Next day
Me and my family were going to meet Shritha's family.
There had been a lot of incidents they are going through, at this moment of time our family wanted to support them.
But...as soon as we entered Shritha's house, a silence followed us..
I still remember visiting this mansion as a child .
Back then, it felt grand- golden lights , polished marble flooring and most importantly the feeling of togetherness...
But today , it just felt like a fortress under attack.
Our attention was deviated towards the workers who stood outside.
Not destructive.
Not violent.
Just desparate
They all looked tired and there clothes were still damp with salt from the sea.
They were shouting for their wages.
" We have worked nights in the ocean"! One man cried.
"We refused other offers because we trusted this company" another added
"If our salary is released , we'll get back to work. We don't want trouble!
I stood behind my parents , silent !
" The cheque had bounced"!
A company that exported tonnes of marine products worldwide...could not clear companies salaries.
Or would not
Suddenly,
The front door opened and Shritha steppef out.
My eyes got fixed onto her. It's been seven years since we met .
I don't know why.... But this Shritha seemed different.
Her posture was straight.
Her chin slightly raised.
Her eyes sharp - not with sadness, not with fear.
She moves forward and starts talking in a very calm tone but cruelty was flodding through her words
"Just don't make a scene in front of our house" !
She angrily said
" Loyalty isn't a charity .... It is a contract"
"The sea doesn't guarantee survival"
She said calmly
" Nor does business"
" We are facing losses...and yet you stand here demanding certainity. That's not loyalty, That's entitlement.
" If you want to protest here then go on ... No one would care if you die protesting"!
I felt something twisting inside me as if I just cannot believe what I saw...
And then suddenly , I noticed something strange.
Behind Sritha- slightly to the side- stood her grandfather
A calm smile was resting on his face .
It was the smile of approval.
As if this display - this dominance ... Was admirable
He was proud .
I don't know what was smiling his instict or that superiority complex .
My mind suddenly clicked and only one name appeared .
Saint Aurelius academy
I was still in my ordinary school ...but Shritha was transferred to SAA ... Ofcourse in the name of " better opportunities "
After that , our meeting reduced and we rarely talked .
Gradually , we both moved on with our different lives.
But everything changed .....
Shritha changed
I looked at the workers - men who spent nights in the dark ocean , pulling nets heavier than there bodies.
And Shritha stood there on polished marble floor ... Untouched by salt and sweat
I don't know why but all these thoughts just clicked onto one conclusion...
"That school...."!
Something's wrong with that school , instead of equality..
They teach "heirarchy".
I confronted Shritha and said
" You used to hate when someone spoke rudely to housekeeper haaa...then what is this .."!
She replied strangely
" That was me back then...and now I am different"
"I don't care about them and .... What about all this sympathy coming from you "
"They are just our toys - Use them and throw them"
All these words were not just haunting me but we're questioning me
" Is this the Shritha I used to know"?
A strong feeling came from me that .....
This is not something simple.
"They are not just teaching them to rule but , to destroy too"
I needed to know what is the reality, is this really what they are inhereting from that SAA.