This man was my neighbor

by Rishi Tue Jan 01, 2013 9:04 pm

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/chen-columns/whitaker-and-boas/article4226100.ece

I was quite young at that time.

I have seen him climbing the trees himself and cutting the branches.

He used to talk in Tamil to his servants in a monotone voice, sitting on the steps in front of his house entrance. They sat there on the ground in the front yard listening to his instructions. His wife at that time, a white woman used to commute to the Tambaram railway station every day in her fancy bike.

The two never interacted with any of their neighbors. Not even a "hi".

It is ironic if an Indian catches snakes for a living, he is shunned by the society, categorized as irula tribe. But if a white man manages a couple of irulas and runs a snake park, it is considered cool.

by Kris Tue Jan 01, 2013 9:36 pm

Rishi wrote:http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/chen-columns/whitaker-and-boas/article4226100.ece

I was quite young at that time.

I have seen him climbing the trees himself and cutting the branches.

He used to talk in Tamil to his servants in a monotone voice, sitting on the steps in front of his house entrance. They sat there on the ground in the front yard listening to his instructions. His wife at that time, a white woman used to commute to the Tambaram railway station every day in her fancy bike.

The two never interacted with any of their neighbors. Not even a "hi".

It is ironic if an Indian catches snakes for a living, he is shunned by the society, categorized as irula tribe. But if a white man manages a couple of irulas and runs a snake park, it is considered cool.

>>>> I am surprised he is still around. I remember him from snake park from when I was in my early teens. I remember pestering him with questions about some snake and him getting somewhat exasperated. The other thing I recall is that some friends had told me his name Victor and maybe his irritation was due to being called that. I later found his last name. Maybe the W in the name turned to V and the rest morphed into 'victor' .

This man was my neighbor

This man was my neighbor

Re: This man was my neighbor