I begin my day at the crack of dawn at Kamatchipuram in Ondipudur. It is here that bundles of Tamil and English newspapers arrive from the city.
We are a group of 10 boys who distribute newspapers in Thiruvalluvar Nagar, Ramachandra Nagar and MGR Nagar. As we sort out the papers, we catch up with happenings in our neighbourhood and also share how the previous day went. There are days when we are scolded by the subscribers when the paper gets delayed.
We insert the supplements along with the main paper. On weekends, there are more pamphlets and notices of retail outlets in the locality. Then, we take off on our cycles. Some of the boys are school dropouts. They couldn’t afford to pay the fees. They have taken up this job to fund their education and continue their studies. Some of them support their family. One of them also runs a mobile shop. Some of the boys want the extra money to spend on their girl friends!
I work at Avarampalayam Sarvodaya Sangam. We are happy to be the first to get a glimpse of the news. A bakery person serves us hot tea every morning and buys his copy of the newspaper from us.
I spend two hours from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. distributing papers and then start on with my routine work. I pay for my studies with my earnings. I am currently pursuing my undergraduate course through distance education. During the monsoons, we come geared up with plastic bags to protect the newspapers from getting wet. This part-time income comes in handy for middle class and lower middle class families to take care of tuition classes and computer classes.
I cycle five kms in the morning and it gives a refreshing exercise for my mind and body. And, the best part is meeting and interacting with a lot of interesting people.
