‘Ammalu, you are going to be my wife for the next twenty one births’
‘No SP. I’m not available’
‘You are not available? What other big engagement you have? And Ammalu, how could you change your wedding day decision after living together for sixty years?!
‘No, I changed my decision the very next day’
‘In one day, you changed your decision?’
‘One day was more than enough to know you’
SP, every time you go out, I receive some complaints or other about you. Enough. Sit in a corner reading old copies of Anandavikatan, like other men of your age’
‘Ammalu, I’m not like other old men. Hot blood flows through my veins and capillaries. My friends, in hundreds, will be waiting to hear from me the latest political developments. I can’t sit idle. To please you, however, for a few hours, I will stay at home. Give me some active work so that I don’t doze off like you’
‘Ok, can you make roties?!
‘Not men’s job’
‘Can you clean the kitchen shelves?’
‘Women’s job, . Give me a work to suit my gender and vigor, Vitality and mentality, artistic skill and articulating ability’
‘Catch the mouse hiding somewhere in our pantry’
In the busy morning hours for the housewife when she has to cook, wake up the school -going children, gets them up ready before the school bus or auto screams at the gate, attend to the needs of babies, oldies, servant maid and office -going husband, the husband has to cooperate. I was a very adjustive and adjustable hubby and I’m happy about that. .
‘Where is my bath towel, Ammalu?’
‘In the bath room’
‘Nothing stays in its place in this house,’ I complain
”Everything is in its place except your mind!’, she retorts.
‘My behind us behind you, Ammalu’, I cajole her.
‘Ideal time for romance!’, she complains.
When you should romance, either you sleep or in your friend’s house’
Real fun is in the evening, soon after I return from office.
‘Ammalu, you forgot to pack thayirmolagaj’, fried chilies.
‘Avakkai pickle was there in your tiffin dabba’
‘Nothing can replace thayirmolagai, like nobody can replace you!’
‘No, SP, You are the cool curd and me the hot chili 🌶’
Ammalu, why stand there? Come and sit on this bench’
‘SP Sir, I’m not Ammalu madam. I’m your new tenant Valsala’
‘Where is Ammalu?’
‘She has gone out sir’
‘It is ok. You can sit on this bench’
‘That is not a bench. You are sitting in a chair’
‘So, what? You can also sit’
‘Thank you Sir. Let me ask Ammalu madam’
‘You said she has gone out’
‘Now she is back sir’
‘Oh, my God! Stand wherever you are, Valsala’
——————-
Ammalu, one who knows what to say, when to say and how to say, is a genius. Do you know?’
‘Yes, I know and you’re a genius!’
‘Who told you? You don’t have enough stuff in your head to know by yourself ‘
‘Amma told me?’
‘Really? When, yesterday?’
‘No, the day you came with your parents to meet me with the alliance proposal ‘
‘How did she find out in our very first meet?’
‘The moment she placed dishes of sweets and snacks on the table, you enquired, ‘Thayir vadai illaya- no dahivada ?’
Amma says that was the thing to say, the time to say and the way to say!’
‘Then why did my dad admonish me, ‘madaya, fool, this is not the time to ask, the thing to ask and the way to ask?’
‘He was not, perhaps a genius like you’
———-