  Back in the day when karaoke pubs started crawling out of the
woodwork they were much different from the ones you see now. The
atmosphere was suited for only the ones who were hooked on to that night
life. Karaoke girls in sexy costumes mingling among the customers were a
familiar sight. They would sit near a customer who had just walked into
the bar, pouring them drinks and sometimes allowing the men to put their
arms around them.
But Chanaka was different. In spite of the fact that he had so many
friends that he could hardly keep count, he was always a loner. He was a
musician and that was his passion. Casual sex was of no interest to him.
He simply went to night clubs and karaoke bars to sing, entertain his
friends and to be entertained in return.
While he was singing on such a day, a karaoke girl came and sat
beside him. But as she started to cozy up to him he asked her to stop.
And asked her to start from telling him where she is from. She was from
Matugama, a village girl. There must have been something about Chanaka
that made her tell him certain personal things about herself. She said
that her family has certain financial problems. And this job – which can
be comparatively lucrative at times – was her only getaway at the time.
She also revealed that she was from a good Buddhist family. She
mentioned it in such a ‘peculiar’ way that Chanaka realized that this
was the only way that anyone could talk some sense into her.
For Chanaka, who also came froma Sinhala Buddhist family, educated in
a leading Colombo school and armed with a sound academic knowledge in
the Buddhist philosophy, the Buddha Dhamma was always a confident and
strong point to start with. Not a single day passed by that he did not
at least read one or two pages of a book on Buddhism. Although he was
not a person who frequented the temple, he made it a point to always
remember Buddha before he went to sleep.
He was smiling when he said “Since you are from a good Buddhist
family why don’t you try to become a good Buddhist yourself.” With the
music blaring in the background, he sounded so nonchalant. People were
singing, drinking and dancing all around them. Chanaka sensed that the
girl got serious when he said this.
The conversation wasn’t mere pep talk anymore and Chanaka immediately
took in the sudden change in her countenance. He kept on talking to her,
about how she could become a good person, how she could be happy just by
giving up this life. “How about it?” said Chanaka. “Forget about living,
first give up this life, think about your happiness.”
Having sisters himself, a deep sense of respect for women was
ingrained in Chanaka and he spoke to her with nothing but respect. He
spoke with his heart, for which he never had to make special effort. He
felt a deep sense of empathy for her. She was as beautiful as any girl.
He felt that it was a shame that she had to sell her soul like this. She
might as well have been a secretary in some small business firm.
She was inspired. She said – teary eyed – that no one who came to the
pub ever spoke to her like this. She walked away to greet some new
customers, but it was clear that Chanaka was able to speak to her heart.
She kept on coming back to chat with him over the night.
The customer-karaoke girl relationship was completely shattered. In
front of Chanaka was this girl, dignified as any other. She was all ears
by now, listening to every word that escaped Chanaka’s mouth.
The karaoke girl was never seen at that particular karaoke pub or any
other pub for that matter, since then.
Karaoke girls usually went from one pub to the next in search of
higher pay. But this particular girl had clearly given up that life.
None of Chanaka’s friends who frequented karaoke pubs ever saw her in
any of them. One of the guys who frequented this particular karaoke pub
got to know that she didn’t work there anymore. What’s more she had left
a message with another girl in the bar that she has given up her job and
was now working at a factory.
“I was lucky I knew a little bit about Buddhism and could speak to
the minds of people” said Chanaka. Chanaka has practically given up his
night life. He now sings at home in his music room, with his three kids
who are equally talented.
Names have been changed |
