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| Sunday, 25 April 2004 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Life with William : Going home for Avurudu by Carol Aloysius William my faithful old Man Friday belongs to a rare breed of servants. Unlike most servants who make regular treks to their village during the course of a single year, William goes home only once - for the entire year - during the national New Year.
Not for him the last minute frenzy of bargain shopping that brings out scores of shoppers onto the roads on the eve of New Year. Instead, his shopping expeditions usually start around the beginning of March and end the day before he leaves Colombo for Avisawella. From around the beginning of March he keeps dropping hints to me and the rest of my family on what he would like to have on New Year. Next he would write out a list of items in order of their importance of the clothes, gifts and other paraphernalia he wished to take home. These lists would be discussed over a cup of tea with his friends, Dias, Piyasena, Simon, Gamage and Pancha at one of their regular meetings at the nearby kopi kade, where they meet every evening. On their advice he would then go to the shops and write down the prices of each item, and then check out the total cost. If they were within his limited budget, he would place a tick against the items. If not , he drew a line and crossed them out. Heading the list were the items he had jotted down for his own personal use; a new sarong, new banian, a shirt , and a pair of bata slippers, not forgetting the hair dye , head scarf and handkerchief to match. "Mama gamata yanadavasa hondata andinna ona. Game minissu hithanawa mama loku rassavak karanawa Colomba indala" (when I go home I have to dress well as the home folk think I'm doing a big job in Colombo), he would tell me. This year after telling me he had practically 'booked' his new shirt and sarong to match, he hinted as usual that I pay the bill. I obliged him and he returned home triumphantly clutching his parcel of new clothes which he spread out on the table for us to admire. I was surprised to find that instead of one sarong there were three sarongs in three different colours with matching shirts. "The auspicious colours for the New Year are red, orange and white" he enlightened me. "Me vasana pata andala mata samaharavita sweep ekak dinnanata puluvan") "If I wear these lucky colours, I may be able to win a sweep". Two days before New Year, on April 11 he bade us "suba aluth avuruddha" before taking his leave. Clad in his new clothes and sporting a brand new wrist watch despite being unable to red the time, and carrying a suitcase full of goodies for his home folks, he went in style sitting in the front seat of my car. On the way to the bus stop where I dropped him off, we stopped at the nearby bakery and I bought him a large fruit cake and a tin of biscuits which he could give his family. Overloaded with gifts he could barely squeeze himself into the crowded bus that took him to his destination. The next five days were a nightmare for me as I grappled with the chores my Man Friday performed so well and so easily; by myself. I was relieved to see him arriving at my doorstep the day after the oil anointing ceremony, on April 17. Dressed in orange and white with a head scarf to shield him from the sun, I could hardly recognise my Man Friday. But I could have hugged him out of sheer joy. No more cooking, washing, sweeping for at least another year! He returned with a bag bigger than the one he carried back home spilling over with fresh fruits and vegetables plucked from his garden at Avisawella. For the rest of the week he regaled us with anecdotes of his six memorable days spent at home with his family. " Mama avurudu sellam karala thaagi hungak dinna", he told us as he showed off the new sarong and banian he had won at the 'pora pol' race and the 'raban bera' contest where he claims to have outshone many young men and women. "Mama dan champion" he would boast. Winning these contests has given my man Friday a new lease of life for he now struts around the road prepared to take on anyone who dares to deny his claim. Any takers? |
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Naturally these once-a-year visits to his village at Avisawella are
always made in great style. A methodical man, he leaves nothing to chance.
