A Friend in Need
by Sudhamshu
January 14, 2008
From: kishorechand789@yahoo.co.in
To: mahesh64@yahoo.com
Subject: A friend in need
Dear Friend,
Firstly, sorry for encroaching your personal space. I have no right to intrude. But I have a lot of hope and very little means.
Secondly, let me introduce myself. Myself, Kishorechand Malikar, from Daulatwadi, Vidarbha district. I have a very high hope and faith in humanity of strangers. From the history that I have so loved to read, I learnt how people have become successful with the help of total strangers. That faith has allowed me to make friends with people I don't know, very easily. And since you are reading till here, you are also my friend.
So friend, I have to tell you the bad news that this friend of yours is unhappy and needs your help urgently. You must have heard about the crisis in my district in your newspapers and TV. My village is very badly affected. But nobody is caring to fix the problem. I request you to give me help in any way possible. I do not ask for money, because my father, Ravichand Malikar, gave me education. But education taught me, dear friend, that not much can be done without money. I am willing to work hard to free my village from this problem. But I do not know what I can do. Will you help me, my friend?
With deep faith,
Yours truly,
Kishorechand Malikar,
Daulatwadi, Pandergowda taluka,
Vidarbha District, Maharashtra,
India - 445207
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January 15, 2008
From: mahesh64@yahoo.com
To: kishorechand789@yahoo.co.in
Subject: RE: A friend in need
Dear Kishorechand,
I received your mail with utmost disappointment. Your friend, Mr. Richard Thabeki dropped a similar mail last week. Another friend of yours, Mr. Charles Sczweksky also wrote to me last month. I was just as deeply touched with their situation as I am with yours. But, I am disappointed in you for not promising me the fortunes that Richard and Charles were so keen on sharing. Did you, by any chance, forget to mention any grandfather of yours who left you a huge sum?
You see, Mr. Thabeki turned out to be the son of a Nigerian dictator! What luck! And he was willing to share a small percentage of the US $255 million that he would make from his father! How thoughtful, don't you think? Mr. Sczweksky, on the other hand, gave me the delightful news that I had won the coveted Euro lottery worth US $2.5 million! Imagine my excitement! I was so thrilled that I couldn't even remember when I acquired a Euro lottery ticket!
But, Kishorechand, your mail, it brings disappointment. Which is why I ask, did you forget to mention an ailing grandfather who was leaving you a multi-crore fortune? Do run it over in your mind and let me know. After all, your town IS called Daulatwadi for a reason!
Despairingly,
Mahesh
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January 25, 2008
From: kishorechand789@yahoo.co.in
To: mahesh64@yahoo.com
Subject: RE: RE: A friend in need
Dear friend Mahesh,
I thank you for replying to my email. It gives me happiness to know that Mr. Richard and Mr. Charles shared their money with you. But they are not my friends. I cannot even speak their names. I tried to say Sczweksky, but I bit my tongue while trying. I put my hand on my heart and promise that I have no money to give you and that I speak the truth. It is very sad that my town is called Daulatwadi, when we have no money. My grandfather, Rameshchand Malikar, was a cotton farmer and died before I was born and could not even pass on his stories, forget money. My father and his 4 brothers divided my grandfather's land and started growing Bt Cotton in our fields. But, since rains did not bless us we could not get crop. No crop, no money. Father borrowed from Mulchand, money lender, to pay for my college. Bank gave loan for buying tractor and fertiliser. But what use is that when there is no rain, my friend? All gone to waste. Now bank wants money back and Mulchand sends goondas to get money back.
I have studied B.Sc. Botany and want to study further. But my father has been sick for past 3 months and I have to look after my family. Two uncles committed suicide and the rest of the family will not help me. I can understand. They are also deeply troubled.
I told you in last mail, that I'm willing to work to fix problems. Not just for me, but whole village. So friend, please let me know what I can do.
Happy to have a friend,
Kishorechand
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January 26, 2008
From: mahesh64@yahoo.com
To: kishorechand789@yahoo.co.in
Subject: RE: RE: RE: A friend in need
Dear Kishorechand,
I must seek your apology, for thinking you were part of a phishing scam. One cannot trust the mails one receives these days. I feel mortified for going to the extent of ridiculing you in my endeavour to extract some joy out of the supposed scam. You must forgive me.
Upon your mention of the crisis, I have done some research to learn about the despicable conditions in which your district has found itself. While I myself am not certain what can be done, I can assure you that I will enquire around to know what assistance can be provided to you. I am sending a cheque of Rs. 25,000/- in your name to the address you mentioned in your previous e-mail. I hope that you can make good use of that money.
Regards,
Mahesh
PS: How are you even getting access to the Internet?
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February 3, 2008
From: kishorechand789@yahoo.co.in
To: mahesh64@yahoo.com
Subject: RE: RE: RE: RE: A friend in need
Dear Mahesh,
I'm near to tears right now. I received a cheque few days back and I didn't know who could have sent it. Your name is M. K. Singh? Only now am I seeing your email and I know that the Rs. 25,000 was sent by you! I did not put the cheque in bank, thinking it was a mistake. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Now I can buy medicines for my father with this money. The free medicines given by the hospital are past expiry date. I'm scared to give it to father. Now I can consult a good doctor and buy him good medicines. Also, I want to use some money to buy books for children in our school.
But please do not mistake me, Mahesh, my friend. I do not think money alone can solve the problems of my village. The Government people also have written off our loan at bank. Loan waiver, they call it. But this village needs to rebuild itself. With no rains, there are no crops. No crops, no selling. No money in village to sustain, Mahesh. What can be done to revive my village in such hard times?
Thank you again,
Kishorechand
PS: There is an Internet shop 5 km from my home and I walk here sometimes. Please do not write in hi-fi language, my friend. I do not have dictionary to refer. What is scam? And good joke, Mahesh! How can one do fishing in a place which has drought?
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February 4, 2008
From: mahesh64@yahoo.com
To: kishorechand789@yahoo.co.in
Subject: Call me
Dear Kishorechand,
I apologise for using, as you called it, hi-fi language. Scam is a type of fraud. And ignore my remarks on phishing. I am glad that the money has reached you and I am delighted to learn that you have the goodwill to donate a portion of that money for school books. Your worries certainly are justified. I have to admit that I never put myself in your shoes and was wrong in thinking that just sending you some money would solve all problems. I will confer with a few of my friends who are entrepreneurs. They might throw some ideas that could prove helpful. Please note down my phone number, 09943523111. Call me on this phone number when you receive this email.
Regards,
Mahesh
PS: Yes. My full name is Mahesh Kumar Singh.
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February 13, 2008
From: kishorechand789@yahoo.co.in
To: mahesh64@yahoo.com
Subject: RE: Call me
Dear Mahesh,
It was a pleasure talking to you sometime back. You have a soft voice, just like your kind heart! And I'm very honoured to call you a friend, Mahesh! I will start the Self Help group that your colleague mentioned and start weekly meetings to discuss how we can cut costs in the village by helping each other. We will also try out those crops that require less water. Your involvement gives me hope, my friend. I know this will work!
No words can express my happiness.
Kishorechand
PS: You are Mahesh Kumar - MK. I am Kishorechand Malikar - KM. We were meant to be friends!
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March 13, 2008
From: kishorechand789@yahoo.co.in
To: mahesh64@yahoo.com
Subject: RE: Call me
Dear Mahesh,
It has been a month since the time I began implementing the ideas you mentioned. The Self help group has been formed. But it is difficult to convince elders in the village that even women can work with us. Even in such hard times, they cannot understand how we need to forget old customs that only cause more obstacles. The idea of growing crops was good, Mahesh, but women need to walk 8-10 km to get even that much of water. The ground water, they say, is getting depleted everywhere. I don't know how long that idea will last.
Just updating.
Your humble friend,
Kishorechand
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March 14, 2008
From: mahesh64@yahoo.com
To: kishorechand789@yahoo.co.in
Subject: RE: RE: Call me
Dear Kishorechand,
It is heartening to hear that you have endeavoured setting up whatever my colleagues have told you. They themselves are surprised at the speed at which you have functioned. Don't lose heart, Kishore. I am sending another cheque, which I hope you will accept as a token of my friendship. Do not hesitate to call me whenever required.
Regards,
Mahesh
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June 5, 2008
From: kishorechand789@yahoo.co.in
To: mahesh64@yahoo.com
Subject: In distress
Dear Mahesh,
Friend, everything is falling apart. My mother gave some of your money to my uncles, but they demand more. They blackmailed me saying I'm helping everyone except them. There was a fight in the family and they are considering removing our family from the village. My father, in his illness, could not face such shame and committed suicide 2 days back. My own aunts and uncles spread lies about my sister and my mother also committed suicide yesterday thinking everything was true. I do not know what to do. Everything I did here for the villagers is now forgotten and they are threatening to throw me out. I, who wanted to help them, I, who used all your money to do good for them, I am being asked to get out! What justice is this, my friend? I do not understand. You are the only one to whom I can speak so freely. I hope that this too shall pass.
In distress,
Kishorechand
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June 6, 2008
From: mahesh64@yahoo.com
To: kishorechand789@yahoo.co.in
Dear Kishore,
By the time you read this mail, it will be futile. It is despicable of your relatives and your villagers to ostracize you so. I am coming to your village to take you away. I have seen your efficiency in managing people and your dedication is something praiseworthy. I haven't told you before, but, I am the Chairman of MK Group of companies and I can find a suitable position for you to work for me. You can bring your sister along and give her the education she deserves. See you soon.
Regards,
Mahesh
PS: I hope you are not reading this from our company's terminal! Get to work!
By profession, I’m a software engineer working in Chennai. Reading has been a hobby I developed rather late in my life and was mostly a means to fill the enormous time I had at my hand after I finished my studies. I started out with writing blogs. There were brickbats and there were a few compliments too. Most importantly, there was a critique that helped me find out how to get a balance between the flow of thoughts and conveying intended message. I tested the art of storytelling by self-publishing my first novel, “Everything Has A Purpose”, which I had written for National Novel Writing Month (http://www.nanowrimo.org). A few people liked it, but it made me realise that I need to master the art by writing short stories, before moving on to bigger tasks.