| Manickam-In quest of the simple pleasures of life |
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Name: Manickam
Age: Approximately 12
Home town: Trichy, Tamilnadu
Parents : Father – Sasi, does not have any regular source of income- squanders whatever money he gets on liquor. Mother Veeramma keeps the hearth burning by selling jasmine flowers. Mancikam has five siblings.
How he reached here: He was sent to Sneha Bhavan as his mother was unable to support the large family with her meager income . Now he is studying in class III.( For want of relevant documents like transfer certificate, most of the students start their schooling from the scratch at snehabhavan).
Though his mother sells exotic Jasmine flowers for a living, the family of Manickam lives in abject despair and poverty sans any color or scent. Manickam goes home during vacations and he enjoys the holidays in the company of his siblings, some of whom are put up in various destitute homes in his home state.
Manickam appeared restless and I thought may be he wanted to finish off his story in a jiffy so that he can catch up with his friends, who were playing on the vast ground and making the most of a lazy Saturday afternoon.
Manickam munches some of the grubs, I had taken along and gives a quizzical look whenever I ask him about his family or dreams. He was clearly living in the present tense and was trying to leave his unpleasant past behind him while keeping all his future options, open. He tried to cleverly dodge queries about his studies while he enjoyed talking about cricket and his other hobbies in great detail. He donned a poppy hat and struck a pose as I got along with my chat session, which was briefly paused by their lunch break.
Picking up from where we had left, he discloses his passion for the game of cricket. “I learn new shots and hone up my cricketing skills from my mentor, Durgesh ( who is an inmate of Don Bosco home for the senior boys)'. Who is your favorite cricketer, I asked? Without batting an eyelid, he replied that it was Yuvaraj Singh and interestingly he has his own set of reasons for it. 'Yuvaraj Singh is handsome and young and is known as the king of sixers', he beamed.
Before winding up the session, I asked him about his dreams and future aspirations. 'I want to be a police man when I grow up!' Any particular reason for this choice? I prodded him to come out with more information on his choice. After thinking for a while, he gave a broad smile and replied; I can bash up the thieves and wrong doers if I become a policeman. I returned the smile though I was caught unawares by his tongue in cheek reply!
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