‘Excuse me, madam. Are you new to this place?’
‘Are you a newly appointed watchman for this park?’
‘Me, a watchman!’
‘If not why do you bother who comes in and goes out? This is a public park. Physically you look Ok’
‘Mentally too, madam. I was puzzled seeing you here for the first time’
‘Puzzled ? Am I the only woman you have seen?’
‘Here yes, outside no.’
‘Then, why to get puzzled?’
‘Don’t know, it happens when I see some extraordinarily attractive ladies ‘
‘Are you mentally ok?’
‘I’m . Physically too’
‘Physically too! Hope won’t be proposing to marry me?’
‘Why not madam? ‘StreenAmcha chitham purushasya bhAghyam ‘
‘Oh, my God! You don’t know who I’m . You don’t know who my husband is. Your loss is going to be heavy’
‘I’m prepared to lose my life for a great cause’
‘You’re prepared to lose Ammalu too?’
‘Ammalu! You know her?’
‘I don’t know her. I just mentioned a woman’s name. Why’re you shivering?’
‘Who’ll not shiver in this colony after hearing her name?’
‘I’m not shivering’
‘You’re Ammalu, with a weight gain of 10 kg. So, you don’t shiver;
I shiver seeing you’
‘Where is the exit gate for the park?’
‘You’re coming here for the first time?’
‘Yes, I’m’
‘Thank you, that was the information, I was looking for. Come with me, please. I will take you to the gate’
‘No, thank you. I will find the way’
‘I’m the watchman here’
‘You’re not. You’re a specimen to be preserved in a museum, not in a park’
‘I’m not, madam. I’m your husband’s K P’s close friend and my name is SP’
‘But, my hubby told me that KP is a decent man!’
‘I’m a decent man. My acting before you was as suggested by your husband’
‘But, pray why?’
‘So that you will not hereafter step into this garden.’
‘But pray why?’
‘We the oldies want to be left alone for a short period here free from our women’
‘He could have told me. Why all this drama?’
‘No one in our group, except me, has courage to tell that to their partners‘
‘But, you were the one shivering when I mentioned the name of your wife!
‘Oh, that was due to my training, madam. Enjoy the evening hour alone at home.Even you need an hour for yourself’
‘I like you. You’re a decent man. My husband was correct’