Merwanji's father Sheriarji was a kind and generous man. Even when Bobo was older, he had the forbearance of an ascetic. He had not become wealthy but was successful in his toddyshop. He gave money to the poor and distributed not only financial help but blankets and clothing as well. If the toddyshop closed unusually late at night, Sheriarji would sleep there instead of returning home. Having slept many a night in the cold as a wandering dervish, he knew what it was to sleep on the streets. If he saw any poor person shivering in the cold, he would inevitably give his own blanket to him. This happened so often that one day Memo remarked caustically, "If we had collected the amount of blankets Shorog has given away, we could have opened a blanket shop by now."
Since Shireenmai didn't trust her husband to look after their finances, it was she who paid the toddyshop employees, who would come to their house to collect their wages.
As the years went on, Memo never gave up hope that Merog would be cured of his "mental affliction," settle down with a family and make something of his life. Behramji was a shrewd businessman and had several teashops and toddyshops in Poona by this time. One day Memo took him aside and offered to advance half the money necessary to start another toddyshop if Behramji would take Merog as a partner. Behramji was delighted and agreed to her offer. On 1 August 1918, Behramji procured a liquor license (this time he remembered to have it in his own name) and, in partnership with Merwanji, opened a new toddyshop at 723 Kasba Peth.1
Merwanji took the business seriously. Each morning from six until noon he worked in the toddyshop.
Footnotes
- 1.Peth is a borough or locality of a city.