Revered Jack,
For last few days since my arrival from Anysnag, I have been talking to Bissen almost every day, enquiring on how he is getting accustomed to the accommodation at Raja Lane. He told me that he was staying at the new place except on a few occasions, for example, he stayed at Gandenade house one night because he finished tutoring at 11pm, another night he stayed there for Worship-By-Cooking or Arandhan.
Today, I got him on phone at around 9:30am, after several attempts, to figure out whether we could see each other face to face. Our main intention was to visit Sunday Mission office and find out the details. I wanted to see him anywhere near College Street; we agreed to see each other there at 11am. Soon he sent me one missed call. After I called him back, I came to know he wanted me to see him at Gandenade First Row at 10:30 am.
We walked towards Sunday Mission building; our intention was to ask them why they have not communicated to Bissen so far; if we don’t see anyone there we would send them a letter — registered with acknowledgement due.
While walking, I asked Bissen whether he stayed last night at Raja Lane. He said that he spent the night at Raja Lane but came to Gandenade this morning as he was due for voter card photo. I strongly suspected that he was not speaking the truth; so in front of him, I phoned Ms Mina Das of Raja Lane, when she said that Bissen had so far spent only one night at Raja Lane i.e. on the 2nd September.
At this point we were at the door of Sunday Mission building. I asked Bissen to go inside and ask questions. I phoned Sally at once and told her about Bissen’s not staying at Raja Lane. Sally said that I should hand over the PG accommodation to Ms Mina Das as soon as possible and stop any further contact with Bissen.
Bissen came out and told me that they have asked him to wait at their ground floor office, because they would hand over something to him. I told Bissen that I would wait for 15 minutes more, and he should ring me if he needs me. He said he left his mobile phone at Gandenade house, so I said that I would wait for 15 minutes and leave. After 10 minutes, I went inside the building where Bissen was waiting and told him that he should not sign anything and ask them to send documents to his address. In the mean time, I contacted Sally again and we thought Bissen may not wait for the letter and leave after instructing them to send documents to his address. I went inside again to convey this message to Bissen, but found that one clerk was handing over the original certificates from Sally, Pushpa and Jay plus some identification documents. I helped Bissen to receive those documents and get out of the building.
When we were back on the street, I asked Bissen where he would like to stay. He said that he would stay at Gandenade house with Pushpa and Jay, even if he does not get any help from us. Bissen and I have now fixed an appointment to meet near Gandenade First Row on the 23rd September; we would then go to the Raja Lane Accommodation take out Bissen’s baggage and end the arrangement for paying guest accommodation.
I tried hard this time to help Bissen to live on his own with minimum help from Sally. But Bissen does not like to live that way; so after the Friday next we would consider Bissen is not related to us but to Pushpa and Jay, who would consider for his welfare.
Regards,
John
In the evening of the 23rd September, John wrote this mail to Jack:
Revered Jack,
Today Bissen and I went to Raja Lane for handing over the keys, when the landlady Mina Das asked Bissen why he did not like to stay there. Bissen, once again, did not have any answer and wanted to continue as a PG.
Then Mina Das and I left Bissen alone in the room for 1/2 hour to decide whether or not he would stay as a PG. When Bissen was deliberating alone, I went out of that house and phoned Sally whether we would give Bissen another chance though he had stayed only one night in last 22 days.
Before 1/2 hour was over Bissen phoned me and told that he has taken the decision. I went back and found that his decision was to stay at Gandenade house. I rang up Ms Mina Das and vacated the room and went away.
As Bissen had already taken most of his new clothing to Gandenade house, the luggage was not heavy; we need not take a taxi as we did while entering this house on the 31st August. Bissen got off the bus at Gandenade 1st Row and I continued till Port Victoria Ave.
This is up to you to enquire about Bissen when you come to Jamesburg next. Sally and I would not answer any more if he calls. Bissen asked your phone no but I declined to help him on this.
Regards,
John
Jack replied as follows:
Your decision is probably the only logical one under the events’ progress. Kindly tell Bissen (& Jay) that I must not be disturbed any further by them as the offer for the best possible way of self-establishing was turned down by him. Only, God forbid, if Bissen gets another mental setback, how he will sustain himself financially! Hoping for the best
,
— Jack.
John tried hard to make Bissen self-sufficient; John thought he couldn’t do enough for him because he migrated to Kanadia and had to struggle for his own life there. But Bissen, in his late thirties, should have been mature enough to look after his own interests; he was a graduate with experience of teaching, tutoring, helping his students to progress in making their career; yet he chose to be with Pushpa and Jay; he perhaps considered Pushpa and Jay as his own relatives, who should be looked after; he didn’t mind that they had withdrawn money from his account for their own use. He knew that Pushpa and Jay had advised him to get benefits and help from his Kanadia-based uncle Chhotamama John; he followed their advice and tried to get as much help from John as possible. But when John put him in a position where he wasn’t in a position to help Pushpa and Jay with John’s money and he needed to take control of his own income and bank accounts and help only himself not Pushpa and Jay, he chose to stay with Pushpa and Jay even without any help from John, Sally and Jack. John hoped, Pushpa and Jay would reciprocate with the same devoted love and respect for Bissen, won’t exploit him anymore and treat him as their own son, own brother.
* * *
Though John stopped communicating with Bissen, Sally often apprised him with Bissen’s whereabouts. Two years later, Bissen had reportedly left Gandenade house and cut off his contacts with Jay and Pushpa. He rented a flat on his own in Sinthee area. He joined a recognised school as a part time teacher in English Language, works there 2 hours every day. He had a few tuitions job making his total income in the tune of 12,000 bucks per month. As per Sally, he continued to have monthly injections from Tarana but discontinued some insomnia — related medicines, on the plea that he would feel too drowsy to tutor his students. Sally said that she advised Bissen to get frequent advice from Torana doctors to keep himself fit; she had also advised him to save for the future, when he would have to retire from such busy tutoring schedule.
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