“There is a style in Ammini’s sari wearing, Ammalu”
“I know. She has her style; I have mine. Every one has his or her own style. Don’t you have your own?
While singing you move your hands as if you are punching some one. When you see a friend of mine on the street, either you keep smiling or keep your mouth fully opened in awe, for five minutes. Her style might be different. Either she might look at another angle or walk way, without telling a word to you”.
“Ammalu, I’m sorry you mistook me. I wanted to tell you that I didn’t like Ammini’s sari wearing style”
“That again is your another style. To her, you would have said, “Ammini, you look like a cine star in this new sari”
“True. Those were my actual words. How did you come to know that? I’m worried, you might be having some remote speech- capturing devises”
” I have no devises. Ammini told me”
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“She looks marvelous, from the back”
“From the front?”
“Have I ever looked at the front of any woman, since our marriage, Ammalu?”
“Thank you. I relax my rule. Now, you can”
“If she happens to be your mom?”
“She is. Hence the relaxation of rule”
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“You have done your duty as a devoted wife and therefore you can retire and go to your mom’s house. I have failed in my duty as a responsible husband and therefore, I need to go to Himalayas and do tapas to atone my sin”
“You are escaping from the house, just to avoid the Diwali inaam seekers. I’ll do your job as a devoted wife, in your absence”
“Cash, from where?”
“Already removed from your wallet leaving a five Rupee note for your train fare to the Himalayas”
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“As per our old practices, from the day one of their wedding, the husband should sit and the wife should stand. Always stand. Hope you are taught this by your father, Ammalu”
“My father told me, when I was sitting on his lap and you were standing before me to tie the maangalya soothram, ‘Ammalu, see him standing before you, while you are sitting. Always maintain this position. That is the practice, passed on to us from generation to generation. Always remember this'”
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“I’m glad that I married you, Ammalu”
“I’m excited that you said it after 50 years!”
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“Ammalu, ‘there is a woman behind every man’s success’, they say.
In our house, it is opposite. I’m behind your success”
“You are only behind me. I’m your success, SP garu”