George into wrote:
I think Cecil's Kashmir holiday request was in jest (is it safe to travel
there now)?
Cecil:
Yes indeed George. I was just kidding with Mervyn.
------
George:
I know Eric is very serious in his offer.
Cecil:
I am aware of that.
I have interacted with Eric before and am amazed at his kindness.
-----
George:
However, cybergoans have greatly benefitted from Cecil's humour and
it is only fitting we collectively thank him. We should share in the cost
of Cecil's holiday to a
place of his choosing in India. Cecil, tell us the total cost of a family
holiday and I will chip
in.
Cecil:
Thanks George. I know you mean it sincerely but your talent for fund
raising can be utilised much better elsewhere and for a more deserving
cause. If Cyber Goans have benefited from my humour writings then let me
assure you that I enjoy writing them as much. And I have been amply repaid
by the wonderful friends I have made and the feedback I have got.
Let me share with you an e-mail sent to me by a female Cyber Goan (Gulf
based and EXPRESSIONS' client) some three years back at Christmas time. I
am not mentioning her location and XXXXXing out her husband's name to
conceal her identity. I have not edited anything else and am reproducing it
verbatim (typos and all) below.
----- quote ----
Dear Cecil and Beatrice
Want to tell you how much XXXXX (my husband) and I have enjoyed reading
your very clean humourous articles, depicting how observant you are of
human behaviour. XXXXX has an extremely tight schedule at work, yet
whenever I forward him your emails, he is thrilled at the site/thought that
there is some laughter in store for him..only when he gets home, he prints
your Emails to be read only at his tea and bo`bo` at 6:00pm.
XXXXX has very stressful moments at work, but your humour has lighted him
many times. I want to thank you in a special way this Christmas and Keep up
the Good Humour!!!
----- unquote ---
I have received similar e-mails from others but cannot reproduce them here
without inadvertently revealing their identities.
What better payment than that can I ask for George? If God has gifted me
with a an ability to make people laugh for a while then have I not been
blessed enough? The very thought that some little thing I wrote made
someone a million miles away chuckle or giggle or laugh or forget his
troubles for a while is very fulfilling.
Often when Beatrice berates me for writing humour, and not serious stuff, I
remind her of the wonderful sentiments and anecdotes that people have sent
back over the years and she retreats - in agreement.
--------
George:
I am sure others will contribute too not because Cecil is in need (I have
no idea of his
personal finances and he could very well afford to send us on holidays),
but because it is
important Goans acknowledge the joy a fellow Goan has provided through his
humourous postings.
Cecil:
Again George I have to politely decilne. I have been re-paid plentifully
already by all those wonderful Cyber Goans who send me feedback and
encouragement. Nevertheless I am touched by the sentiments you have
expressed and know that they are genuine.
My personal finances are a laughing matter too but that we shall talk about
some other time.
------
George:
I also wish to add that offline he has been very helpful and generous with
his time.
Cecil:
And since I'm in speech-giving mode here let me mention that this
helpfulness is not an inborn characteristic of mine. I have acquired it
rather recently after observing my selfless and helpful Goan friends
abroad, specially in the Gulf.
Let me explain.
Beatrice and me ventured into this flowers-by-e-mail business since we had
a flower shop (EXPRESSIONS) and I had access to e-mail. We were stumbling
along some six years back not knowing how to move forward when out of the
blues a stranger named Gaspar Almeida wrote to us that he would like to
represent us in Kuwait. Not knowing quite how to respond we cautiously told
him that we would have to work out the commission percentage etc. Gaspar
never replied to that but just started sending us orders and payments. And
has continued representing us in Kuwait ever since without ever taking a
paise as commission! Huh? Around the sane time Gaspar's friend Ulysses
Menezes tells us to send photos and text and sets up a webpage for
EXPRESSIONS on his site - free of cost without us even asking. And every
time we have a special 'scheme' he sets up a webpage for us without
charging. Huh?
Around that time, a few months later, this handsome guy named John DeSa
walks into our shop (we had a retail shop in Panjim at the time) and in
conversation learns that we deliver flowers by e-mail. John mentions he is
in Qatar and offers to represent us there. We ask him how much commission
he would want? He just ignores the question and has been sending us orders
and payments ever since. Huh?
Two years later Gaspar introduces me by e-mail to some G. R. Crasto based
in Bahrain. Crasto offers to represent us there. And has ever since -
without ever asking for any commission. I have never even met Crasto till
date! Huh?
Besides these wonderful people we have clients all over the Gulf who have
taken it upon themselves to promote our business. They take orders on our
behalf from people who don't have e-mail, or don't know exactly how to
place an order. They send us the orders. They convey the photos to the
senders. They collect payment. They send the payment to us. What do they
want as commission? Nothing! Huh?
Agnelo Fernandes, Margaret D'Cruz, Carmo Santos, Agostinho Pires, Laurence
Miranda, Laurie D'Souza, Aleluia Fernandes, Augusto Morais, Jerson Vaz,
Cajetan Baretto, Wilson Coelho, Dennis Vaz, Ashok Chodankar, Vitinho
Fernandes, Nirmal Alvares, Gasper Crasto, Hazel Carvalho, Hudson Fernandes,
Simon D'Silva, Janet Franco, Julio Cardozo, Kennedy Pereira, Mario Rebello,
Menino Duarte, Walter Rodrigues, Edna... and so many more that I can't
remember offhand.
These are just people who help us get more 'giraik'. I can't even begin to
talk about our regular clients who have always been encouraging and
supportive. Of course by now we have clients all over the world but it is
the Gulf Goans who are the true reason for our existence. They treasure
their loved ones in Goa and they encourage Goan entrepreneurs
wholeheartedly, expecting nothing but good service in return.
Many of these people above I have never met. All of them obviously are well
employed in the Gulf. Why then do they have to bother abut helping out some
stranger in Goa? What drives them I do not know. But I am grateful to these
Goenkars. Whoever talks about Goan 'crab mentality' is talking nonsense. I
have seen first-hand how Goans have helped me and so many other fellow Goans.
Phew! I think I got carried away...
Where was I George?
Aha! So what I am trying to say, I think, is that the goodwill goes around.
If I am able to entertain with my humour-writing there are lovely Goenkars
out there who have reciprocated by giving and getting me 'giraik'. What
goes around comes around I guess. And as always, the fishing rod is
preferable to the fish. An occasional fish is a pleasant surprise but a
fishing rod is much longer term.
Cheers!
Cecil
P.S.
Having said all that I think will have a private chat with the rich and
generous Eric Pinto and see where it leads. Plain human greed.
P.P.S.
Some people might think of this is a new Pinto Conspiracy *chuckle* like
the one in Candolim many years back.
=======
