Spending Christmas alone is unthinkable to most of us since togetherness is the essence of the celebrations. But that Yuletide in 1964 Donald Macintyre was destined to do so as his family was away in Scotland. Stout, ruddy-faced and unsmiling, he was known to be an unrelenting disciplinarian in the sprawling tea estate that he managed near Munnar.
The evening of December 23 found him thinking of his family as he listlessly and sullenly paced the well-appointed sitting room of his bungalow. He had resigned himself to his loneliness when he noticed a gaggle of carollers coming up the drive, shoulders hunched against the bitter cold.With a forced grin he let them in and soon a full-throated rendition of ‘Hark, the herald angels sing’ filled the sitting room as he looked on dour-faced. Halfway through the second carol a perceptible change crept into his countenance. His glum features relaxed, revealing the faint trace of a smile. He seemed to have remembered something.
Reaching into a cabinet, he wordlessly produced a gleaming violin. His head tilted and his cheek resting against the instrument, he began to saw away, slowly and soulfully, accompanying the carollers through ‘Silent Night’. He seemed unaware of his visitors as he immersed himself into his playing, his eyes shut in the euphoria of relishing the melody he was producing. The organist tactfully stopped playing so that everyone could savour the Scotsman’s music unhindered.
Then came the last carol. All perked up and raring to go, Macintyre shouldered his violin again and tunefully scraped the opening notes of ‘Jingle Bells’, the perennial Xmas favourite, with gusto. The carollers joined in zestfully, determined to make the evening memorable for the lonesome planter.
The Scotsman signed off with a flourish. The carollers applauded heartily, impressed by his virtuosity. He bowed in acknowledgement, his face wreathed in smiles. Gone were the aloofness, reserve and air of authority that characterised him earlier. He went round warmly exchanging greetings and shaking hands, grateful for the carollers’ company and the chance to display his prowess with the violin.In retrospect I realise that our timely visit had helped to energise him with the spirit of Xmas and banish his gloom. Yes, I was one of the carollers in that group.