Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Friday Review | Cinema Plus | Young World | Property Plus | Quest |

GOING NATIVE

‘This is a land of contrasts’

PHOTO: R. SHIVAJI RAO

AT HOME Wallace has found his equation with Indians

As it was near midnight and no other autorickshaw was in sight, Robert Wallace decided to shell out Rs. 200 for a ride from Poes Garden to Besant Nagar. Halting at a petrol bunk for a fill, the driver took the money from Wallace. When the auto reached the Adyar bridge, it “broke down” and the driver asked Wallace to push the vehicle. The American got down and did his bidding. The auto roared into life and zoomed away into the enveloping darkness of the night, leaving Wallace high and dry.

But for this incident and another at a pub, his existence in Chennai has been free of any unpleasantness. When he set foot in this city, Wallace gave himself three years. He has crossed the self-imposed deadline and seems likely to be around for many more years. His girlfriend Vinita Harry lives here, but that is just one of the reasons for extending his stay.

Everyday, he soaks in the cheer his Indian colleagues spread at the workplace, Merit Group where he is head of training and development. He is happy with his apartment which affords an arresting view of the Elliot’s Beach.

And life has improved vastly after he bought a 1994 Bullet. During weekends, he roars down the East Coast Road. Often, Mahabalipuram is the destination. He also enjoys going down the Beach Road, when it is not clogged with vehicles. “I like to glance at the old buildings on this road.” His assessment of Indians as an extremely congenial people, his belief that Indians have valuable life lessons to offer and his ability to relate to Indian thinking, especially on matters relating to the family, also influenced him to take this decision.

When his bike developed a mechanical glitch on an almost deserted stretch of the ECR, a good Samaritan fetched his mechanic friend. After spending an hour attending to the problem, the mechanic refused to take any payment. Wallace had to persuade him to accept money. The American is impressed by Indians’ stoicism. “When hit by a misfortune, they quickly take it in their stride and don’t feel sorry for themselves. Most Indians are not keen on hoarding material possessions and take pleasure in simple things, such as playing carrom or cards with friends. However, the new generation is getting infected with the ‘keeping up with the Jones mentality’ which is the bane of the West. Possessing things doesn’t fill the void.” Largely due to his close acquaintance with Vinita’s family, he has understood that Indian parents continue to guide their child, after he/she is married. Wallace believes such continued interest benefits youngsters greatly. “It provides a support system that can help a couple through tough times.” Certain conservative attitudes he has encountered here are not totally unfamiliar to Wallace as he comes from a family that is equally conservative in many respects. Wallace took Vinita to his family in the Unites States, because he valued their approval.

Wallace likes Chennai as a place. “I find it colourful. Where else can you see a Mercedes Benz E Class by the side of a bullock cart? My office is ultra modern, equipped with the latest gadgets. But when I look out of the window of my office room, I see a man making a pit with a shovel. It is a land of striking contrasts.”

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail