
recalled. He is also no more, but the way he loved to behave politely with his
fellow colleagues simply can not be forgotten.
Among many seniors
I found a man of extra ordinary quality was Durgapada (Agarwala), the guy was a
Marwari but became a Bengali over the years. He found his lieutenant in me and
bestowed upon huge task in the trade union movement in our all India office
organisation. I was able to fulfill his desire to come true while I was able to
take the art of TU leadership following his path. But Durgababu unfortunately
lost his mental balance during his retired life. So other friends and guides I
found in Sushil da (Mukherjee) and Bankim da (Gangully). They too left us many
a year ago. Thus the list to recall would be too long to reproduce here. But
none is left out of my heart.