Warden - Ravi Sir, good evening. You have a new roommate, Karan. Take care of him as you have done with others.
Ravi (R) - Hello young man, I'm Ravi. You can make yourself comfortable.
Karan (K) - Hello old man, I'm Karan. I'm not here to be comfortable (with a grin in his face).
R - I understand it will be difficult for a young man like you who is used to move around freely.
K - I don't bother whether or not you understand anything. Just leave me alone.
R - You seem to be upset over something. Can I help you?
K - Any help from a person like you will only make it worse. So mind your own business old man.
R - I don't expect you to call me Sir, but you can at least call me Ravi. It seems more respectful than calling me old man.
K - The warden might call you "Sir" because of your age. But I give respect only to those who deserve it.
R - Why do you think I don't deserve some respect?
K - If you are here at this age, it means you haven't spent your early life well and it's time to repay your wrongdoing.
R - My son, don't judge a book by its cover.
K - Please don't call me your son. I don't wish to be son of a person like you.
R - I don't judge you; though you are here at a young age. Then why do you?
K - Unlike you, I'm here because of someone else and I don't look happy here like you either.
R - Now I see why you are upset. I'm also here because of someone else.
K - So we are sailing on the same boat then?
R - Not really. I chose to be here and I'm happy to be here.
K - Are you serious? I have been here only for a few minutes and I'm already desperate to go out.
R - Everybody's life is different. My life if different from yours. Take rest for today. We can speak tomorrow.
Next Day..
Karan woke up hearing the warden and got ready. He and Ravi went to the common place to eat. To his surprise, Karan saw many people showing respect to Ravi. This intrigued his curiosity on how Ravi ended up here and why people respect him so much. Once done with their food Ravi and Karan went back to their rooms. Karan began the conversation...
K - May I know why you are here?
R - Someone asked me to mind my own business yesterday.
K - I am just curious why people respect you so much. It's fine if you don't want to proceed further.
R - have told this story to many who have come here and will be happy to say you as well. But on one condition. I would like to know your story first before I say mine.
K - It's not something great. Just a guy who travelled away from home and ended up here by fate.
R - I have all the time on earth to listen to your story in more detail.
K - OK. I was born and brought up in a small town in Kanyakumari district. Once I completed my education, I moved to Chennai for a job. I stayed in a mansion and after making a few friends took a small apartment for rent and stayed there. Since my hometown is too long from here I do not travel there often. Things went well until one day my friend brought in a colleague of his to stay with us temporarily. He has resigned his job and was waiting for the final settlement before moving back to his hometown and starting his new business. Two days back the police came in with a search warrant. They found drugs in his bag and inquired me about it. My friend and his colleague have absconded and I have been remanded here until the investigation is over.
R - Young people like you are getting into all sorts of trouble these days. Having someone to guide at this age, might help save you all.
K - Most of us don't wish to be away from family. We travel to earn our livelihood. The only option we have in such cities is to stay in mansions where most of us are of the same age. Stress at work and peer pressure add to our woes. Also there's no one who can listen to us patiently nor to guide us when we go in the wrong path. This makes youngsters travel in the wrong path without realizing the consequences.
R - It's quite funny in a way. On one hand, there are old people like us who like to listen and advice but there's no one to speak to us. And on the other end are people like you who need it but are away from us.
K - Maybe it seems funny to your age but not for us. Now, can I know your story?
R - Sure. I had one son who grew up here and moved elsewhere like you to earn a better livelihood. My wife passed away a few years ago and I had to be on my own. I thought through many options and the best place for me to be was here. So I accepted a crime that I didn't do and ended up here on life time prison.
K - You came to prison because you were alone? What about old age homes and why didn't you go there?
R - Most of the people are old and such places only have a few people to care about a lot of us. Being surrounded only by old people would make me feel mentally drained as well. But here, there are people of all ages. I listen to young people like you and help them to ensure they change themselves and live a better life. That is why I am respected here. The warden is a friend of my son and he takes good care of me. Not all elderly ones are fortunate as I am and hence end up spending their time waiting to see themselves or their fellow companions die sooner or later. Let's hope their sole rests in peace someday.
R - I have all the time on earth to listen to your story in more detail.
K - OK. I was born and brought up in a small town in Kanyakumari district. Once I completed my education, I moved to Chennai for a job. I stayed in a mansion and after making a few friends took a small apartment for rent and stayed there. Since my hometown is too long from here I do not travel there often. Things went well until one day my friend brought in a colleague of his to stay with us temporarily. He has resigned his job and was waiting for the final settlement before moving back to his hometown and starting his new business. Two days back the police came in with a search warrant. They found drugs in his bag and inquired me about it. My friend and his colleague have absconded and I have been remanded here until the investigation is over.
R - Young people like you are getting into all sorts of trouble these days. Having someone to guide at this age, might help save you all.
K - Most of us don't wish to be away from family. We travel to earn our livelihood. The only option we have in such cities is to stay in mansions where most of us are of the same age. Stress at work and peer pressure add to our woes. Also there's no one who can listen to us patiently nor to guide us when we go in the wrong path. This makes youngsters travel in the wrong path without realizing the consequences.
R - It's quite funny in a way. On one hand, there are old people like us who like to listen and advice but there's no one to speak to us. And on the other end are people like you who need it but are away from us.
K - Maybe it seems funny to your age but not for us. Now, can I know your story?
R - Sure. I had one son who grew up here and moved elsewhere like you to earn a better livelihood. My wife passed away a few years ago and I had to be on my own. I thought through many options and the best place for me to be was here. So I accepted a crime that I didn't do and ended up here on life time prison.
K - You came to prison because you were alone? What about old age homes and why didn't you go there?
R - Most of the people are old and such places only have a few people to care about a lot of us. Being surrounded only by old people would make me feel mentally drained as well. But here, there are people of all ages. I listen to young people like you and help them to ensure they change themselves and live a better life. That is why I am respected here. The warden is a friend of my son and he takes good care of me. Not all elderly ones are fortunate as I am and hence end up spending their time waiting to see themselves or their fellow companions die sooner or later. Let's hope their sole rests in peace someday.
A few months later.....
Karan was finally released and the time he spent in prison taught him a lot of lessons in life. His conversations with Ravi made him feel pity for elderly people and motivated him to make their situations better. He thought through many ideas until he ended up with this one. He decided to start a new elderly home were young people travelling away from their hometown can come and stay. They can choose to live with any of the elders they feel comfortable with. In that way, they would feel like being with family and would get necessary guidance when required. On the other hand, elderly people will have someone at the age of their son/daughter to take care of them and speak with. The youngsters who stay there would also be given priority in the future when they are old and need a place where they will be cared for. Thus YOEL homes was born.
