People with excess leisure hours like me, have a tendency to collect unwanted information, while those in active age, look only for what they want for their profession or business or education. Even routine information on the cost of petrol, vegetables or milk is useful for a housewife . I don’t have any such needs and the time available at my disposal is plenty .
Therefore, I go around and gather all sorts of informations, analyze the data and store for the future use!
I had a tendency to collect scrap, even during my active days. What was, otherwise, the need for me to enquire the cost of a bag of cotton seeds when I went for buying a 1/4 kilo of jaggery from a provision store?
‘One bag of cotton seeds!,’ wondered Moothan, the shop owner at the Palakkad angadi or market. ‘Hope you ‘re not eating these seeds instead of rice. I’m sure there are no cattle in your house’
Moothan had a point, but what I fail to digest was the retort of a pregnant lady, while I was helping her to get down from a ‘Mayilvahana’ bus, at Kavasserry.
‘Your baby -delivery is going to be in your mother’s place or mother in law’s?,’ That was all what I asked her. An innocent question, as you will admit. You know what her arrogant reply was?
‘Mostly, it will be in your house’.
My face, instantly, turned gloomy, as Ammalu, who was just behind me in the bus, was hearing our dialogue. Fortunately for me, my life-partner admirably supported me and declared,
‘You’re most welcome to our house and deliver your precious child. I will be happy to serve you with all facilities’.
The pregnant lady was amazed. But, instead of praising Ammalu’s generosity, she exclaimed, ‘oh, you’re this great man’s wife! Wonder why you chose to sit behind your celebrated husband and not by his side in the bus?’
Ammalu, with a naughty wink and natural smile answered, ‘just to enjoy the fun in the front seat, madam. It is always my practice to occupy a seat behind him, in a bus travel’