Nimal Logus & Newton
Hard lessons growing up
Chapter One — Newton
The local rail station was desolate, devoid of the hustle and bustle that usually characterised it during peak hours — the school holidays had thinned out the crowds considerably, leaving only a lone figure amidst the emptiness. Denzil sat in the waiting area, his duffel bag resting at his feet, eyes scanning the pages of the novel he had pulled out of it. His mind was preoccupied with the excitement of the impending journey that would take him to the welcoming embrace of his best friend and classmate, Ajit.
As he turned another page, Denzil noticed a man limping towards the sitting area. His gait was unsteady, and his clubfeet caused him to sway from side to side. The short man, who looked to be in his twenties, was dressed in a vibrant sarong with a belt and a shirt that clashed with it.
The stranger settled onto a wooden seat a few feet from Denzil, who glanced up at him in acknowledgement. Meanwhile, the man was sizing up Denzil. They sat in silence for a few moments before the man spoke up.
“Hello, where are you going?” he asked, slightly accented.
Denzil looked at him before responding.
“To Moratuwa, to my friend’s home,” Denzil replied, offering a half smile as a common courtesy.
The man’s clubfeet did not seem to impede his social skills, as he quickly seized the opportunity to start chatting with Denzil. The man introduced himself, his voice warm and friendly.
“I’m Newton. Nice to meet you,” he said.
Denzil returned the greeting and gave his name in turn. Then, Newton wasted no time in launching into a barrage of questions, asking where Denzil studied, where he lived, what movies and music he liked and what his life was like.
Denzil felt a twinge of sympathy for the man’s disability; he found himself answering the questions openly and honestly. Newton seemed genuinely interested, nodding and occasionally interjecting with a comment or a question.
As their conversation wound down, Newton asked for Denzil’s address. Without thinking, the fifteen-year-old blurted it out, feeling a sense of trust in the stranger’s kind demeanour. Newton pulled a pen from his shirt pocket and quickly jotted it down, tucking it away with a smile.
Newton was travelling on the train line in the opposite direction. His train arrived a few minutes later, and Denzil watched him boarding the train.
Chapter Two — Nimal Logus
Several weeks after the encounter at the train station, Denzil received a letter in the mail. The envelope was addressed to him, but the sender’s name, Nimal, did not ring a bell. Curiosity piqued, Denzil tore open the letter and scanned its contents.
To his surprise, the letter claimed that Nimal was a friend of Denzil’s, detailing a few personal facts about him and that he had met Denzil before and that they were good friends, As he read on; however, Denzil began to suspect that this was a case of mistaken identity. He resolved to set the record straight.
Taking pen to paper, Denzil wrote a brief reply to Nimal. He politely explained that he did not know anyone by that name, and there appeared to be some confusion. Then, he signed off, hoping that would end of the mistaken identity.
As two weeks passed, Denzil received another letter from Nimal. The letter contained an apology, claiming that the previous confusion was a mere mistake. Nimal spoke kindly of Denzil, mentioning that he seemed like a decent boy and asking whether they could be friends.
Denzil read the letter with a sense of relief. He had not held any grudges towards Nimal and was happy to receive an olive branch. Then, without hesitation, he composed a reply, expressing his willingness to be friends with Nimal.
Nimal replied promptly, suggesting that they see a movie together. Denzil was an avid movie buff, and the idea stoked his interest. James Bond movies were all the rage among boys, and Nimal suggested they see the latest instalment. Denzil readily agreed, looking forward to bonding with his new friend over a shared interest.
The day arrived, and Denzil dressed in his best long pants, waiting eagerly for his new friend at the bus stand. Finally, as the clock struck 1 pm, Nimal appeared before him. Denzil’s initial excitement quickly turned to shock as he gazed upon Nimal for the first time in person. Nimal was at least ten years older than he had anticipated. Nimal wore white pants and a white long-sleeve shirt and was tall. He had a big jaw.
It was a strange feeling for Denzil, as he had never gone to the movies with someone older than him. In his mind, he had imagined Nimal to be around his age. Until then, he had only watched movies with his schoolmates or family. Despite his surprise, Denzil decided to continue with their journey as planned.
They boarded the bus, taking route 132 to the Savoy cinema. Denzil couldn’t help but feel uneasy as they settled into their seats. However, the excitement of watching the latest James Bond movie, “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service,” starring the Australian actor George Lazenby, soon took over, and Denzil enjoyed the film.
Nimal sat silently, gazing at the theatre stage beside his companion, Denzil. As the intermission approached, Nimal rose from his seat and returned with two icy chocolates, one for himself and one for Denzil. As they returned to their seats, trigged by Denzil’s curiosity, he probed Nimal for more information about his background. Nimal revealed that his father owned the tobacco agency monopolising the area’s cigarette supply. In addition, his father’s business empire encompassed numerous enterprises and a fleet of vehicles.
Nimal’s revelations stirred Denzil’s interest, especially since he had recently developed a smoking habit after school, which he found quite costly. He couldn’t help but think that perhaps Nimal could alleviate his financial burden by offering him a few cigarettes.
As Denzil sat at the dinner table at home, his mind was elsewhere. He was thinking about how to get cigarettes from Nimal. Denzil’s mother remembered the Logus family, specifically Nimal’s father, who was a well-respected businessman in the community. At one point, Denzil’s grandfather had even rented out a home to senior Logus. The more Denzil thought about it, the more he realised that there was a rich history to the Logus family that dated back decades. His grandfather had known Nimal’s father. That was trustworthy enough.
But what was really on Denzil’s mind was smoking. He had recently become fascinated by cigarettes and the allure they held for him. And so he decided to pay Nimal a visit at his business in Kadawatha. As soon as he walked in, he was struck by the sight of cartons upon cartons of cigarettes, all neatly stacked up behind Nimal. It was a pure temptation for a young boy who thought cigarettes were best after sliced bread.
Denzil bought loose cigarettes for twelve cents each with his scarce pocket money. He could never buy a pack of cigarettes. He had never seen so many cigarettes in glittering cartons. Nimal generously offered Denzil a whole carton of cigarettes, which he eagerly packed into his bag before returning home.
As he walked back, Denzil couldn’t wait to light up one of his new cigarettes and see the fuss. He knew it was dangerous and possibly even illegal for someone his age to smoke, but he couldn’t resist the temptation.
Denzil was a generous young boy, always happy to share his stuff with his friends and classmates. He freely shared his cigarettes with anyone who wanted them, whether they were his friends from school or his neighbours.
In no time, smoking became a daily habit for Denzil. With a continuous supply chain of cigarettes readily available, it was all too easy to indulge in his newfound vice. Denzil would regularly visit Nimal’s business, carting home cartons and tins of cigarettes to ensure he always had a sufficient stash.
Despite his addiction, Denzil kept his habit hidden from his mother. He knew she would disapprove and didn’t want to upset her. And so, he became adept at hiding his cigarettes and smoking outside the home.
As time passed, Denzil became just like any other teenage boy of the day — addicted to cigarettes and unable to quit. Smoking had become an integral part of his life. Denzil couldn’t help but wonder why Nimal was so generous to him. The young boy tried to make sense of it all, but he lacked the experience and wisdom to understand the motives behind Nimal’s actions.
Despite his confusion, Denzil was grateful for Nimal’s generosity. He couldn’t deny that the cartons of cigarettes that Nimal gave him greatly pleased him. It was as if Nimal knew exactly what Denzil needed and was happy to provide it.
As Denzil continued to visit Nimal’s business and receive more and more cigarettes, he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something more to Nimal’s kindness. But try as he might, he simply couldn’t figure it out.
Denzil and Hamlet were of the same age, close friends who spent much time together in each other’s homes. Hamlet was poor, and his family struggled financially as they prepared for their daughter’s wedding. Denzil knew he had to help his friend’s family but had no money to help.
He approached his wealthy friend Nimal, taking Hamlet to meet him. Nimal agreed to give 500 rupees. Denzil gave the money to Hamlet, relieving his family’s financial burden and allowing his family to celebrate the wedding without worry.
Denzil was known in his neighbourhood as a helpful friend who never turned down a request for assistance. His kind-hearted nature and willingness to lend a hand to those in need made him a popular figure among his friends.
A month later, his classmate, Kingsley, approached him with a request for money. Despite having no money and being determined to help his friend, he turned to his trusted source of financial support, Nimal, and gave the money to fulfil Kingsley’s request.
This grant cycle continued when another neighbourhood friend, Shelton, also needed financial assistance. Once again, Denzil approached Nimal and fulfilled the necessary funds to help Shelton.
Denzil’s selfless actions earned him the admiration and gratitude of those around him. His unwavering dedication to helping others in need made him a true hero in the eyes of his friends and neighbours. But all that was due to the courtesy of Nimal, a character Denzil had not yet come to grips with.
Denzil often visited Nimal with his school-age friends. On occasions, he went with Roville. Roville also enjoyed the perks of Nimal’s kindness until, one day; Roville received a surprise letter from Nimal in the post.
Then his friend, Hamlet, also got a surprise letter from Nimal, expressing a desire for friendship.
The trio chatted, sharing their experiences with letters from Nimal. It soon became clear to Denzil and his friends that Nimal’s interest in young teenage boys went beyond simple acts of kindness.
They also discovered that Nimal was twenty-six years old, ten years older than them.
Denzil, a bit more mature by this point, began to distance himself from Nimal, recognising his true intentions.
Chapter Three — Newton again
Denzil had grown up, and with his newfound maturity came a sense of clarity about the people in his life. He had cut off all interactions with Nimal, recognising the danger the man posed to young boys like himself. It was a decision that had been difficult to make but one that he knew was necessary.
As Denzil returned from college one day, he found himself waiting at the 132 bus stand. There, he saw a familiar face — Newton, the man with clubbed feet- at the rail station two years ago who asked for Denzil’s address.
Despite his reservations, Denzil engaged in small talk with Newton. Then, Newton dropped a bombshell — he claimed to know Nimal Logus. Denzil’s heart sank, memories flooding back of his role in Nimal’s twisted game.
Denzil’s mind raced, making connections and piecing together the puzzle. This was the same Newton who had acted as a pimp, taking innocent, unsuspecting young boys’ home addresses and passing them on to Nimal, possibly for a fee. It was a scheme that Denzil had narrowly avoided but could have easily ensnared him and, indirectly, his friends Hamlet and Roville.
Thankfully, Nimal was a meek man. He had not touched Denzil or his friends. Denzil breathed a sigh of relief, grateful for his own good judgement and the protection of fate. As he walked away from Newton, he knew he would never let his guard down again. The world was full of dangerous people, but Denzil was determined to stay one step ahead of them.
Subscribe to my stories https://djayasi.medium.com/subscribe.
The images belong to the original owners.
