Stories / Novel – The Halo Reams      
The Final Meets
by TA Ramesh

Without fail the week end also came. A letter from Balu was waiting for Kannan in the evening. The sooner Balu reached Delhi, he wrote a beautiful response for the questionnaire. The letter mainly contained his answers which were quite interesting for Kannan to read again and again. Balu’s answers confirmed the answers of Kannan and Copal for the questionnaire. It revealed the fact that it was literature that united both Balu and Kannan as friends. The word Haloen was coined by Balu. To overcome family worries and to get encouragement Balu sought the friendship of the Halons. He had also supported originality and friendship as the motto for the Halo. The discovery of his talent and his development to the stage then were possible mainly due to his discussions with all the Haloens in person and his analysis of various subjects with Kannan in letter correspondences.

Kannan met Vaithianathan, Selvam and Gopal that evening in the park. They got together every week end and discussed many vital matters as in the past for about two months. Vaithianathan did not fail to turn up for almost all of the meets though Gopal and Selvam could not do in three or four occasions. It was possible by Vaithianathan mainly because he was transferred to the Pudhu Town division from Cuddalore tax office. He maintained their capabilities to the best they could. Though the beginning of the end of the meets had started in the first meet itself the meets of the two months were quite interesting and incredible too!

It was impossible for Vaithianathan to place his pen on the paper and make his stagnant mind flow like a running brook. He asked Kannan how it was possible for him to write fine matters after a day’s tedious work in the factory. Selvam too agreed that it was not easily possible for him to express thoughtful matters on the paper, which put him under frustration and that he could not entertain the idea of writing beautiful matters to get pleasure even though he strived for it many days till he broke down in his efforts. Gopal also supplemented their views that he could write something on the paper only when he had substance and interest. But Kannan simply explained them that if they followed a good routine they could overcome any difficulty.

For example he took his own case and revealed to them the fact that he sought the aid of writing mainly to put down on the paper what depressed his mind and thereby transferred his heavy weight from his head to the paper. The heavy weight was the problem to be solved, which he discussed from different angles and tried to solve on the paper and such solutions generally gave birth to an essay or a poem. But he attempted on that venture regularly after his works each day till he totally released himself of his mental pain. So, the routine he casually followed was the secret of his success. In conclusion in the first meet, they arrived at the point that the knowledge gained from experience served as a great catalyst to anyone to express easily the experiences one had in words whether in discussion or in writings.

In the second week end meet under the insistence of Selvam due to the absence of Gopal, Kannan agreed along with Vaithianathan to talk on The Art of Conversation though the topic had already been dealt with by them in the formative period of the Halo.

From the talk of Selvam, it was inferred that it was due to the tongue many problems had sprung up and man had to coup with many difficulties in the world. He said that people had to learn a lot of lessons from the fables of Aesop.

In a suggestive way Vaithianathan gave a hint of a small portion of a story from Panjatantra; “Python hisses, never utters a word, but swallows everything without a word. That is the way the world is going on nowadays here too.”

Then Kannan gave his view on the topic that to understand the world, to understand men and matters, the art of conversation ought to be learnt by everyone. Through conversation many useful information were disseminated to the world. Through communication problems were settled and peaceful coexistence was established for the common good of all.

In that context, he quoted two personalities – Jack Brown and Parker, whom he had the opportunity to meet when he was working for The Treasure magazine. Those two men, he said, were best at conversation. They know how to inspire, encourage and create interest in the minds of the listeners and make them participate in their discussions on various matters both connected with their business and life in the modern society. The reason he found out for such an achievement was that both of them were ardent readers of best novels, listeners of radio programs and fans of best Pop singers like Jim Reeves and Tom Jones. Finally, Kannan concluded his talk saying that conversation was meant for leading a lovely life and not leading a life on barren grounds.

In the third meet, Selvam did not turn up till the last minute. Vaithianathan came only in the middle. Gopal and Kannan waited for the other friends for sometime. Instead of them another friend of Gopal, Balan by name met them there in the park by a fluke chance and joined them in their conversation on “Malpractices and Corruption in the Public Sector.”

They were all totally dissatisfied by the officials who managed the public administration activities. They all agreed to the point that the then officials were for too much money and power. The officials noted for their procrastination, though they got the salary sufficient for their work, did nothing in the office and if at all they took any effort to push a file from one table to another or to sign an attestation of a true copy for any certificate they expected their paws to be greased with “something”. By such deeds they not only put the values of morality under their foot for temporary material values but also they simply handled the lives of their citizens as they did with the scribbled papers which were meant to be crushed and thrown into the dust bin!

In that meet Vaithianathan contributed nothing but simply listened to their criticism with nothing to refute or approve of. They all unanimously came to the conclusion that the illiterate politicians, who were responsible for that sorry state of affair in the country, had to be educated by the people who voted them to power to save them rather than to enjoy life in that way at the expense of the voters.

In the fourth meet also Selvam was not present. The other three friends gathered together near the fountain in the park. That time their talk was about the hypocrisy of the people in general.

In that context Kannan said basing Shakespeare’s words that the world had become a great stage and men were playing the parts they assumed rather than doing what they were supposed to do in reality. For that Vaithianathan suggested that when everyone was acting rather than living what else they could do other than taking a role in that drama and acting the best they could.

But Gopal attacked the very statement of Vaithianathan and said that any brainless person would say that because others were doing that we too should do that. His contention was that it was in their hands to expose the hypocrisy and correct the mistakes of the society. Vaithianathan immediately put a question to Gopal that how it could be corrected. By correcting, Gopal said, the mistakes of the top level people, that is the ministers the society governed by them could be set right. Then Vaithianathan sought for the view of Kannan, who gave an eloquent talk on that topic and concluded the discussion on that meet.

He said, “To reform the people, first, we have to find out the answer why the world has become hypocritical. There are honest peoples who wish to live according to noble principles. They are also part and parcel of the society. If they meet with failure, it is the most tragic thing in the world and their mental agony is quite impossible to describe in words. All are having problems. But all the problems are not the same. Why?

Even Rousseau has said that though man is born free, he is in chains everywhere! So, a particular person or a group cannot be blamed for a failure in certain thing because it is not the mistake of the failed that he is chained to persons and circumstances. He or a group is supposed to depend or believe on others in certain critical circumstances or period. If one has to take the blame for no mistake of one’s own totally, it is quite horrible to pull on the days in this world.

Then the only inference I can make out basing all the available known facts is that something is wrong somewhere in the system in which we all operate. This is not the whole truth of the sorry state of this hypocritical world. This is only an empirical conclusion. There are so many things such as position, personality, opportunity, psychology, jealousy, inferiority complex, malpractices, corruption, narrow mindedness, etc. in the tool of the system that affect not only one person but all the persons in general. We have to take a vow to curtail our mistakes too. Then only we can lead a real life of our own self by ourselves, if not so long, at least from now on.”

In the fifth meet there was no discussion on any topic. They had a walk round the place. They went to a new restaurant near the secretariat building and had tiffin and coffee. They spent their time in seeing the changing hues of the Sky, waves and motor boats there in the beach. Here and there they met some old friends of the school or the college and chatted with them about the life and activities of other people at random. Indeed, it was a refreshing day for the friends in that evening!

As in the 5th meet, all the friends gathered together at the usual place in the park for the 6th meet also. Vaithianathan was very much interested to go to a movie with the friends. As Gopal was having some official work with his senior lawyer he took leave of them there itself. So, the other three friends only went to the Radha cinema theater to see a movie called BLUE MAX. During the intermission time of the movie, Kannan casually enquired both Vaithianathan and Selvam how far they had completed answering the questionnaire.

In response, Selvam said that he had crossed half way; and when he had completed, Vaithianathan blamed for his poor memory which did not help him much to give a fair answer for the questions! Anyhow he too promised Kannan that he would supply complete answers for the all the questions and send it to him during the course of a month or so. Blue Max was nice for them to see and they left for their respective destinations after the movie ended in a grand manner.

In the next meet Vaithianathan was not seen in the circle of Kannan. Selvam also informed him that he found it difficult to attend the meets because he had to discuss that day’s Court case matters on the following morning in his senior lawyer’s office. It meant that Selvam wanted to be free from all activities at least once in a week i.e., on Sundays. Kannan could not press him much. Gopal came there after half an hour was over and told them that he was busy with some work in his house and after an hour he had to meet his senior lawyer on an urgent case matter. Kannan readily said that they had to mind their professional matters first and other things afterwards. Then they felt that they could talk on Marriage that evening. It was Kannan who had to start the discussion on that topic.

“Marriage,” expressed he, “is one of the important functions in any man’s life. Each one has to select a bride who will cooperate, support and assist him in all his life ventures. It is a question of perfect match between the minds of the bride and the bridegroom. Even Russell has said that to live a good life one must be inspired by love and guided by knowledge. Therefore, the couple should have knowledge about love, life and a profession helpful for them to lead the life they start afresh after their wedding ceremony is over.”

In that situation Selvam abruptly opened his talk that after the marriage it would not be possible for him to meet the friends as they were doing then.

As a sort of counter measure, Gopal said, “Selvam talks as if he is regular in participating in all the meets and if he gets married it would not be possible for him to come here as usual. What an excuse!”

For that Kannan too said, “First, degree was an excuse, then office work was an excuse and now, marriage is going to be a grand excuse! That means he is going to say “Good Bye!” to our friendship. What a friend you are, man!”

Then Gopal posed some of the problems which are very much debated then. They were 1. Problem of dowry, 2. Intercaste or inter religious marriages and 3. Registered or love marriages.

Selvam simply replied that dowry system in the marriages could not be abolished as the society was traditionally following it and that intercaste marriages and love marriages were not a common thing in the society.

Gopal said that he could not encourage the first part of Selvam’s answer whereas he could accept his view for the second and the third problems.

Then Kannan said that people were interested in having changes in the traditional method of conducting marriages and in general the selection of the brides and the marriages were conducted as per the wishes of the individuals.

Selvam refuted him by saying that they could talk of new changes in discussions only and such things would not be possible in practice. Gopal disapproved of that view. In that context Kannan posed a question to Selvam, “Why do you get married, man – to live with wealth of the bride or to live with bride for life?”

Selvam said, “I don’t want to be a burden to my parents. So, I want to get married in the traditional way in order to solve the problem of economic expenses I incur to them.”

“That means,” said Kannan, “instead of taking up responsibility of maintaining yourself on your own accords you want to shift that burden from your parents to the parents of the bride by accepting dowry in the traditional way. If you do so, you can go on happily in your life, you think! Is it so? What is marriage then, man?”

“Our forefathers,” replied Selvam, “and our own parents have done that and have come up in life. We are also going to do that only. That is why we all get married. Marriage means that only.”

“My goodness!” said Kannan, “Marriage means not that one. It is a commitment. Whether you accept heavy dowry or less dowry or no dowry you have to live according to the commitment you make by your marriage. That is your another life in your usual life, man.”

There were some more arguments about the dowry matter among themselves as before they did. Due to the shortage of time they somehow finished their discussion on Marriage in that evening and left the place to attend to their other engagements.

In the last evening of the final meet, there was no one in the park except Kannan at the usual time, 6.30 p.m.! He felt he would not achieve anything worthwhile in company with those friends. However, he waited for them in order to decide upon his future course of action.

After an hour or so, he saw Vaithianathan, who joining him said that the parents of Selvam were seeing a bride for him and that Selvam would not attend the meets. He enquired Kannan of the proceeds of the previous meet. Kannan briefly expressed him the outcome of last meet’s talk on Marriage. Vaithianathan said that the poor fellow like him could not think of getting married and living a peaceful life without accepting dowry. Kannan came to understand the view of Vaithianathan too on Marriage.

Then he asked him for the response for the Halo questionnaire. Vaithianathan then clearly told his position regarding that matter to him that it was beyond his capacity to do that as he could not recollect anything much or useful about his own activities in connection with the friends in the Halo! Kannan got doubly confirmed that he could not get any worthwhile facts either from Vaithianathan or Selvam.

Therefore, though Vaithianathan was interested to read the history about the friends of the Halo, Kannan declared that writing a history about the Halo friendship would be beyond his capacity but he would produce the details regarding them by surprise one day in the future. Vaithianathan also wished to see such a production of Kannan at the earliest.

Finally, Vaithianathan also told him that it would not be possible for him to meet him there thereafter wards but Kannan could meet him if he wanted in the morning hours of the Sundays in the Venus Café. The friends, then, left the place and the evening meets came to an end once and for all!  

– Continued

February 17, 2008

The Halo Dreams : A Novel 
Writing a Novel | The Park | Philosophy | The Confusion | The Conversation
The Appointment | The Journey | The First Publication | The Change
The Secret | The Painted Veil | The Halo Magazine | The Debts | The Break
A Letter | A Surprise Letter | The Literary Muse | The Souvenir | The Questionnaire
The Reconciliation | The Lake | The Final Meets | The Surprise | The Settlements
The Result 

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