He loves cooking and can make Daal Tadka, Gobi Manchurian, Chicken Cafreal and Pork Vindaloo. If Patrick D’Souza was not an upper division clerk in the Official Language Department, he would have preferred to be a chef.
But things didn’t work and he left the diploma course in hotel management after his instructor advised him to opt out, though he stood first in the exam.
“When one of my instructors saw me limping, he asked the reason. After I told him about my problem, he advised me to not to pursue a career as a chef, because it requires 8-10 hours standing in the kitchen while cooking. And that would be a nightmare for me later in life. So, I listened to him and opted out,” recollected Patrick D’Souza, who hails from Margao.
Today at 41, he is happily settled in his fourth-floor office in Junta House in the Capital City. Whenever he is not around, his colleagues miss him. Accepting the challenge that life posed before him, Patrick has made peace with his physical disability.
He is a muscular dystrophy patient, bound to his wheelchair. But that does not stop him from playing his favourite game, table tennis, and even win medals. “I recently won one,” he boasts.
As a kid, Patrick was just like any other boy. Both his parents were teachers; unfortunately, he lost his father when he was just 10. His mother continued as a teacher and raised three kids.
A student of Loyola HS, Margao, till SSC, Patrick did his 12th from J N Higher Secondary at Fatorda. Though a little slower than other boys of his age, he did not have any physical problem.
It was later that his muscular dystrophy was discovered. It came as a shocker to the family. Patrick wanted to be a chef, but had to drop that idea. Then he did diploma in electronics, but dropped out. Then he took admission in commerce. Again, after a year, he left it. He had no clue what he wanted do.
Meanwhile, he began working at a stationary shop as a sales boy. This was the turning point in Patrick's life.
"Seeing me selling pencils and notebook, a known person commented, ‘When both your parents were teachers, why are you doing a petty job?’ That triggered something in me. I thought of studying and joined correspondence course. I earned and learnt, completed my graduation in commerce in 2012. By then I was 27. Then I did ITI COPA course, which trained me in computers. I was equipped now to opt for a better job. Eventually, I got a job in the Official Language Department in 2015 and since then, I am here,” Patrick narrated his journey.
Today, Patrick is self-dependent. Both his siblings are married and settled. He is still single, and lives in government colony at Patto. He spends his weekdays playing table tennis, or listening to old Hindi songs. He also does motivational videos. And sometimes, cooks his favourite dish.
His escort drops him to office by auto. The disease is making him physically disabled, day by day, but mentally he is strong. He has not given up on life and aspires to answer Civil Services exam, to be a gazetted officer.
“Thankfully, I am not on any medication. The only thing I must continue is physiotherapy. But I cannot afford to visit GMC every day. I need help to travel, to make me sit in the auto, bus or wheelchair. Once on wheelchair I can move around independently,” said Patrick.
“Buses or bus-stops in Goa are not disabled-friendly. Climbing a bus is difficult for me. I feel, public places should be more disabled-friendly -- bus stands, theatres, washrooms, gardens, shops. We don’t want the society to treat us differently or show sympathy. We only wish that the society and the government is little more considerate and give a thought of the difficulties that a disabled person faces, and try to offer solutions. That would make the circle of inclusiveness complete.”
Muscular dystrophy is quite a rare condition. Patrick recalls meeting only four or five persons with this condition in Goa. He points out, for the disabled there are five e-autos in Goa. Some e-buses too which remain unused most of the time.
The government schemes are helpful. He too availed Dayanand Samajik Suraksha for six months, and discontinued after he got a job. Not angry with life, Patrick feels, one must do his best, god will do the rest.
Patrick believes, “We are disabled for a reason. Disability should not be a reason to sulk, to get de-motivated or to complain. All of us are strong; we have inner strength. We are not lesser beings than others. Let’s live life to the fullest, making the earth a better place to live.”
