Short story

The confidence trickster

by A.F. Dawood

He is a nattily clad man; travels about in a luxury car; has an office in the metropolis from where he operates; and about three people work under him. He is a labour recruiting agent for Middle East countries.

A young woman enters the office. "I want to meet the boss." "He hasn't come still. What's your name?" "I'm Jenny. I've brought my passport to be handed over." "You have to hand over the passport with the money. Did you bring Rs. 100,000?"

Jenny replies him in the affirmative and she is requested to wait till the boss comes. She takes a seat next to a woman; she is short and stout and is about 40 years. In a few minutes she befriends Jenny. She smiles at Jenny who reciprocates her smile. "I'm Maglin." She starts a conversation with Jenny.

"Miss where are you trying to go?" "I'm trying to go to Kuwait or Dubai. The boss told me there are vacancies in both countries. You're also trying for a job?" Jenny asked that question because she was a motherly type of woman.

"No, it's not for me. I came regarding my daughter's job," Maglin replies. "Your daughter got a job?" Jenny questions eagerly. "Not yet. I submitted her passport about six months ago and still nothing." "You paid Rs. 100,000 also?" Yes. A young man seated next to Maglin overhears their conversation and remarks. "If there is a delay after giving the passport, don't get worried. My brother also submitted his passport a long time ago and only after nine months he got a job in Kuwait. Now he is there for almost two years," said Rohita seated next to Maglin.

"Why did it take nine months to get his job? Maglin questions. "The boss won't send us for any job; he sees to the place, good salary, security and everything else. That's the delay," Rohita explains. "So you're also trying to go abroad?" Jenny questions. "Yes, to Qatar. Yesterday, the boss gave me a call and asked me whether I would like to work as a steward in a restaurant. That's why I've come here," Rohita replies.

"When did you pay your money?" Maglin asks. "I paid Rs. 100,000 with my passport more than eight months ago." "Then there's nothing for us to get scared," Jenny remarks.

At this moment the boss walks into the office; his workers rise from their seats by way of respect. He summons the file clerk who rushes to the boss' room. "Sule, how many new applicants today?", "Sir, five girls and two boys." "Did you tell them the formalities?" "Yes Sir, I issued forms and told them to submit them within a week with passport and cash." Then he instructs Chitra to send the job applicants to him one by one.

A middle aged woman complains that her daughter in Kuwait is not getting the salary promised her. "How many months working?" "Only four months," she replies. "Don't worry, after the probationary period of six months, your daughter will get the promised salary." Another man tells a different tale. His daughter has sent money only for six months and for the next six months she has not sent any money. "Where did your daughter go?" questions the boss. "To Kuwait, Sir." "Our company will write to them and find out the cause." After about seven or eight people presented their problems to the boss, job applicants were sent in. The first to enter is Maglin, the woman who was conversing with Jenny.

"Sir, I paid Rs. 100,000 six months ago and still my daughter hasn't got a job." "Look here Maglin, you can't get a job as soon as you want. All those who are waiting here have waited for more than six months. The longer you wait, you'll get a better job in a better place. If you're in a hurry, come in two weeks, and I'll return your money."

"No Sir. No Sir, please don't do that. I hope you'll find a good job for my daughter." Next walked in Jenny. "What's your problem?" "Sir, you asked me to bring my passport." "Oh! Yes, I remember you came here last week. Have you brought the money?" "Yes Sir, find me a good place, Sir." "Jenny, I can't find a job in a hurry. It will take about six months, sometimes more. If you don't like, take your money back."

At the end of the day after the workers left, the boss and his trusted lieutenant work behind closed doors. "Senal, how many have paid Rs. 100,000 last month? Eight have paid and three promised to pay on Monday." "What about this month?" "Not bad Jagath; about 10 have paid and five have promised to pay in two weeks." "It's a huge amount; it will come to about Rs. 2.6 million. If you put it in a fixed deposit the interest will come to about Rs. 400,000." "Ah! Jagath, I forgot to tell you. Today Danny Aiyah came here and shouted." "What did he say, Senal?" "He said you have still not paid his commission for sending people here. He is asking Rs. 12,000 for sending six people here, and tomorrow he is coming." "Danny Aiyah is a thug; alright, you give him Rs. 15,000 and send him away," Jagath advised Sule.

Jenny's mother talked to the villagers in her neighbourhood about her daughter trying to go abroad; the news spread like wildfire. "Lucy Nona, I heard your daughter is trying to go abroad" asked Simon Appu, a tea-kiosk owner in the village, when he met her in the market. "Yes Jenny is going to Kuwait or Dubai" replied Lucy Nona in great confidence.

"It won't happen Lucy; that man from the 'Foreign power Agency' is a crook." "Why do you say that Simon Appu? Many are going through his agency." "You know my nephew Sarath? He paid Rs. 100,000 more than a year ago. Still he didn't get the job or the money. Now it's how many months after you paid the money?" It's nearly 10 months." Lucy Nona said. "In this village six other fellows got caught to his trick. That fellow Jagath, the agency owner, is a crook. Suddenly, he'll change his office to another village; you wait and see."

Hearing this unpalatable news, Lucy Nona made inquiries from one another; she came to know that Jagath had cheated many youth, promising jobs and that he had shifted office from one town to another. She is crestfallen. It is almost 10 months and Jagath has not contacted Jenny either through a letter or telephone, although he had promised her to contact her.

After 10 months Jenny went to the agency accompanied by her mother. "Today if he cannot fix you in a job, you ask him to return your money," the mother advised. "That's what I'm going to do, Amme. But will he give the whole money?" "I mortgaged my jewellery and gave you the money, thinking that you can work in the Middle East and redeem my jewellery. Now the people say the man is a crook."

They reached the job agency. There were a group of people and a few policemen. Among them they saw Simon Appu and his nephew Sarath, Maglin, and Rohita all of whom had been cheated. There was a commotion; the agency was closed and the name board was missing. In the hubbub of disturbance, Jenny's mother spoke to a Police Inspector there. "Sir, we've come to meet this agency owner." "All these people have come to meet him," the Inspector said. "He has disappeared." "Oh! My God, now how do I get my money?" moaned Jenny's mother.

"He is a confidence trickster", the Inspector said.