Sagarika's lucky gait

by Davidson Goonetilleke

My father, a pleasant and kind gentleman, is a legal officer in a state bank in Colombo, and my mother, a petite, beautiful lady with a stern look, was the Principal of a girl's school, also in Colombo. Despite being the only child to my beloved parents and surrounded with love and kindness and all luxuries, I was not happy. I was lonely and bored as I had no siblings to talk to or play with. When our driver, Charlie uncle, drops me at home after school and goes to pick mother from school, I am expected to be in my room upstairs, and not even go to the kitchen to talk to the cook. Afterwards, I lay on mother's lap till father comes home about 6. I always looked forward to his coming home, to chat and play with. He acted as my play mate, friend and adviser. Only my father understood my needs and feelings. Though we had the largest land in the area my mother did not like children from the neighbourhood coming to our land to play with me, believing that I would be corrupted by associating with them. My father however, understanding my situation, got mother's permission to allow a few children to play with me in our garden, and this paved the way to get friendly with them.

Delicious food

On my birthdays I was showered with presents including expensive toys, cakes and other sweet items by my parents and well wishers. I usually held a party on the day following my birthday every year for the children in my neighbourhood and treated them with all the delicious food and distributed all the presents among the poor children.

When I grew up I began to give tuition free of charge to the poor and weak students in the area. As time went on, they treated me as their leader and adviser and even participated in my mischief making against the gossiping and talkative women and rumour mongers of the area. Not only children, but the elders too began to greet me with smiles appreciating my services to the children.

After my graduation and passing the LLB examination I got an appointment as a legal assistant in a state bank in which I was the youngest officer.

At this point, some match makers began to visit my place uninvited. My father, although a very busy man, accompanied me to see several girls, and when I failed to choose one, asked me to go with my best friend, Jagath, and let him know the results. So, I started to see a girl on almost every holiday, and enjoy a grand lunch, delicious dessert and a chat with the girl concerned.

Subsequently, realizing it was not proper, I decided to give up that practice. One fine Sunday morning, when I was with Jagath, hearing my father call me I ran down the stairs and seeing a man, apparently a match maker stopped reluctantly, scratching my head. My father, noticing my hesitation said. "Son, this man says he has found a suitable match in an educated and beautiful girl. Her father was a principal, now deceased, while the mother is a retired teacher. She is an only child, owning 30 acres of land, cultivated with coconut, rubber and paddy. The mother received two pensions and offerered a brand new car together with cash deposits in the banks.

Under the portico

He has promised to take us today. You are a lucky boy. As I am fully engaged today, please go with Jagath and let me know the outcome."

So, I set out with Jagath and the match maker, and passing a rural area entered through a high gate into a well kept garden with a newly painted old bungalow. Parking the car, I looked around. To my dismay I saw one of my old teachers standing under the portico to welcome us. She too,surprised to see me, said, "My God, Buddhika, my boy, I am very happy to see you after a long time. You still have the same naughty look." So saying she ran to me and embraced me like a mother, embracing her long lost son. I too, to get rid of my depressing situation knelt down and worshipped her. Mrs. Hettiarachchi, my old teacher, in excitement called out her daughter and said,. "Sagarika, come and see who has come to see you today. He is one of my cleverest and naughtiest students" In response, a girl with a beautiful face like a freshly blossomed flower, walked towards me with a limping gait and went on looking at me from head to toe, with a shy gaze as though to say, "Oh, I feel that you are my long awaited darling boy destined to be my guardian to love and take care of me." I looked at her in amazement, admiring her natural beauty and feeling a heart melting sympathy for her deformity in one leg. Sagarika, walked towards me shyly and stretched her hand, which I clasped with both hands. After enjoying some sweet meats and soft drinks when I proposed to walk out for a chat on a ceramic bench under a shady tree, gently she showed her unwillingness to walk.

But when I gave her my hand she happily took it and walked with me to sit on the bench. Then she began to tell her life story "Sir, till 15, I was a normal child, clever in my studies as well as in sports.

Even after I was afflicted with polio, while taking medical treatment and physiotherapy I continued my studies. I passed the O/L exam with distinctions in all eight subjects and the A/L exam, too, with distinctions in all subjects. Although my mother vehemently objected to my joining the university, fearing vicious ragging, I was adamant and enrolled myself, prepared to face any ragging. Seeing my deformity, they exempted me from vigorous ragging and instead encouraged me throughout.

Medical treatment

Sir, I am happy to say I passed my degree with honours due to my unceasing efforts, and now I am preparing for my Master's degree." When I prepared to get up she said, "Sir, though I am lame, I am not a coward. I dare say, I can do anything any other woman can do, I mean, when I am married I am determined to be a motherly wife to my husband and attend to his needs personally, bear him any number of children he wishes and be a loving and dutiful mother to them". When I got up to leave, Sagarika looked at me and asked,

"Sir, are you coming to see me again".

"Yes, Sagarika" I said. "I will definitely come with my mother and father. But I wish to tell you Sagarika. I will not marry you to get the handsome dowry your mother promised, but for my heart felt sympathy for your depressing situation and to make you happy."

Hearing about Sagarika, at first my mother was not happy and said, she didn't expect a lame girl to be her daughter-in-law. My father however was thoughtful. The following Sunday I took my parents to see Sagarika. My mother seeing Sagarika's graceful face without any make up and her good manners seemed pleased and asked her, "Sagarika, what is your aim in life". In reply she said "Madam, I wish to be a motherly wife to my husband and try my best to make him a happy man and bear him at least three children, a girl and two boys, and be a loving and dutiful mother to them." My father asked me "Son, do you think you can lead a happy life with Sagarika, " In reply I said "Yes father, my aim is to make her happy". Glancing at my mother my father said, "Mrs. Hettiaratchi our son has never rejected our advice. Hence, we will not raise objections to his choice."

So, Sagarika walking with her gait knelt down and worshipped my mother, father, her mother and me. I too following suit, worshipped the three elders and kissing Sagarika's cheeks left her house in a happy mood. When I looked back, Sagarika, was standing under the portico, and looked at me through happy tears.