STORYMIRROR

NDSVN Rao

Drama Action Inspirational

4.9  

NDSVN Rao

Drama Action Inspirational

Second Innings

Second Innings

4 mins
669



'Sir! I need a month's leave' asked Mouli.

'You used 15 days of leave last month. Now, you say one month again. But, you are going to retire in the next six months. Why do you need so much leave?' thundered Boss Ramakrishna.

'Sir! I have some personal work.'

'Don't we have it, are we not working? Anyway, after six months, you have a whole life to spare. Once you retire, then do your work.'

'Sir! Don't say like that. The work started during the last month's leave will be completed if one more month's leave is given now. I don't take much leave after that. I know pretty well that after retiring from this company, I will not get a chance to work here again. All these years I have been serving this company treating it as my mother. Now that I will be retiring, I am tempted to join another service. That's why I am asking for leave. Please don't say no, Sir.'

'Oh... You have started searching for a new job!'

'Not exactly Sir! I am not joining another job.'

'Well... but one condition. The last time I granted leave to you, I sanctioned it without asking for reasons. But this time you are asking for a month. Either your office work will be kept pending, or I have to bring in another person to do the work. If I feel your leave is really necessary, I will sanction your leave. So, give me a reliable and acceptable reason why you should get leave.'

'Sir, I thought I shouldn't tell anyone until it's done. But, you are saying that you will not sanction leave if I don't disclose. Ok. I will let you know, but please don't tell anyone at present. I will tell everyone at the right time.'

'Okay. I have no objection. As you know, not a single word will ever go out from me.'

'Ok Sir..... I want to do farming after I retire.'

'What is it? Are you dreaming or telling some stories.... At present, people are moving away from agriculture.... People left agriculture and came to towns. And you want to do farming at this retirement age? Are you in senses....... I am sorry to say like this.'

'Sir, that is the reason I haven't told anyone about this yet. I have been working as an employee in this company for the last thirty years. After retirement, I hope to give employment to some people. What is wr

ong with this, Sir?'

'I am not saying whether your decision is right or wrong. Do you need to do farming at this age? However, what does that have to do with your leave?'

'There is a connection Sir! Last month I took leave and made inquiries to buy some farmland in the nearby villages. Now I have information that some people in that area are thinking of selling their farmland. That's why I am trying to take leave, go, have a look at the farm, buy it and make other arrangements.'

'Hey, if you invest your retirement money in a bank, you can spend your life comfortably with the interest income. Is it necessary for you to buy farmland with that money, toil, have no income, and suffer? Have your children no objection to this?'

'Sir! I have only one son. He has a good job and is working in another State. I don't need to give anything to him. When I was a child, my grandfather was a farmer. During my father's time, we became landless farmers. After I got some education and got a job, we gave up farming. But this is my childhood wish. If I can serve mother earth even on a four-acre farm, that will give meaning to my life. Please, your sanction of leave will help me with the opportunity to buy the farm.'

'Okay, your money.... your choice. If as a farmer, you want to give work to ten people and feed hundreds of people, I have no objection to sanctioning your leave. You can go ahead...' said Ramakrishna.

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Time flies fast. After six months, Mouli retired from the company. After another six months, Ramakrishna also left for another State on transfer. Ramakrishna also forgot Mouli and his farm.

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One day, while flipping through the paper, Ramakrishna saw a photo of Mouli and details about him being recognized as the best farmer in South India. While reading the news, Ramakrishna remembered the conversation happened on that day. He realized how much respect and passion Mouli must have had for agriculture, to be recognized as the best farmer today. Although he had no involvement in this development, Ramakrishna felt very happy to have worked with Mouli at that time.



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