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| Sunday, 19 March 2006 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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'Mending with twine, tomorrow not mine' by Prasad Gunewardene Muniandy has served the workforce in Fort and Pettah for fifty-four years. But he is not entitled to a pension or a provident fund benefits. Today he is the oldest serving cobbler in the city. Working women, in a mighty hurry just off the bus or train rush to him to get their sandals repaired. Men too have similar problems. Muniandy first started this job in 1952 by the Harbour, now Ports Authority. He gradually moved towards Cargills and the Millers. Then he was living in a hut at Narahenpita. Muniandy's journey in life as the oldest cobbler is a path of thorns. Misery and misfortune stepped in like torrential rains in the life of this man in 1995. When the government expanded the Narahenpita-Dematagoda Road, Muniandy's shack was uprooted by the backhoe. He and his five-member family became destitutes. With no roof over their heads the family had to sleep on the pavement, rain or shine. Muniandy had to take 'leave' from his job to run behind politicians and ministers to seek redress. For months, this old man armed with a file in his hands, kept visiting State offices. His plea fell on deaf ears. A stock reply was 'come tomorrow'. That 'tomorrow' never came though many a 'tomorrow' came and went. Muniandy realised that 'tomorrow' will never be his. He got disgusted with the political and administrative system in the country. Though he gave up hope to seek redress he did not throw away that file full of documents. Yet it remains in his possession. Come rain or sun shine, this man without shelter has wrapped up the file with a plastic cover to prevent it from getting wet. Muniandy began his business during the era where only five to ten cents were paid for a shoe repair in the early 1950s. "I earned around 75 cents a day and that was big money then", the 74-year-old Muniandy quipped with a smile. Today he works with one eye. The other eye had gone blind due to a case of neglected cataract. Today he earns over Rs. 100 on some lucky days. There were days he was forced to do away with his meals. Since Muniandy's stamina had caught up with his age, he employed another man, a slightly mentally deranged man who cannot identify currency value. Muniandy has to buy him a packet of lunch to get his services. Once a week, Muniandy goes to Borella to buy the needles and thread and his assistant Rajah stands in. Though unsound in mind, he is a good cobbler after rigorous training by his master. The base of Muniandy is located under the overhead bridge opposite the "Transworks House". His cabin is about two feet in width and around six feet to the top. After his wife's death he made this place as his abode. This cabin is not even fit for a street dog to seek shelter. Nature was cruel at times and to make it miserable a few months ago the State demolished all unauthorised structures in and around the area. Once again Muniandy was thrown to the pavement. This is the sad tale of the longest serving cobbler in the city. Muniandy quite correctly said, "Tomorrow will never be mine". |
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