Sunday, May 27, 2001		Life Ties

Bridging the class divide
Taru Bahl

MARK'S company, which had its headquarters in London, was looking for a suitable candidate to head their operations in South-East Asia. Mark requested his boss to transfer him to New Delhi. His boss, with whom he had worked for more than 15 years, was not excited at the idea. He tried reasoning with him that Delhi was not the ideal ‘getaway’ destination. Living in India, he told him, was a nightmare because of terrorism, unstable political scenario, crime, indistinguishable viruses, cities bursting at their seams with people, automobiles, cattle and power and water shortage. But Mark just shrugged his shoulders and said that anything was better than braving the cold desolate winter in Britain.

Mark wanted to move away not only from London but also from his memories. His parents had divorced while he was still a child. His only family was his sister, whom he had loved dearly. But she too had died suddenly leaving him desolate. As such, the thought of losing himself in the crowds was comforting in a macabre sort of a way. Besides, he had always been rather fascinated with the stories of the British Raj, the brown natives and the exotica of the East.

He landed in Delhi on a scorching June morning. Shielding his eyes from the harsh sunlight, he squinted trying to make himself recognisable to the driver carrying his name placard. However, Ravi, the driver, had spotted him in a moment. Although most of the passengers coming out of the airport were foreigners, he had identified Mark right away. Ravi’s huge friendly smile and "Welcome to India, sir." had such a genuine ring that Mark was immediately bowled over. If everyone was as friendly, his boss’s reservations about India had to be misplaced, he thought.

In the days that followed it was Ravi who became Mark’s dependable guide and Man Friday. Right from interpreting and teaching him the basics of the local lingo, briefing him about people who were in Mark’s direct contact to where to shop from and how to do up the house, it was Ravi who had all answers. The interesting thing was that he never intruded or stepped beyond his limits. He had the sensitivity to magically disappear when not needed and appear with just the right information when required. Mark’s dependence on him was growing and he saw nothing wrong in it.

As the months flew by and Mark got engrossed in his work, enjoying all the travelling, interacting with people at an official and social level, he found himself loosening up. The hospitality and openness of his colleagues, neighbours and even clients, initially took him by surprise. He soon learnt to appreciate and reciprocate.

Mark had been given a palatial, well-equipped bungalow by his company, completely incongruous with his frugal bachelor needs. Very hesitantly.one day, he asked Ravi if he would like to move in with him along with his family -- not in the servants’ outhouse, but in one section of the home. Ravi, who used to commute 24 km every day, was stunned at the suggestion. It sounded heavenly, but he knew how the office grapevine would work overtime insinuating all kinds of motives to this move. He shared his concerns with Mark. They only made him much more adamant.

Ravi moved in with his wife and teenaged son and settled down in as unobtrusive a manner as was possible. His wife took charge of the household and proved to be a proficient housekeeper. The office junior staff particularly resented Mark’s intimate relationship with Ravi. They were convinced that Ravi was taking advantage of Mark’s naiveté and would end up cheating him. But Ravi was honest to a fault and Mark was well aware of it.

When Mark got interested in Shweta, a senior professional in an accounting firm, Ravi was thrilled. The girl seemed nice and he could already see visions of his boss getting married in the typically Indian way. Unfortunately, the alliance did not work out. After a fairly intense eight-month association, Shweta decided to get married to someone based in the USA. Mark made a conscious attempt to laugh it off but Ravi was the only one who could see the pain behind the mask.

During this period, when Mark was most vulnerable, Ravi and his wife played the role of surrogate parents. It was almost as if they had adopted Mark. They took care of his minor health problems, his diet, his work schedules and even insisted that he keep some dogs and build a routine around them. In fact, they gave him all the reasons to live and laugh and be healthy in body and mind.

Ravi would insist Mark book himself with groups for vacations, sightseeings and treks. Gradually, Mark built a circle of like-minded friends. When his three-year tenure was over and he was recalled, he requested his boss for an extension. During this period, since he was emotionally and physically healed of his scars, he posted excellent results at the work place and also packed a punch in his personal life -- seeing plays, meeting people and doing things he liked.

He counselled Ravi’s son as his own and when the young lad, much to the shock of his parents, was found experimenting with drugs it was Mark who came to their rescue. Ravi was clueless on how to handle the crisis. Thrashing the youngster and keeping him under lock and key were the only solutions he could think of. Mark insisted on their meeting experts, getting extensive treatment and rehabilitation. All expenses were borne by the English gentleman. He did what he would have done for his own child. Although Ravi and his wife were already devoted to him, now they looked upon him as their messiah.

When it was time for Mark to leave after completing an eventful and happy six-year term in India, he knew he had a lot of people to thank for the confidence and self-assuredness that he had acquired during this period. He was returning home without the negative feelings of his past and he knew that Ravi’s presence in his life had been instrumental in settling him in an alien environment.

He didn’t know how to thank Ravi. He had been paying him a salary that was perhaps more than double of what his counterparts were receiving. He had gone out of the way to help him in his moments of distress. He had done his bit. Yet, he felt he had not cleared his debt. There could surely be another way of expressing his gratitude and sentiments for Ravi. He also knew that the moment he moved to London, the next boss would turn out Ravi much to the pleasure of his jealous colleagues.

On the day of his departure, he handed Ravi a bunch of keys. Ravi was trained only to be a driver. The biggest dream for him could be to own a fleet of cars and run a car rental service. Mark had bought two brand new airconditioned cars for him—an Ambassador and a Tata Sumo and hoped this would be the beginning of a lucrative business which his son, too, could join.

While Ravi had served him with utmost dedication and sincerity, he had never dared to hope for a reward as magnanimous as this. Both felt enriched by their association. For countries where the class divide was equally pronounced, it was a miracle that they had come together. But it was their inherent dignity and sensitivity that allowed them to bridge all the gaps and bond at a level that went beyond the dictates of society.