WALKING-STICK...10...
My Aunt was living in a small town by name ‘Wattrap’ [வத்திராயிருப்பு]..situated around Sixty miles from Thenkasi..Recently my Father’s Brother-law [Aunt’s Husband] had Paralytic attack and recovering slowly but still had problem in walking..
When my Father was about to put back the Walking stick into Attic again..My Mother intervened.. As the Walking stick was lying idle with us for the past so many years..she was of the opinion it should be given to Father’s brother-in law..after making necessary modifications.. ….atleast he will be happy in using it as it belongs to our Grand Father..said my Mother..My Father thought about it for a while and reluctantly accepted Mother’s suggestion..
Next day Father himself sawed of the knife as he didn’t like to take it to the blacksmith with the knife in it..The internal mechanism came out along with the knife and exposed the hollow tubes of the walking-stick..Then he took it to the blacksmith..welded the telescopic joints so that they can not be pushed inside ..Within couple of days Father arranged and provided a beautiful leather cover after due polishing.. The walking –stick looked very beautiful and resembled any other one used by people..Father put it in the store room and told my Mother that by next Sunday he will take it to Watrap and give it to his Brother-in –law..
HOCKY was the one game which fascinated me in young age.. The annual tournament conducted for the adjacent towns were huge hit and on those days my mind was fully occupied by the game of hocky.. Wherever I went or whatever I did there was continuous thinking about hocky.. Whether after the return from the school or on holidays my ‘one foot rule’ served me the purpose of hocky stick and I played every position with the imaginary opponents..The big hall in our house was my play ground and the Entrance to the house from the street was my goal post..
On ‘that’ Sunday I was in my usual ‘hocky’ syndrome and playing with my rubber ball and the foot rule in the Hall.. Servant-maid was in the rear side, Mother had been to neighbour’s house, Father was busy in the Market.. One of my ‘dribblings’ driven the ball into the store room..When I went in to retrieve the ball my eyes fell over the Walking-stick kept in the room corner.. The curved handle and the perfect length attracted me and it deceived me as a hocky stick.. With fear in my mind I just lifted it and slightly tapped the rubber ball.. The rolling of the ball and the walking stick resembling the hocky stick simply mesmarized me and since Father and Mother were not there I gathered courage and started to tackle my imaginary opponents with the aid new found hocky stick.. After few minutes of ‘tackling’ the opponents..I earned the penalty stroke..
I have placed the rubber ball on the foot-stps to the hall from house entrance [ a small Verandah was there between entrance door and the hall ]… and swung the walking-stick/hocky stick with full force..My aim over the ball was perfect but the difference in length between the ‘foot rule’ and the walking-stick was the culprit and the wooden handle HIT the footsteps…
…’BANG’…’CRACK’…The wooden portion detached itself from the Metallic portion and flew out into the street through the house entrance.. It was my misfortune..it went directly under wheels of heavily laden bullock cart which was crossing our house by that time..
Again there was cracking noise ..and the wooden handle with 1’ lenth portion split into several pieces..
I was startled and left holding the metallic portion..shivering head to toe.. with the rubber ball sitting comfortably over the footstep and laughing at me..
The noise brought the servent maid from the rear side of the house, immediately she run out and brought my Mother.. On seeing the scenario..my mother got angry and the first round thrashing was over.. My mind went blank and waited for Father to return by sitting in the corner of the hall and crying.. Mother told Father what had happened as soon as he returned and he looked at me menacing eyes..and the consequences were….
Well..well…the memories of Consequences remains Evergreen with a 6 to 7 inches length SCAR of burnt-out flesh and skin in my right thigh……
TVK
My Aunt was living in a small town by name ‘Wattrap’ [வத்திராயிருப்பு]..situated around Sixty miles from Thenkasi..Recently my Father’s Brother-law [Aunt’s Husband] had Paralytic attack and recovering slowly but still had problem in walking..
When my Father was about to put back the Walking stick into Attic again..My Mother intervened.. As the Walking stick was lying idle with us for the past so many years..she was of the opinion it should be given to Father’s brother-in law..after making necessary modifications.. ….atleast he will be happy in using it as it belongs to our Grand Father..said my Mother..My Father thought about it for a while and reluctantly accepted Mother’s suggestion..
Next day Father himself sawed of the knife as he didn’t like to take it to the blacksmith with the knife in it..The internal mechanism came out along with the knife and exposed the hollow tubes of the walking-stick..Then he took it to the blacksmith..welded the telescopic joints so that they can not be pushed inside ..Within couple of days Father arranged and provided a beautiful leather cover after due polishing.. The walking –stick looked very beautiful and resembled any other one used by people..Father put it in the store room and told my Mother that by next Sunday he will take it to Watrap and give it to his Brother-in –law..
HOCKY was the one game which fascinated me in young age.. The annual tournament conducted for the adjacent towns were huge hit and on those days my mind was fully occupied by the game of hocky.. Wherever I went or whatever I did there was continuous thinking about hocky.. Whether after the return from the school or on holidays my ‘one foot rule’ served me the purpose of hocky stick and I played every position with the imaginary opponents..The big hall in our house was my play ground and the Entrance to the house from the street was my goal post..
On ‘that’ Sunday I was in my usual ‘hocky’ syndrome and playing with my rubber ball and the foot rule in the Hall.. Servant-maid was in the rear side, Mother had been to neighbour’s house, Father was busy in the Market.. One of my ‘dribblings’ driven the ball into the store room..When I went in to retrieve the ball my eyes fell over the Walking-stick kept in the room corner.. The curved handle and the perfect length attracted me and it deceived me as a hocky stick.. With fear in my mind I just lifted it and slightly tapped the rubber ball.. The rolling of the ball and the walking stick resembling the hocky stick simply mesmarized me and since Father and Mother were not there I gathered courage and started to tackle my imaginary opponents with the aid new found hocky stick.. After few minutes of ‘tackling’ the opponents..I earned the penalty stroke..
I have placed the rubber ball on the foot-stps to the hall from house entrance [ a small Verandah was there between entrance door and the hall ]… and swung the walking-stick/hocky stick with full force..My aim over the ball was perfect but the difference in length between the ‘foot rule’ and the walking-stick was the culprit and the wooden handle HIT the footsteps…
…’BANG’…’CRACK’…The wooden portion detached itself from the Metallic portion and flew out into the street through the house entrance.. It was my misfortune..it went directly under wheels of heavily laden bullock cart which was crossing our house by that time..
Again there was cracking noise ..and the wooden handle with 1’ lenth portion split into several pieces..
I was startled and left holding the metallic portion..shivering head to toe.. with the rubber ball sitting comfortably over the footstep and laughing at me..
The noise brought the servent maid from the rear side of the house, immediately she run out and brought my Mother.. On seeing the scenario..my mother got angry and the first round thrashing was over.. My mind went blank and waited for Father to return by sitting in the corner of the hall and crying.. Mother told Father what had happened as soon as he returned and he looked at me menacing eyes..and the consequences were….
Well..well…the memories of Consequences remains Evergreen with a 6 to 7 inches length SCAR of burnt-out flesh and skin in my right thigh……
TVK
eep:
