Kandaswamy

I got acquainted to Kandaswamy on the very first day I joined my new job. Kandaswamy is a boy of  maybe 18 years who serves tea/coffee to all the staff.

First day- K ( that's how I shall refer him as) serves tea at 10.30am and coffee at 2.30 pm. He does not bother to look at me. He serves the much needed hot beverage in a routine manner.

Second day- K arrives. I make it a point to talk to him. He is shocked. I ask him his name and he is rather abrupt in his answers.

Third day- Once again I begin getting to know him. He has done schooling up to 9th ! So i asked him why he did not continue with his education. He said he did not like school.

Fourth day- K arrives and in spite of me offering a beaming smile he hardly returns one back.. But to my surprise he offers me an extra cup of coffee!!

Fifth day- K tells me that he left school. because his teachers were bad! He didn't give much explanation but I gathered that he had not been treated kindly.

Now it is more than two weeks and while I continue to smile and chat with him, he continues to be reticent but much less and serves the hot beverages on time.So much so that I do not need to check my watch for time. I know the time when K arrives. 

Today K gave me half a smile.....

But each day as he leaves my cabin, my heart aches when I think how cruel his teachers had been to make him lose interest in education! And to think government teachers are paid so highly!!!