Part 5-mythili The Full Moon And Breeze In My Life [bathing In Hot Spring In Birthday Suit-retirem

Part5-MYTHILI THE FULL MOON AND BREEZE IN MY LIFE[BATHING IN HOT SPRING IN BIRTHDAY SUIT,RETIREMENT ANDMADRAS NALLA MADRAS

Remembered the yester years-friends

why today is not as happy as old days

Hundred relations have sprung up

yet where is the peace I am searching for

Interesting things that happened in the next two years were consultancy assignments from FAO and World Bank in Vietnam,Ethiopia and Tanzania. Mythili joined me in ADDIS ABABA.She experienced what was loneliness about, within the high gates of our house always kept locked.The exception was the sahasranamam chanting in a tamilian friends house on Saturdays and Kirtan in a sardarji friends house on Sunday mornings followed by hot and delightful halwa. She had continuous supply of books from the well stocked library of the Sardarji gentleman working with World Bank

She refused to travel with me to the interior of Ethiopia out of fear and food problem.However I managed to take her to Wondo Genet,a picnic spot known for natural hot springs.I sent her to the women’s section and waited outside.Within a minute she screamed out of the enclosure clutching her saree.Thoo-Thoo and said that she was horrified to see local women enjoying a bath in their birthday suit.Not only that, they shouted welcome Indian and volunteered to help her undress. She ran out for her life. I reassured her that there is no harm and asked her to imagine herself as a gopi along with other gopis and enjoy her bath. She was furious with my ill timed joke.My driver Malcolm,a resourceful fellow called an Ethiopian girl and told her that Mythili was Indian Ambassadors wife and the ladies in the spring should not trouble her.Reluctantly Mythili went inside and bathed with her dress.That she enjoyed the bath was evident from the relaxed Mythili coming out of the springs after an hour.

I was approaching 60 and I was no longer enjoying my work.I decided to call it a day and sought permission to retire five years ahead of the unwritten norm of 65 years for VPs.There was resentment and my boss stopped talking to me.Mythili helped me to get over the difficult three months by keeping a cheerful atmosphere at home.I had trained my family members to the new reality of retired life in the absence of expense statement aristocracy.A week before our departure we visited Shri.K.K.Birla our chairman’s house in Theese January Marg.He was hospitality personified and told Mythili that ” Lakminarayanan will always remain somebody special”.That was an emotional moment for us.

Look at the twist in the tale-A telephone call from the joint secretary in the Ministry asking me to be a part of the working group for evolving systems and procedures for PSU fertiliser units.The work was to start immediately and the report submitted in six months “ I believe that you are retiring in two days and leaving for Chennai-I said yes-good I caught you in the nick of time. The conversation took place on 29th August just two days before my departure to Chennai..I could not say no as the JS was a close friend and known for his high intellect and integrity.

To enjoy a leisurely travel we went by train from Delhi to Chennai,Mythili armed with Agatha Christie and Jane Austen and I, with the World in my pocket by James Hadley Chase and the Empress of Blandings by P,G,Wodehouse.Shri.Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the next coupe added to the glamour.[He got down at Gwalior]

Mythili took a deep breath when we alighted at Chennai and there was a new air of confidence in her walk.Three days later, our household effects and car arrived.After some initial unpacking I left for Delhi to organise the Working Group.It was a tough job travelling,attending endless meetings and accommodating different shades of opinion. Mythili settled down well,had her own unhindered outings-she was enjoying her return to Chennai after 27 long years .My completion of the report was followed by back to back consultancy assignments which kept me busy for three years.

Ensuring peace in retired life and typical chennai bathroom problems in part 6

 

Thanks.You will like the next two parts describing how we enjoyed our retired life .Tragedy struck to prove that life is like vepampoo pachadi ,[concluding part 8].It takes two to find joy and happiness in everything and humour is ithe icing on the cake..
Regards.SLN