I felt guilty when I could not recognize the worker who played a larger role in the construction of my house

I was reading my morning newspaper sitting on the cane chair in the veranda made clean and useable my daughter. I was reading about love in a spiritual column-undemanding and unconditional love without any strings attached  to it.At that time I saw two workers-looked like village folk from rururban background. Thinking that they were going to ask for work to clear the bush in the garden I  moved my hands to go.Only a month back I had them removed by hired labour.

One of the two with all politeness and surprise in his eyes said,”sir  I am Bhoopathy  don’t you recognize me”? Which  Bhoopathy I asked  getting up from the chair  and went closer to them.

Age had withered him but coming closer I understood that he was one of the masons in the contractors labour force involved in the construction of my house in 1984-85.I felt very bad that I could not locate him in the very first instance. He started recollecting the old days about my work in Mahe, the contractor’s brother going to Dubai and making money and so on.

.He recollected how he had seen me lecturing in  Alliance Francis once and he did not want to disturb me then.I wanted to serve him tea but the teashop was closed today.He had come for work in one engineer’s house in our street .Seeing  me at home he wanted t say hello   .what a great kindly gesture.I told him that he was welcome after some time at leisure. While taking leave he told “ Sir, keep your health in tact  but for greying of the hair you have not changed much and the tone remains the same”

All through my life I have respected and loved the labour  many have cheated  even then there are people like  Bhoopathy who are the real representative of labour and his signature is already embedded into my house   Without labour capital cannot do anything nor can be created in the first instance.