He failed to show up, but brother was there to shore up their spirits

It was one of the worst-affected parts of the Galle district. Most houses were under swirling flood waters. Some were marooned on high elevations. 

There were some frantically looking for their dear ones gone missing while some others were making a bid to save their precious possessions. Displaced and helpless, the semi-starved people were waiting for relief mainly from those supposed to take the responsibility for looking after them when in need and distress. 

These people were expecting the politico – now a deputy – whom they sent to the council to show up soon to provide relief and direct rescue operations. However, this deputy who, by the way is facing a charge of having led a gang of goons to attack a propaganda meeting held in his area in support of the main opposition presidential candidate – now his own boss – never turned up. Nevertheless, the deputy’s brother had gone into action. 

He had opened a side-door of his wine shop and started selling arrack to the flood refugees so that they could drown their sorrows. Some of them who got thoroughly soaked had begun dancing on roads, they say.