Anecdotes of Abi and Vetri

TVET - IAS Abiyum Vazhakkaringnar Vetriyum - Part 4a

AN:- Thank you again for the support, votes and comments. We now move to follow Vetri in Puzhal Jail, from where and when we left  him. I found news items and NGO reports on educated inmates in Puzhal jail also teaching other inmates for examinations along with NGOs. The prison officers mentioned that the inmates had more efficient interaction with other inmates than the NGOs. As I always think that the purest part of Vetri is his math and teaching skills, I decided to use this in my story.
Vetri has a long way to climb up and so, this is a two part chapter. I will post them together.
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In the Correction Officer's office.

V: Sir! Ithu engappavukkum en pondattikkum panra prayachithama ithai eduthukkaren Sir. Avunga nambikkaiyai udaichutten! Kattayam unga nambikkaiyai udaikka matten.

CO: Sari! Ippo poi thotta velaiya paaruda! Naan Superintendent kitta sollittu Kumara anupparen.
Tho paaru! Intha class edukka solrangannu nee regular velai ethulenthum thappikka mudiyathu. Entha salugaiyum kidaiyathu! purinjutha!

V: Sari sir! Naan seyyaren Sir!

The CO informs him of the timings, off days from his gardening work and library and computer access for him to prepare for classes. 

CO: Ozhunga entha thiruttuthanamum pannama irukkanum.  Naan munna sonna mathiri, intha class, computera vechu ethachum seyyanumnu ninaichiyo jailer adi than unakku!

Vetri accepts, thanks him and leaves. That evening after work, when Vetri goes to the library, he almost cries. The trials of living in a jail hits Vetri fully when he enters the library. Vetri is used to police, rowdies, living in terrible conditions and even facing the abuse of power by others. So, in the first week other than missing Abi and uncertainty of the future, the happenings in jail did not affect him much. He could avoid feeling the pain of  missing Abi as he adjusted to the new surroundings. But in that library, Vetri discerned the things he took for granted and how naive he was in thinking about jail life.

That day in court, he only focussed on expressing his gratitude and sacrifice he was making, but did not realise the full impact of the decision on his life. In that library, he acutely feels  the loss of his freedom, his personal space and most importantly the loss of Abi, like a slap across his face. For, such a normal thing like reading a book is now a privilege granted by others. That is also the time the full force of what he did to Abi and how he took her trust in him for granted hits him. He acknowledges that just like his father broke his trust a few years back in college, he has thrown away the gift of Abi's trust. His father's mistrust crushed his innocence and made him bitter and Vetri fears that he crushed the innocence and the spirit of Abi. In that prison library, Vetri took the first step in growing out of his bitterness and becoming a  responsible man. Vetri cries for what he squandered when he decided to pursue Bhavani rashly. After a few minutes, the librarian hears the muffled sound and comes to him. He sees Vetri holding a book with reverence and crying uncontrollably.

Lib:  Pudhusa thambi! Pathathe illaiye!

V: (looks up and wipes his tears) Amanne!

Lib: Thambi! Patha padichavan mathiri irukka! Inga empa azhara? Ethachum vambu varappoguthu! Mugathai thodai!

Vetri stops and wipes his face with his shirt.

V: Sorrynne! Romba thanksnne!

Lib: Irukkattum. Padichirukkiya? Enna padichirukka? Puthusa? Peru enna?

V: Peru Vetrichelvanne! Oru varam aguthunne! ME padichirukken.

Lib: Oh! Nee thana athu? Thambi!  Nee kattayam azhave koodathu. Unnai criminalum watch pannuvan, jailorum watch pannuvanga! Nee jakkiradaiya irukkanum.