“Ammalu, I will be celebrating your mother and my dear mother-in-law’s birthday tomorrow, in a most fitting manner, in a five star hotel. Invite all your friends”
“Star hotel in our village ?”
“Our Seshu’s mama’s hotel. Mama with his two wives, cook Ramaiyer and cleaner Gopalan, form the five stars”
“I like the food there and don’t question Seshu mama’s star constellation. But, tell me, why this sudden interest for you, in celebrating mom’s birthday? You haven’t bought even a cotton sari for her during her past forty five birthdays, since you entered our family”
“There is wisdom behind every act of mine and the only occasion that eclipsed was when I took decision to marry you. Now hear- your mom told Ammin, I’m told ,” Ammini, I have been belittling your SP Sir, from the day he fooled me and married my daughter. At least once, in the presence of every one, I want to say a few good words about him'”
”You are inviting problems . In her over enthusiasm to say too many good words, if my mom, try to compare you with Seshu mama, by virtue of his acquiring an additional star, it will be embarrassing for you and me”
“But Ammalu, I have only one wife and you are that”
“We both know that. Even Ammini knows that. even Pattu knows that . Even Parimalam knows that. But, my mom has not taken kindly to the collection of love letters, she picked up from your pillow covers and pant pockets the day after our wedding. The long-buried memories surface in an aged mind, when overtaken by emotion and by chance, during her speech, if she happen to touch a wrong string, there will be a flash flood of epithets on you. Let the old memories be dormant in her old mind”
“And not come out”
‘”It will certainly come out, one day or other. But let it not come out in the presence of Seshumama with two wives”
