He always refused to be the 'just another' man.
He had to walk many miles to find anything better than the local primary school. And walk, he did. His brilliance was recognized much beyond the boundaries of his place. For a village, where the postman was probably the only guy who could read, his academic acumen, that brought him laurels all around, was an enigma.
Everytime he observed that he had to follow instructions to earn his ale, he refused to budge. He tried many employers and finally settled in venturing as an entrepreneur. He earned a lot of respect, but hardly any money. For his friends, who believed his technical genius could have taken him to incredible ranks, his radical attitude towards work was an enigma.
He was an extremely gregarious and social human being. His sense of humour, or probably the wierd approach to life, was enjoyed by one and all. He could make anyone laugh, and was refused to be bound by social etiquettes or norms. For his relatives, who believed that sober society consciousness was such a big deal, his ability to find the lighter side of everything was an enigma.
He was a strong man and a very healthy man. And yeah, it was despite the indiscipline in his food habits and general lifestyle. But, he rarely visited the doctors. Even simple ailments like fever or cold could not bother him for more than a night. But in less than two months of his first major hospitalization, after a reasonably healthy middle age, he succumbed to a heart attack. For his family, who had never ever seen him as anything close to being a weak old man, even his death was an enigma.
Born in a family where earning for the next meal was a big deal, he dreamt much bigger. And everything about him was so different, so enigmatic. But ironically, despite all the hype around him, he led a simple life and died an even simpler death.
He was once returning from a friend's daughter's wedding. And when everybody around him was judging the grandeur of wedding, he made a wise remark. He told his son, "The only thing people will judge in your funeral is how good a man you were. Nothing else"
Congratulations Dad! The verdict in your funeral was unanimous. You were a good man. We will miss you.
