SNIPPET

 MONKEY BUSINESS:

A busy road junction called Panikoilli situated on the national highway 5 about 100 kilometers from Bhubaneswar is an important place for long distance truck drivers for food, rest and repair work. The place was as such always over crowed before the flyover was built when this incident was an acted in 80’s.

As a result of Magistrate checking of vehicles there was a chaotic situation at that place. The police was having a tough time controlling the brokers and the drivers from that place. A huge Sardarjee driver was asked to come down from his Ashok-Leyland truck for verification of his driving license and truck permit & other documents. Suddenly he blew a whistle when a Rhesus Monkey jumped out of the truck and came near the checking place where the Magistrate was seated.

“What is this nonsense?  I am asking you for your documents not this monkey”. The magistrate said in an angry tone.

“Sir, you may call me by any name you like but for God’s sake please do not call him monkey.” Sardarjee said rather emotionally.

Sardarjee ordered in Punjabi-“Rocket beta-go and fetch those truck papers”. 

In no time the Rocket beta went inside the truck and brought the bag containing the important documents. A crowd of onlookers had gathered around the truck driver, mostly the children from a picnic party to watch this monkey business. The Magistrate smiled and checked his papers and handed over the bag to the driver. He told other officers present there, that in his long service career he had never seen such helping hands.

One young car owner who was waiting for his turn for the checking of documents went along with the Sardarjee to a tea stall, Rocket too accompanied them. He was interested to know more about Rocket.

“How long this monkey—sorry Rocket is with you?”The gentleman asked while ordering for two cups of tea.

“Add one more for Rocket. He is with me for last five years, picked him when he was injured and about to die near a road side Dhaba and ever since he refuses to part with me. He is my helper; you can say everything, part of my life. He knows which cassette has devotional songs which one have discos or Punjabi songs; you see he is quite intelligent.”Sardarjee said while handing over a tiny tea glass to Rocket

“What about your family?”

“They are at Ludhiana, two daughters and two sons, my wife died five years back and all my children are being taken care of by my elder brother and bhabi-jee.” Sardarjee said.

“What about the food habits?” Rocket was looking suspiciously & listening carelessly at this stranger while sitting along with them in a saggy string bed.

“He eats fruits, raw vegetables, biscuits, nuts, tea & beer at times. You will be surprised to know he knows what I need when there is some problem in the truck. In summer months he goes and sits on the top for fresh air and plucks mango for me if truck stands under a tree. By now he must have traveled some thousands of kilometers with me.” a smiling Sardarjee said.

The car driver interrupted the interesting dialogue between the three unknown people, two human and a super human being. A fiver was handed over to Rocket by this unknown young animal lover :“Take this for your fruits”.

 As if Rocket understood what he said, clapped his hands at the stranger and jumped on the shoulder of his master as they parted their ways.

Sanjoy Kumar Satpathy