After coming from my afternoon or evening classes the routine which I, unconsciously follow is enter the SA building in Southhall which is located on West London where a small Indian community resides in. As I enter the building I greet the old man who I always find reading the newspaper whenever I open the door and enter or if I, am leaving. Then, I climb the stairs to the first floor where my small apartment is in . As I enter my apartment I, untie my tie firstly and then enter my room hanging my coat or blazer whichever I may be wearing after which I just lie down in my bed reflecting the changes from here to when I was in India missing out on the smell of spices and smelling industrial pollution. I sub-consciously repeat this process again and again .
Regardless, of what I may think the unchanged fact here remains that my family did their utmost for me to settle in here for which I always and genuinely feel indebted to It's just all my love and affection still lies there and not here . The peopleout here our racist towards us and why won't they be if we could undermine and treat 'Dalits' who are a part of our own country rudely it's natural for them to do this to us as they rule us for over two centuries and we were foreigners to them . One thing I truly learned or rather, realised is to never treat anyone lowly just because of his race or caste . As I know how the people who are looked down cause of their birth feel after staying in here.
Well I, don't wanna believe that Tommorow I'll again wake up and go to that horrible place to teach those waste of a students except, a few who want to do something in there life . I leaned my head to the wall and sighed, out of frustration. I put my hand on top of my forehead, ' Jeez, like this I won't have a personal life at all at the age of 27 ' I said . All I do nowadays after coming here is brush, take bath , change into a proper attire to go and teach , eat, head to the school to reach those youngsters , return home , eat , sleep and send all of my salary after my basic necessities back to my family. The fact was that this is what I have been doing for one year straight. I sat up and give it a thought and just dismissed this for now , ' I hope that my parents are happy and proud because me ' I said to myself and I fell asleep.
As I woke up it's already night time after seeing outside the window beside my bed but I really don't know if it's exactly night or not as in cold months like November tends to have longer nights than day if, I am not wrong.
I headed downstairs for dinner , there is a Maharashtrian family from India who own this building and give out their empty rooms for rent
" The food was been cookeded about the hour ago " said the maharashtrian woman her broken english.
" Thanks, and you don't have to force yourself to speak in English as at least in this building I, hope you to feel comfortable and speak in hindi as we all do " I said it in hindi to make it more comfortable for her to understand in.
" Oh ! There is no need for that it's just that I, wanted to apply my English a bit more as it becomes hard to communicate. It's only my husband who do all the talk for me even, after staying here for over half an year " she
Said that smiling and politely asked me to take a seat and eat.
Well as I proceeded to eat I remembered it all became possible right after independence to work in England because of the act passed by Clement Atlee, the president of United Kingdom which was British Nationality Act 1948 which made it easier for people looking for better paying labour, better paying fee or for better living standards to settle in UK . I, for one came here for better living standards and pay but it feels very empty here and the racial discrimination is high for now at least is what I think.
'" So how's it going, are you able to send some money back home to your family, like to your parents or relatives " the old man asked while drinking a glass of water breaking the silence.
'"Yes, umm... My pay is £650 yearly from which I am able to send £100 , though that makes living hard here for but back home it's a good sum of money as it becomes INR 1,333 and after all fees and all it becomes 1,200. " I said gulping the food which I, was eating while thinking.
'" I see so I, recently heard that a regular teacher gets 500£ if they are new and more £50 per year of they have served for 5 years but for us they reduce it by £40 and a university sub teacher likes you if, you are a white man you get around £120~200 yearly but you even after teaching a year must be getting 130 or at best 150 " the old man said in a sense of pity and disappointment.
'"Spot on " I said silently to myself. So that's what he does when he reads newspaper all the time , that answers a lot I, thought to myself and looked at the old man telling me a tale of the Maratha Empire.
......
" So you see that's just how great Chhatrapati shivaji maharaj was '. Said the old man and for me I, was nodding at every thing he was telling . "Free history class " I said to myself .
" Papa, you should stop now . What's the point of telling him about Maratha Empire while he's eating he's got youngster's to teach Tommorow and he's a busy man . Hey Roy, you should head back I, suppose if you don't want to learn more about one of the old empires of India called Maratha Empire." Mayank said frustrated.
His father gave him a quick stare and dismissed the topic
" Well then, next time then chacha and the food was wonderful as always Revati " I said while pointing at mayank to come with me to escort me to the door as I had something to ask him for .
'"Hey I was thinking when will Naman come back I, have an extra amount of money with me it would be better to send it to my parents in India " I asked Mayank.
" Hmmm..... He must be coming at around early December but Roy shouldn't you spend it on yourself. I mean improve your living standard like hang around and meet with people or get married man at your age like I, married Revati and now I have a son '" Mayank said encouragingly with spirit.
" I'll think about it man, anyways good night " I said it laughing it off .
" Hey are you blushing, Roy " Mayank said laughingly.