A bolt from the blue

by Yasmin Jaldin

With just three years more to complete his education he quit school wanting to be employed. Without the basic qualifications he was turned away by many employers. Finally, he was engaged as a mechanic. He loved to repair vehicles and drive them on test runs. It was on one of these test runs that he befriended a comely young lass from the adjoining village whose parents opposed their affair.

Finally they eloped and found shelter in a village far off from Nivithigala. Without a proper income the duo had a hard time but once they commenced to supply sweetmeats to the nearby boutiques life was somewhat rosy.

Mates

His dark days diminished, when one day he met a gem mudalali who offered him a job as a miner, delighted he accepted. Mining was not an easy task but he was quick to learn it from his fellow mates. Early morning after their rituals the six persons would commence work in the allotted mines. Every now and then the mudalali kept a ‘hawk’s eye’ walking past his mines to inquire into the proceedings and peep deep into every miner’s basket. Garnets and zircons were aplenty and these were set aside being invaluable stones. The process went on for a few weeks and he was getting tired of this job too having to stay long hours in the water.

Now in employment for the past three months, he was still unable to differentiate the exquisiteness and value of a stone and it was only after he accompanied the mudalali to the gem auctions that he learnt the art.

It was customary when any one miner found a rare stone, a fair share of the value should be given to him by the mudalali, but it was not so by the one he worked for. He noted that on many occasions when his mates found rare stones, they were compensated only with a few rupees. Disgruntled they wanted to quit, but since their daily wage was higher compared to other miners in the vicinity, they opted to remain.

Mining in the scorching sun the next day made Kira a little faintish but after gulping down a cup of plain tea with inguru he continued to work when all the others had come ashore for lunch. Adamant to find a rare stone today, lady luck smiled his way when something glistened in his basket.

Tricks

The sun’s rays kept playing its tricks on the particular stone and then he knew this was an amazing find; was it not a yellow sapphire? Indeed it was, shivering he looked around to see whether he was watched, then he quietly tucked the stone into his waist band and continued with his work.

On his way home he wondered whether he should tell his wife, no let a week pass by thought he. Wrapping the stone in a small pouch he marked time until she slept, then creeping into the kitchen he dug a hole at the far end of the hearth and buried his treasure leaving no trace of disarray.

After two weeks he disclosed his secret to her and she was hurt that he mistrusted her, and he apologized for his lapse. Wasn’t Asilin a good wife who had always been with him during his difficult times, yes she was trustworthy but this stone has made me doubt her too, this is bad thought he.

Speculation

He went about his business as usual leaving no speculation for suspicion. Every now and then his thoughts ran amok, thinking of his find. He knew he would be hoodwinked if he showed his find to another gem mudalali, so he waited impatiently for his day off and set off to meet his bosom pal, a one-time gem miner residing at Dehiowita.

Tikira was an honest man who had helped him in monetary dealings and he knew he was no cheat. ‘Fortune has at last smiled at you, the stone is a sapphire not very expensive but is a god-send to relieve your poverty’, said he. Firstly, you have to be very cautious, once suspected the mudalali and his associates could trail you, who knows they would even fabricate you as a thief, carry on with your work at the mine, I shall sell it for you’ said his buddy. He knew his treasure was in safe hands and worshipped his friend before leaving.

After some time he quit his job at the mine on the pretext of illness and continued with his earlier business. Later he purchased a house in a distant village.

He accomplished his ambition to set up a car sales centre in the town. Kira the newcomer in the village was regarded in high esteem when it was whispered among the villagers that he amassed wealth winning a gymkhana. This was good news to a motor-cyclist who stopped by at the village kiosk. Villagers just chatter away, and the man had gathered valuable information to relay to his gang of thieves.

Mesmerised

Asilin often reminded him not to forget their humble beginnings and to spend money cautiously, but he paid no heed wanting to live in style. Everything went off well when one day a glamorous young lady visited the car sales centre. It was the usual practice for his Sales Assistant to market sales to a prospective buyer and the mechanic along with the salesman to accompany the buyer on a test run, but from the moment Kira set eyes on the lady he stopped them, volunteering to show off his vehicles and also proceed with her for the test run.

Perturbed his staff set back. Selecting a very expensive Prado he sat beside her to proceed. He was mesmerised by her beauty. On and off he glanced at her coquettishly.

The plan was working methodically, this is an easy catch thought she. Forget these silly notions man, said he to himself, think of Asilin your pleasant and innocent wife, said his inner self and he shook his head several times with closed eyes.

Chattering away like a parrot, the woman was bargaining for a price reduction and driving fast to an isolated area with no being in sight. ‘Do not go too far Madam this area is very rugged the vehicle would be damaged, moreover I feel we are being trailed by a motor-cyclist’, said he.

Oh! what nonsense’ she said.
The next few minutes was a bolt from the blue for Kira.

Accomplice

The rider blocked the vehicle commanding Kira to come out. ‘I am from the insurance company’ he thundered. ‘Mahattaya, this is only a test run, the lady wants to buy the vehicle’, said he. He was jostled out of the vehicle and knocked out. The poor man lay by the wayside sprayed with chloroform’; not only was he relieved of his vehicle, he lost his valuables, a gold wrist watch, two rings and his wallet. The man was the woman’s accomplice. Whilst the vehicle was driven away by the woman the rider left in another direction.

Traumatised Kira was speechless for weeks and could not remember the incident. A daring daylight robbery by vehicle thieves still at large with many vehicles lost in this manner, no evidence.