" all notes! I do not know how much they would be totally!"
Nephew took pity on the villager-uncle and together they counted the whole lot of cash.
Thank God! All currencies were in the denomination of rupees two thousand.
It took nearly four hours for them to count and ultimately find the amount running to more than ten crores of rupees.
"Uncle! What a foolish thing, you have done! So much money, in hard liquid cash! Had anyone known about it, they would have mercilessly murdered you for looting the money. O.k., tomorrow, first thing, we shall ask the Accountant to contact about five nationalised banks around this place. Their staff would come here, take the cash, open fixed deposit account in your name, and do whatever you instruct them........"
" Mani! You please do everything for me, since I know nothing about banking and further cannot understand their language."
The following day, the banking job was done keeping a few lakhs of rupees in savings account for recurring expenses.
"Uncle! For the time being, the money is locked for just six months. I will send you an Auditor, who will advise you on sound investments. O.K.?"
" Mani! You also be with me and help me to take a decision."
The next day, the leading partner of a famous Audit firm arrived for giving advice.
" Mani! Ask your uncle whether he is happy with normal bank interest or he is prepared to take risks and earn high profits.!"
The villager-uncle wanted to know about the sort of risks involved in other investments.
" there are mutual fund equity schemes getting you better returns but an element of risk is there. Secondly, you can yourself buy and sell shares through the Stock Exchange. Depending on your luck, you can earn or lose. Thirdly, you can lend to commercial institutions, who will pay slightly higher rate of interest. Or you can become a partner by investing all your money in the institution. Mani! Discuss with your uncle and meet me tomorrow, at my Office. Bye!"
There was an urgent call for Mani from his office and he left.
The personal assistant and the Accountant were listening to the discussions and hatched a plan to exploit the situation to their gain.
They took Mariappan to a movie production company, known to them.
" sir, first come and see our shooting today, then if you like it, you can become our partner."
Without allowing Mariappan to think for a while, they took him to a shooting spot, where a group dance scene was being produced. Naturally, about a dozen young half-clad girls were there in their make-up.
The entire environment was new and revealing to the villager. Added to that, the girls over there, at the instance of the two staff of Mariappan, made all sorts of sexy behaviour before and close to him.
This went on for about two hours. Mariappan was also forced to join the others for a drink session.
While returning, one of the girls was pushed into the car to sit close to Mariappan who was under the influence of liquor.
At the office, Mariappan was enticed to invest rupees one crore in their company.
On return home, the Accountant took Mariappan's signature on a few bank papers all in English. He was convinced that for his investment of rupees one crore, he will get back rupees three crores within six months when the film under completion would be sold to distributors.
Very significantly, Mariappan was asked to keep the transaction a secret even from his nephew.
In actual fact, the two criminal- minded staff had taken Mariappan's signature not for rupees one crore but two crores.
When they went to the bank for transfer of the amount to the a/c of the Film Company, they were asked to wait for a while.
When they were waiting, Mani arrived there and straightaway went into the cabin of the Chief Manager of the bank.
The two talked for a while and then called the two criminals inside the cabin. Straightaway, they were told Police would arrive in a few minutes to arrest them.
When the two fell at their feet and begged pardon, Mani told the Chief Manager to tear off the papers brought by the criminals and allow them to go.
Mani came to Mariappan from the bank and told him to pack up for returning to the village.
" Uncle! This city, for that matter any city, is full of crooks and cheats to loot and deprive the unlettered innocent villager of all his possessions. Either you should pick up literacy and understand the transactions or the cheats should all turn honest. Neither is possible.
Uncle! After all you do not need to earn at all, with all the money already with you. Return home safely, and live happily with contentment and peace of mind. Whenever you need money, you go to the nearest branch of these five Banks and draw cash. Otherwise whenever your son visits India, he will take care."
Mani ensured that Mariappan returned to the village to live peacefully for the rest of his life.