The Peon

The nun sounds very happy, doesn't she now? Why wouldn't she be, she has a new student and one more person to think she is a nice woman. That woman never ceases to amaze me. When I first took this job I was simply intimidated by her kindness to the students. I didn't think it was possible for anyone to be so good. Sister soon made me realize the truth behind altruism.

I think people like Sister were kind out of a selfish desire to make other people think well of them. If she were truly kind why would she treat me with confusing harshness? I agree that these poor children she teaches have been cruelly disabled. Yes, they need special treatment and yes, they need to be shown great care to help them get along with their lives. But with Sister it is always like she had to take away someone's happiness to give it elsewhere. It is like she had none of her own. People always think highly of her without knowing that it is we poor labourers who have to suffer to make these children happy. Sometimes I wonder if there are two people in that sister, one good and one bad, that take turns.

I may only be a peon but that sister should at least respect my age. Nowadays people don't have any respect for anybody. The youngsters are even worse, they totally fail to show respect to us. They have no self-respect, they are not interested in doing any hard work and they only seem interested in wasting time and money. When I was young I hardly ever wasted any time sitting around, but my son, useless fellow Nagaraj, all he does is sit at home and talk to himself. He doesn't even get up and do a day's work. You would think at this age I would be able to depend on him.

People nowadays think everything should be handed to them in a platter, they don't know what it is to struggle in life. I was not always a peon you know, I've seen better times too. I used to be a driver once and I had a nice pay and the master used to treat me well. That man was a good man, God bless his soul. He took good care of his family and his employees. Life was definitely better back then. That accident was a real pity; that man was too young to die, barely fifty years old. That was really a tragic turn of events - the whole family was destroyed. He and his wife both were killed, his daughter lost her sight and only the son escaped without much injury. They sold that car after that and that son was a worthless fellow anyway, no point working for him. Ever since I lost that job ten years ago I've been struggling. That girl is such a gem though, she helped me find this job a few years ago. I shouldn't be unkind to her gesture but this job is hardly any compensation. Every time madam beckons I have to rush. Bring the girl in, take her out, go do this, go do that, never a moment's respite. I would happily let Nagaraj have this job so I could rest at home, but all that fellow is capable of is wasting time and staring at Sati. I'd get him married to her if he was worth it, but that girl is a nice girl, why spoil her life.