Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Deaf, Dumb and Blind too

It was very rare. Normally people who are deaf and dumb will have a very keen and clear eyesight Similarly people who are blind will have a sharp ears.But in the case of Rajakumaran it was rather unfortunate.He was deaf and dumb by birth and when he was around 12 years he became blind too, when he was attacked by small pox, that is very rare nowadays.
He was a beggar and normally seen at the bus stands of Kallakurichi and Villupuram.In a week, between Sunday to Tuesday he would be begging at Kallakurichi bus stand, sitting in an isolated place. Between Wednesday and Saturday, he would be begging at Villupuram bus stand and one could see him nearby the Archana hotel, just opposite to the new bus stand.
Being physically challenged in the true sense, he had no other go but to eke out his livelihood only by begging. But it was rather unfortunate that he could not ask for anything from the public that he wanted and he was at the mercy of the people and simply had whatever they offered.
When we see him as a beggar without asking for anything from the public, one would rather consider him as a good for nothing fellow.
But when we observe him closely, we may get astonished at his common sense.
At every Wednesday at 5 o’clock in the morning he would board a bus bound for Chennai from Kallakurichi and when the bus reached Villupuram at about 0645 in the morning, though he was deaf and dumb besides being blind, he would not ask for anybody’s help and get down from the bus at Villupuram bus stand on his won.
A newly appointed bus conductor could not control his surprise.He wanted to know how the blind man who was deaf and dumb managed to get down at Villupuram without asking or confirming from others. I being one of the regular traveler in the bus, the conductor asked me as follows :
‘He seems to be deaf and dumb and blind as well.How does he manage to board the bus and alight from the bus correctly when the bus reached Villupuram ?’
‘The answer is very simple. I got it ascertained from one of his friends at Kallakurichi who is also a beggar there.’
The conductor became curious. He looked at me with a questioning inflexion.
‘The answer is very simple but silly.As and when the bus reaches at Villupuram bus stand, the blind man uses his nostrils.That’s the secret.’
‘I can’t follow.’
‘The worst foul and the urinal smell that emanates from the Villupuram bus stand, always keeps the blind man alert and he manages to get down from the bus correctly without getting anybody’s help or assistance, when he reaches Villupuram’
The bus conductor could not control his ripples for sometime.

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