The Lion and the Sun – Chapter 5  – Part 1  (The British Lion) – Cont’d.

      The next day,  the Moncreifs had to register their names with the Bureau of Adoptions, endorsing their full responsibility for the care and upkeep of Maung Po’s son.  

       For a while Maung Po felt exceedingly depressed, caused by his wife’s sudden death. Tan suggested that he could be closer to his son if he were to work in the Moncreif household as a gardener.  He could see his son more often, as well as find much pleasure in the work of Nature.  The work would also serve as a means of diversion from the prolonged, agonizing memory of his departed wife.  Maung Po thought it was a good idea, chiefly because he would be closer to his son.  It was time for the old gardener to retire. Tan’s suggestion was considered to be timely.

        Tan persuaded his sister and brother-in-law to hire Maung Po as soon as possible, prior to the old gardener’s foreseeable retirement, in order to get him acquainted with some of the aspects of the work.  As expected, they were pleased to hire Maung Po and agreed with Tan that his employment would serve a dual purpose:  the benefit of Maung Po’s agricultural experience, as well as the fact that he would be closer to his son.

          Maung Po was overjoyed about his new job. Tan assured him that he would be allowed all the facilities within his reach and that, in his present predicament, he should accept the offer without hesitation.

           Maung Po began familiarizing himself with all the aspects of gardening before it was time for the old gardener to leave. The wound  that he had sustained after Ma Hla’s sudden death was beginning to heal.  He felt that it was time to look on the bright side of life.