In Our District

By Sam Simpson

HE was one of the ugliest characters I have ever seen. But there was nothing repulsive about him.

He was a kindly, foolish and good-natured fellow and despite his ugliness, he inspired and received nothing but kindliness, help and understanding wherever he went in our district.

Nobody knew his full name. Everyone affectionately called him ‘Rao’. He was an Indian, He was equally at home among Indians and Fijians. He was every body’s friend. Beggars are few in our district and I sometimes saw him when I went to town. He was a beggar, a vagabond and a bum. He worked when he felt like it. He seldom stayed at one place more than a week. Nobody knew where he came from and nobody knew where he went. One day, he would arrive and then another day, he would disappear—as casually as he came. But people knew that he would be around again sooner or later.

His short, closely-cropped white hair contrasted with his coal-black shining skin. He went about bare-foot with black dungarees untidily rolled up. His once white shirt was now brown and soiled with dirt. His few possessions were slung over his shoulder in a knapsack.

One morning, I woke up and found him on our doorstep. He was brushing his very white teeth with a freshly-cut green twig. Everybody else came to the door to have a look at him. He grunted a good morning and went on assiduously cleaning his pearly white teeth with his homemade toothbrush.

We called him in to tea. He sat on the floor, and grinned with satisfaction at the tea, sugar, bread, butter, biscuits and milk put forward before him, I saw him put four teaspoonfuls of brown sugar in his tea which he stirred and drank noisily with evident satisfaction.

That day, he was feeling energetic so he worked hard in the fresh air of the copra plantation.

Although he was a Hindu, there was nothing ascetic about him. He ate whatever you ate. He ate beef, dalo, Fijian vegetables and fish with equal relish. He had a hearty appetite and sometimes he asked for a second helping.

Every morning, he greeted us on the doorstep, brush ing his teeth assiduously as usual.

But one morning he was nowhere to be found.

Nobody asked any questions that morning.

Another day had begun.