Occupation: Roadside watermelon vendor
Would you like a watermelon? I have two varieties – dark green and light green. I don’t know what the varieties are called though. Most of my customers seem to prefer the light green as it has more water content. The dark green is sweeter and more expensive. It’s Rs. 20 per kilo for the dark green variant and Rs. 15 for the light green one.
I have been selling seasonal fruits for the past two years at the Pipinmoodu-Mannammola road. It is watermelon season now. I buy watermelons from a wholesale dealer in the city who sources them from Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. As the mercury level is rising, there is a demand for watermelons as it is a fruit that helps beat the heat.
I bought 500 kilograms of watermelon three days ago and it’s nearly sold out. As the demand for watermelons is increasing, I might buy a few kilos more the next time. I also sell other fruits like pomegranate and lemons for instance. But I don’t stock much of those. The concentration is on watermelons. As the mango season is coming up, I will be selling different kinds of mangoes next.
I am from Vattappara and am currently residing with my wife and son near Pipinmoodu. I studied till class eight and had to drop out due to a lack of funds. After dropping out, I started selling fresh milk door-to-door. I later worked as an apprentice to a plumber and did minor plumbing work.
I am 42 years old and am diabetic. Because of my ailment, I have frequent boils on my feet that tend to erupt, which makes it hard for me to travel a lot or do any laborious work. That is why I started vending fruits. There are a couple of other stalls around the road and I am friendly with the vendors. They keep an eye on the stall when I go home for lunch.
My day starts at 8.30 a.m. and I wind up by 7 p.m. If there are any leftover fruits, I cover them at night with a tarpaulin sheet. Once home, I relax by watching television and spending time with my family.
My wife works as a helper at a nearby dentist clinic so our family has another source of income if I am unwell. As it is summer holidays now, my son, who is in class eleven, helps out by manning the stall.
I would like to start a ‘murukkan kada’ one day. Being a roadside vendor, I don’t get any respect from my customers. They think I am fair game and can be bullied. Some bargain ludicrously, something they wouldn’t do in a proper fruit stall. Also some tend to threaten me when I don’t give them the fruit for the price they quote.
When I was growing up I wanted to become a policeman. Now, each day as I get up from bed and head to work, my sole aim is to see my son become one. That is one job that demands respect.
(A weekly column on men and women who make Thiruvananthapuram what it is)
