Appreciations
View(s):My brother the leader from small days
SSP S.B.Senaratne
Senior Superintendent of Police S.B.Senaratne was a leader. He was always with the clergy and temple. He set an example to his children, the way of life and the customs, traditions and the way of life of Buddha to be imbibed, said Chancellor of the University of Sri Jayawardenepura, Ven. Dr. Bellanwila Wimalaratne Thera at the second anniversary almsgiving held at the late SSP’s home at Boralesgamuwa.
That then was my brother, who passed away two years ago. We were like twins. We studied together, went to school together, both in Colombo and Kandy. We were involved in social activities and also played hockey. We were inseparable, even if we did argue and have different outlooks on life.
I still remember how we went on the ridge of paddy fields to school and how our shoes would get wet for the dew. It was a thrilling time. He was in front of me and I behind him , since my mother used to tell me to look after him. There was a junction away from the paddy fields where we were joined by four others who also went to Kingswood. In fact we joined Kingswood, after the Japanese bombs fell on Colombo. Until then we were at St. Joseph’s at Maradana, before which we were at Royal Primary.
No sooner we came to St. Joseph’s the first task by Father Anthony was to give us a letter to be signed by our parents which asked whether we were to learn Social Studies or Religion which was the first subject for the day in class. My father said that we could learn Social Studies, but my mother insisted that we have to be in the class for religion. There we were taught Catholicism. We loved it as we were interested in the tales and the life and times of Jesus, but we never did embrace Catholicism, but became good Buddhists. Father Anthony sometimes visited our class and told us, “Tell the truth, fear no one.”
My brother was handsome and an all rounder. At Kingswood he was instrumental in setting up the “Road Safety Corps” when he was Senior Prefect. When he with other prefects used to wait at the school gates and direct children to enter the school, he used to stop vehicles on the road for students to cross. Then with his Rover master and the ‘Prefects Court’ he obtained permission from the Police to continue this operation.
My brother joined the Police service in 1954. He was a tough Police officer with humane qualities. One day while he was serving as the first Assistant Superintendent of Police at Hambantota, he was returning from a ‘night round’. At the gates of Hambantota Police station there was an old man on his haunches. He got down from his jeep and inquired as to why he was there. He told him that he had come to the police station to lodge a complaint and had been refused. My brother called a Police constable and the old man, and went to his home. He found it was a dispute between two brothers. He did the needful and asked him to go to the Police station in the morning. Returning to the Police Station, having entered his comments of the visit to the station in the OVB he told the Reserve, “Take down the complaint, questions if any will be answered by me.” That was his way.
During the Emergency of 58- my brother was serving at Pettah Police station, his first station. My brother was at Bo-tree junction at Pettah on duty, as his notes say, when a bottle hit him on his nose and fell to the ground. It was a bottle full of acid. His shoe had the marks , but nothing to his face. He used to say that it was the talisman he was wearing that saved him that day. It was a rare variety of oil known as “ Hennaraja Thailaya “, given to him by a monk from Anuradhapura, when he joined the service. The monk was a friend of my father’s brother who was also a Nayake Thera administering Hantanne Raja Maha Vihare
Although he had a good life in the service there was a time when he thought he was not given his due. This was when seniority wise he should have been promoted DIG but was overlooked for someone junior. No sooner the announcement was made he tendered his resignation.
Space does not permit me to pen much about the life of this man who had no cheque book but only a savings account in the National Bank. Some day his unpublished notes may see the light of day.
He had no regrets and the Police service, which he always said was “the most prestigious service anyone could join and serve his fellow men” gave him a fitting farewell.
L.B. Senaratne
Schoolday friendship that strengthened with the years
W.G. Fernando
Since January 1953, W. Gunasiri Fernando (WG) and I were bosom buddies. We were friends from the Lower Kindergarten of Kingswood College Kandy – the only school we attended. His admission number at Kingswood was 4445 and mine was 4446. He was only one month my senior in age.
WG’s father and my father were friends as well. The former, the late W.D. Fernando was a leading general merchant at Peradeniya Road Kandy. The store, W.D. Fernando & Sons was strategically located opposite the Kandy Omnibus Company (KOC), which became the CTB Depot – Kandy South, following nationalisation.
The Fernandos lived in a cosy house opposite the store. My family too were on Upper Peradeniya Road and I still recollect how both of us walked to and from Kingswood, carrying books in Cheney suitcases, saving the bus fare for kadale. Then the fare was five cents from our homes to College.
WG’s books were neatly covered. He placed text books on one side of the bag and exercise books on the other. We were inseparable. We went to watch movies, matches and painted the town red together on Saturday mornings.
On leaving College in 1969, WG found employment at the Agricultural & Agrarian Insurance Board. Somehow our friendship continued though I was employed in Colombo.
A handsome guy with curly hair, he was always nattily dressed, the cynosure of girls’ eyes. Despite having an affair or two, WG opted to remain a bachelor until his death.
Disaster struck WG on retirement. A diabetic, WG was stubborn enough not to adhere to the regimen of medicine prescribed…. to the unfortunate effect of having to have one of his legs amputated. Afterwards, cataract in his eyes set in.His younger sister Lalani did yeoman service for her brother. WG’s elder sister Chandra died in 2007. His younger and only brother Dharmasiri and family were beloved of WG and attended on him devotedly.
WG established close rapport with his neighbours. Kudos to them all, who brought in meals to the visitors attending WG’s funeral at home!
It was sad that WG succumbed to his ailments and died on October 15, aged 69.
If reincarnation is a reality, may W.G. Fernando, again be a best friend to me.
Bandula Jayaratne
With that first pang of love there was no turning back
Chrissie Aloysius
I met you so many years ago, at a picnic you were there when I saw you
My heart felt a pang and at that time little realizing I had started a journey long
I walked up to you, you smiled and looked at me with mischievous eyes
And handed me a cup of tea,
this was the first of billions of cups you would hand me, my love
It took some time to realize the pang was love and my first love
It was my greatest joy to hear you say ‘Dennis I loved you at first sight’.
But the romance was taboo and many tried to break our bond
It was then we realized our strong bond would never die
When they would not compromise , we were left to face the world together
When you left Chrissie you were crying but never did you look back my love
Your pain would not die because you lost so much my love
But I proved strong and so did you and we withstood the storm together
Later I became the best son-in-law to your dad and the rest accepted us
now all united happy as could be and love had won again
My mother Ann met us at the door, she listened and she gave her blessing
She asked, ‘Chrissie are you hungry dear’,while Chrissie ate she stitched a gown
Actually the only woman I loved before was my mother Ann
And on the fifteenth of May you became my wife , we were so happy
Then five children did we two have, and now we were complete.
With our little bundles of joy, growing up till an accident
Did shatter our lives, My darling Ruvani the youngest
Was crushed but not down we had more happy years together but she
left us twenty years later, now she is with Chrissie in the stars
My Chrissie did you not promise me, one day we would die together
I had made all my plans to be with you now I am in the dark and lonely too.
Then GOD made a miracle when my three children did step in
With all their love the dark got better, I’m sure you made sure
Now I sit in the dark some times I close my eyes
And there you are now by my side again laughing and talking
Like we first met , it’s like you never left me
I will be joining you Chrissie soon and this time
My darling, we will never part.
Dennis J. Aloysius