COFFIN MAKER
-
K. V.
Dominic (India)
“Papa, why don’t you give up this fearsome profession?
Can’t you find out a better job that gives happiness to you as well as to us,
family members?” Elsy asked her father Peter who was making a coffin in his
shop adjacent to his house.
Peter: “Daughter, what else job can I seek when
unemployment is at its apex in our State Kerala. As you know, I am not healthy
enough to go for daily wage labour in agricultural lands or construction sites.
My father had been doing this job to sustain our family and I had been
apprenticed by him to help him in the shop. This is the only job I know and we
are meeting our needs from the returns of the sale.”
Elsy: “Tell me papa, don’t you long for or even pray
for people’s death? Is it not a sin?”
Peter: “Usually I don’t wish for people’s death. Since
death is a natural phenomenon like birth, it has to take place regularly. But
there are some days when not even a coffin is sold. As you know, there are many
other coffin shops in this town. On those days I wondered why there were no old
age deaths. But I never wish for premature deaths.”
Elsy: “Then why have you made small coffins for kids?
Look at that small one on that shelf.”
Peter: “When one comes to the shop for a kid’s coffin,
how we can say no? In fact, when I make a kid’s coffin my hands shiver due to
the mental agony. I pray to God to spare kids from death and let there be no
customer to buy the one I make.” Tears sank his eyes.
Elsy: “Papa, this job gives you no satisfaction and
not much gain for the pain you take. Why not take a loan and start a lottery
selling booth? No much physical labour is needed for that job.”
Peter: “There are innumerable lottery sellers in this
town, dear daughter. At the most one can earn only 500 to 600 rupees a day. It
can suffice only our minimum necessities a day. For yours and your brother,
Alex’s study we need much money. Moreover for medicines for me and your mamma
more than a hundred rupees are needed a day.”
A stranger appeared at the shop then. “I want a good
coffin.” He said. He looked intently at the face of Peter and asked, “Are you
Peter?”
Peter: “Yes, my name is Peter. Kindly tell me who you
are.” Meanwhile Elsy left the room through the back door to her house.
“Don’t you remember me, Peter? I am Afsal, your
classmate. We studied together in the high school. You were then the best pupil
in the class, best in studies and other extracurricular activities. You were
the school leader also. Why is that you are running this shop? Didn’t you go
for higher studies and try for a better occupation?” Afsal said.
Peter: Now I remember your face, dear Afsal. It is long
twenty five years since met each other. You have changed a lot, Afsal. You were
then a very lean boy. And shy too. Not mingling with others. I couldn’t go to
college for higher studies. We were then living in a village and the college
was far away in the town. My parents were poor and they couldn’t afford to send
me to college. This shop was originally run by my father. He asked me to help
him in the shop when my school education was over. Thus I have been chained
here for the past two decades. My father died ten years ago by cardiac arrest.
The responsibility of looking after my mother, wife and two children rested on
my shoulders and I couldn’t seek any other job. I am now an asthmatic patient
under treatment. My mother is almost bedridden and wife has arthritis
complaints. In fact I don’t like this job. But there is no other option to feed
my family. Horrifying images of death are dancing around me whenever I work
here. No pleasing positive thoughts enter my mind.” With wobbling sounds Peter
continued, “I can’t make any coffin controlling my mind from meandering through
the images of illness of my mother and wife. I always pray God to avoid a
situation of using the coffins I have made for burying my mother and wife.”
Tears flowed from his eyes.
Afsal: “Don’t cry, dear Peter. If you are willing I
can save you from this hellish job. I have now come to buy a coffin for my
neighbour. My neighbour Mathew, aged 50 died of cancer. There is none to help
the family for the funeral arrangements. Kindly pack that coffin. How much does
it cost?”
Peter: “Six thousand rupees. Kindly wait ten minutes
to make it ready for use.”
Afsal: “Okay. I shall wait. Meanwhile let me tell you
what I am now. I am working in a factory in Kuwait. The managing director of
that factory has requested me to bring an employee when I return after a month.
It is a very good factory which exports organic chemicals. They give good
salary. Are you ready to come with me?”
Peter: “Surely, I will be extremely grateful to you if
you can save me from here. But I have no money with me for the tickets, dear
Afsal.”
Afsal: “Don’t worry; the company will bear all
expenditure. Have you got your passport?
Peter: “Sorry, I haven’t taken it since there is no
chance for me going abroad.”
Afsal: “No problem. You may apply for it tomorrow
itself. You will get it within a week. Once you get it we shall apply for your
visa and the tickets. I hope your family can manage in our absence. How old are
your children?”
Peter: My daughter is 21 and she is studying for her
B. Ed course. My son is 19 and is studying for his B.Sc. Physics. They both are
studying in the government colleges in this town.”
Afsal: “Since your son is mature enough he can buy
things for the house. So your absence will not make a crisis for the family.
You can send money to the family every month. You may tell your family about
this golden opportunity and seek their permission to leave.”
Peter: “Surely dear friend. I believe they will
happily allow me to seek this employment abroad. You are an angel sent to me by
God to save us from the ocean of grief. Inexpressible is my gratitude to you,
dear Afsal. Our family will be indebted to you forever.”
Afsal: Peter, a friend in need is a friend indeed.
This is a simple help I can render to you and I am not losing a single rupee
for it. The happiness I get by saving you and your family is eternal. What else
do I need? Kindly apply for your passport tomorrow itself through Akshaya
Kendra. Keep this money with you. There are twenty thousand rupees. (He gave the
money to Peter’s hand) You may buy necessary groceries for the house, three
pairs of dress for you and give the rest of the money to your wife for one
month expenditure. If the coffin is ready kindly call a taxi jeep to carry it.”
Peter called for a taxi jeep and the coffin was put
into it.
Afsal: Let me go, Peter. When you receive the
passport, call me. This is my visiting card. (He gave his card to Peter) Good
bye Peter!”
Peter: “Good bye Afsal!”
Peter couldn’t believe what happened. Was it a dream?
God heeds one’s prayers in strange ways, his mind whispered to him.
Needless to say, Peter went with Afsal to Kuwait after
a month and started a new happy chapter in his life.