THE CAT OF KOROM
In those days KOROM was a cluster of some 30 small buildings on either sides of the road to Niravilpuzha river. The road with many potholes was not surfaced. There was hardly any traffic on the road as it was the end of it with no bridge to cross the river. The buildings, mostly houses except one or two shops, were almost identical,and were painted in different shades of green. Huddled together and with no traffic to hinder the houses formed a close knit community.
There was no power supply and no TV or other intruder gadgets to disturb them.
The house we stayed was the last one on the row. Our immediate neighbor was an old lady whom everybody called Hajjumma. (Hajj mother) and we too followed it.
When we heard Haj Umma first through the window “Kelappa bemees undo?” (have any beans Kelappa ?) we thought we had overhead a private conversation. Soon we realised there was nothing private about her request to Kelappen, as many such requests and offers from both followed. Kelappen an young government servant, was one of her tenants who used to cultivate ganja (cannabis) in her kitchen garden. If we heard her saying “Mullan vannittundu” (mullan - a type of small fish- is on sale) it is an announcement for all (ladies and gents) in the neighbourhood.
Many household vessels and equipments going around or agriculture tools available on request did not have definite owners. That included the only mousetrap in the neighbourhood.
But what impressed me most was the service of the only cat of the locality.
One day when I detected the presence of mouse in the house I asked Abdulla how to get the mousetrap. He just asked the nextdoor lady and with in a few minutes it arrived at our door.
The trap was set with a mullen as the bait. We were successful in trapping the enemy, but how to get rid of it ?. Abdullah said “It is easy just take the trap outside and knock the side of it, the cat will come and catch it”.Seeing my disbelief, Abdullah took the trap to the road in front of the house and knocked the side of it with a stone. Within a few seconds a large brown cat appeared on the other side of the road watching me with his curious eyes. Abdullah opened the trap and the mouse jumped out to freedom for a moment. Then there was a flash of brown and both the cat and the mouse disappeared. It was a mystery how he was able to appear so fast. (The only possibility I could imagine was the cat was constantly tracking the movement of the mouse trap). Of course you may ask if the cat overheard our discussion.
I couldn't to continue my association with the community for long due to a transfer. It was some 15 years afterwards I met Abdulla again.
He was not staying in Korome anymore.
Lot of changes that the electricity and the bridge over Niravilpuzha brought , along with the many TV's and cars and bikes evicted many from Korome.
He moved to a nearby house with a compound around. Hajjumma went to live with her brother in town away from Korome. Kelappen reluctantly left when his small ganja ( cannabis) garden became a hot topic.
I could not resist asking about the cat of Korome.
Abdulla smiled.A few years after my leaving Korome one fine morning four kittens looking just like the Cat of Korome appeared in response to the knocks on the mouse trap. The dupli -cats’ ,as they were known along with their mother took over the gamekeeping of Korome
By that time the bridge was completed and Buses started playing, new shops and small restaurants changed the face of Korome Blaring TV serials and decorative lamps ushered in a new way of life.And the dupli-cats got engaged in many activities other than attending to the knocks on the trap.
But all the new facilities will never be able to bring back the smooth functioning and coordination the Cat Of Korome once represented -- Abdullah ascertained.
