Good, Bad and the Ugly (Deviya, Yakshaya and Manussaya)

Deviya, Yakshaya and Manussaya

Good, Bad and the Ugly

It is time for me to record, my stay in Violet Cottage, General Hospital in Colombo, during the time of Sirimavao and N.M. Parera. Barnes Place Quarters was not in existence. We had to share what ever, the available rooms, sometimes three in a room. 

I was the youngest and the senior most guys had the lion’s share.

There were three guys who were rank alcoholics. 

Alcohol was damn cheap and we could manage the entire food bill of the month for Rs.100/=. 

My salary was Rs.414/= or something near. 

The highest salary would have been Rs.500/= I never bothered to find but our industrial action to get an increase of Rs.1000/=. 

We achieved that target in six months.

I was more involved "Work to Rule" and coordination of the strike. 

Nobody knew who I was especially the government guys. 

It was easy for me get organized since I did not hold a post in the G.M.O.A.

I was too, young to hold an official post.

The three three senior guys were named.

Yakka

Deviya

Manussaya.

These qualities comes only after heavy drinking.

Yakkshaya was the darkest and the loudest guy, I think he came from Ragama. I am not sure whether he came by a motorcycle or walked in from his ward.      

We only had a Morris Minor and that belonged to the senior most guy who was called the Manussaya since he allowed anybody to take the car away, provided the guy puts the juice. 

The Deviya was Muslim guy. He certainly had a domestic problem most likely related to his drinking habits. He becomes godly after the drink which is natural and get into mantis mode  or praying mode or sometimes almost into flat mode.

Martin was our cook. 

I did a study on him when I was managing the meals for the month and found he has the highest capacity to drink. He used to steal money and buy a quarter bottle which would have been Rs.2/=. 

I gave him Rs.5/= daily for his alcohol. 

The food quality improved tremendously during my tenure. 

All the senior guys left for UK, one by one and I never met any of them afterwards.

We were transferred to Barnes Place Quarters which I think belonged to Bank of Ceylon which was probably was rented to the Department of Health.

I left for UK immediately after.

Martin can drink only after finishing the cooking. 

I never, even took a sip of Arrack during working hours. 

I used to have a beer at Hotel Samudura at Galle Face once a week on Saturday (with a good meal) with one of my class mates. It costs only Rs.10/= for both of us and beer was Rs.1.80/=. 

We did not drink Arrack and it would have cost Rs.7.5 to 8 /= per bottle.