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Victor Felix Ondaatjie was by far the man who shaped up my life more than anyone
else in the world. He is my step-father although there was nothing 'step' about
the way he treated me and my sister during our school days at the famous 30/2
Church Street, Nugegoda.
He was in my life ever since I remember. Even though the custody of us went to
our father by the divorce when it came to the time we were to be taken away, he
decided to 'kidnap' us and keep us at his Aunty Beryl's house safely away from
the court order! At the time I was 4 years old.
My next long stay with him came 8 years later in 1970 when I ran away from my
father to live with my mother until I went to sea in 1977.
Our house in Nugegoda was huge, modern and so beautifullly decorated by our
talented mother. It was open-house to anybody and everybody and had the culinery
delights that would have been envied by royalty. Uncle Victor and Ammi both had
great taste and entertained lavishly. The endless parties especially X'mas fare
requires more than imagination for fair description.
Every good thing has to come to an end; or is it rather one good thing ends when
another good thing begins. in 1988 Uncle Victor, Ammi and the family migrated to
the UK to set up new life. Since then he has retired and lives as free as a bird
as I could see him now...
Well, I am not surprised; he always knew how to enjoy life to the fullest even
in lean times.
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The years leading to the dismal '70s saw turmoil and youth unrest in Sri Lanka
which culminated in the insurgency of 1971. The Socialist government in power
hardly did anything to ease the shortages people faced in the country. There
were queues everywhere...
This was the time in 1973 I went through a radical change in my social behaviour
as a 14 year old. All my best friends were growing up hooligans (some of whom
are now dead). We had kris knives, knuckle-dusters and other paraphenelia
essential to be a thug some day...
It was then that he unceremoiously packed me off to be boarded at the Royal
College Hostel. I was 40th in my class before I went to the hostel. I was first
in Royal when I came out of it two years later.
This was the greatest contribution he made to my life and I am eternally
grateful for that.
Once again back at home I was struggling with my A/L's; this time though not due
to bad friends but too much hockey and too much playing with bands.
Once again he rescued my by timely showing me a career path at sea and the rest
is history.
He was always a tower of stregth whenever I was in trouble; he would not let go
of a friend in need.
Now having seen him after 20 years makes me more sadder than before; having lost
the one and only man who helped me with his wisdom, though he was no more than
17 years elder to me.
<priyantha-dias on 22 September 2008>
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